A Question of Faith, Part 2: Conclusion

Well folks, it seems like my spiritual rounds of logic tennis have finally come to a stable resolution. Thanks to the almighty power of Google Search, my quest for the "right" spiritual path for me and my life has reached its end. In fact, with a little hindsight it's a wonder why I didn't think of this before. Friends and viewers, allow me to regale you with a very curious yet strangely logical religious and spiritual path. This path of course being...

Christian Animism.

Yep, turns out this is not only a thing, but also it kind of makes sense if you think about it. Now we've already covered Christianity in previous posts, but what's animism exactly? Well, simply put, it is the belief that all things in nature are connected, alive, and therefore sacred. It recognizes the value of nature because it was designed by an Almighty God, the Great Architect who constructed this entire universe simply by speaking it into existence. Guys... this was exactly what I feel I've been called to follow this whole time. It's not Wicca that's been beckoning me; just an element of Wicca that's shared between multiple cultures and belief systems.

With animism there comes a great reverence for the natural world and all its wonders. This is something I've had even way before getting into all this stuff; I love the woods! Always have, always will. I love the mystery of the great outdoors. I love getting away from society and just laying down in the grass. I love feeling connected with nature and relaxing in its motherly embrace.

Furthermore, I have lately sought to embrace and celebrate my Native American heritage by adding some tribal elements to my lifestyle. Animism was a prominent proponent to many indigenous faiths, as they respected the natural world and everything in it -- even going so far as to make sure they killed only what they needed to survive when hunting, so as not to take animals' lives needlessly. So to include animism in my spiritual walk, well... it's just the next logical step forward, really. It gives me a way to reconnect with my ancestral roots without compromising anything in the life I'm leading right now.

In fact the cherry on the proverbial cake is the fact that Christian Animism, by design, comes second to the glory of Christ. Nature can't offer divine grace the way that Jesus can, but at the same time it's still the handiwork of God. Therefore it is just as much a miracle as we are, and it should be respected as such. Therefore, I have decided that this will the path I walk. Nature is not my God, nor is it my Savior -- for it cannot save my soul. But while I yet live on this Earth, I will revere nature and cherish my time spent in it.

Anyway, that's the titular conclusion to this two-part Blogger saga. Keep your eyes and ears perked for later posts, as always. :)

~M.D.