I mentioned earlier that I had started reading the Bible to fill the gaps in my knowledge of Bible stories and biblical characters. Reading the Bible was not enough for me; I felt I had to open myself to comparative religions. The thought was that religion is a philosophy in a world filled with differing views on life, cultures, and the afterlife. I reasoned it was not up to me to say that one religious view was superior to another. In all my pride, I wanted to be open to other traditions. It seemed to me a search for truth had to be expansive and robust. I would still read the Bible, but I supplemented the reading list with other books and essays to compare religious views.
I placed a high value on the social principle of inclusion so that I could not be accused of bias or prejudice. I read the Koran (English version), the Book of Morman, Pearls of Great Price, and several books and essays about what was then called New Age religions and the Hindu faith. At that time, I had three friends in Skagit County who became deeply involved in the Erhard Seminars Training (EST) program. One of those friends went so far as to fire an employee who refused EST training because, as a Christian, she correctly understood that EST was a New Age religion. What I heard from my friends about EST made no sense to me, so I kept reading.
I continued daily reading of the Bible, and the other materials mentioned above. My goal was to find truth among competing religions and philosophies through study. I felt no pressure, being content with learning and attending a church where our family felt comfortable.
Slowly, it became clear to me that the Bible was not just the first among equals regarding sacred text. It had no peers, and there was no other text on the same level as the Bible. Another barrier to faith was being challenged. This time it was the concept that I could do it my way, that I could create my own map to truth about God, salvation, the afterlife, while trusting myself as the designer. As a wise person once said, if you don’t know where you are going, any map will do. The Bible teaches that God is the designer and the ultimate author behind the Bible. He is the creator, and we are his creation. I had to accept that the path was already designed. So, what was that path?
I completed the Old Testament and started reading the New Testament. By this time, my earlier questions about the names of Bible characters had been answered. I also realized from listening to sermons and attending adult Sunday School that the New Testament was about Jesus and others who lived during his time on earth. In his sermons and during my information discussions, Pastor Nelson encouraged me to read and study the Bible. There was an emphasis on study.
As I started the Book of Matthew, other books about the New Testament came to my attention. My reading was exclusively about Christian history, various denominations, and Christian worship traditions.
One Sunday at church, Dennis Swanson approached me and asked if I was interested in doing a Bible study with him. I politely rejected his offer. This was a self-study mission, I told myself. I didn’t need any help. Dennis accepted the rejection gracefully and said to let him know if I changed my mind.
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