Sunday, January 25, 2009

Questions on God and Christianity

Early last week, Finn had an appt. for an echocardiogram with the cardiologist. After his appt., I took Finn and ran to Starbucks before I went home and ran into a mom I know from school, and her little girl. We got the chatting and it came up that Finn had been at the cardio because he has a small hole in his heart that has to be monitored (this mom knows that Finn has Ds). Her little girl asked, "Why does he have a hole in his heart?" I told her that some babies are just born that way. Her mom told her, "We need to pray for God to heal it." I appreciated the sentiment, but really was kind of dumbfounded.

If there were a God, wasn't it Him who created the hole in the first place?

This woman is very nice, she really is. And although I don't share her religious views, I respect that she's very fervent in her beliefs (which I already knew, before this day). She insisted on buying my coffee, which was very kind and sweet and thoughtful. But I couldn't help wondering - and have been wondering ever since - would she still have wanted to buy my coffee if I were as open about my (non-)beliefs as she is about her beliefs? Would she still talk to me like an old friend every time we run into each other?

I guess I'm cynical, because I suspect the answer would be no. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I should have more faith in people.

3 comments:

Nicole O'Dell said...

Just from the viewpoint of one who holds fervently to my own faith and Christian beliefs, and one who prays and believes in prayer--

I'd still buy you the coffee and I'd still talk to you like an old friend--in fact, I do think of you as a friend.

I don't require that people believe the same as me in order to be able to like them or appreciate them. I just require that they let me be me and appreciate my motives. They don't even have to believe that my prayers or beliefs have any affect at all as long as they know the motive by which I offer them.

There are those religious types, though, who kind of ruin it for the rest of us by adopting a holier-than-thou attitude. You know, Gandhi even said that he might have followed Christ if it hadn't been for all of the Christians. Sigh.

Anyway, those are just some of my disjointed thoughts on the subject. I thought you might like to hear the perspective from my side of the fence.

:)

Leigh Anne said...

I completely agree with Nicole! She took the words out of my mouth.

I know we don't share the same beliefs, nut that doesn't make me think any less of you or not think of you as a friend. i respect and admire you on so many levels, lisa! you don't even know!

and had she not wanted to treat you the same knowing what you believe...well, IMO, that would go against her beliefs :)

Cheryl said...

Lisa,
I hope my being a Christian doesn't hinder us from being friends.I think you are a great person and Mom.I don't look down on others because they don't have the same beliefs as me,of course as a Christian I pray that they would change their mind but I'm supposed to do that:)