I feel guilty that I haven't wrote i this thing, but I kind fo feel like no one reads it probably! I am doing well though!
I have been having difficulty with french, because I feel so full of it! I feel like I haven't had the opportunity to let the grammar and such settle in my mind! So I look forward to time to rest at Kalalé, to have alone time there to just study and think!
Perhaps it si presumptuous o me, but I think I am going to love my post, even though I have not yet seen it! Often times people arer discouraged by post visits, and leave the Peace Corps. I think ti will have the ooposite affect for me. I look forward tos eeign what my community is like, problems and all! I think problems tend to me rather than scare me! So we shall see how things develop, but I have faith that this community is my own!
Thank you dear God for giving me a place to belong in Benin!
And how are you my friend?
It is actually nice to post on here, maybe I will do it more often while I have the time! Peace and love to you all!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
A look at Beninese Beliefs
About a week ago I had an interesting conversation with one of my host Uncles. It went a little like this...
He mentioned that Jesus liked when people were equal, refering to economic status in particular. I agreed.
We went on to talk about Christianity in Benin and my personal beliefs. I mentioned I was not a big fan of a church group that mixed several religions. He was not sure if they had it so wrong though. He said that Africa began believing God was in all of nature. Then European Christianity came and said it is all about Jesus. Such an emphasis seemed to say the creation did not matter, that personal salvation was most important. He said that does not work in Africa, for we already had other beliefs. I agree and said you know I do not think God wanted nature to be destroyed thoughtlessly just because we were saved. I gave some scriptures where it says like when humans destroy the earth, the earth will come back and destroy us, scriptures that revealed how God wants us to care for the earth.
It was an intersting thing to think aboug, a sad one too. To think that some who share my faith in Christ do not mive it out in how they treat the same savior's earth. In John 3:16 it says he came to save the world; the original meaning of world in this context is all of creation, not just humans. God gave Christ for the whole world, he cares about all that has been created.
My African friends seeing the discrepancy between the behaviors of some Christians and what seems like what God would want, have turned to idols, or a pluralistic faith in search of people who live for a God of all creation. It is a bit sad for me, but so fascinating. I love these sort of conversations that challenge me and other Chrisitans to think are we really seeing and treating the world as God would, as God intended us to?
God guide your thoughts until next time! Love in Christ, Joc!
He mentioned that Jesus liked when people were equal, refering to economic status in particular. I agreed.
We went on to talk about Christianity in Benin and my personal beliefs. I mentioned I was not a big fan of a church group that mixed several religions. He was not sure if they had it so wrong though. He said that Africa began believing God was in all of nature. Then European Christianity came and said it is all about Jesus. Such an emphasis seemed to say the creation did not matter, that personal salvation was most important. He said that does not work in Africa, for we already had other beliefs. I agree and said you know I do not think God wanted nature to be destroyed thoughtlessly just because we were saved. I gave some scriptures where it says like when humans destroy the earth, the earth will come back and destroy us, scriptures that revealed how God wants us to care for the earth.
It was an intersting thing to think aboug, a sad one too. To think that some who share my faith in Christ do not mive it out in how they treat the same savior's earth. In John 3:16 it says he came to save the world; the original meaning of world in this context is all of creation, not just humans. God gave Christ for the whole world, he cares about all that has been created.
My African friends seeing the discrepancy between the behaviors of some Christians and what seems like what God would want, have turned to idols, or a pluralistic faith in search of people who live for a God of all creation. It is a bit sad for me, but so fascinating. I love these sort of conversations that challenge me and other Chrisitans to think are we really seeing and treating the world as God would, as God intended us to?
God guide your thoughts until next time! Love in Christ, Joc!
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