‘I want to break free’
The famous rock star Freddie Mercury penned these words in one of Queen’s biggest hits. Freddie was revealing his soul’s inner anguish but sadly Christianity held no answers for him.
Is Christianity a religion of freedom or one of bondage?
Paradoxically both!
Let me explain.
Desire is the key factor in our loss of freedom. Desire says, “I will not be happy until I get ——-!” When desire targets an object, an attachment or bond is formed that is extremely strong, in fact a subtle form of addiction.
An attachment can be understood as a psychological dependency on something or someone. It may even be a metaphysical belief that seeks an elusive state of happiness or wholeness, perhaps even God Himself.
Attachments can’t ultimately deliver what they promise to deliver, thus prompting a fresh search for a deeper and more potentially workable attachment. True freedom comes when we drop these imprisoning dependency attachments, painful as it can be.
Where does Christianity come into the picture?
In my experience, traveling through the traditional Christian paradigm can go one of two ways. After an exciting initial sense of freedom it can quickly become the major dependency and means of enslavement in our psyche or, more rarely, it can become the catalyst for the dropping of all attachments.
I believe that a true experience of Holy Breath is the Divine means of rewiring and freeing one’s sense of Self from the attachment game. Unfortunately, Christian faith is often presented as a commitment to a religious institution or, even more dangerously, to a religious leader/teacher/guru.
How often have you been asked, or indeed asked, ‘What Church are you attached to?’
A most telling question, one that reveals the subliminal attachment mentality of the enquirer.
Even one’s commitment to a pre determined orthodoxy can prove to be a prison for the psychologically dependent. Dogma insists on whole hearted devotion,presenting itself as the source of freedom, happiness and peace. It appears to the enthusiastic believer that Christ or God cannot be experienced apart from such a dogma. Such a belief is, in my experience, false.
Contrary to popular religious opinion, a so called ‘backslider’ from Christian orthodoxy may, in fact, have set out on the beginning of a journey towards genuine freedom, a freedom where Spirit fulfills its role as the authenticator of our psychic Self.
Mankind, I would suggest, isn’t split into Christian and non Christian camps. Instead, I believe the human family comprises those awakened souls walking in awareness and freedom and those sleepwalkers who, like automatons, stumble their way through earthly existence.
‘If the Son makes you free you will be free indeed’
Surprisingly, that precious and most needed gift of freedom, offered by the Nazarene, may lie outside our present Christian paradigm.
Writer Dylan Morrison 
This is an insight that I am only now beginning to grasp. It is so addictive to characterize one’ Christian life as a crusader for truth, or radical iconoclast. What we need most of all is to nurture self-awareness and from these insights build a deeper more authentic encounter with God. But alas I struggle to break free from my addiction to the theological debates!
Hi, I feel unfortunately I can no longer contribute posts to the blog. After prayerful consideration, I realize that some contributers beliefs and mine are not in agreement and therefore out of a desire to avoid contention and respect for the blog owner, I have decided to withdraw. In the words, of the hymn, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand”. If we begin wandering from this foundation of the faith and start looking to ourselves, (EG inner awareness, mysticism etc) in my humble opinion, we are on dangerous territory. I may from time to time pop over to see how things are developing, so for now God bless all concerned, and blessings in Christ for the future, Regards, Follower.
I’m sorry that you’ve decided to leave our discussions but I respect your decision. You have to find the way of Christ that gives you peace.For me and perhaps others Christ is not found in fixed dogma that has evolved over the centuries but in Spirit.I believe that dogma as a source of life will eventually dry up once the believers original enthusiasm dissipates. For me Christ and His God the Divine Father live outside ‘concepts’ and theology is a human attempt to try and explain man’s experience of the Divine.The Bible is an inspirational book that evolves in its revelation of what God true nature is – Yeshua the Nazarene was a fleshed out revelation of the Divine.If we want a hint as to what the Divine Presence is like Yeshua is the best image we have.Thank you for your comments prodigalfollower. May you find peace on your journey.
Did you think up all of this yourself, if so it is very good if edgy, what I mean is a lot of people like your erstwhile follower would feel threatened by your lack of familiar dogma, but those who are more widely read & open to the wisdom of different backgrounds ( like I detect de Milo on the whole awreness idea) will not. I hope you find fellowship with those other pilgrims who dare to take the journey with you or who already find themselves on similar pathways into enlightenment
Thanks for your comments Fatboy.I tend to write from a stream of consciousness so most of this material are my own. Attachment theory is one of the insights of psychological study but has ancient roots in Middle Eastern and Eastern religion.I believe that if you wear the correct specs you can see it permeate the spiritual teaching of Yeshua.In focusing on Yeshua’s crucifixion I believe that Christianity has ignored His Spirituality and mode of life.St Paul and other Church Fathers have been promoted above the founder of the Yeshua’s Movement.It does take courage to step out of the psychologically dependent box. Thankfully the Divine takes the initiative and throws us out of the nest like a mother bird . Unfortunately most believers think that ‘Satan’ the adversary is doing the evicting.In my experience he is not so creative!