I have kept the faith

shikungigi

I was sent away to campus with all sorts of speeches from concerned parties about the ‘hellhole’ that it is. I was to be extremely careful lest I’d be swallowed whole within its confines. I was told not to get lost in the moment or get ‘cheated’ by campus men or even forget what took me to Moi University. I was also told that campus was a place that would challenge my beliefs. Well, all the claims turned out true with some slight hyperbole here and there. All the same, here I stand. Keeping the faith.

The first instance I thought seriously about my faith was in the first semester of my first year. I had to take an elective course titled ‘Introduction to Philosophy and Religion’. Frankly, I expected it to be a little more exciting than it was but for what it’s worth, it made me start thinking a lot about life and why we are here. Throughout the four years, I met people who’d look at me funny after I proclaimed my faith in Jesus Christ. I will not even mention the friends who suddenly became atheists somewhere along the way.

I will not lie and say I never have doubts. I will not front to be 100% sure in what I believe. I remember I wrote a post about reading the Bible last year and, not surprisingly, got some atheists’ attention. Apparently, one of them became an atheist by “reading the Bible cover to cover”. Well, my quest to read the Bible that way is still in progress. I have friends who are atheists. I am yet to get a good reason from one on why they are so. Sometimes I think they choose to be because nothing will change. Some went through a traumatic experience, maybe lost someone and decided that life really had no supernatural dimension. There is no afterlife. It is just a way of cheating humanity into being good to each other in return for something they cannot verify. Trust in some non-existent Superhuman being with the promise of everlasting life that is simply not there.

One major reason why I have never bought the atheism idea is because, instead of pointing me to the facts of the concept; like tell me why there is no God, I only see proponents discrediting my belief. Atheism revolves around proving that Christianity and other religions have loopholes. I am not defending Christians here, by the way. They are as guilty as the atheists. For instance, I will want to know how they are okay with all the things that science cannot explain. We have made it a war, a show of who can defend his/her belief better. But you know what? It does not matter.

If I do not live according to the teachings of Jesus, I have no right telling one who does not believe in Him to believe. I will go on and quote Mahatma Gandhi, even though it must be the most quoted quote in the Christianity vs. other schools of thought arena. (Sometimes I even think he didn’t say it, you never know how people twist history.) It goes, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” He was right. I don’t want that to ring true in my life.

Do not think for one minute that I am saying that debate is a bad thing. I love debate. It has made me very open-minded. All I am saying, actions speak louder than words. Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26). Spreading hatred in the name of religion is the unfortunate bit. Atheists and Christians can be friends. I do not think atheists are irrational. They have some solid arguments. I just think we need to understand each other. There are more ways than one to pass a message. When a lecturer made a joke about God in class, I would laugh and think about it. If a friend asked me a question that bordered on blasphemy, I would answer it. But rather than doubt what I believe, I chose to solidify my already founded belief.

Call me stupid, but I am willing to pay the price. If being an intellectual is trying so hard to trash the existence of God, I will pass. Like Lecrae, I will say that either I am certain, or I am certainly insane. I will go with the former. In the meantime, I will not support any relativist arguments. There is right and there is wrong. I believe in God and Jesus Christ. I even hope and pray everyone will do the same one day. I will keep writing and acting as He taught and hopefully I will lead a few more into His fold.

I have kept the faith and I will keep on keeping it. Out of campus, the situation is even worse. Immorality is rife. I have people around me talking about their escapades right into my ears. Sometimes I feel I am missing out. Sometimes I think I look like the girl who has no life. A very close friend of mine shocked me the other day when he openly declared that I should not claim my way is the only way to go. I was confused. He is a Christian, one of those people I am sure of being in the same boat with. He did not sound sure on this day. He asked me if I thought everyone who did not believe in Jesus would end up in hell. I said yes before he even finished the question. Later in the night, I thought about it afresh. Frankly, I am not sure I would answer yes as fast now.

In the meantime, I will keep in communion with my Jesus. And live the life that He lived.

I will pen off by quoting Propaganda:

“Maybe I’m wrong, maybe you’re right.

Maybe we’ll find out the day after the world ends.

Yeah, I guess we’re all a little inconsistent,

SO MAYBE WE CAN JUST SHOW EACH OTHER SOME GRACE.”

And Casting Crowns:

“Nobody knows what we’re for only what we’re against when we judge the wounded,

What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You did.”

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). The sequel ends here.

10 thoughts on “I have kept the faith

  1. You are a very inspirational writer. I like. Oh and this is catchy, if he indeed said it. “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

  2. Okay…stumbled upon your tweets on Twitter. Viewed the profile…saw the links there…followed them here….now I know the place to come to everytime i need some inspiring reads. Go on girl!

  3. either i am certain or i am certainly insane… challenging our beliefs is a daily reminder that we are living. how we live begs the question whether we are doing it right… certainly has given me food for thought i guarantee you. and how i found about this is post is even more mysterious to me.

    be blessed

  4. This is a great read…Actually knowing that there are many of us on this journey makes it worthwhile. Getting Quite elaborate and well written. I couldn’t agree more on the fact that atheists never point us to things that prove that there is no God. It’s funny how they spend so much time studying the same God they oppose so as to find loop holes.
    Keep on keeping the faith

    http://halisee.wordpress.com/

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