tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732608909485672758.post9000442385210906088..comments2022-02-05T04:27:18.228-08:00Comments on LA Journal: The Amish StrandSteven L. Denlingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16088987004394467971noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732608909485672758.post-64667191663917637352005-12-11T13:48:00.000-08:002005-12-11T13:48:00.000-08:00Steve, this is fascinating stuff. Admittedly, I&#...Steve, this is fascinating stuff. Admittedly, I'm a bit of a religion geek who had to wander far and wide to come back to my Christian roots with hope and belief. I cannot tell you how much I identify with these sentences: As an artist, and a person of faith, I am deeply aware of the fact that the constant flow of questions streaming through my mind is a gift -- and a curse. I wish it were just a gift. This is something that is so difficult to convey. For me, the questions are as big a part of my faith as the answers, and if it weren't for questions, I'd have no art. I know the Mennonites and the Amish both come from the Anabaptists. I know that some Mennonites are considerably more liberal than others. I just hope to read more of this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732608909485672758.post-91381451637439771012005-12-11T15:30:00.000-08:002005-12-11T15:30:00.000-08:00Bravo, Steve! This is the writing on your blog I a...Bravo, Steve! This is the writing on your blog I am most attracted to (most identify with perhaps). It is fascinating to read your personal story, personal history, but more so to see the intellectual process that accompanies it. You invite your readers not only to read, but to think, and to free-associate our own experiences. This is so lovely, and so valuable, and so rare. Please keep writing this way, in your blog or otherwise. It's good, good stuff. <br><br>Like Cynthia, I too was most affected by this: "As an artist, and a person of faith, I am deeply aware of the fact that the constant flow of questions streaming through my mind is a gift -- and a curse. I wish it were just a gift." I understand the wish, but hope you understand that it is misguided. Keeping the "gift/curse" aspects in balance is the truest, most important blessing. It is what we learn as we wend our way through the labryinth of often-unanswerable questions--as we accept and experience the frustration of the "curse--that we find our way back to wisdom and truth--our own truth, which, ultimately, is the only truth, THE truth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732608909485672758.post-64949239037725104852005-12-11T17:53:00.000-08:002005-12-11T17:53:00.000-08:00Beautifully expressed, Steven. This was a fascina...Beautifully expressed, Steven. This was a fascinating and engrossing read. Thank you for opening your soul to your readers.<br><br>Vicky<br><br>PS Switched at birth, eh?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732608909485672758.post-20578510080537010182005-12-12T00:10:00.000-08:002005-12-12T00:10:00.000-08:00I really enjoyed this entry. I have always enjoye...I really enjoyed this entry. I have always enjoyed hearing stories from the lives of others, I feel it enriches my own life. It is important to be able to talk about your personal history like that, I am still unable to do so, but I hope someday I will be able to share it as openly as you. I am looking forward to being home in a week, I hope to see you sometime while I am back. Once again, I enjoyed this entry very much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com