- Feb 9, 2020
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Over the last few days, I've posted a lot about the Church and Christianity. I believe that there are others like me out there. Like me, you were raised not to question the Church, the Bible, and/or tradition. The insistence on not questioning turned you off from the Church.
My spiritual journey began at that point. I disliked everything to do with the Church. The prohibition on exploration made no sense. It screamed ignorance. If God existed, wouldn't He be able to stand against scientific inquiry? Giving words to that thought resulted in me being at odds with family, friends, and others that I trusted. In some cases, I was branded an apostate or even a heretic.
At that lonely intersection of religion, science, and life, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery. I realized that science is the greatest evidence of God. I realized that God's revelation did not begin or end with scripture. More importantly, I realized that the message of Jesus Christ had little to do with what I had seen while growing up.
Jesus's message is one of love and acceptance. It is about understanding and embracing our differences. It is about seeing beyond those differences and finding a commonality that is evident in all of humanity. It is about compassion and rising above our base desires.
People will get to the Truth in their own way. Many paths lead to God. We cannot know or judge the hearts and minds of others. We can only seek the answers ourselves. I believe Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. I follow his teachings. I fail often. I don't have enough time to worry about what everyone else is doing.
If you are like me, if you are lost or confused, I want you to know that it doesn't last. Remain open. Always seek answers. Study and learn. Question the unquestionable. Live your life. Make mistakes. Own those mistakes. Embrace failure. Don't judge others. Don't let the pain of the past define your present. Pray. Meditate. Create your own existential crisis. Love and be loved.
That's where you will find God.
My spiritual journey began at that point. I disliked everything to do with the Church. The prohibition on exploration made no sense. It screamed ignorance. If God existed, wouldn't He be able to stand against scientific inquiry? Giving words to that thought resulted in me being at odds with family, friends, and others that I trusted. In some cases, I was branded an apostate or even a heretic.
At that lonely intersection of religion, science, and life, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery. I realized that science is the greatest evidence of God. I realized that God's revelation did not begin or end with scripture. More importantly, I realized that the message of Jesus Christ had little to do with what I had seen while growing up.
Jesus's message is one of love and acceptance. It is about understanding and embracing our differences. It is about seeing beyond those differences and finding a commonality that is evident in all of humanity. It is about compassion and rising above our base desires.
People will get to the Truth in their own way. Many paths lead to God. We cannot know or judge the hearts and minds of others. We can only seek the answers ourselves. I believe Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. I follow his teachings. I fail often. I don't have enough time to worry about what everyone else is doing.
If you are like me, if you are lost or confused, I want you to know that it doesn't last. Remain open. Always seek answers. Study and learn. Question the unquestionable. Live your life. Make mistakes. Own those mistakes. Embrace failure. Don't judge others. Don't let the pain of the past define your present. Pray. Meditate. Create your own existential crisis. Love and be loved.
That's where you will find God.