Fond farewell

[Jbarrax]

I guess I'll take this opportunity, in the twilight of the GSC, to express my immense gratitude to Pawtucket, the mods and the others who have been regulars here at the Cafe for these last ten years.

Wow it doesn't really feel like ten years, but it has been that long since Waydale closed and Paw took up the challenge of keeping an online home for the Way's diaspora open.

Like many of you, I am deeply saddened at the loss of the Cafe, which seems odd to me because I don't visit nearly as much as I used to, and when I do, these days, it's primarily to hang out with Human, George St George, and Waysider in the Movies, Music and TV booth. Trivial nonsense compared to the transitions we've gone through here.

I avoid the political section because I learned a few months ago that I can't hang out there without getting in trouble. Nuff said about that.

I don't visit the doctrinal threads as much anymore because the fire seems to have gone out over there. But it was the doctrinal discussions and debates on these forums that have allowed me to make the transition from a close minded Weirwillite to a...well, I'm not sure what I am these days really. But I can cohabitate peacefully now with Catholics, Church of Christ ministers, UU folks and Jehovah's Witnesses without constantly feeling like I need to tell them why they're wrong.

But, despite the fact that I can live and work with these folks, I still don't feel like I "belong" anywhere but here, among the Ex-way community. I know many of you have found Church homes and off shoot fellowships. I wish I could say the same, but there's still enough contrarian in me to prohibit me from joining a Church where I have to embrace the Trinity and the Infallability of the Bible in order to fit in.

Besides the ability to ask questions and exchange ideas about different views of the Scripture without getting shut down because it contradicts PFAL, the insights shared by those of you who lived and worked with the MOG and his disciples have been indispensable. I think that's the ongoing discussion that most of us have found most healing.

The exchanges here and at Waydale have been invaluable to my spiritual growth and for that I will forever be thankful. And I will miss the ability to come here and touch base with the only community where I really feel like I belong.

I have seen some of you on the GSC club on facebook, which is refreshing because some of you I'm seeing for the first time without the avatars and pseudonyms, which is refreshing. So if you wanna send a shout out, find me on facebook or email me at jerry.barrax.jr@gmail.com

I would really like to send a special thank you to those who have been most integral in helping me grow. I know I'll forget a few, so my apologies to anyone overlooked. But folks like Rafael, ExCathedra, Garth, Linda Z, TheEvan, Steve Lortz, Belle, have been wonderful. Hope to see youse guys at fb or elsewhere.

Much love and gratitude to the Cafe!

God bless us everyone!