Day# Who knows what..
I mentioned in an earlier post that I identify most with the book of James in the bible. I find his earnest and sincere exhortations for all mankind to not be shitty little gossips to each other a rather affirming way to live life.
So yes, this means I am a Christian... sort of.
At best I think I describe myself as interfaith for the lack of a better term. I find it disconcerting that people can so thoroughly grasp a specific ideology that they attribute reams of creative musings to an entity we have very little understanding of.
Meaning..
I do believe in god, yes, no reservations.
I don't quite know what to think about what people say I should believe about god, mostly I just don't think about it.
Do I believe Jesus was born again to save us all from eternal line waiting for the gates of heaven to be thrown open?
No, not really.. sorry.
Which is why I say, "I'm a Christian... sort of."
I'm also sort of a muslim, buddhist, and pastafarian depending on what specific line of thinking I've found myself admiring from any of those and other religious traditions.
So back to the Book of James, he more or less says don't be a nasty gossip and faith without work is worth a pile of monkey turds.
Maybe this was floating around in my brain when a representative of the local Chinese Christian community flagged me down last week. She asked me, in very good English, if I was a Christian. I said,"Yes.." and didn't try to engage any further. It's sad to me watching born-again Christians cope with notions running around my brain. It's like they can see devil horns grow out of my skull in real time.
It's kind of awesome to think about, I should write a fictional short story on it.
Anyhooters, she asked, I answered, and today I'm going to one of their bible studies. Now, this where I have to say that morally speaking, I'm not that moral of a person.
I lie.
I gossip.
I am a consummate player of the office politics game of screw your coworker over and more often than not, I win at it, and end up looking like the good guy.
I drink too much.
I have terrible temper.
All things I strive to improve upon with greater or lessor regularity depending upon my fickle mood.
So this ought to be interesting to see how it plays out. Is this group going to be a fundamentalist Christian bible study group as they often tend to be here in China? Are they going to be horrified by my heretical inclusion of ideas outside of the bible?
Hell if I know, maybe I'll just keep my shut and enjoy the company for a change. Sometimes, as I get older, I find myself less motivated by the youthful urge to be right in my way of thinking that I do motivated to have people to talk with.
Does it really matter if I'm right and they are wrong?
Or..
If they are right and I am wrong?
Yeah, maybe I'll just stick a cork in it and be polite. Most of these people are young Chinese men and women who are struggling with their own experiences. I don't think they need me to come along with my 40 year old cynical self and tell them they are a bunch of dickheads.
That'd make me the dickhead.
Even a longer leap, maybe I'll just listen to them and learn something about their own experiences. Never hurts to understand and learn new things.
also, read this earlier and I literally cried.
http://imgur.com/gallery/gHZLO
So yes, this means I am a Christian... sort of.
At best I think I describe myself as interfaith for the lack of a better term. I find it disconcerting that people can so thoroughly grasp a specific ideology that they attribute reams of creative musings to an entity we have very little understanding of.
Meaning..
I do believe in god, yes, no reservations.
I don't quite know what to think about what people say I should believe about god, mostly I just don't think about it.
Do I believe Jesus was born again to save us all from eternal line waiting for the gates of heaven to be thrown open?
No, not really.. sorry.
Which is why I say, "I'm a Christian... sort of."
I'm also sort of a muslim, buddhist, and pastafarian depending on what specific line of thinking I've found myself admiring from any of those and other religious traditions.
So back to the Book of James, he more or less says don't be a nasty gossip and faith without work is worth a pile of monkey turds.
Maybe this was floating around in my brain when a representative of the local Chinese Christian community flagged me down last week. She asked me, in very good English, if I was a Christian. I said,"Yes.." and didn't try to engage any further. It's sad to me watching born-again Christians cope with notions running around my brain. It's like they can see devil horns grow out of my skull in real time.
It's kind of awesome to think about, I should write a fictional short story on it.
Anyhooters, she asked, I answered, and today I'm going to one of their bible studies. Now, this where I have to say that morally speaking, I'm not that moral of a person.
I lie.
I gossip.
I am a consummate player of the office politics game of screw your coworker over and more often than not, I win at it, and end up looking like the good guy.
I drink too much.
I have terrible temper.
All things I strive to improve upon with greater or lessor regularity depending upon my fickle mood.
So this ought to be interesting to see how it plays out. Is this group going to be a fundamentalist Christian bible study group as they often tend to be here in China? Are they going to be horrified by my heretical inclusion of ideas outside of the bible?
Hell if I know, maybe I'll just keep my shut and enjoy the company for a change. Sometimes, as I get older, I find myself less motivated by the youthful urge to be right in my way of thinking that I do motivated to have people to talk with.
Does it really matter if I'm right and they are wrong?
Or..
If they are right and I am wrong?
Yeah, maybe I'll just stick a cork in it and be polite. Most of these people are young Chinese men and women who are struggling with their own experiences. I don't think they need me to come along with my 40 year old cynical self and tell them they are a bunch of dickheads.
That'd make me the dickhead.
Even a longer leap, maybe I'll just listen to them and learn something about their own experiences. Never hurts to understand and learn new things.
also, read this earlier and I literally cried.
http://imgur.com/gallery/gHZLO