A Letter from a Friend

I just wanted to share a letter that I received recently. Our team has received similar letters from time to time and I often hesitate sharing them because I do not want to seek or even appear to seek self-praise and self-exaltation. However, I think this friend of mine has given me some deep insight into how Christians normally are perceived by those who do not follow Christ or possibly how Christians really are to those who do not follow Christ. As someone who has grown up in the church and Christian culture my whole life, it is really good for me to step into the shoes of my friends who are not sure of Christ and understand the ways that they understand God, Christians, the Church, etc...

I believe that we need to be like Peter in Acts Chapter 10. We he first went to the house of Cornelius the first thing that he said was, "Tell me what you already know." He came first as a listener and then later filled in the gaps after he understood what Cornelius did and did not know. Do we listen before we speak? I don't know, I hope to. Well, here is part of the letter:

I hope you're all well at the Terra Nova. One thing I wanted to say which I don't think I got a proper chance to say to everyone was Thankyou For Everything, really. You all helped me through an immensely difficult time and it was so, so reassuring to know there were friendly faces I could always go to whenever I was feeling down or alone. I think I've learned from meeting you guys, you know. I have to admit here in the UK there is a certain amount of prejudice against Americans (I think sometimes British pride is dented by the fact that America is more powerful than UK is yet Americas a younger country!) - the stereotypical image is of
a very loudmouthed nation, over the top, "corny" (our word for that is "cheesy"), and leading either extremely strict lives or extremely reckless ones - the latter image most definitely is (wrongly) associated with Texas!

The typical Texan "lives on a ranch", wears dungarees, a cowboy hat, has pr0monent stubble and has a shotgun ready to fire, shouting "dang" in a famous-over-here-Texan drawl! Needles to say these images aren't true, and I had suspected as much because they did seem a bit far-fetched. But one thing that I DID assume was true was the image of the Religious American, england has the deregatory term "bible basher". I originally thought that Americans - more so from the "bible belt" (iTexas, North Carolina etc) were like as described above,
deeply fervently and zealously religious, preaching constantly and telling everyone they were going to be damned unless they got down on their knees that very moment and prayed! I was a bit apprehensive when I heard you were from Texas (and I didnt know what Ohio was like!) - I actually expected you all to start shouting to me how damned I was and pushing a bible into my
hand. The above was one of the main problems I had with religion - if it makes people like that, I figured, then it can't exactly all be about love - where are the NORMAL people?

I was quite astounded to see that, as I met you, not one of you did any of the things I expected you to. None of you told me how bad I was for not believing, or pushed a bible in my hand repeating I was going to be damned, or begin to preach in a loud voice. What I saw as I got to know you all, were very normal, loving and caring people. It was hard to believe you WERE
all religious because it was such a contrast to the stereotype. It was such a relief to discover a bit about your beliefs rather than have things forced upon me as has so often been the case in the past. One thing that I did appreciate, which doesnt happen with a lot of religious people, is that none of you claimed to know everything, you admitted it rather than beginning to get scared that someone else's point of view was threatening your beliefs.

I talked in depth with Matt and Troy and I enjoyed talking with you very much because they were willing to listen to me, even though I had a LOT of anger in me about religion. Many people these days believe things about God and then refuse to accept any other interpretation, but this wasn't the case here. I remember talking with you, Matt, in the gardens of the Costa Vella and I got rather heated about certain things concerning religion, but it was so good to get it out of my system to someone who I counted as a genuine friend and it was very reassuring to believe that you would not shun me if I
said I didnt agree with this or that.

Before and for sometime during Santiago stay I was agnostic. Since coming to Santiago my have have been opened a little and I am no longer "against" religion in the way I was before. It was such a beautiful thing to see you all together, and especially with such beautiful families. I would count myself very lucky in life if I could have families such as yours, all your children seemed very, very good-natured. I will always remember Abigail (i hope I got the name right!) at only 3 years of age coming into the cafe and, very dignified, settling herself down on the stool just like a miniature adult! And also Elijah (again, if I ve got the names wrong sorry!) being held by one of the girls, a really happy, smiley baby playing with his own foot! And, of course, all the other children too. I hope that Samuel's well, Scott, Congratulations! And of course, Estrella, a baby once herself!

After seeing religious - but normal -people such as yourselves it's changed my view and also led me to think about religion seriously as I havent done before. Obviously I havent overnight been converted into a born-again Christian because if I did that I know it would just be to please other people, and I believe that you have to want God in your heart, which I think I already at least partially do, but I do have reservations about it because of the number of debates in the bible that don't add up. Having said that, looking at what life would be like if I didnt believe in God, I dont like the look of. No justice, apart from that which humans make (which, lets face it, isn't justice at all 70 per cent of the time), figuring happiness just "happens", the world here in our own human hands - its a pretty scary thought when contrasted with the lot of happiness that a belief in God can bring, and also the good morals that Christianity sets in the world. The world is DEFINITELY a better place with believers, and I think I do believe,
deep down, but I have to discover a lot more first. I woudn;t so much say Im agnostic anymore, because I do believe a lot about Christianity, and I certainly don't dismiss it as made-up.

So, I just wanted to say Thankyou, to all of you for being so friendly and welcoming, it was and is a pleasure to know you. I hope we keep in contact, and I hope to see you soon.