We cannot be so arrogant to assume that what I think I know is all there is to know about something. Sometimes it takes a person who thinks outside of the mainstream to remind us that as humans, the bandwidth of human reason is surprisingly small. Like this little (true) story:
A mom showed up at a parent night for her little middle schooler. After looking at artwork and reading the different stories that their kids had been working on, it was time to meet the health teacher who was going to lead them in an exercise. This mother (we'll call her Jen) knew that sex education was on the night's agenda for discussion and was ready to hear how the school would tackle the issue they were already talking about at home.
"Everyone take a seat," the teacher said and parents began filing into the room. Jen found a spot near the back and put her purse down, smiling at other parents who were taking their seats. "I want you to know that we are going to be talking about sex with your children and emphasizing 'safer sex' . . . so I am going to ask you to do something."
For some reason, Jen felt like she should be very careful from this moment on. It wasn't the fact that the subject was sex. On the contrary, as a concerned mom she was very open with her son on this issue. It was something else. She felt a strong reluctance to participate in whatever activity was about to take place. "I want everybody to stand up and mingle . . . shake hands with people throughout the room," the teacher announced. At this, parents slowly stood and walked through the room awkwardly shaking hands with each other.
All except Jen. She stayed seated - hoping that no one would see her non-compliance. She had no idea what the little activity was all about. If there was anything she did know, it was that she shouldn't take part. She felt silly just sitting there while everyone else was taking part in the activity.
The teacher came over visibly annoyed that Jen wasn't taking part. She said, "can you please spend a few moments mingling with the other parents." Jen felt completely ridiculous. She stammered a very weak response, "I . . . think I am just going to sit." The teacher persisted and asked that she please join in the activity but Jen continued to resist. Seeing that she was getting nowhere, the teacher let out a small huff and went to the front of the classroom. "Okay, now everyone have a seat."
As everyone took their seat, Jen wanted to have this whole thing over with . . . now.
"I want you to now look under your seat and see if there is a paper taped to your chair. If there is a paper with a red dot on it, I want you to raise your hand." About half the room's hands went up. The teacher continued, "now I want the rest of you to look around and see who's hand is up and whether you shook hands with that individual, because those with red dots have an STD."
A general murmur began around the room and light bulbs went on in the minds of parents about the need for encouraging their kids to participate in safer sex. "Now I want you to think of who you shook hands with after shaking hands with those who had red dots," continued the teacher, "because you are infected as well."
"Not me," Jen said and then realized that she spoke out of turn and put her hand up as if to validate her interruption. "I didn't play the game." "I never had to worry about the red dot because I refused to play the game."
I wish I was there. What a great moment.
For me the issue isn't about safer sex or abstinence . . . it is the ridiculous way that humans behave like lemmings lining up behind what the educational establishment or the entertainment industry or religious authorities or governments tell us that we ought to think about and practice. We lose a sense of what God gave to us in the midst of it all - a brain to think for yourself and a heart to embrace the truth when you know you feel it.
There are those that tell us what to think about faith - I think you should ignore them.
Ignore the fools who tell you there is no God because He can't be seen. Ignore the religious leaders who tell you not to read certain books or think certain thoughts because God wouldn't want you to. Both extremes are littered with fools. It was Jesus who said that the truth will set us free.
Belief and truth would be so much easier to find if we didn't have people trying to fit it into their human categories or 'best practices.' You have been given everything you need to know the truth and be set free . . . so go live it in freedom.
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