Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Re:Christian cohousing

[Rob Sandelin (floriferous]

Having people within a community belong to a particular religon is very
different than organizing a community around a religon.  The latter is open,
the former is restrictive. I think you might have funding problems if it was
a requirement to belong to a particular church or subscribe to a particular
religious belief. I know of a couple such places that get around the
financing issue by not making this requirement codified in writing, and then
only advertising within their church. 

There are some restrictive doctrines within religious beliefs which can run
at odds with a open and accepting community. For example the issue of
homosexuality. There are others of course less political.  A devout
practisioner of some religons might find it difficult living closely with
people who did not share their beliefs, and questioned or challenged their
beliefs. There is often a willingness to extent tolerance on the part of
many open minded people, but there are also boundaries. For example, a very
evangelical type of person might not fit in well, and over time, end up in
conflict with cohousing neighbors who get annoyed at the religious
promotion.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood Community
Snohomish WA

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