Closets have always been in demand.  The demand for closets is at least as old as history itself, perhaps even older.  During the Babylonian exile, there were Israelites who busied themselves trying to show how Babylonian they had become!

In 1492, before his famous voyage, Christopher Columbus was the Spanish admiral who arranged for the deportation of all of the Jews in Spain.  There were exceptions - those willing to convert.  And there were enough last-minute conversions that a large number of people with Spanish heritage also have a Jewish heritage which they might find difficult to reclaim.

I, Aidan, won't live in a closet, especially the Broomcloset!

Gossips have less to gossip about someone who is up-front about who they are.  And being up-front about who you are opens a door.  When others find out that you are just like them, you'll find more people who are just like you!

The movements which have brought African-Americans, gay people, Jewish people and others more into the mainstream have one thing in common: they had differences which they set aside in order to work together.  But they had their beginnings with each and every individual involved taking pride in who they are.

 And, there is strength and power in being counted.  Just how powerful can a prayer or a ritual be from a broomcloset?

Besides, we're going to surprise even ourselves with how many we are.  My guess is that if we were all counted, we'd already be mainstream!

Sin and guilt.  Tune in a TV preacher, go into any of a number of churches, or even watch some commercials on TV, and you'll hear a lot about sin and guilt.

And, they have many definitions.  Is it really a sin to put less than a certain amount into the collection plate, especially for the sake of being able have money for food?  Or the other no-no's like ladies coming to church on Easter without a real fancy hat. 

And then, there is guilt.  Like how, according to one charity's TV commercial, a cute little girl in some other country will suffer unless you send them money.  Or the TV evangelist who once announced that God was going to "take him home" unless he raised a certain amount of money for the university named after him.

But there are a couple of other kinds of guilt, more evil and more common.  One is "guilt by pronouncement", such as the teacher at school or the supervisor at work who tries to blame you even for a rainy day.  And then there is "guilt by gossip", the most evil of the guilt-trip-generators.

I am not sure if the image of gossip being housewives at the back fence ever was anywhere near accurate.  But it does seem that in recent years, gossip has gone from "cottage industry" status to factory proportions.  This is especially true in schools, churches and the workplace. 

Guilt trip?  Yes, probably are innocent, but you were pronounced guilty anyway!

So, what are you going to do if someone manages to put you on such a guilt trip?   There are ways, and we'll discuss them.

And how to deal with the people who put others onto such guilt trips?  We'll make some mention of that, but one basic truth about such people is evident:  They are their own karma!

One of the secrets to be found in spirituality lies close to us.  In fact, it may be under your own roof! 

In my case, some of the keys for me to find this secret are not only under my roof, not only do they lay close to me, they lay on my bed at night when I'm sleeping!

I can't make a blanket statement for all animals, but I can say that the animals I've gotten to really know are very spiritual.  And why not?  They don't have most of the distractions we use to take our focus off-target, so they have no excuse not to have a good grasp of the spiritual!

Of course there are those who will argue against that.  And they are the spiritual descendants of the theologians who once claimed that women didn't have souls!  There were also those who claimed that people who didn't qualify as "white" weren't really human.  Since such people have been proven wrong on those issues, perhaps they missed on some others?

And what can we see when we take a look at our special friends?

I can say something of what I've experienced, and you might compare that with what you've experienced.  But basically, this is a question for which I can't write out the "right" answers, even though some of the wrong answers would be apparent enough.

Look, see, perceive, and understand.  Someone close to you might have something to offer. 

I've said before not to expect major visions and revelations in your meditations and rituals.  There are reasons why. 

Try to imagine your deities in their terms, and "on their turf."  If you and I pray to the same deity at the same time, that deity listens and responds.  But not only the two of us, but for everyone else in the world who might be praying to that deity at the same time?  That would be overwhelming.  And then not only listen, but do things and maybe have a life on top of that?  I don't know about you, but I'm not ready for that level of multi-tasking.

So, what are these glimpses and peeks that we get?  And what can we do with them?  Much!

But woe to the people who think that the peeks are a full picture.  They are really missing something!

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NEWS FLASH!

Some major news that needs to be shared!  Along with Al Gore being considered for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on global warming, there's a major story of significance to all who read this:

A federal judge has refused to let the VA stall anymore on the veterans' pentacle case, and the case is moving forward.

Aidan has also issued a challenge to Pat Robertson, as well as to every Catholic priest, bishop and cardinal to join in supporting the Veterans' Pentacle Quest.  After all, religious freedom means all religions if it is actual religious freedom.  If they want to talk about religious freedom, here's their chance to show what they mean.  Are you listening, Pat?