Why I was a Christian

I grew up firmly rooted in Christianity memorizing Bible verses, attending church, singing Christian songs, and professing my faith in salvation. Being “born again” was seen as obedience, and regular church attendance was considered a measure of faithfulness. As a child, I studied Christian Religious Education (CRE) as a compulsory subject. I got baptized long before I could speak or write, let alone consent. Christianity was instilled in me right from birth, and as I grew, I was taught never to question the Bible. I learned to suppress my doubts, and life felt satisfying throughout childhood. When I matured, I could think critically and make sound decisions. It became increasingly apparent that the old book had numerous glaring gaps and inconsistencies.

I was a Christian only because my parents had chosen Christianity for me. I was taught to be one from a very young age and made to limit myself to biblical teachings, even though, I had not requested or consented to them. Had I been the one choosing in my adulthood, I do not think I could have embraced the religion. It is easy to understand the trend – My parents had chosen Christianity for me; thus, I was a Christian, and my parents were Christians because their parents (my grandparents) were Christians. Likewise, my grandparents embraced Christianity because their parents were Christians. Fortunately, my lineage has not practiced Christianity for too long, and I could trace the practice back to its introduction to us.

My great-grandparents had converted to Christianity due to colonialists’ convincing advantage, pressure, and the punishments they imposed against those who resisted. When they made this crucial choice, my great-grandparents were so uneducated that they couldn’t even spell or write their names, let alone basic terms like “God,” “Satan,” “cup,” or “home.” To them, the whites were superior geniuses and must have been right in anything they said. My great-grandparents literally thought that the whites could eat fire (smoke a cigarette), kill you by pointing you with a stick (use a gun), fly in a bird (use a plane), and so on. To my illiterate great-grandparents, the whites were semi-gods. These were the circumstances in which they made the decision that we have faithfully followed—Christianity and not any other religion. If the colonialists had promoted Islam, I would have grown up a Muslim.

I must break this generational pattern by not imposing religion on my children. Instead, I will allow them to grow, learn to reason, and make their own decisions free from indoctrination. It is unhealthy to do things just because one finds others doing them.