meme: joys and trials
Monday, August 27th, 2007I was tagged by Jarred for a rather interesting meme. The original writer of the meme can be found at http://eirsinitiate.wordpress.com/.
My perspective is from a Christian, who does not affiliate herself with any particular denomination. I attend a non-denominational, conservative, evangelical church. My theological views tend to align with this particular church, and it is the same worldview I have been ingrained with since childhood. I value my church’s vision in seeking God through Christ, learning and using Scripture, and building up others. I am beginning to disagree with some of the views my church holds concerning what is actually said in Scripture itself. (i.e. certain topics such as baptism, or certain concepts such as limiting anything secular.) My personality and my vision of humanity does not align with it, either, though since it is well ingrained, it is a hard habit to break. (Go Christianese!)
I am slowly drifting to a more private faith, not to be confused with individualistic. I think it is because I developing a more mature faith. I enjoy and appreciate liturgy, though do not generally participate in it. If I tried to explain further, I would be here for months.
Rules
1. You have to use your own belief system for the meme. No fair using someone else’s to make a joke or satire. Being humorous about your own religion is encouraged!
2. You have to have at least one joy and one trial. More are encouraged. And no, they don’t have to be equal in length, but please be honest.
3. You have to tag at least one other person. More are appreciated!
4. Please post these rules!
Joys
1. Knowing that I have a God who values me individually, as well as collectively– caring how I fit into the scheme of things, as well as caring about my daily life and seemingly meaningless things. Having intrinsic worth as a human being.
2. Knowing that true Christianity is about dependency– not just on God, but on our friends and neighbours and how we’re meant to carry each others’ weight and burdens. We’re not meant to be thrown out into a wilderness and fend for ourselves; we’re a Church, a society.
3. Rawness. My true faith isn’t romanticised, idealised or intellectualised to death. It is simple, but important; uncomplicating, but deep. Yet, there is so much in Scripture that can challenge someone as a person or intellectually. And there is so much about the nature of God that I do not know or may forever remain a mystery. (This side of Heaven.)
4. Analysing and dissecting Scripture, understanding culture and worldviews of the time the Bible was written.
5. I believe in an enduring faith.
6. There is a strange sense of freedom I am slowly learning.
Trials
1. Being in a country where, despite popular opinion saying otherwise, Christianity is rare, weak, bullied, misunderstood, and despised. (Even in the so-called “Bible-belt”.) And, I live in a world that hates what Christianity really and truly is.
2. Knowing that my opinion counts for something, until I open my mouth and say, “I’m a Christian”. Then it is obviously unimportant, and uninformed.
3. Being an intuitive person with a God who is hard to perceive intuitively.
4. Personally, I have to press on, even though I rarely understand why or how– I’ve never experienced God the way a lot of Christians claim to experience or feel Him. Though I believe in prayer and miracles, I’ve seen relatively few, and have experienced close to none.
5. Feeling the pressure (inner and outer) to constantly memorise and emotionalise Scripture, without truly understanding what is being said and what it means– turning all of Scripture into “what does this mean to me/what can I get out of this”, application and practicality, without understanding or appreciating Scripture intrinsically.
6. Believing it’s permissable, and even beneficial to pursue ’secular’ things, such as education, entertainment, writings, logic and philosophy, intellectualism, and in doing so, understanding God. (Among peers and church leaders who do not.)
In hindsight, my views tend to be things most people do not see (or may not enjoy) in evangelical Christianity, but I am very aware of their truth and existence in it.