Three Months in the Making
I’ve been gone a long time. It’s happened before, but usually just for a month. There’s been plenty going on (for example RockOm launched finally) I just haven’t had much to say that belongs on this blog.
I’ve been feeling bitter recently. Especially towards Christianity/the church in general. I just can’t stand the thought of it. I guess it’s pent up frustration, etc. and I guess I blame it some for parts of my life. I don’t know. It just makes me mad.
Most recently, I’ve been getting upset that Christians seem to be stealing/repurposing the word spirituality. It’s like they so screwed up the image associated with Christian/Christianity that they had to find a new word that didn’t have the negative connotations to use. What they don’t seem to get is that no matter what word you use or how you express your faith, it’s the same religion. You can be part of a charismatic movement, or part of a church like Mosaic, but you are still all the same and I don’t want any part of it. So stop stealing my words and ruining them. If you want a word, keep Christian and fix the image. Not that you can, but there’s no need in ruining another perfectly good word.
I meant for this to be more of a happy post, but I guess it didn’t turn out that. I’ve just been a little wierd lately. Maybe I’ll come out of it.
June 30th, 2008 at 22:49
I understand the feeling well, Zach. My rejection of Fundamentalism and my opening to a universal mysticism was a long, slow process that took many years, more than most, probably, due to my intense attachment to the religion.
One of the things that helped me most in the process was journaling, a la The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron… That, along with my spiritual director, greatly helped me forgive, and move past.
Food for thought… remember that aversion is simply the flipside of attachment. Both are effects of a soul trapped in conditioned existence, together with ignorance, the three in Buddhist thought are the roots of suffering.
So, acknowledge the pain and work through it… but at the same time, it might be helpful to realize that beliefs are just that… mental structures. All we can do is learn to see past them, and realize the effects the memes have upon the mind…
Paco k amo al vi, Frato!