There was this little girl, Emily, who used to enjoy going to church (Once upon a time.) The church was a place where she felt special and loved. When Emily got older, however, she started to wonder.
Many of these questions were difficult to respond to, and she has begun questioning so many things that used to make her pleased. But this is the tale of why Emily left the LORD’s congregation.
The Beginning of Questions
As a lifelong churchgoer, Emily loved singing the hymns and hearing the stories. Sundays were great too because it was a day everyone in town came together to worship and pray.
But a day came when she began to question what the people were talking about. Were they all true? How could she know for sure? Emily made the query of her Sunday school teacher, however, his answers left much to be desired. As she thought about the questions more and more.
Feeling Different
So as Emily continued to ask such questions she slowly began to feel more distant from her church friends. They did not care whether they were tricked, but Emily needed to learn everything in detail.
Begum was adamant she did not just want to take somebody else’s word for it. She would try to make it work for her, but that left her feeling alone sometimes.
Why You Should Unlearn to Follow Others
Then, one magical day Emily’s mom shared something with her that changed everything. It was about the freedom to think for yourself. Emily you’re allowed to THINK.
It can be alright not to stand with everyone. The most important thing is that you are real about who YOU are and doing what feels good to YOUR heart.
It helped Emily feel a bit better. She found out: it was allowed to doubt, and ask. And that it was okay NOT to have my friends’ feelings. But it wasn’t helping her situation by any means. Still, she was hesitant to make a decision
Exploring Other Ideas
Emily read some more books and began to talk with those outside her church. She was curious about what other people wondered about. She learned that people can think life is more than just one thing, and these things she thought existed about the world were not ones every man believed.
Some people believe in other religions, some don’t believe at all these are vintage. Through her studies, Emily discovered other people believe in questioning everything like she does and that realization provides significant comfort.
The Decision to Leave
Emily eventually sat with the problem for several months and a decision was reached. She just decided she was over it with the Church of Christ. It was not an easy decision for her, as she knew some of it would make others (as well as perhaps family and friends) sad. It seems shifty, but she also needed to be real with herself.
It did not mean that Emily now hated everyone in the church and wished to erase all of the good things she learned. That doesn’t mean she took the easy way out it just meant she was walking a different one, one that felt more true to her.
What Leaving Meant for Emily
Emily had been taken aback by the amount of face time she and her parents were logging after they left the church. She didn’t have as clear a routine to go to church every Sunday and she was missing some of her friends that were there. However, she also took on a fresh form of freedom. Finally, she felt like she could think for herself and even question the system a little.
Meeting New People, and Joining New Communities
The more time Emily spent exploring new concepts, the more friends she made who were just as inquisitive. They discussed issues such as science, history and culture. Emily knew she was not alone, and that brought a smile to her face.
She also made communities to belong in. It was in these rooms where individual thought and inquiry were championed. She loved having these groups around her for motivation to read more and grow.
Learning to Appreciate Variation
I had to learn one of the lessons Emily learned, and that is to respect other people’s beliefs even if they do not align with your own. It was also a reminder that while she believed some of what her old church taught to be wrong, it did not necessarily make the beliefs themselves incorrect for everyone. All of our lives are different, and what is best for one might not be right for somebody else.
The Future for Emily
But Emily knew she still had a very long way to go. I had SO MUCH more to learn, and so many trails to hike. because she was not sorry about the subtree, and that was just right. The important thing was that she honoured her truth and followed a path that resonated.
A Message for You
If you ever doubt or question your morals remember, that is okay. This is fine, find your way and free yourself from dogma. You can make different choices than others around/closer to you.
That you are true to yourself (and whatever feels right in your heart) is what matters. Even though hers might not be the same as someone else, much like Emily you can find your path.
This is a story of “Why I Left the Church of Christ” but it will be more about being brave and following our hearts even when that might not always be easy. It is about realizing that not everyone will sit on a similar path, making the world such an amazing and diverse place.