Navigating My Interfaith Journey

I sometimes think about how I am navigating my participation in the local faith community. I realize that I don't feel a conflict between my faith and my participation in the faith community though I think about it during Sunday morning services. As I listen more and more to the wisdom of Buddhism, especially Zen Buddhism, in particular Ordinary Mind, it seems that modern Buddhists do not have to reject the essential teachings of Buddhism but refine and do discard some of the unessential trappings. There has been a successful progression up until the modern era. I just don't get that feeling about Christianity. We have this odd collection of books that we treat all the same rather than quoting them in context and with understanding. There seems little agreement on distilling the essential truths or continuing to agree on additional spiritual writings that are worth reading. Faith also became to emphasize believing certain things. Early Christians lived in community and shared all things. They were trying to follow what Jesus had taught them. Gradually Christianity became more organized, hierarchical and institutionalized. Over the years, various groups, monks and nuns especially ,have tried to live out the Christian life that Jesus taught. I haven't found much satisfaction in modern, progressive Christianity in that it seemed they had to really strain to find acceptable elements to form a cohesive religion. I liked what they said but I didn't find a firm foundation. The writers I enjoy the most are the ones that quote Thich Nhat Hanh and other Buddhists or quote some of my favorites Christian authors like Thomas Merton (who had a relationship with Zen Buddhism). So I really don't have a close friend on the same path that I can talk to. It doesn't come up at church either. I've said elsewhere, I'm able to navigate helping people spiritually in the Christian community while actually having quite different fundamental beliefs. I don't want to create doubt for anyone but help people on their spiritual journey. I guess, like some of the Christian writers that I enjoy, one can use the practices of Buddhism to help people. I also like that the Dalai Lama says, "I always recommend that it’s best to keep the religion you were born into." I jokingly think about being on my deathbed and when being assured that I'm going to heaven, replying "I'm not going anywhere." Then trying to explain the zen concepts such as no fixed self.