Postcards to the World
by Celeste Roth
The Celestial One herself!
Are you a Christian?
It happens at work. It has happened a few times. Something
difficult and personal comes up. Maybe it is an advice-giving session.
Maybe it is a personal conflict. Then I see the human across from me get
worried. They say "Can I ask you something and you won't get offended"
which is really a tough question, but I am not easily offended so I say yes,
I promise not to get offended. They are obviously in a tough spot in a
tough conversation. Then they say "Are you a Christian?" and I know that
the only language that they have to go beyond this point in the conversation
is spiritual language. And the only spiritual language they know is about
being Christian. "Yes," I say. Or I nod. Or sometimes I say "Yes, I will
claim that." I don't think I'm really lying because I am saying to them,
"Yes, I am willing and ready to go into the spiritual realm with you over
this subject matter." I am willing to share the Christian lens they have
for viewing spirituality for this time so that we can connect on a more
spiritual level. I do not feel inauthentic at that time. Saying yes is a
sort of a shorthand way of communicating at a painful time-of accepting them
and their religion as valuable. It has always turned out well. What they
say after that usually is useful such as turning to prayer or giving
difficult problems over to god. If I had said no, it would have distanced
me from the person, the bonding experience and the intimacy. I would have
stood apart and alone, refusing to step into the Christian river with them.
But I said yes.
c. 2008 CRoth
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