Not bound by religion, spirituality, not missing out.

NINETEEN-YEAR-old Peter-Gaye Whyte was never bound to attending church as a child, neither was she told she had to be spiritual or religious, and this has followed her right through to adulthood.

The young woman said that she has never been convicted and previously went to church a part of a routine.

“During my childhood years, I remember my mother taking me to a Seventh-day Adventist Church, and that happened up to the end of primary school. My parents, particularly my mother, never really said, ‘Oh, make sure you don’t stop attending church’. I wasn’t bounded and after a while I just stopped. I am not bound by religion and spirituality and I don’t think I am missing out.”

Whyte expressed that if she steps inside a church today, it would be for an occasion, worthy enough to have her dress up and attend.

“The last time I went to church was when I went to spend time with my best friend and they go to church on a Sunday. I only went because they were going. Outside of that, the only time I go to church is for a christening, graduation, or a funeral of a close relative, and even then I may not stay inside.”

It would sound as though she hates the church, but Whyte says that she really does not see the significance.

“Everyone is claiming their church is the right church. There is this great divide among denominations and I am just not for it. How do they know everything in the Bible is inspired by God when it has been translated into so many versions? There are a lot of questions and no ready answers. They say answers can be found in the Bible, but I don’t really read the Bible.”

Whyte admits that she recently took up the Bible to read the book of Revelation because of her curiosity about the apocalyptic period.

“I believe there is a Supreme Being because of creation, but there are many other things that are questionable. I don’t really pray but when I do, I don’t get angry at God if the things don’t go according to my requests, I just live.”

Whyte said that as one who wants to start a family in the future, she will not bind her children to religion or spirituality, but allow them to choose the path they wish to go on regarding that aspect of their lives.