Permission Granted: Question Everything

Not that Science of Mind requires permission for anything... and yet, some of us still have childhood baggage, and permission - never mind who from, because that may not matter - to do the thing we want to do, believe the thing we want to believe, or be the thing we want to be, may help. Here, we get to give ourselves permission, but consider this yours if you need it!

It's OK to Ask Questions

Some of us likely grew up in an environment where questions weren’t welcome. Whether that was school, family, or church, we learned that toeing the line, not asking questions, and not talking back were the correct behavior. We were expected to believe what we were told (how many heard our parents say, “because I said so!”?).

For some of us, that didn't sit well. As Rev. Liz MIrante put it Sunday, if you're in this community, there's a good chance that's part of how you got here. The questions that weren't welcome elsewhere brought you through this particular door. It's OK to doubt those declarations.

And, if we’ve learned nothing this month, it’s that doubt isn’t the opposite of faith. It’s an imperative.

Rev. Liz wrapped up this month's series on Divine Doubt by encouraging us to question. Everything. The Divine may not doubt, but we do, and there’s something sacred in asking the questions. Asking the questions is the actual work.

Doubt As a Tool

Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; instead, it’s an engine. Asking questions isn’t a sign you care less about what you believe; it’s how you find out what you believe.

On Sunday, I learned a fun, previously unknown detail: Ernest Holmes, who founded the Science of Mind philosophy, was nicknamed "the eternal question mark" by his own family. He spent his life asking what underpinned all the world's religions. That question didn't undermine his faith; instead, it proved to be foundational.

Rev. Liz referenced “the work” of Byron Katie, whose core question in Loving What Is sounds deceptively simple: Is this true? That's such a great question to ask, repeatedly.

Doubt is an invitation to stop accepting the stories our minds tell us because our minds can play tricks. They're programmed to keep us safe, which often means squashing doubt and hoping it fades. Rev. Liz asked us to instead get curious and ask what’s underneath or behind our doubt and explore where it might lead.

The "God Is All There Is" Question

For those newer to this philosophy, a phrase like "God is all there is" can sound vague.

Another way to say it: We all come from one underlying intelligence, energy, love — call it what works for you. You aren't separate from it. It doesn't switch on and off based on your behavior. It doesn't require a middleman. Rev. Larry talked about a fish in water; the fish doesn't know it's in water and yet, it's swimming in it every minute of its life. Rev. Jim Boone described love in this way a few weeks ago, too. It just is. All the time.

That's why it's safe to doubt here. There's no cost to asking questions. You get to find out what's real for you.

What's in the Way Is the Way

Earlier this month, Rev. Jim also raised a Buddhist concept that’s useful to remember: The obstacle is the path forward. The doubt that shows up isn't evidence that something’s wrong with you or your faith. It shows us where the deeper work is.

Question? Shift... Interesting coincidence

Rev. Liz shared what she calls the universal doubt: I'm not enough. Many of us have some version of it. The instinct is to either magnify it or bury it, but neither works. What works is asking better questions and using it as information rather than a verdict.

Why This Community Exists

It was 10 years this summer that I landed at CSL Ballard (then Amazing Grace Spiritual Center — both CSL communities). So when Rev. Liz mentioned that many people spend their first month crying on Sunday mornings, I could relate. I sat in the back, apart from everyone else, and almost every week, found myself discreetly sobbing. There's a reason we keep tissue boxes around!

In the middle of a crossroads, I heard exactly what I needed, and I felt both lost and found. I don't know if it was, as Rev. Liz described, the relief of finally feeling vindicated and validated after years of doing my own work. Maybe. What I know is it works, and I'm still here. Here, I get my weekly mindset reset.

One thing I love is that we - collective - are not stuck in our beliefs. Our CSL organization continues to evolve by following the same logic - question everything. How does what we teach here apply to the environment, to marriage equality, to diversity and inclusion? Questions like these changed how we do things. The questions that get dismissed elsewhere are the questions we need to ask, and they're welcome here. Let's keep asking and exploring the hard questions.

So no. You don't need permission here. And, I'd argue you never need permission to be fully who you are. But if it helps to have it in writing, consider this it.

If you missed this talk, or any of the talks referenced, you can find them on our YouTube channel.

Core Council May Update:

Your Core Council meets monthly on the 4th Tuesday of each month. With no senior minister or administrator, we are largely operational. Our agendas are always full. The highlights:

• On the financial side, we welcomed our new bookkeeper, Nicole (please say hello if you see her on a Sunday!). We’re working through some process updates, including a new system for expense reimbursement and invoices.

• We learned that some in our community were recently hit by an email phishing scam — spoofed emails that appeared to come from Rev. Michael Auch. A formal notice will be sent soon with details and safety guidance. Please watch for it and take it seriously. Scamming is escalating and the scammers are improving. If you are asked for money or to do something, please always check in with someone on the Core Council, or ask Rev. Michael directly to ensure it's legitimate, especially if it's out of the ordinary. Note that we do have a fundraising campaign coming up, and we will be sure to make it clear what we're asking and expecting.

• We're updating our CC job descriptions in anticipation of onboarding a new Senior Minister, which will also help us find replacements as Anne Marie and I are in our last board year. We still need a treasurer, as Pam Kepford stepped down from her role in March. If this sounds like you, please let me know. We have one opening on the Council.

• We're also looking for more ways to bring people together mid-week — beyond Third Thursday movie nights — because community doesn't only happen on Sundays. Have ideas? Let me know.

• And the June 13th A Cappella Palooza is coming. Get your tickets. Invite your people.

Finally — the rummage sale. Thanks to this entire crew for all their help:

Anne Marie Legato, Ann Forest Burns, Nola Topolinski, Cinda Weber, Didi Graves, Sherry Dawley, Justin Thuemler, Ray Houle, Rev. Michael Auch, Brenda Campbell, Judy Dansdill, Liz Baldwin, Kris Steiness, Pam Kepford, Barb Krekow, me, Bonnie Pasek (our fearless leader) and her furry sidekick, Murphy. Some of us were there all day Friday, some all day Saturday, some were there for both, and some put in a few hours over both days. It all matters. Thank you. Together, we garnered an estimated $3,000.

Your ongoing gifts - of time, energy, love, money, ideas, and so much more, are endlessly appreciated. We are a village, and we are all in this together.

With gratitude,

Laura