Wednesday, July 2, 2008

This is how I became a follower of Jesus

Having turned away from the church because I could not believe the message it said that I must believe, I began a search for my own answers to the universal questions. I encountered stories of people who came to an experience of God in an East Indian context, and who told their stories using the rich language of Hinduism. Also from the ancient Indian religious traditions, I found ways of practicing the presence of God on a more daily basis.

As a result of these things, I experienced something mentally, emotionally and spiritually that changed me forever.

I came to see that Jesus had a relationship with the same God as the Indian mystics, that the same God lived in him. And I realized that basically what had happened to me was that I had decided to follow Jesus. My experience of Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit expanded from a distant misunderstanding based on doctrinal statements into something full, meaningful and alive.

3 comments:

Mystical Seeker said...

I would agree that Jesus had a relationship with the same God as the Indian mystics.

That is interesting that you came to Jesus by way of Hinduism.

Philip said...

Thanks Seeker.

Yes I appreciated the Hindu ideas, concepts, stories, even 'doctrines' if you want to call them that. I never really thought of them as 'Hinduism' (and still don't) perhaps because I never felt I must believe a 'Hindu Creed'. But I saw a new picture of the universe that resonated with me on many levels. It filled in the gaps of my earlier understanding.

Philip said...

One thing that helped me integrate my Christian background with this new awakening was seeing that much of the true worship in churches was a form of bhatki yoga.