What I Believe.........

I have touched on my faith here before. I explained why, in such a cruel, crazy, beautiful world, I could have it. I'm not a preachy person by any means. I don't expect everyone to believe what it is I believe.

However, I had a friend of mine the other day ask me to explain my faith in a simple way. He said that people always explain what they believe to him in complicated terms. For that reason, I decided, in a very non-preachy way, I should explain the basis of my faith in simple, easy to understand terms for the curious.

I had prepared a four paragraph explanation of it. I was actually quite proud of it if I do say so myself. But, then I was listening to some tunes, mostly Metallica and some Springsteen, when a Rich Mullins song came on. If you don't know who that is, don't worry. He never got the respect he deserved and consequently isn't as celebrated as he should be. Mainstream Christians thought he asked too many questions. I, as someone who hates the insipid nature of most Christian music, have been a fan now for sometime, mostly because his songs were so honest, so raw and real. Anyway (I tend to ramble ), a song of his came on just as I was about to publish my blog on Christianity. The song is called "Creed".

It just so happens that this terrific song wonderfully encapsulates everything I believe....and very much in order. So, instead of boring you with my pretentious explanation, here are the lyrics to "Creed". This is 100% what I believe with all my heart and soul. This is my life:

I believe in God the Father almighty
Maker of Heaven and Maker of Earth
And in Jesus Christ
His only begotten Son, our Lord
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
Born of the virgin Mary
Suffered under Pontius Pilate
He was crucified and dead and buried


And I believe what I believe
Is what makes me what I am
I did not make it, no it is making me
It is the very truth of God and not
The invention of any man

I believe that He who suffered
Was crucified, buried, and dead
He descended into hell and
On the third day, rose again
He ascended into Heaven where
He sits at God's mighty right hand
I believe that He's returning to
Judge the quick and the dead
Of the sons of men


I believe it, I believe it
I believe it
I believe it, I believe it

I believe in God the Father almighty
Maker of Heaven and Maker of Earth
And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son,
Our Lord
I believe in the Holy Spirit
One Holy Church, the communion of Saints
The forgiveness of sin
I believe in the resurrection
I believe in a life that never ends



I believe it, I believe
I believe it, I believe
I believe it, I believe it



(I should probably note that Rich Mullins disliked fame, gave most of his earnings to the poor, and lived out his last days on a Navajo reservation. He died in a tragic car crash in 1997. He was a humble, honest man...and his incredible words live on.)

This post was not meant to "shove Jesus" down your throat. I'd be doing you a disservice if I claimed this blog to be from the heart and never opened up a bit about my faith. It's what I believe, what's kept me going all these years. And honestly, it took realizing how adult and violent the Bible really is, not a bunch of happy go lucky advice, to really appreciate it growing up. I was blessed to have some interesting and "out of the box" people help me along. That's why I tend to be a little weary of mainstream Christianity, of marketing Jesus. To me, it has to be a little more raw and visceral than its made out to be. Anyway, peace out.