Saturday, November 17, 2007

Unconventional Christian

So many of my thoughts and beliefs are unconventional, I've been thinking a lot about being a Christian and how much I have changed and grown and gone back to my original roots.



I have met a brand new blogger and she is new to unschooling and I am using her term so I think I'll introduce her here and maybe if more people visit her blog it will encourage her, Hilaree



Unconventional-

–adjective
not conventional; not bound by or conforming to convention, rule, or precedent; free from conventionality: an unconventional artist; an unconventional use of material.




I wish I had a tape recorder :) I have just had so many thoughts and had a long talk with Jason, I just may try to write a book someday...



I believe that faith is personal between me and God, not some rule oriented lifestyle that man has mandated to be God's word. I do not believe in institutionalized religion anymore than institutionalized schooling. Our faith is not something to be judged or ridiculed or ruled, it is to be lived.

I believe that I was a Christian since I was 12, my mom prayed with me and I accepted Christ. I had a very rough childhood and I did things that weren't very good but I always prayed and I believe that God was with me and watching over me.

I never thought that you had to go to church to be a Christian, I believed that God was everywhere and we could pray and worship at any time not just at 10 am on Sunday.

I went to many different churches and didn't really believe any of their doctrines. We didn't go for many years but I always had faith and prayed and believed I was a Christian.

Then we joined the Church of Christ and got baptized and lots of things changed. Things I believed to be true I was told were not, we studied the Bible weekly and learned a lot. I also became *holier than thou* and started telling others what I had learned and challenged their convictions. I judged people by so many measures I can't count, I didn't realize I was doing that at the time though. As time went on and I changed and had all my kids and I really started reflecting on these *truths* I realized that I didn't really believe in all of these should's and should not's.

After careful prayer and lots of time to make sure it was right we left the church. I have been growing with God and keeping my faith but I do not need an institution and I do not need any man made religion all I need is the Lord.

2 comments:

Grace Walker said...

Stephanie, when you write it draws me right in. I feel such a connection with you. It's amazing. I look forward to checking out the blog you linked. As always, thanks for sharing!

Hilaree said...

Hi Stephanie! I am so honored you would reference me and my just-begun blog! Maybe I've coined a new term - the unconventional Christian!! Yippee! Wouldn't that be great if it could be forever linked to the concept of FREEDOM. Freedom from institutionalized thinking. Freedom through Christ.
Thank you so much for encouraging me! Now I just need to get over my perfectionism and post some more on my little blog!