Cross-posted from Hugh’s personal blog
Many of my recent conversations, with both friends and new acquaintances alike, have turned to spiritual topics. Several of those conversations have ended with the other person thanking me, and then they say something like “There was nowhere I felt safe talking about this stuff.”
I know just what you mean. I can relate to not having a safe place to question things without fear of being bulldozed over for having doubts or asking honest questions. In most places we can talk about faith, tolerance for other views is a lot like sex in high school: It gets talked about much more than it actually happens.
After querying several friends, I decided to try to create such a place. A place where you can ask hard questions, a place where we can disagree and still be friends, where we can learn from each other, a place where we can put aside labels like Catholic and Pagan and Liberal and Conservative and… well, you get the point. A safe place.
On Tuesday, March 3rd at 7pm, that place will be The Royal Bean at 3801 Hillsborough St in Raleigh, across from the entrance to Meredith College.
That night we will have about 2 hours of Coffee & Conversation. Safe conversation. This is not a “Christian” thing – this is a human thing. I don’t care if you are a skeptic, a pagan, a hellfire preacher or a Presbyterian, all views are welcome. Just come with an open mind and a willingness to listen to each other.
The topic that night will be ‘What is God (as you understand God) Like?’. It will be open conversation and discussion… this is not, God forbid, a lecture or a sermon or a Bible study. There is NO agenda other than a conversation. I hope you can make it.
If it looks like you will drop by, please shoot me an email at hughlh at gmail dot com and let me know, so I can save you a seat.
Update: Several folks have asked if this is going to be a regular thing. The short answer is, I don’t know. It sorta depends on who shows up, on how it goes and if anybody thinks it was a good thing. In other words, we will play it by ear.
