I have been asking myself "Why do I identify as a Hippie Christian?"

I have been asking myself why do I identify as a Hippie Christian? Why is it important to make that distinction? What is it that distinguishes us from mainstream Christianity? I'm not talking about our outward appearance or the music that we listen to, I want to know what is at the core of our being that makes us different and if it really matters - is it even relevant in this day and age?

What I am hoping to discover isn't so much the "How" we are Hippie Christians, but rather the "Why" we are Hippie Christians. Is there a cultural basis for being a Hippie in the 21^st Century? Is there a Scriptural justification for adopting some Hippie values while rejecting others? Are Hippies still relevant today or are we holding onto a bygone era in a last gasp of nostalgia?

What is it about identifying as "Hippie" that satisfies as nothing else will? Could we be anything else and still be true to who God created us to be? Have we assessed who we are deep down and then reached a tipping point where we declare “I’m a freaking Hippie” and felt not only comfortable with that, but truly like we found our way home?

I came of age in the 1960’s, I grew up with the anti-war movement, Woodstock, Hippies and the Jesus People Movement – all at once! These things affected me to my core being and I have never been able to shake them, at least not for long and not without feeling untrue to who I am. I have more tie-dye now than I did back in the day and my hair is longer than it has ever been in my life but I keep asking myself “Does it still matter?” after all these years. Am I just hanging on to something from my youth as I come to grips with my aging or is there something deeper that resonates with both the idealistic dreams of the Woodstock Nation and the deep spiritual truths of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount?

I have been promoting the Hippie Christian way on the internet for almost twenty years now and I still question why I do it. Whatever the reason, I can’t seem to let it go, I am driven to proclaim Peace, Love and Light!

Kevin (Cloud)