Today I will just outline why I usually don't say too much about my Christianity:
- I know that I am imperfect and I know that Christians are well scrutinised for any hint of nastiness or hypocrisy. If anyone were to criticise me I wouldn't like it but assuming the criticism to be correct I would have to accept it. If, on the other hand, my bad behaviour or even perceived bad behaviour reflected badly on my faith I really would not like that. There are enough badly behaved Christians out there, I don't want to be added to the ranks. And I don't want to let the team down.
- I think that many times Christians are viewed as weird or bible bashing or generally unsavoury and I never wanted my religion to define me before I was known and defined by my character. I didn't want to lose credibility for myself or my interpretation of Christianity before I was even known.
- The majority of my (dwindling number of) readers are openly atheist and i don't have any desire to alienate people by talking about things they find irrelevant at best.
- My religious education is far from scholarly and religion rarely makes any kind of rational sense so I know that it will take all of about five seconds before I am faced with some unanswerable question and while I am prepared to live with uncertainty, i know that it is not a good look for someone who claims to believe in something.
I am a regular reader of your posts and I am not an atheist. I believe strongly that the End is one and the paths to It are many. I admire you for keeping your faith.
ReplyDeleteRamana,
ReplyDeleteYour regular reading and commenting is hugely appreciated!
Growing up in the church i have, of course, been taught that Christianity (or Jesus) is the only way to the End. The work I have chosen to do brings me into regular contact with a new age style of spirituality and the new age people sometimes have a better grasp of ideas i know to be found in the Bible than most Christians do.
i am beginning to think that the roads to the End have more similarities than differences
Count me in as a probable atheist. I think (I hope) that people matter to me more than the labels they carry - whether they chose them or someone else did. And the parts of you which peek out of your blog are warm, caring, funny - and fascinating.
ReplyDelete“It is an endless topic and one I am completely unsure of writing about.”
ReplyDeleteI’m the same way but from the other direction in regard to the topic being endless, but I think you will find that uncertainty diminishes. Instead of having to choose something to write about, it will come naturally to you. I take a lot of inspiration from comments. It’s not necessarily obvious, but someone will say something, and it will be like I’m floating in a stream, and something in the water has turned me in interesting direction.
“…why I usually don't say too much about my Christianity: I know that I am imperfect and I know that Christians are well scrutinised for any hint of nastiness or hypocrisy.”
I don’t see this happening with you because I know you will write from the heart. By being even more aware of (and open about) your limitations than those who would criticize you, you will put a believeable—and therefore positive—face on your faith. In other words, you’ll humanize it. Also, you see yourself as somewhat of an outsider even at church, and this will give you common ground with non-Christians. Plus, the more you write, the more you will reflect upon the place of faith in your life, and this enable you to go ever deeper. At least, this is my experience as an atheist, so I think it will be your experience too, but I’m talking years not months. Maybe you can think of writing about your faith as a spiritual exercise, sort of a reflective/meditative devotion. Instead of studying the life of a saint, you will be studying the life of Kylie.
“I didn't want to lose credibility for myself or my interpretation of Christianity before I was even known.”
Again, as with my atheism, we’re talking a life-long process where death is the only stopping place.
“The majority of my (dwindling number of) readers are openly atheist and i don't have any desire to alienate people by talking about things they find irrelevant at best.”
I had no idea! I wish I could attract theists the way you attract atheists. It seems to me that writing from the heart is always interesting if it’s well done, not contrived, and not focused on creating a good impression, and if what you’re writing is like another world to your readers, it’s the more interesting. Your focus won’t be on Christianity as a scholarly pursuit or as an attempt to win converts but on your experience of it.
“My religious education is far from scholarly and religion rarely makes any kind of rational sense so I know that it will take all of about five seconds before I am faced with some unanswerable question and while I am prepared to live with uncertainty, i know that it is not a good look for someone who claims to believe in something.”
If you let yourself be put on the defensive, it will take you out of your heart and put you into your head, and I think that would a worse case scenario. As you said, you’re not a scholar, so I would hope that I can stay in your heart.
I’m writing in haste, so please forgive me if I appear to be trying to fill the role of an adviser. What I mean to do here is simply to share what I’ve learned from my own writing.
EC
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing you must feel better! thats good to hear.
it suddenly occurs to me that steering away from matters of faith underestimates atheists (personally and corporately)
i know you to be bigger than that, hang in with me :)
snow,
ReplyDeletenot for a second did i find your comments advisory, merely encouraging and interested.
i used to use comments and other peoples blogs as inspiration but that hasnt been happening for me for a very long time. maybe this will mark a change because i sure miss blogging as it was when i started.
Nearly better. The body is still misbehaving, as is the mind - but I am keeping them separated so they don't gang up on me.
ReplyDeleteI am more than happy to hang in with you - and look forward to the ride.
“i sure miss blogging as it was when i started.”
ReplyDeleteI just miss certain readers who have either gone away or died. As for my writing, I believe I've grown in dept and wisdom. Unfortunately, I don't know if anyone has noticed.