THE BIBLE reads, “No Good Thing Dwells in the Flesh” (Romans 7:18-20) I Beg to Differ.

There was a time in my life I based my faith solely on the book we call THE BIBLE, and in the ministers whom preached it. My self-esteem was feeble, my behavior passive, and the more I studied this book we call THE BIBLE, the more I became confused. This book, THE BIBLE and it’s interpretations in the mouth of ministers, clashed with my logical reasoning, and understanding of my creator. In many cases biblical teachings were in total opposition to that which I knew to be GOD, spirit, life, and truth. By age twenty-eight, religion had became such a burden, I thought I was having a nervous breakdown. I laid aside the book, THE BIBLE, which I had studied diligently since the age of 9, reading twelve times through between ages 12 and 24. After an intellectual meltdown of biblical proportion; at age 29 I began to commune with nature. In nature, I better understood creation and the essence of the creator. By thirty I completely dropped the practice of religion altogether, but not the study of THE BIBLE nor other religious and spiritual text. My slogan became, “There are many truths in the bible, but not all the bible is true”. I later revised it too, “There are many algorithmic allegories of truth in THE BIBLE, once we get beyond the division of religion”. My history; I was raised in church, and in a family of Preachers, Religious Teachers, Ministers, and Evangelist. My earliest memories of church were intricately woven with fear and bewilderment. I questioned constantly, but was told, “We do not question GOD and we do not lean on our own understanding.” Thus, I read THE BIBLE with an insatiable desire to know GOD for myself. I listen intently to stories in Sunday school, and in bible classes. I had many favorite tales such as Namaan and Gehazi (2Kings 5) or Joshua and the people of Gibeon (Joshua 9) and many favorite characters such as Enoch, Elijah, Elisha and Peter. I wanted to walk as Enoch walked with GOD and was no more for GOD took him. I wanted miraculous manifestations to follow me as they did Elijah and Elisha and Peter. I desired to be so scripturally sound that folks would be healed as a result of my words or deeds. Like Peter, I wanted folks to walk into my shadow and be healed. From age nine to twelve, I attended Christian school; my day began and ended with biblical studies. We had weekly assemblies steeped in biblical lore and metaphor. I passed religious studies with constant ‘A’s… but basic reading, spelling, and arithmetic, I was failing miserably, and somehow, despite my grades in basic education, I became a word smith. I learned words have power, and with my trusty dictionary, I used my words well; so well, I could agree without actually agreeing. I could say a thing without saying a thing. With my words I could dodge the bullets, of direct questions pertaining to my faith; thus giving the appearance of conformity, without conforming. I learned the ways of Christianity well; knowing all the adequate quotes, and delivering all the adequate responses. Don’t get me wrong, I was in it to win it, because we all know ninety-nine and a half won’t do. But as time passed and my studies continued I realized what I sought was not in church, religion, or Christianity. What I sought was and had always been inside of me; yet I continued to wear the continence of Christianity until I had the strength to stand in my truth. Today I boldly proclaim, I am not a Christian, I follow no religious affiliation. I simply seek and follow truth wherever it is found. Today, I am a freer being living in knowledge with understanding. Religion says, there is no good thing in the flesh, but I beg to differ; for within me, within this flesh called Sista/Kim, dwells the essence of my creator and all the possibilities the creator has bestowed in me and to me, this is a good thing. Ase