# A Letter to a Friend



## ClosetWriter (Jan 20, 2013)

*****,

I wanted to write you a personal message. I, obviously have been responding to several of your posts lately, and I wanted to give you a little more insight into why.

As you can see by my photos. I am very much in love with nature. I have spent many hours, by myself, deep in the wilderness of northern Michigan. The reason I do it is because it brings me peace. Whenever I am troubled by something in life, it helps me to get a better understanding by going deep into nature to seek the answers.

I don't attend church, and that is not because I am not spiritual. I consider myself very spiritual. I don't attend church because I see organized religion as having a very unraveling effect on mankind, and it has a very isolating effect on our souls.

I have heard the question asked would you rather know that you were going to die, or would you rather not? I had never really given it much thought until I was forced to. I am here to tell you, knowing this information is a very powerful thing. It allows you to see things that others cannot see. It allows you insight into spirituality through clear eyes. It allows you an un-slanted understanding of what life is truly about. I thank God for allowing me this insight.

I acknowledge that there is a God. I believe that God is all that is good in the world. I believe God is the truth. I believe that God is the light that shows the way through the darkness of life. Mostly I believe that God is the love we share with each other. I don't believe any organized religion is needed to spread these truths. I believe the only church that is needed is the one that resides in our souls. The reason I believe this is because there is nothing more honest; there is nothing more sincere; there is nothing more telling than the voice of the spirit of good that lives within us. That is the voice that we need to listen to. That is the voice of God, and our church is the world as we pass through it.

I think there is another voice inside us. That is the voice that confuses us. That is the voice that tells us we need to do this or that. This voice does not give us peace. This voice creates turmoil in our lives, and thus in the world as well. This is the voice that separates us.

I believe you are a good man *****. I believe you have the spirit of God burning bright within you. I believe you want to do what is right. I also believe that when we get too caught up in the ways of the world we get off course spiritually.

As for the right-winged agenda that you feel the conviction to spread -- I admire your resolve in your quest. I admire it because it shows me that you are a doer. It shows me that you walk the walk, and talk the talk of your convictions. That is a good thing. I realize that the right-winged conservative view on life is most in line with your beliefs as it has been with mine as well for most of my life. But I have come to realize that there is some wrong in these beliefs as well. Therefore I have decided, in order to be more of a force of good, I must disconnect myself from this group. That is not to say that I don't believe in many, if not most, of their views. However, if I cannot believe in 'all,' I cannot represent myself as being part of this like-minded group.

You recently posted something that said, "People of character do not allow their opinions to be silenced." That is very true, and I agree. I, however, wanted to let you know that people who are in the dark benefit more from light than they do from words. What I mean by that is, don't let your message get lost because of how you choose to deliver it. Be a light for others by example. Sometimes what we don't say can speak much louder.

I truly believe that every single religion on this earth is leading mankind in the wrong direction. Although their intention is to do what they think God wants them to, they have gotten off track, and are leading mankind astray.

In closing I would like to say: I know you are a very smart young man, and I know that you are convicted by your religious beliefs. I understand that. It is my hope that my words can help you see the things I have told you in the light of good. It is my hope that this will help you see it is much more spiritually uplifting to live life as a light that shines on all that is good than it is to live it as a bullhorn in a world of noise and disarray.

With Love And Compassion,

~Dave


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## bazz cargo (Feb 4, 2013)

Hi Dave,
powerful stuff. Kinda chimes with my own take on things.


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## nerot (Feb 15, 2013)

I really liked this.  It was well thought out.  I was impressed with the intelligence of your words and yet it was simple and direct.  Masterful piece.  Take care.


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## Dettbizzle (Feb 16, 2013)

I find quite a bit of my own belief structure wrapped into this.  Well done.


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## Rasoolpuri (Mar 16, 2013)

Wonderful


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## XavierAlex (Mar 30, 2013)

Many of the ideas here are very intimate and good.  I think your strength first and foremost is the profound thought behind your words.  And I do enjoy the epistolary choice in form.  I think of Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet.

If I were to make any critique of this, I would say that there isn't enough tension, per se; or it lacks a drama; or more to the point, maybe I should ask, what is at stake?  With a dichotomy between you and the "right wing conservative", I wonder.  Is that the best choice in wording?  Does that mean you are a left wing liberal? 

The more I read and look over it, I question the younger man with religious conviction and right wing conservatism.  Is he validated?  Is he who you once were?


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## moderan (Mar 30, 2013)

Dettbizzle said:


> I find quite a bit of my own belief structure wrapped into this.  Well done.





Rasoolpuri said:


> Wonderful





XavierAlex said:


> Many of the ideas here are very intimate and good.  I think your strength first and foremost is the profound thought behind your words.  And I do enjoy the epistolary choice in form.  I think of Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet.
> 
> If I were to make any critique of this, I would say that there isn't enough tension, per se; or it lacks a drama; or more to the point, maybe I should ask, what is at stake?  With a dichotomy between you and the "right wing conservative", I wonder.  Is that the best choice in wording?  Does that mean you are a left wing liberal?
> 
> The more I read and look over it, I question the younger man with religious conviction and right wing conservatism.  Is he validated?  Is he who you once were?


Not many posts between these people. Live or Memorex?
No offense intended.
The post sounds like self-talk. Could be wrong, but the last set of points sounds about right.


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## Peter Dyr (Mar 30, 2013)

This is a beautiful and fascinating article. You mention at one point that knowing when you were going to die enabled you to see an unslanted understanding of what life is truly about. You then mention many positive interpretations of what God is, was this your epiphany and/or related to it? Being on this forum has given me an unexpected and exiting opportunity to find out what other people's understanding of life's purpose is. I would be grateful if you had the time and incliniation to clarify the profound insight(s) intimate knowledge of ones own mortality can bring.

Best wishes,
Peter


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## tinacrabapple (May 1, 2013)

What a sobering and empowering letter.


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