My Personal Relationship

My Personal Relationship

Stephanie Sutler

REL / 333

Mr. Harbaugh

August 10, 2006

My Personal Relationship

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

John 3:16

Having this verse instilled in me since I was a young child, it has become the basis for my religious belief system. Growing up my religious belief system was greatly influenced by two very important people, my grandmother and my aunt. Both women taught me everything from the traditions we celebrate to the advantages and disadvantages of our beliefs. However, as I grew older so did the desire to learn of other religions. As I studied many different forms of religions, I came to realize that the religion itself is not important. At this point in my life, I no longer believe in organized religion. I do however believe in a relationship, I also believe that it is very important to establish that relationship.

My beliefs are simple. Primarily I believe in one God, who created the universe and all that is in it. I also believe in Jesus Christ as being God's presence in human form and the fact that he died for us so that through him we can come to know God. Lastly, I believe human beings are created in the image of God. Since we are physical and God is very spiritual, there are obvious differences. With God, we share the fact that we are rational beings, capable of making our own decisions, and having relationships with each other and with him. All these beliefs make up a religious belief system, Christianity. However, Christianity shares many beliefs and practices with other religions, particularly Judaism and Islam. All three religions believe in one God, who not only created everything but whom is active in guiding and teaching his people. There are many other beliefs that I have that attribute to my belief system. However, these three are the utmost important, and are what primarily make up my religious belief system.

As I stated above my beliefs were greatly influenced by my grandmother and aunt. They are two of the Godliest women I know. From as early as I can remember they were always teaching and sharing the word of God with me. My aunt spent a majority of her life as a missionary, helping to spread God's message with those who had no other way of hearing it. She is now a dean at a college seminary. My grandmother has taught at many different Christian schools and has been more the grateful to help anyone whom she can through the word of God. As a child I grew up in a different state then my grandmother; however I would spend every summer with her and over the summer she would take me to church and to summer programs such as Awana's and Vacation Bible School. She would also spend time with me reading me bible stories and just answering any questions I had. When I moved to St. Louis as a teenager my grandmother got me involved in her church with their youth group, every Sunday we would go to church together. These were some of my favorite times until I got a little older.

As I started growing up, I also started to see the disadvantages of my beliefs, or what I saw to be disadvantages. Growing up in today's society is very hard for a teenager. Trying to grow up as a Christian teenager and live a Christian life is even harder. Although one knows in his or her heart that drinking, smoking, and all the other things teenagers are experimenting with is wrong, you do not want to go against the crowd and become "not cool". Those who do take a stand and say that they do not want to do things like that, because they are a Christian are teased. In today's society, their peers view a teenager trying to live as an active Christian differently. Most commonly, they are seen as being weak and are put down or teased. Being a Christian also has its disadvantages in other countries. Throughout time those who publicly speak of God or proclaim to be a Christian, have been persecuted. In China, you can be thrown in jail for being a Christian.

Though there are a few disadvantages, the advantages highly outweigh the negative. One of the biggest advantages of my beliefs is