My mind is still kind of jumbling through everything, but tonight I had by far one of the most interesting lessons I have had to date. For those who don’t know, the voice room is where students in Nova come to practice conversation: no structured lessons, only free conversation. One thing that sometimes frustrates me about this room is that there are so many “taboo” topics: basically anything that may offend a student shouldn’t be talked about…politics, religion, or other “hot” issues.
I began innocently enough…we were talking about Japanese history; somehow the topic turned to religion, and soon enough they found out that I was, indeed, a Christian. The students began asking me some of the hardest questions I’ve ever had to answer…is the God of Christianity the same God of the Jews and Muslims? What is the one most important belief in Christianity? Why are there so many churches? Doesn’t “catholic” mean universal? Why are you a Christian…is it only because your parents were? Why are churches so big/expensive? Why do people convert?
These are questions coming from people who have been born and raised in a polytheistic religion, but also, as one student said, “a religion-less society”…meaning that it is all tradition, without belief. (That in itself is a whole other debate and topic…are we in the west any different…but that will have to wait for another day!) But, for the first time since we’ve come, the first time in a long time, really, I was able to share openly what I believe, and what the foundation of Christianity really is. It was encouraging (and also a little sad) to hear one student say (albeit in an academic sense), “I’m very interested in Christianity, but I don’t know any Christians.”
Please pray that as inadequate as my words were, they may somehow take root and lead to more openness and questions.
3 comments:
So I totally had a conversation like that on Tues and with the same boy on Thursday. He's super interested in the conflict between science and religion. He's applying to go to a Christian school, and is so funny cause he says (in his practice interview) that he doesn't believe in God. So I question him further, then find out that he believes in Jesus, that He made the world and such, but doesn't believe in Christianity...cutie to boot, and is curious enough to continue inquiring. We exchanged emails and I told him to take some religion courses, and to email me the info so we can talk. It's pretty cool.
Cool post. That's very interesting.
My students implied that I was going to hell when I told them that I didn't believe that the end of the world would be coming when a black pope was appointed.
awesome to hear! hope you get more chances like that. Now comes the challenging part of ensuring that what they see from your life and teaching truly is reflective of Christ!! my prayers are with you!!
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