Christian Living
NOTES IN GOD’S KINGDOM
By
Christina Weigand
People say that music is the universal language. That is true until you come to parents and teenagers. My husband and I like to believe we have very liberal views when it comes to the music we listen to, although my husband is more liberal than I am.
When my sons were entering puberty, rap music was entering the scene. I remember having a heated discussion with my older son about rap music. I told him compared to classic rock; rap music didn’t have a chance to come close to having the staying power. Of course, he vehemently argued it did and would become as popular as classic rock. Now here we are ten years later and rap has established a place in the music world. Music takes on many forms from alternative to xylophones. People also take on many forms and have many different ideas about God and how to worship Him. Each faith form can show you in their Holy Book where they are the chosen religion and judge all others as wrong.
I was raised Catholic and am still an active Catholic. When I was growing up Vatican II happened and far-reaching changes occurred in the Catholic Church. My parents and their parents did not easily embrace all the changes. I remember my Father telling me, changing your faith from Catholic to anything else was a ticket to Hell. Marrying outside of one’s faith was not a good thing unless you converted and God forbid if you were never Catholic to begin with. I had trouble wrapping my young undeveloped mind around this concept. After all, weren’t we all God’s people in some form or another?
I raised my children in the Catholic Church because it never occurred to me to do it any other way. However, I also raised them to make decisions on their own and to be free thinkers. I baptized them Catholic; they received their First Reconciliation and Communion and were Confirmed. I would not force my religion on them and as long as they lived in my house, they were Catholic. Once they were on their own, they were free to make their own choices.
This sounded good until the day I was actually confronted by one of my freethinking young adults. He had chosen not to attend mass and his beliefs differed from mine. He still believes in a Higher Power, but has become jaded by organized religion. At first, I argued with him and tried to bring him around to my way of thinking. Then it began to dawn on me, he had grown into the young man I wanted him to be. He was a freethinking, decision making young adult. Instead of trying to fit him into a mold of my making, I needed to fit myself into a mold. This has not been an easy thing for me and I still struggle with the concepts my Father tried to ingrain into me.
When I look at my young adults, I realize that like music, there are many types of Christians. We don’t all sound the same, but are still beautiful in our own unique way. God doesn’t judge me unless I don’t worship him, so who am I, a mere human, to judge others. It takes many musical notes to make music and many different paths to God’s kingdom. None is wrong, only different.
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I have my choice of religion as well... and I must say that I am not Catholic... though some of my favorite people are... like you. :::wink::: But that's not what really matters. It's not about what I am. It's about what Christ is within me. And no denomination can give you that. That's a gift... a free gift... a gift of Love... and it only comes through relationship with Him.
Christina, my heart can relate. I am not Catholic and had the same feelings about Catholic's as you were taught to have about those of another faith. However, my daughter married a Catholic, and God Himself began to change my heart.(Ps.33:15-He fashions their hearts indvidually;) No fear as long as He is doing the fashioning. Blessings, Sharon
Amen. Jesus Christ did come here to become part of a denomination, He came here so that His lambs would call Him Emmanuel (which means God with us), Lord, and Savior.
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