As His children, we can have a common ground, one that I think we use all too rarely. What have you learned from discussion with Christians of other denominations? When have you made time to sit down and understand their faith as much as you would like them to understand yours?

For me, one of the most helpful things I was given during my journey through every religion I could get my hands on was the local Catholic priest. I found a parish that was open as long as he was up to greet visitors and he allowed me to use the sanctuary for prayer night after night. I was there often enough to learn which nights I’d have the place nearly to myself and which nights the confessional and prayer room would be emanating noise my direction. One of the many nights I intended to have the quiet time to myself, he nearly gave me a heart attack from having moved to the pew behind me as I sat in near silence. He had asked me only one thing when I first came and requested time there and it was if what I sought was something he could assist with or something I needed to work out on my own. That night as I was suddenly aware of him, he asked his second question, “Why do you continue to fill yourself with the anger you come here to lose? You release it, you leave, you return full. Coming here empty and leaving full might just get you an answer for once.”

I learned from a man I was taught to mistrust due to his organization, that coming in full of my own answers and anger at the circumstances left me empty at all the wrong parts of the process.