By Journey ~
My husband and I had some long-time friends over last night. It was nice to get together with them but there were times during the evening that I felt unsure about how much to share in regard to my current beliefs and world view. Even my husband and I avoid the subject because of our differences in the past 2 or 3 years. He has also stopped going to church regularly but still very much believes the inerrancy of the bible and all that goes with that and I haven't been too open in sharing with family or past christian friends about all the changes that have taken place in my own life in regard to Christianity/religion and my personal beliefs. It becomes even more awkward when friends from our past come and expect that nothing has changed.
It's funny how we seem to accept the reality that life is never stagnant but rather constantly changing and evolving. Our bodies change, our children grow up and change, our surroundings change, our friends and social circles change, our relationships change but why do we seem to think it's odd and even wrong for our world view and beliefs to change as we grow and learn?? Should ones ideology not also change and evolve along with everything else in our lives? Why do people feel threatened by that? I guess I know the answer from a Christian's viewpoint. It's the idea and belief that Christianity and the Judeo-Christian bible have exclusivity and is the only way to God and 'salvation'. I know it brings a sense of security and continuity to those who hold to it but at this point, I don't want to hold blindly to an invisible, intangible being whose only communication is through an ancient collection of writings that have bronze age values of slavery, sacrifices, irrational rules, patriarchal rule and a god that orders the slaughter of innocent lives over and over again. It's funny how you can blind yourself to what's really written there for years until you're willing to ask honest questions and stop justifying every unjust and horrendous act written there by simply saying "God must have had a reason, he knows best'!Maybe that's how others from our past history justified obeying orders from a tyrant and murderer such as Hitler. Maybe they simply believed or were brainwashed from youth to simply trust that they knew what was best so therefore should be obeyed.
As far as I see things, change is inevitable and I intend to continue to change and grow as I learn and hopefully grow wiser in all areas of life.
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| change (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee) |
It's funny how we seem to accept the reality that life is never stagnant but rather constantly changing and evolving. Our bodies change, our children grow up and change, our surroundings change, our friends and social circles change, our relationships change but why do we seem to think it's odd and even wrong for our world view and beliefs to change as we grow and learn?? Should ones ideology not also change and evolve along with everything else in our lives? Why do people feel threatened by that? I guess I know the answer from a Christian's viewpoint. It's the idea and belief that Christianity and the Judeo-Christian bible have exclusivity and is the only way to God and 'salvation'. I know it brings a sense of security and continuity to those who hold to it but at this point, I don't want to hold blindly to an invisible, intangible being whose only communication is through an ancient collection of writings that have bronze age values of slavery, sacrifices, irrational rules, patriarchal rule and a god that orders the slaughter of innocent lives over and over again. It's funny how you can blind yourself to what's really written there for years until you're willing to ask honest questions and stop justifying every unjust and horrendous act written there by simply saying "God must have had a reason, he knows best'!Maybe that's how others from our past history justified obeying orders from a tyrant and murderer such as Hitler. Maybe they simply believed or were brainwashed from youth to simply trust that they knew what was best so therefore should be obeyed.
As far as I see things, change is inevitable and I intend to continue to change and grow as I learn and hopefully grow wiser in all areas of life.
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