Yes, you read that right! I want to be more than Christian. I know that sounds bad, especially to other Christians who might be reading this, so let me explain.
In society, religion as a whole carries a high conflict. Don't believe me? Then tell me what you think when you hear the word "Muslim" or "Buddhist." I'm sure some things came to mind, positive or otherwise. My point being, when I say that I am a Christian, you suddenly have all these ideas about who I am.
Now don't get me wrong, I am not ashamed of being a Christian, nor do I have any intention of abandoning my faith. I am also not wanting to go get blackout drunk with my friends or sleep around without feeling any religious guilt. That is not my intention here.
And yes, of course, I want people to know that I am a Christian. I want them to know where my convictions lie and what morals I hold. But what I don't want is to only be that to people. I don't want to just be "the Christian girl." I want to be more than that--I am more than that. I am not just a Christian. I am not just some perfect person that knows all the answers, does all the right things, and feels completely secure because of my faith.
This is not to say that I don't include God in my everyday life, it's just that being a Christ follower is not all I am. I am currently pursuing a non-religious college degree and I don't plan on being a leader at my church, nor do I have any desire to help run a Bible study at my campus or go on mission trips.
And no, I have not fallen away from my faith, I'm just not that girl. I'm not the kind of Christian that will tell you that you need to be going to church every week and you need be reading your Bible every morning. I am not the kind of Christian that will sit and picket outside Planned Parenthood or protest against the LGBTQ community.
I am the Christian that will have discussions about other religions with you. I will discuss social and political issues with you. I will make inappropriate jokes with you and swear around you. I will jam out to non-Christian music and sing along wholeheartedly. I'm sorry if that makes you upset. I'm sorry if you feel that "as a Christian" I shouldn't be doing that. But that's my whole point...I am more than that.
I am a person, with passions, emotions, thoughts, and doubts, and I want to be seen for those aspects of myself as well. Yes, I am a Christian. But I am also a best friend. I am a bad musician and a good soccer player. I am a writer who one day hopes to get a book published. I am a woman with career goals. I am a strong believer that, when in doubt, black is always the best color for any outfit choice. I am a cat person (sorry not sorry) and I want to become a traveler.
I am all these things and more. So tell me, who are you? Because I can't help but wonder if we really are just what religion we choose to follow. I mean, is that really the deciding factor? The final definition? Because I think we are more than that. I think that as important as faith is, it doesn't encompass everything it means to be human. So why should we limit ourselves to those parameters?
Why restrict ourselves from making other friends and finding other interests outside of the church? I don't think it's bad at all. I actually think it'd be great for church goers to venture out more into society beyond the church, and not just to reach those who haven't heard the gospel, but to try and learn from others and get to know other truths that are held just as firmly as their own. They might be surprised by the value it will add to your life.
