When we decided to buy our home, we knew that there was a church next door. I knew at some point the pastor would come over and say, “Hi.” However, I forgot how Christians try recruiting people.
The first time the co-pastor came over to introduce herself, I made my beliefs clear. At least, I’d hoped I did. I don’t think many people understand the word Agnostic. But, I told her and she gave me that I-Feel-Sorry-For-Your-Lack-of-God look. I made a huge mistake, though. I told her that my 10 year-old has voiced questions regarding religion and that I was leaving the choice up to her as to what she believes in. I also explained that I wanted her to wait until she was mature enough to make her own opinion, not believe in something because someone tells her she’ll be damned if she doesn’t.
Now, every time the co-pastor comes over to say hi, she tries recruiting my daughter. She lectures her about God and tells her constantly that Jesus died on the cross for her and blah blah blah. My biggest peive with religion is the Bible and the crap it’s filled with. If there is a higher being, most of the tales in the Bible are impossible falses. (Yeah, yeah, don’t you lecture me too. I’m not recruiting you to anti-religion, don’t try recruiting me!)
This week is Vacation Bible School next door. Also, this entire month Rochelle is attending a Reading Enrichment program offered by the school, also almost next door. I send her out the door this morning to head over to school, and the co-pastor caught Rochelle’s eye and started to take a step over here. I immediately step out the door and tell Ro, “Hurry along, honey. You’re going to be late.”
Death glare from the co-pastor.
Oh well. School is far more important than reading a novels worth of impossibilities. While the kids next door are hearing lies about some arc and being told that women menstrate as a punishment, my child will be learning all of the interesting facts about butterflies, moths, spiders, and other tangible insects.
Now tell me, what will help her more in life? Beleiving that a man can sit in a den full of starving lions and survive, or knowing which spiders can kill a man with a single bite?
Dear Misty,
I stumbled across your blog today and couldn’t help but read it. I don’t know your history with Jesus, his word, and his church, but I would like to apologize to you for our behavior. The church (all followers of Jesus Christ) does not usually conduct itself like we should. I know that because we are not perfect, we are human beings just like everyone else. I do hope that you would allow your daughter to hopefully experience true christianity through Jesus. I do agree that learning about deadly spiders is an important subject, the chances of dying from a spider bite is about 1 in 468,508. You have a greater chance of being killed by Lightning, being executed, plane crash, car crash, tripping, freezing, accidental poisoning, cancer, heart attack, even suicide! The chances of dying are 1 in 1. I’m trying not to sound like I’m “recruiting you,” but what is going to happen to you when you die? There is absolute truth, and there is a heaven and a hell. Sometimes it takes faith to believe, and sometimes it’s as apparent as gravity or the wind, you can’t see it but you know for a fact that it is there. I hope you don’t mind that I wrote you and I will pray for you (I hope you don’t mind that either.) I want you to know that this wasn’t written out of hate or anger, but love. Sometimes we as people ask God to show us truth and we will believe, but God wants us to believe first and then he’ll show us truth. I also would hope that you would try to talk to God and ask him to show you his awesome glory!
With love, Andy