A friend and I went fishing today on the Hammond River, New Brunswick, Canada. Lisa got me a beautiful fly rod for Father’s Day and I finally got to use it. A beautiful piece! Except for a couple of times, we went our separate ways. It was a gorgeous day alone on the river. I always find these times very peaceful and meditative. I caught a couple small ones, like the little speckled trout pictured here in my hand. I released them.
What I was thinking about was the importance, no, the necessity, of thinking with courage. Each one of us must follow our own path. This is absolutely necessary. Especially when it comes to religion, we must allow ourselves to go deeper into what we are thinking and believing, and why. I would always encourage people to explore to the furthest frontier when it comes to their faith, religion, spirituality, philosophy. We must set the axe to the root. Here we must exercise a fierce independence.
How this plays out is a different matter. I found that I could continue my exploration for many many years in the church. However, it came to a point where I was obviously making some people very uncomfortable. Those in authority over me as well as some of those under my care could no longer tolerate the distance I’d gone. I would’ve remained longer, but it was no longer possible. I suspected it was no longer possible for my leaders, and it seemed no longer possible for those I cared for. So I removed myself. They are happier and better for it. So am I. And you know what? Life goes on. I am well.
Your internal independence will manifest itself in your external independence. If you’ve never read Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng, you must. One of the reviewers said it best:
A gripping, poignant chronicle of her courage, fortitude, and, above all, stubborn integrity during more than six years of cold, hunger, disease, terror, and humiliation.
We may find ourselves in different kinds of prisons. Perhaps not physical like Cheng’s, but intellectual, spiritual, emotional, etc. But whatever your prison is, if you cannot escape it, you can still, and you must, find your courage, fortitude and stubborn integrity within it.
Click on the image for a larger picture.
I have an image terms of use policy here.
Please join my newsletter by clicking here. And please invite your friends.
My name is David Hayward, and I am the nakedpastor. I am a graffiti artist on the walls of religion.
“However, it came to a point where I was obviously making some people very uncomfortable. Those in authority over me as well as some of those under my care could no longer tolerate the distance I’d gone.”
NP, if this was because you were advocating the love and grace of God; they might be happier because of their escape from your faith challenges, but they are not better for it.
That book sounds good.
Re the church-I found I had to give up the “fellowship” in order to have freedom to be open-minded and read widely and come to different conclusions. Although I really liked a lot of the people and enjoyed being with them, I felt like who they were seeing was only the part I was willing to show them. They wouldn’t have approved of the hidden parts, so I was not free to be who I am.
Now I can be the real me. And I am missing out on them, and they are also missing out on getting to know the real me. Two losses. But more honesty.
Ha, you’re deeper than I am by a long shot. I was mainly thinking: Is there enough worm on that hook? Should I have brought the sunblock? What time should I eat that sandwich?
Trent: I don’t use worms, philistine!