This is a copy of my third post on the Communitas Collective blog.
I reconnected with the richness and beauty of the world around me when I moved away from my conservative Christian beliefs.
Until then I didn’t know I was disconnected. I didn’t realize my beliefs had narrowed my world until it opened up again and I felt the difference.
As a conservative Bible-believing Christian I believed I could relate deeply only to other conservative Bible-believing Christians. My other relationships were limited (unless I could lead that person to Christ) because we lacked the ‘bond of the Holy Spirit’.
My beliefs blinded me to the many simple natural ways in which I could connect with others. When I lost the beliefs I found myself enjoying people more. Now I am free to appreciate them on any level, not just ‘through the Spirit’.
It wasn’t just relationships that lost value when I was a Christian. Knowledge and art were useless and pointless unless they led people to Christ or deeper in their walk with him. The amazing discoveries and inventions of humanity were mostly wasted time on the way to a lost eternity. Now I am free to enjoy all learning again outside the pages of the Bible.
I was also disconnected by fear. What was not of Christ might lead me astray. I should avoid such things (I’m thinking of books rather than people, who I couldn’t avoid because I was supposed to lead to Christ). This fear happily dissipated as my beliefs changed. Now I’m free to read more widely again.
I don’t want to over-generalize my personal experience. It was my particular understanding of my faith which narrowed and shut down my world, disconnecting me from the richness and beauty around me. I’m not saying it happens to all Christians. Nor that my only way of escape was losing my Christian beliefs.
What I do know is: I’m very glad my world has opened up again and I’m free to reconnect and enjoy it in every way possible.
Thankyou, Helen.