Saturday, June 11, 2005

The Diaries of Adam and Eve

So I was there, in Borders, for my usual Saturday being alone and just browsing through books. I didn't have any book in mind actually, except for Coelho's latest book The Zahir (Can anyone get me this?). Anyway, I picked up this book, The Diaries of Adam and Eve. Why? Because it's thin and it's written by Mark Twain, so I kinda felt that it should be interesting. As I was reading it, I thought (I must use I thought because I didn't read the whole thing) it's about this child writing a diary about his encounter with his parent. I thought the name Adam and Eve was chosen just to represent that man and woman. But after googling about the book just now, I realized that the story was really about Adam and Eve, about their early days when they were just created. Anyway, so I was reading those interesting entries when came the sound "Excuse me". At first I only noticed this 2 girls, but then I realized the guy behind them was also their friends. I think they were around my age or maybe younger. Anyway, so the Chinese girl said that she noticed I was reading the book and she introduced themselves that they were from a Christian society and she was asking me if they could talk to me about something, which at that point in time I thought "Goodness, must be some Christian talk". I was kinda stunned and speechless, my head just told me to say that I'm not interested but I couldn't really put it into words. I ended up saying "Can we not have this conversation?". I kinda had to repeat that twice and by the 2^nd time my head wanted me to shout "Just leave me alone!". The boy behind was actually quite nice because he said "Okay, we understand" with a smile, but they were still there. The girl was perhaps also stunned with my rejection that after that she asked me if I had any bad experience with Christians before. My God! To which I answered something like "No, I just need my space, please". Okay, I have to admit I should have said better things and rejected them better, but I really was not interested in hearing about how Jesus is the only way to heaven and all.

Don't get me wrong, please. 11 years in a Christian school, plus 3 years willingly and voluntarily chose Christianity back in high school, I know the whole drill. I just felt that at that time they were trying to break me and as the lady next to me said trying to indoctrinate people. The lady next to me was also surprised with how they approached me like that and asked me who they were. I wonder if I was being rude but seriously they just freaked me out. I do have to admit kinda interesting to know what they want to say, why they picked me just because of that book. The girl did ask me if I was a Christian. I couldn't say yes. I never really say yes if people ask me this. I couldn't say yes because of my Buddhist background. If people asked me if I were a Christian, I would normally answer that I come from a Buddhist family but I believe in Jesus Christ and I go to church (occasionally).

When she asked if I had had bad experience with Christians before, a lot of things went to my head (not that they're bad things). I just felt the question to be kinda funny because of all my years in Christian school. One thing that just surfaced more than others was when I remembered when I was in the 2^nd grade (around 7-8 years old) I could hear my mom's and my principal's voices as they were discussing my school fee. Mom was trying to get it lowered. The principal's office was next to my class and the walls were thin so I could hear them. I felt so bad for my mother back then. Not all Christian are bad, some of them were nice and comforting in my times of trouble, like my best friend, Emilia.

I do hate all those Christian who's so eager in converting people, who try to break you and fill you in with their believes, who seem to think that if you don't believe in Jesus, you're gonna burn in hell. Please, people have different believe. I like how a girl I know put it over a talk during lunch, that Christianity for her is a form of relationship with God. See, you can choose other way to communicate with God. I feel that that is what matter, believing in God. Believing in the higher power. Anyway, I think all these Christian who likes to approach people like this should just stop. I think they'd be better off just making advertisement in TV or newspaper rather than approaching people, people like me. Better still, as suggested by the priest in the church just show what Christianity is all about with your actions in daily life, show that you pray before everything, show kindness, show what having Jesus in your life means. I may sound so rude and mean right now, but I just felt the whole thing was pretty intrusive. I guess for the people who might be reading this in Singapore, just refrain from picking that book in Borders

:) eKa @ 10:28:00 PM •