A Question of Balance

1. How old are you? 42

2. What is your race? (Caucasian (white)

3. What is your gender? •Male

4. Do you presently inject drugs for recreational purposes, such as heroin, cocaine,
etc.? No

5. Have you ever in the past used injected drugs? No

6. Do you presently have health insurance? Yup

7. Have you ever been homeless? No

8. Where do you usually receive health care? •doctor’s office

9. Do you currently belong to a religion? N

10. If so, what is the name of the religion? ____________________________________

11. Do you believe in a god or gods? Not really

12. Do you consider yourself an atheist? Sort of

13. Have you belonged to a religion in the past but then “lost faith” in it? Yup

14. Were you raised in a certain religion? Yup

15. What was the name of that religion? Lutheran_____________________________________

16. Did you attend regular religious services while growing up? Yes

17. Was there any point in your life when you changed religions? ??? Sort of.

18. If so, how many times have you changed religions? Audra got involved with the Jehovah's Witnesses, so I did some bible study with one of the brothers, and we went to services and everything for ... a couple of years while in Germany. We did Goddess stuff. We went to Unitarian Church in Las Cruces (as Dana will recall meeting Clyde Tombaugh) and First U. Church back in Cincy. actually we tried several U churches here. Before stopping altogether.

19. Was there any point in your life when you rejected religion or god? Y

20. If so, did you stay that way, or did you “return” to religion/god? returned sort of. but not really. I have never really returned to believing in God. Church has been mostly been about fellowship and spirituality as opposed to god worship

21. Did you ever experience an event in your life with strong spiritual or religious meaning, such as a sudden conversion, religious vision, spiritual awakening, etc? No

24. Have your religious experiences ever involved the use of drugs? No

25. Where did you mainly learn about religion (for example, school, family, frtiends,
books?) Church. and from Aunt Vera.

26. If you believe in god, do you believe god judges people based on their behavior?
Y N Don't know.

27. If you believe in god, what is your concept of god? •female if god exists god is more likely female. creative.

28. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

•god is an inpersonal force that does not communicate with or influence humans. Y

•god has already passed judgement on humans individually or collectively. N

•god’s judgement can be influenced by prayer/moral behavior/good works. N

•recreational drugs are part of god’s creation and as such exist for us to use. N

•We can never know the mind of god. Y

•all religions have legitimacy. N

•there is only one true religion. N

•drugs can give a person access to spiritual insight. Maybe. What is all of this drugs crap?

•god is everything and everywhere. Maybe

•god has turned his/her/it’s back on mankind. No shit.

•god wants people to enjoy themselves. God couldn't care less.

•my parents gave me no religious guidance. Y

•my parents were religious fanatics. Mom was religious, but I never knew her.

•the world would be better place if there were no recreational drugs. Probably.

•the world would be a better place if everyone took recreational drugs. the world would be a better place if people didn't need drugs to numb themselves or alter their perceptions.

•people are basically good. I think so. except in New Jersey.

•people are basically evil. Sometimes.

•there is a purpose to everyone and everything; everything happens for a reason. No. It's just one damn thing after another.

•people have free will. We think we do.

•all my life I have been searching for spiritual meaning. Y

•I have found the spiritual meaning to my life. N

•finding spiritual meaning is not important to me. N

•throughout history, organized religion has been mostly destructive. No shit.

•throughout history, organized religion has been mostly beneficial. see above

•organized religion is not the answer, spiritual enlightenment comes from within. Yes

•I see myself becoming more spiritual in the future. Doubtful

•I see myself becoming less spiritual in the future. enough!

•see myself staying the same when it comes to spirituality. tired of this.