Spiritual Journeys December 29, 2025 Issue

I no longer saw myself as a prisoner

Name Withheld

Growing up, I regularly attended Christian Science Sunday School while my parents attended the Sunday service, and later I took class instruction in Christian Science. At some point, however, while still a young adult, I began to view Christian Science as an oppressive religion, something that took away all the fun of life. I chased what I thought of as happiness through promiscuity, alcohol, and, eventually, drugs.

I had enlisted in the military, and there, as well as in later jobs such as nightclub security, I learned to enjoy violence, viewing it as a way of life. This continued for many years, resulting in a downward spiral into depression and homelessness as I struggled to find meaning and satisfaction in temporary, material things.

Some years ago, I was incarcerated. For several years, I allowed things to continue as they had, despite the consequences, until one day I decided to read the Bible. Tired of getting into fights and living in a state of frustration and disappointment, and with plenty of time on my hands, I read the Bible cover to cover—and my thinking began to change.

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I no longer saw myself as a prisoner

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