Belief Belief

Back in the 1950s and 1960s (I was born in the first half of the previous century) there was not a stigma upon being religious. Belief in some god was expected. Now there is much ado about "deconversion," with the stigma of ignorance upon any and all believers. I am honestly torn a bit between the two, because while I hate religion for diverting the religious FROM God, I am an evermore ardent believer in God. 'In' being the operant word here.

"Illusion never changed into something real," goes the song "Torn." Faith without evidence. The religious believe in whatever is their god. They believe that it is, that it is a rewarder according to its scriptures, and that the stories and reports about it are true. They may have a relationship with their god, with what they know about it. Hands raised in praise, they worship it, which is its and their fault: it is to them other. Else, i.e., outside and different than we, there is separation between it and us. God is not like that. It is one thing, which is everything. Other than everything DOES NOT EXIST. The Jewish/Christian illusions from our ignorance - as we learn and experience - change into something REAL. Anything less is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

I was reading from "The Martyrs of Lyons and Vienne, 177," in my A New Eusebius (J. Stevenson [ed.], 1957/1960, London: S.P.C.K., p. 31-41), and marveled of Sanctus, who had been severely burned and bruised for his testimony. Giving it another try a couple of days later, his tormentors applied again the burning instruments of torture, only to find Sanctus HEALED despite them. His belief was belief; illusion became real.

How I pity deconverts, the agnostics and atheists who have believed the Bible’s sacred history to be secular history and false church doctrines to be Biblical doctrines. Religion has lied to them, and they have fled religion going the wrong way. “Narrow is the way, and few are they that find it.” It is one thing to believe that Jesus died for you two thousand years ago, and another thing to believe that YOU died two thousand years ago. Relish your death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. Reign with Christ.