New Here

[StoryTeller]

After about a year of mostly lurking on DU, I was finally able this week to afford to donate. So now that I have my little star, I'm trying to get involved in a couple of the groups I have been longing to join. This is one of them.

I'm from Nebraska, and I grew up in a conservative evangelical home. I was never very politically active or aware--just rather cynical about politics in general. Dutifully voted republican because I'd heard horrible things about "those liberal Democrats" and was quite frightened to think what might happen if they were in charge. When Clinton got elected--my first presidential election to vote in, actually--I was just about sure that the world would perish in fire and water. :) But he turned out to be not so bad, actually, and I think that's what cracked open my mind just a tiny bit.

But most of the credit goes to Bush for turning me left-ward. :) My husband and I voted for him the first time around, and have regretted it ever since. Eighteen months of unemployment and watching the republican party prostitute our faith and every single value we hold dear has a way of changing one's thoughts about politics. So this last time around, we were proud Kerry supporters, and were very disappointed that he is not in the WH. That's how we found DU.

I'm still pretty much what you'd consider an evangelical Christian. We attend a Vineyard church which tends to be pretty progressive on most matters. But it's hard for us to find other Christians in our area who are progressive, environmentally conscious, egalitarian, concerned for the poor, etc. It's a pretty conservative area. So I am feeling a strong need to connect with other progressively-minded Christians, which is one of the reasons I donated to DU so I could post here.

Oh, by the way, I'm an author (fiction) so my posting ability is directly inverse to my writing deadlines, which is why my posting numbers are still low after a year. Right now, I'm procrastinating on a January deadline, which is why I'm more active right now. I'll probably have to duck in and out depending on my writing schedule. If you want to see what I write, my website is in my profile.

Looking forward to getting acquainted with you all!

[RevCheesehead]

1. Welcome, StoryTeller!

It's nice to have you here with us! :hug:

[flamingyouth]

2. It's great to have you here! Welcome!

I've seen your books in the bookstore, and now I'm putting them on my reading list. :hi:

[StoryTeller]

3. Oh my gosh!

Okay, that totally makes my day! I'm not an established enough author to be blase about a comment like that. I'm sitting here grinning from ear to ear and giggling because oh my gosh, somebody saw MY book in a bookstore and wants to read it! WOW! SO COOL! Thank you!

[flamingyouth]

6. I'm glad I could make your day!

I saw it at Barnes & Noble so you're getting some good distribution. And I've put it on my post-Christmas reading list (I work in retail so there's not a lot of time to read now).
:D

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. Welcome! :^) I write too.. that is, when I am not being utterly lazy about

it. I used to review books, but I broke my website and am too completely depressed about that to fix it yet ( http:curvynovels.info/ )

Right now all my energy is going into making this site instead: http://www.hostdiva.com/liberalchristians/

[FreedomAngel82]

5. I'm glad you're here!

:hi:

[GOPBasher]

7. Welcome StoryTeller!

I hope you enjoy it here! :-)

[StoryTeller]

8. Thanks, everyone!

I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you. :)

[lavenderdiva]

9. Welcome to DU, storyteller!

I look forward to your posts on this forum! Its wonderful to be able to participate in the forums, as there are so many interesting ones to choose from, and so many interesting posters to share with!:hi:

[realisticphish]

10. Welcome to DU

:hi:
Good to have you with us

[Maat]

11. Welcome!

Onward people of faith who are progressive!

[lady raven]

12. Welcome to DU!

We are very happy to have you here. You sound like a thinking, principled person and I think you'll fit right in :-)

[Lydia Leftcoast]

13. Welcome!

:hi:

[Cuauhtla]

14. A New New Here

I decided to use the thread Story Teller created in order to introduce myself as well.

While I am not a Christian at the moment, my recent quest for answers to the problems of suffering and injustice have led me to Gutierrez, Romero, the Berrigans, Day, King, etc.

I was raised in an "old-timey" Baptist family, questioned Christianity deeply from a very young age, was baptized as a Mormon when 19, and that was pretty much the end of the road in Christianity for me, until recently.

Politically, I checked out a lot of ideas when young, but from about 1980-2004 my views fell in a range defined by libertarianism and anarchism, and I voted for the Libertarian Party (on social liberties, while never accepting the "free market cures all" faith).

Like Story Teller, it was the lessons of the Bush administration that made both my wife and me liberal Democrats.

Retired Navy, member of Veterans for Peace....enough for an intro.....

Eric

[lavenderdiva]

15. Welcome to DU, Cuauhtla!

and a BIG Congratulations on your shiny, new star!!

also welcome to this forum! Questions are good, and there are many good listeners here, and you will find a lot of input, and perhaps some answers. Glad to have you here!!

[Cuauhtla]

16. Re: Welcome to DU, Cuauhtla!

Thanks very much for the welcome, Lavenderdiva. (Love the nick, by the way. We have an annual Lavender Festival in nearby Ojai, CA, and lavender always brings to mind the fields in the French Alps).

[realisticphish]

17. Welcome!

nice to have you with us
:hi:

[RevCheesehead]

19. Welcome, Cuauhthla!

Pardon my ignorance - what does your screenname mean?

:hi:

[Cuauhtla]

20. Meaning of Cuauhtla

It's a Nahautl word meaning forest or woods, which I chose primarily because my family name refers also to the forest.

Thanks to all for the words of welcome.

[hunter]

18. Hi StoryTeller!

I've enjoyed your posts.

Hello to you too, Cuauhtla.