Still Searching

Except for the occasional wedding and funeral, I haven’t attended a church service in nearly two decades. That might not be unusual to many readers, but as the son of a Southern Baptist minister (save the wisecracks — I’ve already heard them all), I was obligated to attend every service — at least three times each week. As a child I loved the fantastic stories of the Old Testament and could quote long passages of Biblical scripture. As a teenager I began to rebel and ask questions about inconsistencies in the Bible that my poor Sunday School teacher was incapable of answering. By the time I left for college, I’d determined to abandon organized religion and seek out my own truth. I’m still searching.

This “Faith and Spirituality”-themed issue is an outgrowth of our new Conscious Living section, which has been so well-received by readers. There are obviously many others like myself who are on a spiritual journey and this issue is for them.

Several of my friends have recently paid visits to Durek Verrett, the “urban shaman” pictured on our cover. Besides being charismatic and handsome, Durek is a man with a rare gift. His “readings” of people are exact and precise, and have left more than one person on the Frontiers staff reeling from his insight and determined to follow a more enlightened path.

Writer Michael Liberatore, who is also a friend, recently came out to me as a witch. When I learned that the Church of Wicca is the fastest-growing religion in the world, I asked him to write about it. He’s written a fascinating, eye-opening article that dispels the frequent misconceptions—Wiccans are a harmonious bunch, not the Satanists so often portrayed in the media.

Elsewhere in the magazine, you can read frequent Frontiers contributor Michael Hauser’s essay about his own quest to incorporate faith into his daily life. We also asked Don Kilhefner to compile a list of religious and spiritual gathering places that are either operated by LGBT people or offer a welcoming atmosphere. If you’re searching for some form of enlightenment, the directory on page 46 is a good place to begin.

I really hope you find something beneficial in this issue and as always, I welcome your feedback. Write in (to letters@frontierspublishing.com) to let us know what you think.

Yours,

Jeremy Kinser
Editor in Chief