I came to Faith later in life (~ 40 years old) and didn’t have the “indoctrination” baggage of so many others. It soon became clear to me that the “Christianity” I was growing into through reading the Bible, other reading, and personal experience was very different from what most (if not all) of my fellow congregants were exhibiting. My confusion just drove me deeper into theological studies (books, podcasts, etc.) and “experiential awakening”.
25+ years later, I am certainly a heretic, bound for the fires of hell, by any evangelical fundamentalist, Pentecostal, Dispensationalist (others) reckoning.
That’s just fine with me. I attend a PCUSA church (in the neighborhood, thank God). I refer to myself as a Presbyterian, Franciscan, Universalist Mystic!😜(no congregation of them I’m aware of around here…..or anywhere?)
I believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life more than anything my reason, intellect, and heart have ever encountered……but in a profoundly different way than most everyone else. I believe the life and teachings of Jesus’ “law of love” offer the obvious, undeniable “salvation” the world needs….if we could only hear it, believe it, and live it out. Alas, it appears nearly hopeless (but it’s not).
Fear not the fundamentalists. Peace be with you…..
Comment two: I see the Bible at best as a lovely work of theological philosophy and at worst historical fiction with an emphasis on traditional parables/fairy tales with life lessons built into their stories.
Three: I see Jesus as an enlightened being similar to the Buddha or Dali lama and other elevated mystical peoples.
Four: I agree with the comment above about seeking the “and”.
I’m gonna be honest and say this comment is based off the first few paragraphs and I haven’t finished yet but I needed to say this.
I went to a recovery meeting at a church last night and this either/or is EXACTLY why I won’t be going back. I struggle with religion anyways but the speakers either/or in this case was either you believe in Jesus or you’ll never be successful at sobriety. And I kind of stopped listening after that. Now to finish the rest of the essay…
Unfortunately the deconstruction community has a lot of this. Ironically, I believe the narrow way which not many people find mentioned in the Bible is neither of the extremes.
Philosophy, Theology, Art and Gardening what do these things have in common? Everything! With each you have to be willing to get dirty, listen, observe and question. Curiosity is the key that unlocks them all - then it’s a matter whether to choose to dig deeper and see things through a different lenses.
I wish I would have read this before I went to church on Sunday and was presented with so many either/or ideas and concepts. Sitting in that room, my mind shut down and I felt angry with others and jaded inside towards myself. I felt like I had taken a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in a room I didn’t belong in.
This piece addresses the "either/or." What about the absence of archaeological evidence? Is this not appropriate while "directing" one spiritually?
Even at a young age, I knew the Bible stories were false ones. There is a reason these religious tomes are found in the "myth" sections of their libraries. A "talking" snake is no more true than Zeus transforming himself into a cow.
Most religions recycle already existing beliefs and then cite it as evidence for some form of continuous global belief. For example, the birth of Christ is the birth story of Zarathustra. The timing of this birth: Saturnalia.
Is it not unethical to fail in sharing this?
If we do not know how life was created, we can simply say we do not know yet. Do we need to fabricate fictions?
Whenever you are presented with “either/or,” look for “and.”
I came to Faith later in life (~ 40 years old) and didn’t have the “indoctrination” baggage of so many others. It soon became clear to me that the “Christianity” I was growing into through reading the Bible, other reading, and personal experience was very different from what most (if not all) of my fellow congregants were exhibiting. My confusion just drove me deeper into theological studies (books, podcasts, etc.) and “experiential awakening”.
25+ years later, I am certainly a heretic, bound for the fires of hell, by any evangelical fundamentalist, Pentecostal, Dispensationalist (others) reckoning.
That’s just fine with me. I attend a PCUSA church (in the neighborhood, thank God). I refer to myself as a Presbyterian, Franciscan, Universalist Mystic!😜(no congregation of them I’m aware of around here…..or anywhere?)
I believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life more than anything my reason, intellect, and heart have ever encountered……but in a profoundly different way than most everyone else. I believe the life and teachings of Jesus’ “law of love” offer the obvious, undeniable “salvation” the world needs….if we could only hear it, believe it, and live it out. Alas, it appears nearly hopeless (but it’s not).
Fear not the fundamentalists. Peace be with you…..
"I refer to myself as a Presbyterian, Franciscan, Universalist Mystic!"
(Waves) We must be in the same club. :-)
Comment two: I see the Bible at best as a lovely work of theological philosophy and at worst historical fiction with an emphasis on traditional parables/fairy tales with life lessons built into their stories.
Three: I see Jesus as an enlightened being similar to the Buddha or Dali lama and other elevated mystical peoples.
Four: I agree with the comment above about seeking the “and”.
I’m gonna be honest and say this comment is based off the first few paragraphs and I haven’t finished yet but I needed to say this.
I went to a recovery meeting at a church last night and this either/or is EXACTLY why I won’t be going back. I struggle with religion anyways but the speakers either/or in this case was either you believe in Jesus or you’ll never be successful at sobriety. And I kind of stopped listening after that. Now to finish the rest of the essay…
Unfortunately the deconstruction community has a lot of this. Ironically, I believe the narrow way which not many people find mentioned in the Bible is neither of the extremes.
Philosophy, Theology, Art and Gardening what do these things have in common? Everything! With each you have to be willing to get dirty, listen, observe and question. Curiosity is the key that unlocks them all - then it’s a matter whether to choose to dig deeper and see things through a different lenses.
I wish I would have read this before I went to church on Sunday and was presented with so many either/or ideas and concepts. Sitting in that room, my mind shut down and I felt angry with others and jaded inside towards myself. I felt like I had taken a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in a room I didn’t belong in.
This piece addresses the "either/or." What about the absence of archaeological evidence? Is this not appropriate while "directing" one spiritually?
Even at a young age, I knew the Bible stories were false ones. There is a reason these religious tomes are found in the "myth" sections of their libraries. A "talking" snake is no more true than Zeus transforming himself into a cow.
Most religions recycle already existing beliefs and then cite it as evidence for some form of continuous global belief. For example, the birth of Christ is the birth story of Zarathustra. The timing of this birth: Saturnalia.
Is it not unethical to fail in sharing this?
If we do not know how life was created, we can simply say we do not know yet. Do we need to fabricate fictions?