I get a lot of mixed reactions from my patients when I tell them I am going to serve a dentistry mission in Cambodia. Most people, of course, are very supportive, excited for me, want to see my blog, can't wait to hear all about it, tell me it will change my life, bring me blessings, etc. Some people aren't as supportive, saying things like "I don't know why ANYONE would ever want to do that!" Yes, one lady said just that. Whatever. It doesn't bother me.
Today though, was a different story.
I have this regular patient. He's an older guy. He always brings a various religious book with him and keeps it in his lap while I clean his teeth. At some point during every appointment I have with this patient, he brings up God and wants to know if I have a relationship with Him.
A word about religion: I wasn't raised under any organized religion. The only time I attended church was when I was invited to go with my friends. I know this will feel like a punch in the stomach to many close to me, but I don't attend church now and I doubt I ever will. I am not even baptized. Oddly enough, I feel close to God and always have. But I have been judged for this. I have been told, strait to my face, that this is not enough. That my relationship with God just isn't up to par. That I need to do more.
Really, what I believe matters most is that you have a personal relationship with God, and however you choose to manifest that relationship is fine by me (as long as you don't go and join the Taliban).
So I am cleaning this guy's teeth, and I tell him about my mission. He asks me if my team is going to be spreading the word of God while we are there in the orphanages. I sort of kinda gently say no, that MTI is a Christian based organization, but the purpose of our mission is dentistry.
This is what he said to me, looking me in the eye, in an accusing tone:
"So you'll be sending these kids to Hell with clean teeth?"
*BLINK*
*BLINK BLINK*
Whaaahappen?
I was completely caught of guard. He continues to lecture me:
"It just amazes me that people will travel all over the world and not spread the word of Jesus Christ. You know if people never hear of the gospel, when they die, they will go to Hell. You have a responsibility to these children."
Honestly...This guy's intentions were pure, but his in-my-face delivery just really rubbed me wrong.
I changed the subject.
Toward the end of the appointment, the conversation turned to his many years working as an RN. I thought that surely he has served a mission at some point in his career, considering how passionately he judged how I will and will not be serving mine. So I asked him if he'd ever gone on one. "...Uh, no..." he said, gazing off into the distance. "I'd like to...but...I've never really gotten around to it."
I go to church (I'll be there later today) and I've gone on Missions (Seattle, Bellingham, Mexico) and I've never hit anyone with a Bible at either locations. Religion is private, hypocrites are public. However, there are some cool children's programs going on at Faith Lutheran (I don't go there personally, but would if I lived in Shelton) that your kids might enjoy. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I have very similar beliefs, Jessie. I, too, believe that a relationship with God is personal and private. Faith is your belief in and for God and religion is your belief in Man's interpretation of God. Fellowship is important, however, it does not define your relationship.
ReplyDeleteOkay, that's off my chest-Merry Christmas and Happy Teeth Cleaning!
I'm sorry...but I have a hard time believing little kids in an orphanage are going to HELL. I believe in God as much as anyone, but I also believe it's a personal relationship and a lot of things depend on how you act as a person in your lifetime, not how many times you were in a church. Just my opinion.....
ReplyDeleteJenny
Jess, the Johnson's were Lutheran, yet most all of us today - and Grampa J in the past - believe as you do, although I do attend the Unitarian church from time to time. Your grampa, Roy, helped my grampa's dad, John, build the Lutheran church in Casperson Minnesota after John donated the land & lumber for it, (long story around it). It is still there, but unused; I saw it again last summer. God Jul, thanks for the great card & be safe in Cambodia! (My bro is in Thailand, and will be, while you are there). Much love to you & all your family, Deb
ReplyDeletePeople like that take the bible way too literal instead of realizing that is a collection of stories by MAN that were divinely inspired. Yes- divinely inspired, as in from God, but they were also stories that were told over and over, generation to generation before finally written down and compiled into what we now know as "The Bible". Did those stories never change? Did things not ever get mixed up or misinterpreted or mistranslated? Man is human and man is not perfect.
ReplyDeleteThere are plenty of people that believe you should take every word in the bible as the truth and word of God and believe that if you don't know Jesus, you're going to hell.
In the end, you just have to have faith that God really is the kind and loving God we talk about, who will have mercy on all of us... Those that know him and still don't do the things we should and those that don't know him. Even those little babies in Cambodia with clean teeth. :)