My Faith [Me]

I have several writings and references to my system of believing, and I'd like to bring them all together in one place. To many people, I probably don't appear to be a really heavily religious person. And for a lot of people, 'religious' is not a really positive term. It brings up images of people shoving tracts in your face, saying you'll go to Hell if you don't believe the way I believe. So that's correct, I'm not very religious. However, I have a deep faith in God and my relationship with Him. 

I didn't always; as a child I attended church a couple of times a year, Easter being one of them. And if you had asked me my religion, I would have said that I was Christian, because that's what was expected of me. I went to various churches, cathedrals, synagogues, and other places of worship with friends and classmates. There were a lot of Jewish kids in my class, so I attended a LOT of bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs at that age. As a pre-teen and teen I went to a Baptist summer camp for several weeks each summer. And I learned the church songs; I loved to sing them. But I was there for a getaway and to ride horses and have friends. I did get baptized at that camp, and I did get a better idea of what being Christian meant. But it wasn't an important thing in my life.

And then my daughter was born. And as she grew, so did my relationship with God. I got it, finally. He's my father. He loves me and guides me the way I love and guide my daughter - only better. And I listen about as well as most kids do to their parents, I have to admit. But that parent-child relationship was the foundation of my faith.

A few years later, my Mom was attending a local non-denominational church, and we started going with her. Again, for me it was more about singing in the choir and working in the nursery than it was learning about God. And it was about spending time with other Christians, trying to love each other. And it was about getting my daughter into some activities with some folks that would be better influences. For several years, it was good for us.

I don't attend church now, but that doesn't really matter. My Father and I, we have a relationship. Sometimes I remember to check in with Him a lot, sometimes I forget for a while. Just like with my Mom. But I know that He's watching and that He's there if I need Him.

So what do I believe? I believe my God wants me to be the best person I can be. I should treat other people with love and respect. I should help myself while asking help from Him. I should do no harm, to the best I am able. And when I mess up, I should ask for forgiveness. And when forgiveness is asked of me, I should try to grant it. I should accept happiness in myself, so that people look at me and want to have the kind of faith I have. Pretty much the same things I want for my daughter to be.

I started this off to link other writings about my faith here. Here's one I wrote on Facebook first - Faith as a Parent. A friend expressed surprise that I was Christian when she found out; what she meant was that I'm not 'that kind' of Christian. I have found lately that Tolerance has become a major part of my faith. And following that tolerance issue a step further, we arrive at Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.

So what triggered off this particular writing was actually an interview with Bono. Go read it; I think he and I may just worship the same God in a very similar way.