First and foremost I just want to say I did well on the plane and I'm very proud of myself :) After we got home, we had a nice little snowstorm and now that school is back in session, I have very little free time. In fact, Phil and I didn't go to bed until almost 2:30 this morning! We've been dragging all day and now we're finally home to stay. I promise I'll do my little recap of the trip tomorrow when I'm at work. Until then, I typed this up this afternoon after my 10am class today. I hope you enjoy it.
Today in my sociology class, we had a girl do a quick presentation. We start every class with a 10 minute presentation about a minority in society. Well, this girl just happened to pick atheists. I want to say first and foremost that I have NOTHING against atheists. I don’t agree with the theology, or lack thereof, but I also don’t try to reform them either. I’m the type of Christian who would rather live a life of example instead of getting in people’s faces about God. If I see an opportunity, I don’t hesitate to talk about my faith and my struggles. However, I feel that God knows you can turn more people AWAY from him if you’re too pushy about it. There’s a happy medium and I’m dedicating my life to finding it.
Back to my original story, my professor always opens up the floor for questions after every presentation. This time, she started with a question to the class. She asked “Why do people, when they are having conversations with people of a different religion, get so upset and defensive?” A few people discussed how, as human beings, we don’t like to be challenged with things that go against what we think. This turned into a discussion about how people use religion to control minorities groups and try to push their religious beliefs on other people.
First of all, I just want to say that I try my best to be open and accepting of everyone. I may be completely wrong or I may be completely right. I won’t know for a fact until I die. However, from what I’ve seen, felt, experienced, know, I honestly believe there is a loving God who sent his only son to die for my sins so that I may live in heaven with all my loved ones who have gone before me. It’s not always an easy thing to believe and I may not have great explanations or reasons for it. However, that is what I personally believe. When I get in a discussion with someone of a differing religion, or even denomination, the main reasons I get defensive are 1) when they’re using circular logic and we’re not getting anywhere in the conversation, 2) all they’re doing is telling me why I’m wrong and they’re right, and 3) when they only spout out bible verses to me. I can’t tell you how angry it makes me when someone just starts quoting the bible at me. It makes me want to pick up the bible, throw it at them and say “See, I can do it too!” I know that’s a little juvenile, but it’s been a pet peeve of mine for as long as I can remember.
Secondly, it may just be the particular church I went to and the household I grew up in, but I never used religion to control a situation or pushed my beliefs on anyone else. I express my beliefs when I feel I am in an open and honest environment. However, if I feel like I’m going to be ostracized for my beliefs, I just keep it to myself.
I honestly feel like young Christians have to cater to those who don’t know what they believe right now. If you ask people between the ages of 18 and 35, most of them will tell you they are spiritual, but they think organized religion is a joke. This makes me so sad. Here’s what I’ve observed; people in my generation find a religious/spiritual system that can justify their way of life at this particular point in their life. Lots of people my age like going to clubs and drinking and having sex, etc. and that’s not a very healthy lifestyle. Once they decide they care more about how God sees them than how society does, then they’ll turn back to organized religion. Until then, young Christians, like me, are left to pick up the pieces of dying churches who are barely surviving.
What I’m saying is I believe what I do for a reason. I don’t get mad when people question it, but I do when they’re making a mockery of my beliefs because it’s a very vulnerable part of person’s soul. I don’t push my religious agenda on anyone and I hope I never do. I feel the people of my generation need to stop focusing on society and start focusing on God. If you had a bad experience at church, I do understand. However, I don’t think that means you should punish every church out there for that. Once you find a home church that supports you like a family, you’ll know. It’s like finding your soul mate :)
Peace to you,
"Believe" by The Bravery
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