My Path

Christian - Other is a blog for all of you out there, who, when asked to check a box on a form, have to select "Other" to describe your Christian belief.

I am a Christian. What does that statement mean? It means different things to different people.

To me, it means I am a follower of Jesus, the Christ; that I try to be one with him and incorporate his teachings into my life as I deal with people and situations.

How do I accomplish this? I follow my heart and pray for guidance.

I've tried to fit into many different denominations; I'm "papered" in three of them.  I've studied oriental religions and metaphysics. There seems to always be some man-made interpretation or teaching that conflicts with the teachings of Jesus or my conscience. After many years of trying to be a "good Christian" as defined by others, I've allowed God to direct my path.

My path is this:

I worship God and commune with Him in the sacred space of the Catholic Church; I believe in the Holy Sacraments of Confession and Communion.  I love the mystery, awe, and presence of God that I feel when I worship in the Catholic Church.

However, I believe in the Bible-taught way to salvation of the Protestant Church. I do not believe that any organized religion has the right to dictate the way of salvation for me. I do not believe that I need a priest to intevene for me.

I do  not believe that a priest has the power to forgive my sins. I believe I have a direct relationship with God, who forgives my sins; I believe that Jesus is my mediator. I believe Jesus died and shed his blood on the Cross for me, in atonement for those sins.

I believe that we are all one in God and, that as such, we have the God-given power to change our thoughts and so change our lives. I believe that God wants us to rise above our limited illusions and experience a glorious life on earth; to do that, we have to rise in consciousness. To achieve that rise, I allow God to show me the way.

I learn from many different teachers. Into my belief system, I incorporate the teachings of Buddha and other enlightened people whose philosophies help me to know myself and how to "be" in this world.  I learn from average, everyday people. I learn from the sick and poor, the rich and the famous. I learn from my own experiences.

I see no limitation in the way He teaches me as long as He is with me. I am drawn to many ways of communing with Him and connecting with Him. I believe He draws me to those ways.

This is not an easy walk. It lasts for a lifetime. LIfe, while beautiful, can be very difficult. I stumble and fall over my humanity constantly, but my Lord is always with me to pick me up, dust me off, and comfort me.

So there it is. I am a Christian. I am a Christian because Jesus the Christ is my Savior, God in the flesh, and the Indwelling Holy Spirit.

In Him I live and move and have my being.