I just talked with Lee. There's a chance we'll meet again tonight and watch a few movies, talk a little, have some fun companionship. Snacks always help. I'm eager to meet them at night to see how each of them responds/reacts at the different time of day. It would also be interesting to see how they react when they're in a somewhat more "them friendly" space.

Yeah, I know that's kind of confusing... I mean, the first time we met was on my home turf. You know, Chuck's. I know everyone at Chuck's. It's my hang out. I'm very comfortable there. Tonight, I'll be entering their turf. Not exactly theirs because it's a hotel room, but still...

I'd also like to meet them in their own home sometime in the future. Ya know, when I'm, well, in the Seattle area.

I am so impressed by them both. Let me put it this way... I'm so impressed that tonight, yet again, I'm going to have make up on. Heh. I don't think I'm going to go whole hog, in the form of foundation. Didn't do that yesterday morning, I don't have much interest in going that far. Heh.

I am a little nervous still. Hell, you all know my opinion of them. I can't wait for them to get home so that I can find out what their opinions of me are. *grins*

Luckily Nick doesn't have a diary online. I don't have to worry about negative feedback from him. *grins*

I love my life. I love that I'm learning who and what I am. And, I love that Lee and Karen are so damned cool!

I'm wondering if I could get Lee to talk more at a later time of day. *shrugs*

I just had a very interesting thought fly through my head. Now, in order to understand the value of this thought, you have to also follow the chain of thoughts which led to it. (My thoughts work like a game of word-association)

First off, the thought: I wonder if polyamory is actually something God accepts. i.e. not sin.

Now, the chain of thoughts which got me there...

Lee and Karen

Lee's less than stellar self esteem

perhaps he's quiet because of the self esteem thing

perhaps he's quiet because Karen isn't

maybe he's quiet when he's attracted to someone - I seem to remember him saying as much in his diary entries (this one his hypenated because it was a double thought. heh)

if Lee is quiet when attracted, is it because he's studying the person or is it because he's waiting to discuss the attraction with his wife

Is he quiet because, like me, he likes to study the situation he's in

as far as being attracted to people (I had to get myself back on the train-of-thought tracks), if Lee is in a commited marrital relationship, that creates problems for the Christian side of the world

and yet, there are many instances of multiple relationships/marriages in the Bible

And some from very prominant individuals

specifically King David who was dubbed "a man after God's own heart"

David had the blessing of God and when David covetted Bathsheba and did all that icky stuff, like killing Uriah so that David's intimate relationship with Bathsheba, Uriah's wife, was not "discovered", in order to have her

and God told David that if he wanted another wife, all David had to do was ask

That intimates that though completely monogomous relationships were the societally accepted thing, perhaps it is only taboo and not sin to be in a polyamorous relationship.

The fact that God told David he just had to ask for another wife indicates to me that perhaps God does not consider multiple sexual relationships to be sin.

Yeah, that's the way my brain works. Except... all of that took place in about two-thirds of a second.

So, where does that lead me?

I think about how God doesn't push and shove me around; how He lets me make my own decisions and do my own thing. He tells me what is good for me, what is healthy vs. not healthy. He tells me that I've read the Book and I know the difference between right and wrong.

For me personally, polyamory is not kosher. But that's not because someone said that polyamory is sin. I've never seen that in the Bible, and the Bible is my rule book.

I have known quite a few people for whom polyamory truly works, for them, they are happy, cheerful, well-adjusted people, capable of understanding what it takes to be in a long-term, committed relationship.

For some people, like my brother, polyamory is NOT a good thing. Because, he flits from relationship to relationship in the hopes of finding someone who will complete him; someone who will fill the empty spaces inside him.

My brother is not a polyamorist, he is a serial monogomist. But that's beside the point. I'm not talking about my brother.

To bring this all together (in my mind, anyway) Lee and Karen both come across as happy, healthy, well-adjusted people. They have a healthy, typical marriage. Karen is raising two boys. Very typical. *grins, waggling her brows*

It doesn't surprise me at all that Karen is not actively seeking polyamorous relationships. She has a son to take care of, a full time job with lots of responsibility, a husband who loves her, but isn't the best person in the world for disciplining his child... she has so much on her plate that she doens't have TIME to be getting into other relationships.

Lee is strong, competant and diligent. He might not like certain things about his life, but he keeps going and he meets his responsibilities. (as long as you don't ask him to set a good example for his son) *grins again*

Neither one of them show badly. Neither one of them makes me overly nervous in that spiritual sense. (Karen does a little, but I suspect there's something behind that... I'm not willing to get into it in this public forum. If the subject ever comes up, I'll deal with it then)

Now, without going into too much detail here, cause this is a very public forum, I think that both Lee and Karen are mature, educated, erudite (yes, redundance is my forte) generous, kind and truthful people. I think they're both strong and very dedicated to family.

I "know" that if something were to happen, Lee would protect his family to the death (God forbid anything ever approaches them in that manner). I "know" that Karen will bend over backwards to make her relationship work, to create a warm, stable and loving home. I "know" that Lee will bust his butt day after day to provide Karen with the desires of her heart.

They are not evil people. I have met evil people. I have spent time with evil people. I know the "rays" they send out; the "vibes". There is a taint to evil people. Neither Karen nor Lee have anything close to that taint.

Therefore, they are not evil people. Therefore, they are not sinning outright. Therefore, though I don't specifically agree with their chosen lifestyle, because for me, I'm not built to have serious, bonded relationships with multiple lovers, I don't think their chosen lifestyle is "sin". And, I'm not sure that anyone on this earth, Christian or otherwise, has any right to tell them their lifestyle is sin.

Because, the Bible tells me not to judge. The Bible also tells me that David was a man after God's own heart. David did a lot of not-nice stuff, but his attitude was, over all, in the right place as far as God was concerned. Because I know that those people who are evil show it and those who aren't, show that too.

Eh. This whole entry is just a drivle infested exploration into the cracked and warped psyche which is me. *chuckles*

Suffice it to say, bottom line: Lee and Karen are really cool. I enjoy them, I enjoy their company, I enjoy having the freedom to slip inside their minds and find out what they're really thinking. I love the opportunities this weekend has offered me. Anyone who gets the opportunity to meet this family will be blessed by having done so.

And what do these ramblings have to do with Lee and Karen specifically? Neither of them are Christian. Neither of them are interested in me as a relationship possible. I'm not interested in either of them as a relationship possibility in turn.

These ramblings are related to Lee and Karen specifically because they are currently the only practicing polyamorous couple I've met (that I was aware of). Therefore, when I meet something I don't know about, I study it.

They are wonderful people. If you ever have the chance to meet them, please do. You will never regret it. Unless, of course, you piss one of them off, cause then you'll have a bunch of people ticked off and hunting for blood. Or something equally as bizarre. Heh. Watch your cyber-ass buddy, we're cyber-hunting you.

*hears Elmer Fudd in her head right now*

Anywho... I'm closing this now as I have to grab my shower before services and then, ya know, get dressed. *chuckles*

Love and all to you and yours. And remember, you ALWAYS read this diary at your own risk. I do not accept responsibility for your own anurysms even if said instance occurs while reading my mind-boggling thought spewage.

Tootles

PS Do any of the rest of you have a hankering for marinated steak after reading about Lee and Karen? *chuckles* I do. *doesn't normally use Lee and Perin's steak sauce/marinade but thought the joke was funny nonetheless*