Dear Sylvia,
Thanks for your confirming reply.
These linguistic implications in religious thinking have been obstacles for
me ever since childhood - which brought me into a fanatic atheism, fighting
anything reminding me of religiousity. Today I can see that this was the
best way I could find for creating a space of inner freedom, that later in
life could be filled with a more personal relation to spirituality.
I have a feeling I'm not alone in this feeling of disappointment in regard
to a Christian "upbringing", experiencing dogma and fearfulness as rules
instead of human relations. E.g. Christian dogma as a tool for opression
(which of course can be seen historically on a social and political level
as well).
Then it takes quite an effort for a young person to break free from a
dogmatic spell and ultimatly find his/her own relation to spirituality.
I believe that the explosive interest in New Age ideas is somewhat built on
this ground (maybe also with the Western clinging to science as the all
explaining tool for what's true). Which could be referred to as the
"redemption" of religious symbols, as you mention.

Warmly,
Lars

P.S. I still feel the warmth of my discovery yesterday, thinking of this
WITH in your formulations. That was truly a mini-satori for me. Now I just
need to apply that in my daily living, too.

>Dear Lars,
>
>I think organized religions have really messed up religious language.  I think
>there is a great deal of idolatry in all organized religion, that is,  what
>were originally meant to be useful symbols which were intended to lead persons
>to meetings with God become eventually elevated to the status of ends in
>themselves.  And then they begin to lead persons away from, rather than to,
>meeting with God.  But I still find People of the Presence within the Church,
>just as they are to be found in all religions and in all walks of life, and
>they help me "keep on keeping on".  For me, God is the ultimate Mitzein, and
>to be with is to be present.  He has been a Presence for me throughout my
>adult life.
>
>By the way, I believe that religious language can be "redeemed", that is taken
>back from the crust of dogma and lazimindedness.  I believe the key is to take
>it back to the experiences on which they are based, i.e. through phenomenology
>and hermeneutics.
>
>Warmly, Sylvia