Posted by long time exer on September 07, 2012 at 18:05:26
In Reply to: Re: Question #1 posted by Extreme on September 06, 2012 at 19:58:44:
It was pretty much ninja drilled into me in early days, that we were the "avant garde", weathermen of Christianity/Jesus movement. To be that, I had to view people living otherwise as less than, when in reality, I now see there are loads of organizations that are doing so much more and who still are. They are not about photo ops and touting their organizations. At the same time, I totally relate now, to being a human being vs. a human doing. My journey after leaving was at first an exploration of churches, and it just didn't jive with me and neither did I find what I was seeking in other religions. Instead, my view is now more Universalist and not religious, in that I don't care what someone's religion is (or isn't) as much as certain principles of living life and trying to progress on living those principles. The fruits of the spirit in the bible are the same principles in many religions and in non-religious societies as well. I felt like a machine in TF in that I had to BE a human doing whose characteristics fit the mold. Right down to what to wear, what to eat, how to look, what to accomplish in 24 hours of the day and rigidly aware of any wasted second or "idle time".
Now I love idle time when I can stroll along the beach, just sit down and soak in nature with the gulls, ocean waves, surf, read a good book, fly a kite, lay on a blanket under an umbrella, go fishing, and I don't have to be looking for someone walking by who I need to pass a message along to. I treasure that kind of time. I don't have to have one political view, or one narrow religious view, or ostracise anyone that doesn't believe like I do (if they don't either fund my existence or convert).
I do see some people who feel a need to be in some extensive service to humanity or to their church or to some cause and I don't see anything wrong with that and I think it is something good to do to one extent or another(except where there are narcissistic personality disordered leaders at the top.)