still a 'New Agey' Buddhist after Mary experience

from an email to a friend about the Mary miracle visitation:

I’m still processing the experience. Nope, definitely not converting to Catholicism ;  )-  Too much evil caused by the Christian religion, esp. Catholicism. Thinking of the Doctrine of Discovery*, which gave the go ahead for our planet’s genocidal history of colonialism, which is still playing out here in Canada. Also the Crusades, etc. etc. . 

I’m trying to think of some good metaphors to explain my ambiguity to the visitation and blessing. Closest I’ve come so far would be if someone gave me a billion dollars, and then I had to spend it for the greatest good of the most people. There’d be stress and confusion, lots of instant friends and mega jealousy, but it’s the kind of gift most people couldn’t refuse.

I most definitely didn’t go to Greensides looking for a miracle. In a way the visitation was almost a cosmic practical joke. I went there for a country walk and some peace of mind while I waited for my mechanic to inspect my old Subaru. 

Maybe it was borderline rude of me to (in some people’s eyes) to practise Buddhist oriented meditation on a Catholic shrine site. Boy, did I get a comeuppance!!!

I will still retain my neo-Buddhist ’New Agey’ beliefs. After all, Buddhism is a couple of millennia older than Christianity, and it was this lifelong practice (I believe) which was part of reason for the visit from the beautiful Mary entity.

I’ve become more selective in whom I confide the event. The responses from the handful of people I’ve told in person have been extremely varied, even amusing. If someone had told me the same story, I wonder what my response would have been?

Thanks for the suggestion of checking YouTube vids. Did a quick check, and there are lots there. Haven’t watched any yet, but guess I should. 

Thanks for helping me articulate and reflect on this unsettling but magical occurrence ; )-

Cheers,

Chris

I may need a few more “cheers” to handle this ;  )-

*from the Canadian Museum for Human Rights

The Doctrine of Discovery was set out in a series of declarations by popes in the 15th century. These declarations (known as “papal bulls”) provided religious authority for Christian empires to invade and subjugate non‐Christian lands, peoples and sovereign nations, impose Christianity on these populations, and claim their resources. These papal bulls were written at a time when European empires were embarking on widescale colonial expansion.

from Tricycle's Daily Dharma - this helps me understand the paradox of being a Buddhist and someone who has also experienced a Christian miracle

More Than One Truth Paradox is where enlightenment is born—it’s not about resolving or conquering paradox by choosing one side; rather, it’s in the tension of more than one truth being true that a new wisdom arises. Kai Cheng Thom, “Writing Love Letters to Monsters” CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE