Do You Know Where You're Going To?

I freely admit.

I am not familiar with Evangelical Christian jargon.  I wasn't raised as an Evangelical Christian, and I am not originally from the South.

Sometimes, when I hear them talk, or try to read what they write, I am completely lost in what they're trying to say.  I'm sure that sometimes they are saying important stuff, even things that I might agree with, but the evangeleeze is so thick, I cannot penetrate it.

I remember soon after moving to South Georgia, that I went to an auction run by a company that was heavily evangelical.  Before the auction, the first thing they did was ask those attending this question - "If you were to die today, do you know where you would go?"

Honestly, the first thing that came into my mind is that they were selling cemetery plots.

They really didn't explain or answer their question.  I think they just assumed the audience knew what they were talking about.  They conducted a prayer where they probably dealt with that question, but the rhetoric was such that I didn't really understand what they were getting at.

Of course, I know better now.  They meant did you know whether you were going to heaven or hell.  Behind that, was the idea that testimony, confession, repeating of certain phrases or concepts, would insure your entry into the gated community of God's kingdom.  Everything was centered on the concept of being "born again".  I understood and accepted some of that, but they seemed to advocate a very narrow pathway in which being "born again" could occur.

I am not discounting the idea of the after life, and the desire, the wish, the prayer, to have a good and joyous one.  I just have a hard time seeing it as "the question", as the most important part of your faith.

To me, the more important questions are -

Do you know where you are?  And do you know how where you are can be made better?

This is the way, the truth and the light.  This is the path Jesus was calling us to.  Not to be solely focused on our own salvation, but to be focused on the salvation of the world.  We don;t focus on ourselves, only doing things to insure we get that ticket to ride into the good section of the after life. We do things to make things better here.  And if we do, the after life will take care of itself.

Saving others isn't about conversion through fear, confession, and repeating of certain phrases.  It's not about understanding theological jargon, whether it's yours or mine or anyone else's.  Jesus doesn't care what language you use, what thought process you use to find the way.  He doesn't care about specific rituals, or whether you're rich or poor, gay or straight.  He cares that you love God.  He cares that you love your fellow man.  He wants you to use those things to improve the world, to demonstrate by your actions and devotion that love and caring is stronger than hatred and intolerance.

The Lord's prayer says, "Thy Kingdom come, they will be done,  on EARTH as it is in heaven".  We shouldn't just be striving to leave the surly, cruel bonds of this wicked world.  We should be striving every day to bring this world closer to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Is it possible to do this?  I don't know.  There is so much evil and horror and selfishness in the world, it is very discouraging.  But I do know this...

He wants us to try.