The night before our last night at the home stay, a couplefrom Holland came and stayed
overnight.
Esther brought some of the local children to perform some
traditional Khmer dances, which is part of the visitors package, and since we
hadn’t had a chance to see them yet, we decided to go check it out.
traditional Khmer dances, which is part of the visitors package, and since we
hadn’t had a chance to see them yet, we decided to go check it out.
That was where we met Frans and Emma in the first place.
We had breakfast with them before we got to work the next
morning, and were able to share about The World Race and what we were doing.
morning, and were able to share about The World Race and what we were doing.
They were, as I’m finding most people are, genuinely
interested.
interested.
So after breakfast, Leyna wrote out a simple note
with all of our blog addresses to be walked over to the chalet Frans and Emma
were staying in – across a bridge from the chalet we were staying in.
with all of our blog addresses to be walked over to the chalet Frans and Emma
were staying in – across a bridge from the chalet we were staying in.
She handed the note to Glenalyn, who handed it to me.
Did I want to take it over? No.
Did I try to pass it off to someone else? Yes.
Who ended taking the note over anyway? Me.
As I’m realizing often happens on the Race, the act of
walking the note over to Frans and Emma opened up a wonderful conversation.
walking the note over to Frans and Emma opened up a wonderful conversation.
They told me about their oldest son, who spent eight months
in Angola when he was nineteen doing construction, digging wells, and other
things, and how much it had changed him.
in Angola when he was nineteen doing construction, digging wells, and other
things, and how much it had changed him.
What we’re doing – things like helping people like we did in
Ba Rai district – is a good thing.
Ba Rai district – is a good thing.
Then we divided into religion.
I hate discussions about religion, and I realized why as a
result of this conversation.
result of this conversation.
Talking about religion makes me feel like I have to defend
what I believe.
what I believe.
What’s funny about that is that, last time I checked, God is
completely capable of defending Himself.
completely capable of defending Himself.
He doesn’t need me to do it for Him.
In this conversation, it didn’t go too far in that direction– at least, I think it didn’t.
Frans told me a little bit about how strictly his family did
(and still does) practice Christianity, and how he left the Church as a
teenager.
(and still does) practice Christianity, and how he left the Church as a
teenager.
People use religion as a crutch, he told me. A way to get
out of taking responsibility the things they do – going to church on Sundays
like that was all it took to be forgiven for what they did wrong during the
week.
out of taking responsibility the things they do – going to church on Sundays
like that was all it took to be forgiven for what they did wrong during the
week.
That’s why he doesn’t believe in any religion. If you’re
good person, that’s all that matters. We World Racers are good people, and we’re
showing that by what we do.
good person, that’s all that matters. We World Racers are good people, and we’re
showing that by what we do.
I agreed with him – at least about the part where people use
religion as their get out of jail free card.
religion as their get out of jail free card.
How many times have you seen that within your own church? I
can’t even begin to count how often I have.
can’t even begin to count how often I have.
What I wanted to say, but didn’t get a chance to articulate
because I had to get to work, and Frans and Emma were leaving, was pretty
simple.
because I had to get to work, and Frans and Emma were leaving, was pretty
simple.
It’s that what frustrates them so much about religion is
what religion is. Religion is a crutch.
what religion is. Religion is a crutch.
God, and a relationship with Him, are a different story.
We’re the ones who have turned that relationship into
religion, and into something frustrating when it’s really about love, not about
rules and everything that goes along with them.
religion, and into something frustrating when it’s really about love, not about
rules and everything that goes along with them.
In summary:
God = Relationship = Love
Religion = Rules = Crutch/Get Out of Jail Free Card
I know which one sounds better to me. Which one sounds
better to you?
better to you?
