[antiochian]

Appreciate the advice, as always. Wow, Kara, you met Starhawk? She seems like an awesome lady, and a strong LGBT ally. I'm jealous.

Ash, you are right. I have no intention of "dropping" my Wiccan and pagan friends, and will continue to meet with them for ritual. There are Christopagans who mix and match from both religions. If you believe in the first commandment, it may be troublesome, of course. Pagans honor a huge variety of deities from various pantheons, including Hindu deities, etc. Why could Jesus not be another god (or great teacher) in the mix? Regarding Buddhism, as much as I admire it and its practitioners who seem a rather peaceful bunch, I strongly disagree with some of its basic tenets, so I don't ever see myself going that way.

If I've learned anything, it's that what you believe is secondary to how you act. In other words, I think an atheist who works at a soup kitchen is closer to "God" than a born-again Christian who judges the hearts of others, and whose heart is full of hate.

Interestingly, the person who responded to my email to the local Anglo-Catholic church is gay, and says this church is very welcoming. I'm looking forward to Mass this Sunday.