The Lion Speaks

Recently I took a test and in a way is speaks in some who I am.

At a start I have to say one needs to take these study quizzes with a grain of salt. First the cut off of 42 may be way too low.  It doesn’t account for the degrees of introvert. Aso the five point scale from   strongly disagree too strongly agree leads to distortions in the data.

For this who do don’t know Hikiomori is a social phenomenon where the person socially isolates themselves.

For where I stand, I say I am strong introvert who is close but not a Hikiomori. I have been bullied during my school days. I am more practical. I know I need to provide for myself, and conventions and groups have provided a balance. My Anglican Church providing Word and Sacrament in Christ, the providing means of grace has provide a lifeline from despair.

Some time ago, I have left the Baptist church because of pushing conforming to community instead of Christ and for other reasons. I was at my lowest in a crisis of my faith in 2006. I had considered converting to Catholicism, but thanks to a show White Horse Inn, I was exposed to the Reformed tradition and return back to Anglicanism.

My difficulty with small church groups is when they go beyond being a bible study to a community; the problem is what happens one doesn’t fit in. This was the issue for me in 1990 when I was accused of being selfish because I did not want to go to McDonalds with the group. To this day I cannot understand how Junk Food anything has do with spirituality. My church has tried inviting me to the Men’s Retreat but I just cannot bring myself to go.

In other areas, for reasons I may not tell, starting with a bad situation in junior high, I never dated or married. I dine out alone, I go to classical concerts alone, I go to conventions alone. I do have a small group of friends. I do meet a lot of people and appear sociable when needed, but in the end when the work day is over, the event ends I retreat  back.

That is who I am.