March 11, 2007
I Am....
I don't go to church. I no longer belong to any type of "formal religion". I don't and I make no apology for it.
Now, that does NOT by any stretch of the imagination make me any less a Christian, any less faithful. I just choose to avoid the political and social issues I have always had to deal with when attending a church.
Oh, now you should know this is making my family crazy. There are "interventions" threatened, prayers offered daily to save my soul, all sorts of talk about the state of my faith.
Personally, I think it's pretty funny.
Now, I don't enjoy making my family crazy. (ok, maybe sometimes, but not about this)
But for cryin' out loud - I would hope that my own family would see and appreciate my faith. That they would understand, after seeing and hearing all I've been through, WHY I've made this choice.
I believe our spiritual welfare is personal. VERY personal. As I've said more than a few times, I'm not going to force my beliefs on you, and I expect the same respect back. Oh, I love a good discussion, but arguing? No. I won't be a part of that.
If you talk to me, know me, you KNOW I'm a woman of faith. You KNOW I try to live by "The Rules", both the Commandments and the Golden Rule. I know the Bible, and I believe. THAT is what is important.
And I do miss attending a service every once in a while. I love Christmas. I love the hymns, the stories. I miss communion.
But I don't miss the hypocrosy. The politics. The back-biting.
I have enough of that in my life.
So I spend my Sundays home. Or outside. Or doing whatever.
And I pray. A lot. Prayers of thanksgiving for the good in this world. Prayers for forgiveness. Prayers for healing. Prayers for peace.
I'm a woman of faith. And all that that stands for. And I make no apology for THAT either.
Posted by Tammi at March 11, 2007 10:26 AM | TrackBackThat totally rocks, and that's a fact, Tammi. I believe Emily Dickinson wrote a poem about just that, about one not being any less of a Christian just because they don't go to church (although, in her case, I think it was because she was a recluse).
Posted by: Erica at March 11, 2007 02:10 PMThe passage "whenever two ore more are gathered in my name, there I am also" springs to mind.
I do often wonder if that includes all my personalities.
Posted by: og at March 11, 2007 07:37 PM.... I tend to lean towards Og's biblical quote... otherwise, well, I think that you might be better off finding a congregation somewhere....... there remains a lot to be said for hanging (occasionally) with people who are like-minded in regards to spiritual thinggies...
... then again, hey, I havent been to church for probably ten years...... so perhaps my slant is a bit off......
... ta ta... I'm off to the sweat-lodge to zone out to dehydrated dreams of orcas and mountain lions......
Posted by: Eric at March 12, 2007 09:36 PMLeave it to human beings to screw up something as beautiful as Church. I understand your views all too well. It's sad when good people are driven away from the church, and even sadder that it's the hypocrites and back-biters who stay....
Of course you're no less of a Christian for not "going to church"! You've heard of religious hermits, haven't you?
(NO, I'm not calling *you* a hermit! :)
And where would *they* have "gone to church"? They went "to church" in God's Cathedral; under the sky and the branches of the trees. The hymns they listened to and sang with where the songs of birds and of the wind, and the communion they had with God was within themselves and all around. He never left them, and He'll never leave you, either. :-)
Posted by: Wes at March 12, 2007 10:16 PMDamn, Wes, I didn't know you ran that deep...
Well said.
Posted by: Harvey at March 15, 2007 03:46 AMThanks Harvey. It's good to know that I can still surprise. :-)
Posted by: Wes at March 16, 2007 09:05 PM