If "Chritianity" Has Hurt You, Start Here

The First Step👣

If God has been misrepresented, if churches have hurt more than healed, and if faith has been used to manipulate, divide, or excuse harm, then it makes sense to ask a quiet but honest question. Where do I even begin now. Not with religion. Not with institutions. Not with politics or platforms. The first step is not finding the right church or learning the right language. The first step is deciding to look past the noise and ask an honest question. Who was Jesus really. That question does not require belief or certainty. It only requires curiosity.

The Pebble in My Path🚶🏽‍➡️

Many people walk away from Christianity without ever walking away from Jesus. They leave because what they experienced did not resemble what He taught. They heard about love but encountered control. They were promised freedom but felt judged. Somewhere along the way, Jesus became associated with everything that pushed them away. But Jesus did not build walls. He crossed them. He did not start with doctrine or demands. He started with people. If what you have seen does not look like compassion, patience, and humility, then you are not rejecting Jesus. You are rejecting a distortion of Him. And that distinction matters more than we often realize.

The Compass🧭

Finding Jesus does not begin with agreeing with everything or having all the answers. It begins with paying attention to how He treated people. He spent time with those who were overlooked and misunderstood. He listened more than He lectured. He asked questions instead of forcing conclusions. He confronted hypocrisy but never crushed the broken. Jesus did not invite people into a system. He invited them into relationship. That is why real Christianity does not start with rules. It starts with posture. If the search for God feels overwhelming, try reading the Gospels slowly, not to prove anything or win an argument, but to notice how Jesus moves, speaks, and responds. Pay attention to who He draws near to, who He challenges, and what kind of person you would become if you lived the way He lived. That is the compass.

The Open Trail🛣️

If you are wondering where to start, start small. Start with honesty. Say out loud what you actually feel, not what you think you are supposed to feel. Start with presence by creating space to listen instead of rushing to conclusions. Start with love by caring for someone else without expecting anything in return. You do not need to clean yourself up to find Jesus. You do not need certainty to begin. You do not need to have it all figured out. The first step is not becoming religious. The first step is becoming willing. Willing to seek truth. Willing to unlearn what was never His. Willing to follow a way of love that is simple, but deeply challenging. That is where Jesus still meets people. Not in the noise, but in the quiet decision to take one honest step forward.

Stay barefoot. Stay honest. Stay close to the ground.

– Barefoot Gospel👣