Where next? Some reflections

I have been posting regularly on this blog for about a year and a half.  My intention at the outset was to convey my views about the God/world relationship in relation to all of the key questions that philosophically minded people ask.  I feel that now, having written two books (one published and one on its way) and a few dozen blog posts, I have achieved what I set out to accomplish.  I don’t think that there is any crucial philosophical question that I have not attempted to tackle in my writing over the last two years.

So the question is, where next?  I feel that it’s time to put my thinking cap on and to consider how to use the remainder of my life in a meaningful way.  God only knows how long I’ve got left in this world – a few days or a few decades – but I want to make a positive contribution to life on Earth if at all possible.

One thing that will keep me busy is promoting my books.  I have experienced first hand how difficult it is to gain recognition as a self-published author.  But I believe in my writing and that it is a worthwhile endeavour trying to reach as many people as possible with my blog and my books.  So I need to keep pushing for exposure and collaborating with people who can help me to reach a wider audience.  In truth, I feel as though I have something important to offer the world in my writing.  I believe that God has given me some unusual insights and that the most important purpose of my life, for now at least, is to communicate those insights with others.

I truly believe that the panentheistic vision of the world that I espouse in my writing is the ultimate truth and has the power to break through religious dogma and to help lead people to a deeper understanding of reality.  I have studied philosophy and religion and explored our planet’s spiritual paths in some depth but I have never felt as certain as I do these days that I have landed upon God’s truth (or, should I say, the truth about God and the world).  I will always enjoy engaging in philosophical discussions with others about my beliefs, and maybe it is a significant part of my destiny to do so.

In any case, I feel as though the time is approaching for me to move into a new phase in my life.  I need a new challege that inspires and excites.  I need a way forward that will give my life meaning.

I know it won’t always be easy, whatever I decide to do.  I have a diagnosed mental illness and I am living in supported housing.  I have to take medication which has troublesome side effects and I also have an anxiety disorder that inhibits my life.  Nevertheless, I will strive to be productive and structure my life in such a way as to allow me to work on projects and gain satisfaction through them.

There was a time when I was a committed Christian and would have loved to have become a pastor.  But after studying and reflecting and reading the scriptures I found too many theological problems with the Christian faith and it would be wrong for me to pursue that line of work now.  That said, I would love to work in a field that is related to philosophy and spirituality as these subjects remain the great passions in my life.  Can you recommend any jobs that might be suitable for my interests?

I suppose a dream come true would be to be a pastor in a multi-faith church of the future.  But this is a church that I have written about and envisioned but that has no reality at present.  If only I could find the right people to work with in order to make this happen!  On the other hand, in truth I am a very shy and anxious person, so I’m not sure how well pastoral work would suit me.  For the right church or organisation, however, I might be willing to take on the challenge.

Anyhow, first things first, and for now I must focus on completing and publishing my second book, which will have the title ‘Ultimate Truth: God Beyond Religion’. The book draws from and expands upon many of my earlier blog posts and I really do believe it is an important book for philosophy.  I will be working with SilverWood Books on the publication of the book which should be available by the end of the year.  I hope that you will read it!

Thank you for reading my blog and for being a part of this journey with me, I really appreciate it.