The World is a Stage
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I got religion, yes I did. That surprises a lot of people, who didn’t think I was one of 'those' kind of people.
As a child, I went to church with my parents. I loved Sunday school but was bored in church when I was older and in the choir. In the 1970s, flower power and the sexual revolution scared the clergy and they started ranting against teenagers and young adults and didn’t say anything in sermons that I learned from or that was relevant to my life. So I stopped going. I loved sleeping in and having the extra time. Not that I accomplished much of anything on a Sunday morning.
What did I actually believe? Well, I did believe in God and when in a crises I would pray, but didn’t really expect it would get me anywhere. I even tried going to a few churches when I moved to Tillsonburg. I had health problems that also caused financial problems, but back then none felt particularly inviting and I was sure they were filled with hypocritical people. I had a very basic one-sided and selfish relationship with God... sometimes.
This was my attitude: Did I believe the bible was believable? Prove it to me. Did I believe that Jesus existed? Maybe. Did I believe he rose from the dead? Prove it to me. I could get pretty belligerent in trying to disprove your beliefs. But I still had that hole in my life and a growing need to fill it. My search proved fruitless. Whatever I tried gave me happiness for a while, but no lasting joy.
Yet, I took Alpha and you would rightly ask, “if it was Christian based, and put on by a church, why would you go in the first place?”
Well, my Mom made me. Yup, in my late 40s Mom nagged me to take the course. So I thought, fine, I will go to the first night and not go back. The problem with that strategy was that the beginning of the video talked about questions so many people have: “Why am I here?” (alive, not at alpha), “Where am I heading”, “Is there more to life than this?” Those were my questions! I wanted the answers!
Well, then they brought up the Christian part of this and used the word ‘Jesus’. That made me a bit uncomfortable, but the video asked viewers if we had all these same questions about the bible and stuff! Even if we believed in God. The host used to be an ‘argumentative atheist’ and had had all the same questions and feelings I had. Someone actually understood!
Then I got worried, were they now going to shove Jesus down my throat? Were they going to give me a lot of fluff and call it mystery? I don’t do religious mysteries. They said, throughout the course they would use evidence and science about the bible and Jesus so we could make our own logical decisions. That I liked! The video then used reputable and often famous judges, professors and yes, even scientists, including Francis Collins, director of the Human Genome Project, who examined the evidence and could believe it! Who knew!
Famous adventurer Bear Grylls said the greatest thing he has done was not climb Mt. Everest or pitting himself against nature and surviving, it was taking Alpha and finding faith. Some call faith a crutch and he noted that a crutch helps you to stand taller and gives you the strength to do more with your life. I like that, especially as I have had spend time in wheelchairs and with crutches.
That first video hooked me, because I wanted to know what the evidence was. They were going to give me the proof. I went back and learned. Nothing was shoved down my throat and it was all logical. That is what I needed. Was I happy that the hole was supposed to be filled by faith? No. Did I call my self a Christian when the course was done? No. Did I start going to church immediately? No. But, I kept learning and asking questions and finding answers. I was on the right road. Taking the course was the most important thing I have done in my life.
Our world seems to be sliding very fast down a very scary, slippery slope, but I believe, in my heart and head, that Alpha can change the world. 28 million people have taken Alpha, over 1,000 in Tillsonburg. You would not be alone.
I didn’t want to write this article and scare people off with the ‘Jesus’ word, but I felt the need to take the risk, that you would trust me and give yourself that chance, even just to prove me wrong, and come to our introductory dinner, video and discussion on January 13th. If you don’t come back, no one is going to call and ask why. So, call me at 519-842-9416 and I will give you the schedule and answer your questions. The whole course is free. You will find those taking the course just like you and you will know someone, me. Think seriously about your life right now, examine the road you are on.
If you have taken Alpha or would care to lend a hand, please let me know. You would be most welcome too!
I hope you will take this article as a Christmas gift from me to you, with a personal invitation to join Alpha. Please, feel free to re-gift it to someone you know who is lost in life and needs a new road to travel. Merry Christmas.