{"id":14,"date":"2006-11-07T21:01:20","date_gmt":"2006-11-07T10:01:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newchurchlife.com\/index.php\/2006\/11\/spiritual-revolution\/14\/"},"modified":"2015-12-24T14:53:57","modified_gmt":"2015-12-24T03:53:57","slug":"14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newchurchlife.com\/14\/","title":{"rendered":"Almost an Atheist"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the Revolution Conference Helen Mildenhall<\/span><\/font><\/strong><\/strong> \u2013 who hosts the Off the Map<\/span><\/font><\/em><\/em> blogs Ebay Atheist<\/span><\/font><\/em><\/em> and Conversation at the Edge<\/span><\/font><\/em><\/em> \u2013 was invited to share her journey from committed Christian to being \u2018almost an atheist.\u2019 Helen explained that she didn\u2019t decide God is not there, just that she had to consider, \u201cWhat if he is not? What if he doesn\u2019t answer?\u201d She shared five choices that she made \u2013
\n1. To be KIND<\/strong><\/span><\/font> <\/span><\/font>rather than right. Helen wasn\u2019t sure that you could be sure what was right \u2013 for Christians, each reading the Bible, argue about what is right.
\n2. To choose what she knew was REAL<\/strong><\/span><\/font> rather than what may be made up. How could she know God\u2019s will (even in the Bible), when He says \u2018crazy\u2019 things like his instruction to Abraham to kill his son?
\n3. To be CHILDLIKE<\/strong><\/span><\/font> rather than childish. Authority institutions (like the church) so often cause guilt and we blame ourselves (like children). Perhaps \u2018God\u2019 wants us to lighten up. Enjoy life and people.
\n4. To be FREE<\/strong><\/span><\/font> rather than burdened. As a committed Christian, Helen was burdened with trying to work out God\u2019s will to please him. She now chooses the freedom to enjoy people and life.
\n5. To FOLLOW Jesus<\/strong><\/span><\/font> rather than figure out belief in Him. Helen said, \u201cI am following Jesus when I am most me!\u201d <\/span><\/font> <\/span><\/font>\u201cAs a Christian I found myself judging people \u2013 thinking this is a nice person but it is a pity she is not a Christian,\u201d explains Helen. \u201cNow I enjoy letting conversations go where they want to go, rather than feeling I must push something.\u201d Helen likes to see everything of value, rather than just that which she as a Christian had categorized as of eternal value. I couldn’t help but reflect, “Maybe Helen’s choices could shape a better Christian!” <\/span><\/font>What do you think?<\/span><\/font><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At the Revolution Conference Helen Mildenhall \u2013 who hosts the Off the Map blogs Ebay Atheist and Conversation at the Edge \u2013 was invited to share her journey from committed Christian to being \u2018almost an atheist.\u2019 Helen explained that she didn\u2019t decide God is not there, just that she had to consider, \u201cWhat if he… Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nAlmost an Atheist - NewChurchLife<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.newchurchlife.com\/14\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Almost an Atheist - NewChurchLife\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"At the Revolution Conference Helen Mildenhall \u2013 who hosts the Off the Map blogs Ebay Atheist and Conversation at the Edge \u2013 was invited to share her journey from committed Christian to being \u2018almost an atheist.\u2019 Helen explained that she didn\u2019t decide God is not there, just that she had to consider, \u201cWhat if he... 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