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Originally Posted by ghostinawheelchair
I wasn't sure where else to post this and I would appreciate christian or christo-pagan's opinions. (Yes, I just made up "christo-pagan".) Also, english is 2nd language (y'all have probably heard this one before), so please be patient and try to look past my typos.
I was baptized (lutheran) as a baby as per my grandmother's wishes, raised as an atheist, and I turned out to be(come) a polytheistic pagan.
As of late I've been feeling the pull into the christian church, but every time I try to "open the bible", so to say, I always stop right after I begin because I find a lot of the written word incredibly disagreeable. That, and maybe it's because of how I was raised, but I just don't understand how people function in the modern world under a religion that to me sounds like "living death before you're actually dead".
That, and I feel like my current beliefs are like a family and a home, and if I had to give that up for the One God of christianity, I'd feel like I'd lost a part of my family.
I know christianity is a monotheistic religion and as such, my "gifts" to my pantheon would probably be considered a big sin and breaking the 1st commandment, should I become a christian. But this thing keeps on going through my head, and I'm just wondering... is there a way to reconcile these differences, be a good christian, but not feel like I have to give up a huge part of my life for a book and one god?
I know, in the end, what I would choose, but before I decide to toss my bible in the trash and pawn my cross necklace, I'd like to hear other people's thoughts on this.
Hugs, blessings & a good day to whomever reads this!
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Many make the mistake equating christianity or following christ with following literal interpretations of the bible or religious christian doctrines. This is a mistake as the bible and organized christian religion was put together with councils looking to control the masses and distorted Jesus' real mission. Not to mention the many contradictions found in the bible. All of this makes it difficult, not just for you but for many to follow Jesus because so many got it wrong.
Simply put, Jesus is the Master of Love and came here not to be deified and worshipped and to save us from a vengeful, angry, dysfunctional God, but to show humankind that one can find God/Love within, to love and forgive one another and ourselves, and the wonderful things you can do and miracles you can perform if you evolve this way.
That said, though much of the bible is negative, hateful inaccuracies, there are many gems in there. What you need to do is find a bible that highlights Jesus' words in a different color text than the rest of the bible and use your own inner discernment of love (we all have that and its accurate as we all have God within) to determine what is true of what you read.
I am sure there are many alternative christian resources online in addition to alternative texts such as the Gospel of Thomas, the gnostic texts, the dead sea scrolls etc that you can look into.
As far as practicing both christianity and paganism and reconciling the two, I am certain God and Jesus won't mind as they are the not the haughty, jealous, dysfunctional beings that the bible, religion and humans make them out to be. Relax and forge whatever path makes sense to you my friend!
HAPPY SEARCHING!