Jul 25 2009
So… I’m Saved… Now What?
This is the next in the series I’m writing about my personal experience in becoming, being and ultimately not being a Christian. This ’series’ is really the heart of my blog, as it is really why I started it. To share with others who may be going through what I did (and to share with those who are where I am today, as well). It’s not an easy path to navigate, and can be emotional and painful. But, I hope that others who have chosen this path will gain comfort by reading what I and my fellow bloggers have chosen to write about our own experiences. So, on with it.
I am now saved. I’ve said the prayer, I’ve been baptised, and I’m ready to do good works. But, what exactly am I supposed to do? I really didn’t do muh at that time… I was 8 years old. I invited friends to church, and went to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, but all-in-all, I wasn’t really doing anything to ’spread the gospel’. It wasn’t until my family moved, and I started going to a more fundamentalist church that I started doing more. At the age of 10!
At the new church, I was told to join choir, join the Wednesday night group, go to Summer Camp, and minister to my friends at school who were not believers. So, I did all of this. I was going on choir tours, I was telling my school friends about Jesus and how he could make their lives better than they could imagine (OMG, I was 10, did I tell you that). I went to Summer Camp recommitted my life… mainly because I was scared it didn’t take the first time. This would be the first of many re-commitments I made… I mean seriously, one cannot commit enough really, especially when the destiny of one’s soul is in the balance.
This new church was really great… they really meant business. They even gave sermons about why chewing gum and wearing sneakers in church was a complete disgrace to God. I mean, would you go to dinner with the President wearing sneakers!? Doesn’t God deserve the same respect. Get it together people!
Yes, at the time, I was pretty sure this was the best place ever, and I was extatic that I got to be apart of it. I was blessed, truly blessed… and it was only the beginning of more to come. I mean, I WAS ONLY 10… there were so many Jesus filled years ahead of me. So much more work to do.
6 responses so far
It wasn’t you, but a few other 10-13 year-olds of your flock witnessed to me during those formative years. I was told that I was going to Hell because my Presbyterian church was serious enough about Jesus.
You may have covered this before, but I am curious about the role your parents played in your early years as a religious prodigy.
The thing is, while yes, my parents took me to church… they were not
fundie at allthey were not as fundie as the others at the church… I became more fundie than they were. The church we went to after we moved was a conservative baptist church… my Mom would be considered liberal in this church. Before this church, we went to a church that was less conservative and not as fundie.There are many reasons that this occurred, and now, as an adult I can see why… clearly. This series will go into this as I re-count my days in the church, and how I ultimately left it.
Correction: I was going to Hell because my church WASN’T serious enough about Jesus.
You were definitely fertile ground for the bullshit. Maybe a profile can be written about children prone to fall into cultic beliefs (I count myself as one of the “lucky” ones). I’ll give it a shot.
1) An overly conscientious, task oriented, smart kid
2) Eager to please
3) A perfectionist who behaves as well as possible in fear of punishment
4) Child seeks recognition and will do anything to receive praise
etc.
I think part of the reason that some kids tend to be more fundamentalist than their parents (and many adults in general) is because it makes sense. Assuming the whole story about religion and God and Jesus is actually true, then the logical conclusion is that we should go all out and believe whole-heartedly.
As children age into adults and the doubts and complexities of life tend to creep in, then different compromises are reached.
LR,
I, too, converted to Christianity when I was very young. (7?) It was only in my later years that I suddenly became even more radical than my peers. (30+) And I had all the qualities that Lorena mentioned.
I was ecstatic about it when I first found an extremely fundie church. I thought I had finally found the perfect church. God’s church.