Jus' Fascinatin'
People never cease to amaze me.
See, I was raised in a good church-going Methodist family, which was kind of unusual in a neighborhood where almost all my friends were Jewish. In college I studied a little about world religions, just out of curiosity, then eventually wound up marrying a nice Catholic girl. When she was 40, she died. No illness, no symptoms, no warning-- she just died. I loved her, and I took it real hard. For a variety of reasons, I sort of gave up on religions and churchs and, for that matter, on God!
Now as time goes by, I soften my view a little bit, but I discover there are actually quite a few people who don't want to follow any of the major religions. However, a lot of them do feel like there's a pretty mean, evil world out there and they'd like to try to changing it-- or, at least create a little force field around themselves and their families. So, I decide to establish sort of a church of my own, on the internet. The premise is simple: All the world's religions share a lot of the same basic principles and, just because you don't like their clanish ways, doesn't mean you can't believe in things like "do unto others..." or "thou shall not kill," or helping the less fortunate! So why not live by some rules, but without the dogma and politics?!
So I start my little church (www.1stwebchurch.org) and you don't have to buy anything, or give me your email address, or make any donations. It just offers a lot of ideas and things you can do to make your life, and those around you, a little better in the spiritual sense. You can be a part of a simple concept: Do what you know is good and right, and maybe those who see you doing it will be motivated to join in. And, if they do, maybe the world around you will start to get just a little bit better. And even if it doesn't, at least you'll know you did your part! I don't care if you ever wind up joining a traditional church or not. That's up to each of you.
The web church has been running for about 3 years now, and I've gotten some great emails from visitors. But, guess what-- I get an equal number of messages from "born again, truly religious" people who just beat me up every which way (figuratively, of course) because I don't demand that everyone believe what they believe!
I don't know. It seems a little un-Christian, to me...
At least, that's what I think... Ron Heilner
See, I was raised in a good church-going Methodist family, which was kind of unusual in a neighborhood where almost all my friends were Jewish. In college I studied a little about world religions, just out of curiosity, then eventually wound up marrying a nice Catholic girl. When she was 40, she died. No illness, no symptoms, no warning-- she just died. I loved her, and I took it real hard. For a variety of reasons, I sort of gave up on religions and churchs and, for that matter, on God!
Now as time goes by, I soften my view a little bit, but I discover there are actually quite a few people who don't want to follow any of the major religions. However, a lot of them do feel like there's a pretty mean, evil world out there and they'd like to try to changing it-- or, at least create a little force field around themselves and their families. So, I decide to establish sort of a church of my own, on the internet. The premise is simple: All the world's religions share a lot of the same basic principles and, just because you don't like their clanish ways, doesn't mean you can't believe in things like "do unto others..." or "thou shall not kill," or helping the less fortunate! So why not live by some rules, but without the dogma and politics?!
So I start my little church (www.1stwebchurch.org) and you don't have to buy anything, or give me your email address, or make any donations. It just offers a lot of ideas and things you can do to make your life, and those around you, a little better in the spiritual sense. You can be a part of a simple concept: Do what you know is good and right, and maybe those who see you doing it will be motivated to join in. And, if they do, maybe the world around you will start to get just a little bit better. And even if it doesn't, at least you'll know you did your part! I don't care if you ever wind up joining a traditional church or not. That's up to each of you.
The web church has been running for about 3 years now, and I've gotten some great emails from visitors. But, guess what-- I get an equal number of messages from "born again, truly religious" people who just beat me up every which way (figuratively, of course) because I don't demand that everyone believe what they believe!
I don't know. It seems a little un-Christian, to me...
At least, that's what I think... Ron Heilner
posted by JusRon. | 4:20 PM
|
0 comments
