2015 is the year that I come clean. I am no longer a Christian. It's been coming on for several years. I still believe in Jesus. I still believe in a Divine Power. I just no longer can identify myself as a Christian.
I no longer can confidently believe that Christianity is the only viable option. I never understood people who said they were spiritual but not religious. I thought they just didn't want to get along with people encountered at church. Or they wanted to sleep in on Sunday morning. However I now understand. I think that if Jesus or Buddha or Mohammad visited the earth today they would agree -- religion has been misinterpreted and co-opted by greed. I choose to no longer participate.
I tried many churches in many denominations and some without denominations, I accept some of the responsibility. I have participated in the gossip that will divide a group. I have competed to be the best Christian, I have held leaders in too high esteem as to participate in the cult of personality. I have wanted to fit in so badly that I abdicated my responsibility to devise my own opinions, But I have woken up.
This is my journey,
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Post Christian
I was raised in a Methodist church - a lovely small town church with loving, caring gentle people. When I toddled off to college I became attracted to a more evangelical type experience. I loved the emotion and passion. I loved the black-and-white of the issues. I thrived.
After college I moved to a very large city and became involved in various churches, smaller and finally superlarge. I reveled in the activities and the thrill of the busyness. I married and converted to Catholic as my husband was a cradle Catholic who was not open to conversion. We raised children who grew up and left home. During that stage of life, I was focused on the home and family and lost touch with the comings-and-goings of the church.
Suddenly I was no longer anyone's example. I could be whatever I wanted to be. I quit going to the Catholic church for various and sundry reasons. What I found was that God was much bigger and personal for me outside of the church.
I met the Holy Spirit. Not speaking in tongues, not in the words of any preacher or author, not within the building or fellowship of a church. I met the Holy Spirit inside myself. Still and quiet. Love and acceptance. Freedom and security. Knowledge and peace. I don't use the name Holy Spirit. For me that name is tied to a traditional construct. The one called God by some, Allah by some, Jehovah by some, I call Source. This is my journey
After college I moved to a very large city and became involved in various churches, smaller and finally superlarge. I reveled in the activities and the thrill of the busyness. I married and converted to Catholic as my husband was a cradle Catholic who was not open to conversion. We raised children who grew up and left home. During that stage of life, I was focused on the home and family and lost touch with the comings-and-goings of the church.
Suddenly I was no longer anyone's example. I could be whatever I wanted to be. I quit going to the Catholic church for various and sundry reasons. What I found was that God was much bigger and personal for me outside of the church.
I met the Holy Spirit. Not speaking in tongues, not in the words of any preacher or author, not within the building or fellowship of a church. I met the Holy Spirit inside myself. Still and quiet. Love and acceptance. Freedom and security. Knowledge and peace. I don't use the name Holy Spirit. For me that name is tied to a traditional construct. The one called God by some, Allah by some, Jehovah by some, I call Source. This is my journey
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)