This week people are talking about
— Sexting Hypocrisy in the Moral and Ethical Issues forum
— the Vatican Takes Further Aim at US Women on the Discuss Catholicism board
And we’d like to introduce you to Agnosticspirit our volunteer host for the Discuss Islam, Discuss Atheism, US News & Politics board and the Addictions & Recovery Support Group
Here are some thoughts that she shared with us.
I moved to southern California after a divorce to be closer to mom, brother, nieces and nephews. It was only gonna be for a few years, but now that I decided to stick around and watch them all grow up to be good, perhaps even great human beings, kinda stuck here for another 20 years … LOL! The ultimate dream is a cabin in the Big Horn Mountains to escape the noise and confusion.

As a non-dogmatic non-theist, my spirituality has nothing to do with any deity but everything to do with linking ego, mind and body to the rest of the universe. For those who harbor a preconceived notion that all atheists have a mechanistic view of life, know many non-theists experience the joy, wonder and awe just as much as anyone else does. We all have something to teach; we all have something to learn and broad brushstrokes don’t work with ANY group of people.
What do you most enjoy doing when you are not online?
Offline time: a VERY amateur artist (watercolor, pastels, big fat pencils) looking at the world and its magic through the eyes of an artist…. Discovering patterns and pieces to see how it all fits within history, philosophy, religion, current affairs, literature and the people I love. Playing tourist within my own city, state, country – finding adventure wherever I go is as much part of life as breathing! Strange fact…. I don’t know why this is, but I think Alton Brown, the host for Good Eats on the Food Network is very attractive.
What brought you to Beliefnet?
Someone very close to me was on the downward spiral of addiction. We’d been “politely ignoring” it for years until it all came to a head in March of 2008. Googling for recovery programs, advice, someone from the OUTSIDE to offer a little unbiased perspective, opened up the world of Beliefnet. My first post was on the Addictions & Recovery forum!
We’re no longer in “crisis mode” but we’re no longer complacent about it either. In learning how NOT to deal with addiction, made some friends and quickly found a home on other boards at Bnet. Sorry, but ya’all are stuck with me!
Have you met any Beliefnet members who have become a friend off-line?
I haven’t yet met any Bnet members in person, but I’ve talked to a few on the phone and keep email contact with a few other lovely people I’ve met.
What is the best thing about being a Beliefnet community host?
Maybe a little too idealistic, but I volunteered to be a host not only because I wanted to learn better how to listen than to speak, but because I also wanted to do my very tiny part to make the world a better place; to foster and nurture a community. I’m still learning.
Do you have any suggestions for members who are new to the site?
For new members, don’t feel intimidated! Every board has its regulars, and if a post of yours is overlooked on a busy board, don’t take it as rejection, please! Sometimes when the fingers are flying across a keyboard, people forget to stop for a moment to welcome a new member. No matter your interest — food, religion, politics, the environment, relationships, you WILL find a home and a safe haven — hosts can help to offer a safe haven, but it’s the MEMBERS, The PEOPLE who participate, pontificate, opine, speechify, discuss, cry, laugh, TALK!!! that make this a TRUE COMMUNITY! I can’t emphasize this enough!
Tell us about an inspiring experience you have had on Beliefnet.
There’ve been a few WOW moments here on Bnet, but probably one of the most inspiring experiences so far was an interfaith effort to bring one of our fellow Bnet members home from Bahrain . So many kind, compassionate and caring people set aside their differences to meet a common goal.
One of the saddest moments was losing a Beliefnet friend, someone I’d never met in real life, who I only knew by the context and CONTENT of his words alone. His death hit me so much harder than I expected. We form attachments to our virtual friends, they can take on a great deal of meaning, and their loss is nearly as difficult as a loss in the real world.
Something I never expected to learn was from Discuss Islam. There’s always hope, and so much more that unites us than divides us. I’ve learned more about how Muslims perceive their faith than any book; even more important, discovering that Muslims are no more homogenous than any other group. Although I’m a critic of monotheism in general, I find much more in common with progressive Muslims than I ever thought possible, whodathunk? For the uber-paranoid, I will tell you that neither Muslims nor Islam is the enemy of the free world; those who commit violence in the name of their cause, whatever the cause, ARE.
From Addictions & Recovery, it’s TRULY a joy to see how those struggling with addiction begin and achieve the long uphill climb from the darkness to the light. With all the inspiring stories and passionate people discussing and sharing recovery, their addictions, and what brought them there; on no other forum can I find awe and grief within one single thread. People are very, very brave.
From USNP – still a new member of the hosting team, but this busy and contentious board offers so much opportunity to discover how Americans and those living beyond our borders perceive US in the USA. It’s like looking through the looking glass and seeing a reflection of what IS there, what we WISH were there, and things that aren’t there at all.
If you could invite any famous persons to become regular posters on your message boards who would they be?
If I could, I’d like to meet Leonardo da Vinci, Joan of Arc, Thomas Jefferson, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Plato, and Socrates … I have SOOOO many questions for them! 🙂