Fool.

Yesterday was an interesting day for me. I had a day of spiritual challenges, it seems. God gave me opportunities to talk to people about Him that I wasn't expecting. I got the opportunity to talk to a lady that I work with about the issue of homosexuality and what God says about it.

We got into the subject of how our school newspaper here at ETSU (the East Tennessean) is very secular, and people want it that way. There are letters to the editor constantly published about a particular young woman who writes a column called "walking by faith" where she talks about her faith and how it helps her deal with issues that college students frequently encounter.

People say that because she has a column that is regularly published, that the newspaper is biased toward Christianity and could be seen as pressuring people to be a Christian. I firmly believe that this school newspaper has no intention of endorsing Christianity. I can tell by the way they replace her spot in the newspaper with an article called "Athiest confronts religion."

I think that freedom of speech is a value of America that we should not take for granted. So I think it is very fair for an Athiest to have his say in the newspaper of a state-assisted university that is not a religious school. I do not like, however, when he and others attack the young woman who writes honestly and openly about her faith. It seems unneccessary to me.

But they also want to stifle her voice because she represents a Creator that they feel has nothing to do with them. The principles of Christianity make them uncomfortable because it goes against living their Hedonistic lifestyle. I admire her for writing the column and it has given me encouragement on more than one occasion when I needed it.

It seems that everyone has a freedom of speech except Christians.

I know that people are offended by Christians because there are many Christians who put words in Jesus' mouth that He never said. They say they represent a Holy, Righteous God, but turn around and are betrayed by their actions. Now I am in no way perfect, but I do get up every morning and try to make every step count for Christ. There are so many times (more than I'd like to admit) that I fall down. But He always picks me up, dusts me off, and wraps me in His loving arms again. Then He turns me back to the right direction... looking straight at Him.

I feel a deeply burning sad feeling when I think about the spiritual state of the people at ETSU. I know that there are people who go to school here who really love Jesus, and are earnestly seeking after Him. There are many clubs and organizations that represent Christians of many denominations. Those clubs help move people into the dorms, and do community service. It is just so hard to see those lights when surrounded by darkness. It seems that all I see in the school newspaper is things about Gay Pride day... how a homosexual guy was offended that their roommate wanted to move to a different dorm because he is gay.... that Athiesm is intellectual while Christianity is blind faith and ignorance.. that Christianity is a crutch. These are the things that I read in our school newspaper.

The attitude that disturbs me the most, is the attitude that being a follower of Christ means that you are ignorant. Blindly following a man in a suit asking for your money. Condemning others. Looking down on others. Narrow minded. Stupid.

I know that I have a lot more to learn, but I am not stupid. I am not blindly following a man in a suit. I am seeking God, and only God. I search scriptures for truth and pray for wisdom. I look at the world through God's eyes and try to use the gifts that God has given me to ameliorate suffering. Widows and orphans. James 1:27.




The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
Psalm 14:1