For those people concerned about me “falling away from faith” as emerged in my blog/facebook post 29/04/16, One big leap for a man… one normal step for mankind.
I genuinely appreciate your care.
My current perspective is that God may or may not exist and that’s ok… he is simply a mystery. If he’s real and relevant as well as loving and gracious I’ll be happy to return to a (new) faith… at this stage I’m content not knowing. The God I previously believed in for decades is gone… along with all the torment and fear he prescribed.
My aim in life is to always be open to the truth and live my life accordingly. If a loving God does exist I’m at peace knowing he does not condemn me for living according to the truth I have now.
Drawing a parallel with my own attitude toward my grandson Flynn really helps… I love Flynn to bits and whether he behaves well or in ‘naughty’ ways that come from immaturity or an inability to understand ‘adult’ things, or because he’s being outright rebellious, my love and care for him do not flinch an iota. I love him to bits nonetheless and will never reject or abandon him.
Ian James
On Living Authentically 
Comments on: "Falling away from faith…" (4)
My sentiments too Ian. After speaking to Rowland about how God isn’t the God I keep getting told about, – the all loving all forgiving God but………. you must do this and that, to be accepted into His kingdom. I too have decided that God takes me as I am, because I am all I have. And if He is all loving and all forgiving, then everyone of us is to be with Him in Heaven. Otherwise he’s going to be a very lonely God. I love your analogy with Flynn who you lovingly describe as sometimes ‘naughty’ because he’s a child NOT an adult. It’s so easy to expect a child to behave like an adult.
Jilly, I know you find it very hard to see and accept bit as we discussed recently to me and many other people, and undoubtedly in God’s eyes, amidst all your struggles you are a gem… in fact in my mind you are a immeasurably valuable “crazy diamond”! (Ref Pink Floyd “Wish You Were Here”)
Your Mate, Ian
June 24th 2016
I love you Ian, you’re my Pink Diamond.
Hello Ian,
What a great post, very open, honest and equally authentic. I think you mirror the experience of so many of us. I was both raised and razed in the fundamentalist / conservative Church and for me the “all are welcome” sign meant that I could now be included on the outside of the Church, I no longer call myself Christian I have did this because I can and therefore, will. I have found something so much more larger more inclusive and ultimately much more life giving. I could say so much more about this but I won’t I just wanted to say thank you! I found your post both refreshing and also uplifting.