Hello, all

[bandit]

Hey everyone. I am learning about Mel White and Soulforce for the first time. I picked up "Religion Gone Bad" at Borders one day and just started reading. I don't usually buy books of this type, but I felt it would be important to read.

I'm so glad I read it! Truly terrific. I have nothing but respect and admiration for what he has done, and for how he conducted himself on national television after Jerry Falwell died.

I'm in Northern Virginia by the way. Hello everyone out there!


- chris.

[BrentRichards]

Hi Chris, welcome to the forums. Take off your coat and stay a while. Glad you're here.

[Pablo Rafael]

Hi Bandit,

Welcome. I have a lot of family in northern Virginia. It is a beautiful place; I always enjoy going there for visits. (So much history to see.)

Mel White has certainly helped a lot of people. I count myself as one of them. If you liked Religion Gone Bad, have you read Stranger at the Gate? I think it is a very powerful book.

Join in our discussions and let us all get to know you.

Tu Amigo, Pablo

[Zerbie]

Hello Bandit. Welcome.

I like 80s music too. Not necessarily passionately, but I guess b/c I grew up hearing it. Feels like it's "mine" in a certain sense, having danced to that stuff at parties, whatever. Some fun memories attached to 80s music. Omigosh, weren't the 80s clothes ridiculous?!

[Sherrie Z]

Welcome, Bandit!

I especially liked German dance music from the early 80's ... new wave or post punk or whatever it would have been called ... remember the Dieter character that Mike Myers played on SNL? Yep, that kind of music, only not as a comedy sketch ... hee hee : )

Hugs,

Sherrie Z

[bandit]

Thanks all for the kind welcome

Sherrie: I like the German early-80's music as well I'm a big fan of synth-pop. I also love Falco (who was Austrian, not German), but it's the same neck of the woods.

Zerbie: Yeah those clothes were usually awful, hehe! But its so funny looking back, at the time how cool everything was. I guess that's the case with any time-period, or decade. One of the funniest things to watch now are the hair-metal bands. They were so ridiculous and campy and glam, but at the time everyone thought they were really tough Don't get me wrong, I like alot of those bands, but it's just funny looking back at how we viewed them at the time, and how we view them now.

Pablo: Thanks for the welcome. I will certainly try and read "Strangers at the Gate." "Religion Gone Bad" really changed the way I look at spirituality, especially the part where Mel White talks about the young Lesbian who comes up to him and asks if God still loves her. I can't tell you how many times I've asked myself that question, and its nice to finally read a response that I can actually believe and embrace. It was like a weight lifted, which is strange because for the past decade I've considered myself an agnostic, or even an atheist. It's almost like I've wanted to believe in God but couldn't quite manage to make myself do it. It's an issue I waiver on Sorry to ramble, heh... just saying that Mel White's book for the first time made it clear to me that my gayness is not something that will stand in the way of possibly feeling a spiritual connection of some sort.

Brent: Thanks for the welcome! I look forward to reading more about Soulforce and taking part in discussions

[Sherrie Z]

Originally Posted by bandit

Thanks all for the kind welcome

[...] just saying that Mel White's book for the first time made it clear to me that my gayness is not something that will stand in the way of possibly feeling a spiritual connection of some sort.

And hopefully ... not only that gayness doesn't need to stand in the way ... but that it could even be an added inspiration ... and something that could even contribute to and enhance your spiritual connection ... : )

You're welcome, thanks for your responses too ... or should I say "Danke sehr?" Hee Hee ... : )

[missmari]

i went to dullus, VA and loved it!! I have a couple friends that live in VA and I must say, I didn't want to come back!! after a lot of pushing and shoving me to the plane...I came back to TX...

but VA, definitely lovely!!

*hug* welcome amigo!

missmari