So I am finishing up my 1st semester back in school in 20yrs. I am taking Sociology. All my classes are online. I have not met any of my professors. But I sense my Sociology professor maybe a "free-spirit" kinda-gal. Mainly because her only email to the class said "I am teaching all my classes online this semester because I am backpacking across Europe. And will only grade papers once a month when I am able to get internet access". Anyway, a few other things along the way has given me a few hints to her personality. I do not know of her personal relationship with Jesus. But at the end of every chapter we must write a "reflection paper" on anything from that chapter. The last chapter was on religion. So I decided to go out guns a blazin' . I have a 99% in that class as of now, so even if I get a big fat 0 on the paper I will pass the class. I thought I would share with all of you what I wrote. The paper I wrote is below. (BTW , I know I don't know much about punctuation )
For my last reflection paper I
chose to write about the topic brought up in our text book under the heading
“Religious Revival: Old Time Religion”. This part of the text book talks about
the growth of fundamentalism- a conservative religious doctrine that opposes
intellectualism and worldly accommodation in favor of restoring traditional,
otherworldly religion. The text book
lists the 5 ways that religious fundamentalism is distinct which is 1. Take the
words of sacred text literally 2. reject religious pluralism 3. pursue the
personal experience of God’s presence 4. Oppose “secular humanism” and 5
endorse conservative political goals.
The textbook says that this movement is 26% of US adult’s upbringing.
It is
evident to me that the author of our textbook doesn't agree with the
fundamentalists belief system. I on the other hand DO, whole hardheartedly. So much so, that the authors, tone was
offensive to me. I felt his very definition of fundamentalist was demeaning,
and rude. I agree with the 5 ways we are
distinct, but I believe there are many more than those 5. I was raised
fundamentalists, and have no doubt in my mind that it is the best way to live,
so when it is called into question, it is like someone is asking me why is the
sky blue. I really have no answer except it just is. How do I know God is real,
because He IS. I have felt his presence, I have heard him speak to my heart, I
have felt him move on my spirit, I have seen his hand at work in my life so
many times I could not begin to write them all down. When the author suggest we reject religious
pluralism, my defense to that, is only that I don’t reject religious pluralism
God does, His word says it. It says “I am the way the truth and the life and no
man comes to the Father but by Me” John 14:6. That 1st way we are distinct is the truest. We base
our life off of that!! And it is easily done, I mean history alone will tell
you how many authors the bible has, and how many years it was written over and
not once does it contradict itself! Seriously, that alone is a miracle! So many
reasons that the Bible is proven over and over to be alive and active in
peoples lives. Not to mention that when people have a true and real encounter
with the presence of God (distinct #3) they are forever changed and even though
they may not decide to continue to live their life in a way that pleases Him
they will always know that they were touched by a loving Father.
I live my life day in and day out in this “fundamentalist” concept. I
am not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination. I mess up and disappoint God
daily. But I know that I know that I
know God is my Father and He is in Heaven preparing a place for me to come join
him one day. I believe the Bible is God breathed scripture written by men,
inspired by God. I believe God sent his only Son to die on the cross to make
atonement for my sins, and when I asked God to forgive me of my sins He did
just that. I believe He does that for everyone that will ask him. Some call
that “fundamentalist” or “old time religion” I believe it is more than that. I
believe it is a way of life.
Reading this text didn't change how or what I believe, it just opens
my eyes to how others see us a little. I know that others outside the “circle”
can’t understand our way of thinking. They see it as narrow minded and closed
thinking. I understand that they believe
that since we see certain lifestyle choices, and points of view as sins that
makes us seem like the bad guy. But I
always want to say to people “I didn't write the book folks!!” It wasn't us
that came up with the rules! God did, he is the one that made some things OK
and some things not OK. It wasn't us . Just because we decided to take the Father at his Word and believe he means what he says and He isn't willing to turn
a blind eye to some things because we want him to doesn't make us the bad guy.
I try to keep an open mind to society when it comes to how they view
us, because often they don’t when keep an open mind towards us. Because we are pro life, we therefore don’t care about women’s rights, is the way they chose to
see it. I chose to see it as, the women still have the right to chose, she just
is suppose to chose not to have sex or not to have sex. I think we want the
same things we just want to go about it differently. We all want to live in
peace and harmony. We just believe the best way to get there is to have God at
the center of your life and I don’t think the rest of society believes that. I
am not sure what they would say needs to be the center of their lives. I won’t
be changing the way I believe I am sure of that, I don’t see society coming our
way in waves so I hope we will find a way to get along.
