Questioning My Religion

When I was young, I had no choice. I went to Sunday School and Church. I belonged to a protestant church, in a small neighborhood. Even at an early age I began to question the doctrine. Questioning the doctrine of “The Trinity” got me sent to the pastor. After some discussion I was told to simply “believe it, or end up in hell.”

The doctrine of salvation was another big question. How could believing Jesus was God and, He died for our sins save me from eternal hell? Didn’t I have to do something, feel something. It was easy to say “yes, I believe,” however that didn’t make me feel any different than before. I was missing something, but no one seemed to have the answer that worked for me.

Religion made me plenty afraid of going to hell. So afraid I had nightmares and would wake up crying and shaking. I had given my heart to God dozens of times by going down to the front. It didn’t help, the fear got worse.

I went to different churches, and studied different religions. This did help me with the fear. I learned not all churches, or religions believed in hell. But the nagging fear remained. When I returned to college I took “Religion” as a minor. “Old Testament,” “New Testament,” “Comparative Religions,” “Religion Founders,” are some of the classes I attended. Here I lost most of my fear, but what about spirituality. I still didn’t know what to believe about an afterlife, if there was such a thing.

Further studied revealed that most people do believe in an afterlife. But there was no consensus on what this afterlife might be. Some believed in God, and some not so much. From many different people I learned many different things about how the afterlife was supposed to work. But most just said “I don’t know.” I was confused. But I never gave up studying the question of spirituality and the afterlife.

Then the answer to this question came to me in the form of a heart attack. I was 49-years-old at the time, this heart attack and subsequent “Near Death Experience” started a spiritual journey that continues to this day. I found out what I was supposed to learn in church, and to do with my life. When I did it I felt the results of my efforts.

What I had missed going to church was now evident, bright and bold in my mind. It was Jesus, not believing Him to be God, or not God. Rather believing and following His teachings. It was very important to heed and do what He preached. Jesus knew about spirituality, He knew about the afterlife, and He knew exactly how our Creator wanted us to live our life.

Jesus’ basic teaching is Love. Love your enemies, your neighbors, those that hate you, those that use you, cheat you, just love everyone. Serve those in need. Feed the hungry, visit the sick, and those in prison, give to those that ask of you do not turn them away. That is exactly the kind of unconditional love that surrounded me and held me in my near death experience. It is exactly the kind of unconditional love thousands of other near death experiencers also feel. It is the love our Creator feels for us, and the love we are to feel for each other.

I called myself a Christian for years. All you had to do was join the church and you were a Christian. Now the word Christian means “a follower of Jesus” to me. This set the bar a lot higher, and over the years I have tried to reach those heights on a daily basis. No more judging, ridiculing, or belittling others. No more exaggerating, or overstating my deeds, only the simple truth will do. Choosing carefully to support leaders who are truthful in their words.

After my experience I worked in Hospice care, and attended spiritual groups where I helped others. Eventually I started a website on near death experiences and a blog. These sites are my contribution to mankind. I know they helped others because they tell me.

So if you want a happy and joy fulfilled life then follow the teachings of Jesus. You will be amazed at how well it works.

If you had a spiritual experience I would really like to hear about it. You can type your NDE or other spiritual experience here. If you would like to read more near death experiences. Some NDE are not positive if you wish to know about them.

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