(no subject)
All of my school friends are at school.
I am not.
It is making me more sad/nervous.
I am glad a lot of my home friends are still here. Otherwise it'd really make me feel like I wasn't supposed to be here.
I talked to my ND friend Caitlin, who is also going to Chile, today. It made me feel somewhat better, but now I am nervous again.
This U2 song is helping some. I don't have to go it alone.
On another note, there was a somewhat heated, albeit short, discussion about Alex's missionary dreams. On the way hand, he thinks that if you don't believe in Jesus you are going to hell. So, by logical conclusion, he wants to make more people believe in Jesus. On the other hand, why does he think this? It makes no sense to me. I do believe that one religion is right, because they can't all be right, they exclude each other. And for more complex reasoning than that, I believe it is Catholicism. But the Biblical God is a merciful, loving God. So, why wouldn't God welcome into heaven Muslims (cause that's really who he's talking about converting) who are living lives of love and who's experience with Christianity is the "Christian" West who definitely hasn't been very Christ-like to them? I don't know.
And I really hate the idea of providing people with medically attention, food, etc., in order to convert them. We should provide the economically poor with basic human necessities because they are human beings and have worth, they are our brothers and sisters. And if our actions are born out of true, Christ-like love, they will see the Gospel much more clearly than if we are trying to show it to them. If we live the Gospel, it is much more visible than if we preach the Gospel ("Preach the Gospel and, if necessary, use words." -Francis of Assisi). That actually achieves someone encountering Christ. It's funny how if you try to show people Christ it's not as effective as if that isn't exactly you're intent, if you're intent is truly to love people and treat them with the dignity that is inherent in every human person. Oh, the paradox.
bedtime.
I am not.
It is making me more sad/nervous.
I am glad a lot of my home friends are still here. Otherwise it'd really make me feel like I wasn't supposed to be here.
I talked to my ND friend Caitlin, who is also going to Chile, today. It made me feel somewhat better, but now I am nervous again.
This U2 song is helping some. I don't have to go it alone.
On another note, there was a somewhat heated, albeit short, discussion about Alex's missionary dreams. On the way hand, he thinks that if you don't believe in Jesus you are going to hell. So, by logical conclusion, he wants to make more people believe in Jesus. On the other hand, why does he think this? It makes no sense to me. I do believe that one religion is right, because they can't all be right, they exclude each other. And for more complex reasoning than that, I believe it is Catholicism. But the Biblical God is a merciful, loving God. So, why wouldn't God welcome into heaven Muslims (cause that's really who he's talking about converting) who are living lives of love and who's experience with Christianity is the "Christian" West who definitely hasn't been very Christ-like to them? I don't know.
And I really hate the idea of providing people with medically attention, food, etc., in order to convert them. We should provide the economically poor with basic human necessities because they are human beings and have worth, they are our brothers and sisters. And if our actions are born out of true, Christ-like love, they will see the Gospel much more clearly than if we are trying to show it to them. If we live the Gospel, it is much more visible than if we preach the Gospel ("Preach the Gospel and, if necessary, use words." -Francis of Assisi). That actually achieves someone encountering Christ. It's funny how if you try to show people Christ it's not as effective as if that isn't exactly you're intent, if you're intent is truly to love people and treat them with the dignity that is inherent in every human person. Oh, the paradox.
bedtime.