Note: Alot of this stuff could be answered by reading my Growing Up Church of Christ entry in the personal section of my website. I’ll probably end up restating what I’ve already said before.
1. Were you raised in a particular religious faith?
I was raised in a Christian environment, although I didn’t profess my Christian faith until just before my teen years. From just a few weeks after being born, my parents brought me to church. We attend a church of Christ. We started out at one particular church and then moved on to the present church. Presently I’ve been attending this same church since I was 2 years old. I don’t remember anything else. Church is home to me.
2. Do you still practice that faith? Why or why not?
Definitely. I can honestly say that what once was my parent’s religion is now my own religion. I’d like to believe that I didn’t inherit it, but in all likelihood, if I was raised Southern Baptist, I would have been a Southern Baptist. If I was raised Hindu, I would have been Hindu as an adult. I guess I’m not good at changing things.
That being said, I honestly believe what I believe. I love church. It is a place where I can express my love of God. People truly love you there. My closest friends are Christians.
At times I hate it. I hate it that some people use it as a country club. I hate that people aren’t involved outside of being in the audience during Sunday mornings. I hate it that people don’t sing….that they don’t volunteer when things need to be done.
3. What do you think happens after death?
In short, bad people go to hell; good people go to heaven. How do we know what’s good?
“Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
Matthew 7:21
It was explained to me thusly. When someone dies, they either go to Paradise or Tartarus. Paradise is Abraham’s bosom; while Tartarus is a terrible place where everyone thirsts and gets to see into paradise for what they missed. The term “Tartarus” should not be confused with a Ford Taurus which is just as bad as hell (have you driven one lately?).
Then comes the 2nd coming of Christ where the dead are raised and everyone gets judged. People either go to heaven or hell. The Tartarus/Paradise part doesn’t make sense to me since it seems souls are put into a sorta “holding pattern,” before Jesus comes back again. Why even wait on this holding pattern?
Then again this Tartarus/Paradise argument is based on the rich man and Lazareth parable (Luke 16:19-31)…..which it might just be a parable. Who’s to say? In any case, there is an ultimate end to everything. Either heaven or hell.
“Sheep go to heaven. Goats go to hell.”
–Cake, “Sheep Go to Heaven”
“He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.”
Matthew 25:33
As far as who goes where, God is our ultimate judge. We are judged according to if we followed His commandments while here on earth. I can never do enough good works in order to earn my way into heaven, which is where grace comes in. But grace is only part of the picture. God has given us a set of things which by doing so, along with grace, we will have eternal life. Anytime the Bible says do something in order to have eternal life, then it is obvious that that particular act is just part of the larger salvation spectrum.
4. What is your favorite religious ritual (participating in or just observing)?
Baptism. I believe in total immersion of believers as being the correct form of baptism (after all baptism means “immersion.”). There is nothing better than seeing a earnest believer being baptized into Christ. It helps if you are already friends with the person being baptized.
In enjoy singing during worship services. Some songs are better than others. Favorite songs usually have some type of emotional attachment to them. Maybe the song was sung during a very moving worship service. Maybe the words are particularly touching. There is nothing worse than sitting in a huge crowd of people and feeling like you are the only one singing. Happens all the time. I hate that. SING, PEOPLE!
5. Do you believe people are basically good?
“I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
– Anne Frank
I’d like to believe that. And I think for the most part it is true. When I was in China, I met people who would been over backwards for a silly American and expect nothing in return. People are good. People want what’s best for their families. They are willing to help out a neighbor.
People are good. Sometimes they are misdirected, due to a revenge factor. If people would just stop and try to love one another, we wouldn’t have wars and violence. But due to revenge and anger there is sin within this world.