Thinking on the topic of religion. As I’ve gotten older I’ve questioned a lot of certain beliefs I hold/used to hold. Which is all part of believing, right? We all go through those phases. At least according to the people I’ve talked to about it. So lately I find myself thinking, “what do I believe in?” I do believe there is a God, a higher power of some kind that is much bigger than any of us. This God to me is a presence and has no real looks or characteristics. I talk to this God and I pray to this God. I believe in Jesus and that he died for a greater cause. He died for what he and many others believed in. I have accepted Jesus as my savior and was baptized a couple years ago.
So what does that mean to me? To me it’s pretty simple. Love others. That’s it! There are no special rules and guidelines I feel like I need to follow. Back when I did feel like there were rules I was incredibly stressed out because I felt like I wasn’t good enough and that’s no way to live. It really bothers me when people use the term “Christian” and then proceed to bash whatever that person may or may not be doing with their life, when they themselves claim to be a Christian as well. I mean isn’t “thou shalt not judge” one of your rules?
People continue to shout from the rooftops that “Gays are sinners and are going to hell.” Yet you never see signs out on street corners saying, how those that have been divorced/committed adultery are banned to hell too. Seems odd right? You also aren’t supposed to want your neighbors donkey, ox, or anything of your neighbors. So does that mean I can’t see something my neighbor has and wish my family had it and maybe decide to go buy it one day because I think it would benefit our family too? Or does that mean I’m not supposed to lust after something others have? I never see people protesting and condemning others to hell for wanting something others have. I’m just confused here with all the rules and how I’m supposed to interpret them.
My point is, people tend to pick and choose what they want to bash other “Christians” or just people in general for. Hey guess what, why don’t you just fucking love everyone no matter what “sin” they may have committed because let’s face it, no one is perfect! And it doesn’t take a Christian or believer to love others and be a good person either. I think people need to remember that too. Just because someone isn’t a certain religion or they don’t believe in this, that or the other doesn’t make them a bad person. Personally, in my opinion, “non-belivers” are better people than most “belivers”.
But this is why I choose to believe the way I do. I refuse to follow any rules because everyone that does is being a hypocrite. (FYI: You’re not perfect and you make mistakes too!) I refuse to have a label for my religion other than “I believe in a higher power”. I wake up every morning and choose to love others and be a good person. That’s it, plain and simple. Because I know I’m not perfect and I’ve made mistakes just like the rest of the world. And my mistakes aren’t your mistakes and vice versa. But that’s life. We learn new lessons everyday and all we can do is strive to learn from them and be better people. That’s my philosophy at least.