Until I was twelve, we lived in the Bible Belt, in southern Illinois along the border of Kentucky. There were so many different religions that all felt like they were the only ones who were right. But kids don’t see barriers like that. We loved playing with some friends down the block. Their Dad was a Pastor and their church was literally in their backyard. It was well-manicured, and a beautiful place to play.
One day, when I was 8, this Pastor learned I was about to be baptized. He and his wife sat my brothers and me down and told us that if we weren’t part of their religion we were going to Hell. And that if I got baptized I was sealing my fate. It was a rude awakening and a cold baptism into the “which religion is right” argument.
I already had a testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So there was no talking me out of being baptized. But this Pastor’s bold statements shocked me. And it wasn’t the last time I heard bitter and angry words declaring someone was going to Hell.
My Dad and other men in the community would often gather with their Bibles and “Bible Bash”- trying to prove each other wrong with scripture. It was hardly a Christlike environment. I remember my Dad always coming home frustrated and angry.
So many religions seem to spend more time fighting about their differences than they do appreciating that we all worship the same God. It has always bothered me.
A book opened my eyes
Then I read a book called The Light After Death– My Journey To Heaven and Back by Vincent Todd Tolman. This man is LDS, like me. And when he was in his early 20’s suffered a severe poisoning event that left him clinically dead for some time.
He describes in his book his experiences in Heaven and coming back to life. It was the most detailed near-death experience I have ever read.
He talked about how religion is something we have created here on earth to understand and become more like God. And in his near-death experience, he saw many people of many other religions happily in heaven. He said the goal is to grow to be more like God.
On his journey, he saw that people were being held back in their eternal progress because they were stuck on religious differences. Rigid thinking blocks growth.
Since reading that book, I have been looking at the world differently. I used to look at my chosen religion as the only group that would make it to Heaven. But in the history of the Earth, it’s a fairly new religion. And now I see that every Child of God is on an individual journey back to Him. And every path matters. There are a million experiences that God will put in our lives to help us grow and give us experiences. It is beautiful how much God loves ALL His children!
Testimonies are not exclusive to the LDS Faith
I was traveling recently and struck up a conversation with a woman at the airport. She had such strong faith! We talked about God, her family, how good God is, and how blessed she is to know Him as she does. She bore her witness to me. And I felt the Spirit of God with that woman.
She is not a part of my religion, but I know she loves Jesus and tries to serve Him. I never thought I would feel the Spirit with anyone who was not LDS. It was a real learning moment for me. I felt so close to her!
My Neice is serving a mission for the LDS church in Alabama. And she shared how much the people she is talking to love doing family history. I love family history too! That is one more connection erasing the walls I used to see dividing us.
As I am growing in my inclusive perspective, I have started noticing faith-promoting experiences all around me. For example, I’ve been watching a million Christmas movies, and every one of them shares how important it is to share the love of God with others.
I see prominent Christian celebrities promoting these movies, and as they talk about God I feel the Spirit. And I am feeling my barriers for other Christian religions coming down. I still know I have chosen the right faith for me. But I am learning that other Christians are much more like us than I gave them credit for. It’s beautiful feeling more united with other Christians, and feeling the tension and division dissolve. That division has been stealing my joy; now I feel more free.
We are more connected than we think
The connections we share as Christians and Americans, no matter our religions, are so much more than the trivial things that divide us. With the world going the way it is, I am making a greater effort to see more where we are united. Those who are trying to divide us aren’t doing us any favors. As I drop these barriers I feel the Spirit more often.
For example, I know someone who won’t watch The Chosen because someone LDS didn’t make it. But when I watch The Chosen the Spirit of the Lord is SO strong! I feel myself growing and understanding Jesus better than I ever have before. And I want more experiences like that.
I will make a greater effort to see what unites us and allow the Spirit to teach me more easily. Because I see that God uses so many people as His tools, not just those of the LDS faith, this new perspective is so beautiful. And I feel so grateful.
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