Why I am A Christian

Christianity is a path or  way living which espouses the teachings of Jesus, the Christ, purported to be the son of God.  The teachings of Jesus, like his life, were intended to aid the aspiring individual toward achieving his apotheosis just as Jesus achieved his as the Christ.  There were five stages in the life of Jesus which the aspirant is to follow and mimic in his/her own life.  Jesus came to us at the Birth at Bethlehem and was subsequently baptized in the waters of Jordan.  He was then transfigured before three of his disciples, ultimately crucified and resurrected. Thus we have the Birth at Bethlehem, the Baptism in the waters of Jordan, the Transfiguration, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.   These scenes are profoundly symbolic but also are a reality each Christian must invoke in their life of faith, putting themselves through a trial by fire that will ultimately consume all that makes them unworthy to stand in the presence of Spirit. 

Why would someone believe or commit themselves to some such story? There is still contention surrounding the reality of a man called Jesus.   Historically such a personage existed and was thought to be a Jewish rabbi.  Beyond this the camps diverge dramatically.  I will speak for myself and confess belief in Jesus, the Christ, which given my intellectual temperament should come as a surprise.  I have been burdened in this life with a hyper-critical nature that can pretty much tear the skin off any form of ideation or philosophy, laying it bare.    So what appeals to me enough to submit to the teachings of Jesus, the Christ?  Two things.

One, my nature is highly inquisitive and my life has been spent seeking answers, knowledge of this and that.  Like a little squirrel rummaging around for nuts that he gathers and stores, so have I satiated my thirst for knowledge gathering books and information to store in my home and ultimately my mind.  Knowledge of the workings of life has enticed me since I can remember. I was entranced as a child going to church every Sunday and enjoying the stories and lessons in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.  And, as a child during the sermons by our preacher at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina, I never understood why he could talk at his leisure but I could not ask  questions.  I wanted to know more!  Obviously at such a young age I could not articulate the yearning for knowledge inside me nor what drew me to those bible stories or why I quietly wondered why things were the way they were philosophically and spiritually. 

As I grew older so too did my inquiry.   I found myself less and less satisfied with what the church had to offer by way of their trite sermons and tired platitudes.  Finally in my early twenties I left the church,  disappointed in its personnel, its political structure and its cliques.  When I found my way out of those shackles my search took on a whole new reality.  Roaming around our public library I made my way to  Edgar Cayce.  Then to Theosophy and ultimately to the Alice Bailey readings.   Interspersed in there were stops in numerology and astrology.  With my ferreting out the esoteric sciences and the ancient wisdom, Matthew 7:7 seemed to be true:  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.   I had finally come to a hall of knowledge where all my questions had answers.  I understood orthodox Christianity was the first step on a path that led me to Mysticism. Orthodoxy concerns the facade of life; Mysticism seeks to uncover what lies behind the facade.  I wanted to know the reasons behind the causes. Orthodox faiths do not grant such knowledge.  Thanks to the work of Jesus, the veil of the temple had been rent in two!  That which was previously hidden was now subject to discovery upon diligent inquiry.  It was during this period of my discovery in my twenties, that I started having experiences during sleep:  working in the fields, meeting like-minded aspirants and being proffered opportunity for further study.  Not only did I know there was more to life, but now I was being shown!

Secondly, my reason for submitting to Christianity is I am hopelessly constrained by Beauty.  What does this have to do with Christianity you ask?  It is beautiful, of course.  Jesus is beautiful.  His actions make him the ultimate vision of Beauty.  Such a vision is completely devoid of selfishness, which is composed of all those little annoyances that drag the Spirit down like ambition, pride, gluttony and superiority.  Freed from these your Light can shine unimpeded, creating a vision of what spirit truly looks like.  What could be more beautiful?   I want to be beautiful!

It should be pretty apparent by now that why I speak of as Christianity and what the ugly reality is are two different things.  To help understand and separate them it is best to think of Jesus's teachings as Christianity.  However, what man has subsequently created goes by the term, "Churchianity."  Churchianity is an entirely new body that rose up out of man's desire and lust for power, followed by his politic-ing.  Its base is predicated upon religion because it understands humanity's inclination toward divinity.  It seeks to manipulate that inclination to sustain its gluttonous power.  People are too easily lured by its peacock struts because they depend upon these self-same peacocks for instruction and guidance rather than seeking a base of understanding through work, prayer, meditation and study.  Until such is the case, they will continue to be led astray.  Jesus himself said, "I am the way, the truth and the life.  No man cometh to the father but by me." (emphasis added)   He alone can guide you upon the path. 

Being a Christian means many things, chief among them being true to Self.  Not the selfish little Self, but the highest aspect of the Self (sometimes called the Christ consciousness) you can manage. It also means struggle, which does not cease but intensifies the closer to Spirit you find yourself.  The reward for such struggle is recorded in the Book of Revelation (given to he who overcomes).  But as for me, the reward I have my eye on is Beauty.  I want to be beautiful!