Dios – Dónde Está?

I decided to come home from school early. I left before my last period and now I am sitting in my apartment, writing a blog entry.  Today I felt the impact of the ever-decreasing percentage of Believers in Europe.  Yes, in Spain, the country responsible for the Spanish Inquisition, the percentage of atheists, agnostics, and non-believers has grown to 19% as of last year.  Today during conversation class (which follows my first two periods during lunchtime), the conversation started with Astrology and horoscopes.  I was not so naïve enough in the beginning to think that it was possible to remain on such a topic, and sure enough, within two minutes (give or take), we were on the heated debate of Faith. The conversation was not very productive one, I might add.  The three others in the room – a young Swiss man, a quiet German woman, and a graying professor – were all Agnostics.  It was a small class, which was fortunate considering that the room couldn’t have contained any more heat.  Once again, we all had our separate views and portraying them in Spanish can get a little frustrating.  It was the most frustrating for me, though, being the sole Christian in the group, to have three well-educated elders looking down on you and your silly beliefs. They had it easier too; all they had to know how to say in Spanish was “It’s simply not possible to know the truth.”  What they implied by this simply put “simple” statement was that we don’t know where we came from or where we’re going and we never will.  I, on the other hand, had to explain the Bible, the Catholic and Protestant Church, and Christian Doctrine all within one forty-five-minute period.  And did I mention in Spanish?  I did the best job I could – at least as good as one can hope to do when the mediator of the debate is one-sided (and not on yours side).  I could get into the details but I’d rather not.  Perhaps another time (I have a feeling the topic will come up again soon – Professor Romero rarely starts conversation class with a topic much less dull.  I understand his reasoning, though; by forcing us to talk about topics we are passionate about, we are forced to converse in the only language we are allowed in school, Spanish, which will have to suffice.) 

 

It was funny how the conversation took a turn for the better/worse within two minutes.  It started with the question, in Spanish of course, “So you don’t believe in Astrology then?”  the German man, Bernhard asked.

“No,” I replied. “It’s silly and man-made.”

“Do you believe in magic?”  It sounded like a cheesy pickup line, but he was serious.

“Also silly.”

“But you believe in God?”

“More that anything.”

“Isn’t it the same thing…?” And then we were off.  It was a race to finish our thoughts, yet calm and organized and polite at the same time. When the bell rang and the teacher scurried out of the room, Bernhard’s face soften and he was back to laughing and conversing and inviting me to some Swedish festivity the next day, just like any friend.  I wish all my friends could share my passions – especially a friend that shares his pencils with me when I forget mine in class, or buys and splits a sandwich with me when my stomach growls too loudly in class – but today that notion was slapped square in the face.

It has not only been in today’s conversation class where my faith has stirred ruckus or created problems for me.  One less firm in their convictions might call it a burden or an inconvenience.  But this might a newsflash for some:  God was not created to convenience man. I perceive that attitude from many people here, people who are fed up with the local Catholic Church for the “rules and regulations” that go along with it.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we could all just go to heaven?  I don’t mean to single out the Europeans – America absolutely has its numerous flaws, and I am not one to talk of being perfect – but there is an unmistakable feeling of emptiness in some aspect here, and it is easy to tell that Jesus is no longer at the center of these lives, but on “the outside, knocking to come in,” as my teacher, Mr. Maddry, puts it.

 

Sorry for that tangent – now, back on topic.  It was not only today in conversation class when my faith raised other concerns.  It might even occur more than once in one day, as today for example.  During my first period, one student of 28 years, Amir, asked me a question using the conditional verb tense, as our paper’s instructions informed.  (In Spanish) “If you could meet any famous person in history, dead or alive, who would it be?”  Easy. “Jesus Christ.”  Oops.  Wrong answer according to some.  The good thing is that I don’t care if it’s the wrong answer according to some because it’s the only right answer. 

 

Well I have shared more than expected about my less-than-fun day.  I didn’t take any pictures or go out of the apartment – I wasn’t exactly in the mood to see more of beautiful Barcelona – so I thought I would post one that I took the day we visited Montserrat.  I find it ironic and I relate to it in a sense.  Oh well, nobody ever said it would be easy!  I am going to get ready for bed, turn off the lights, and pray that I have the most positive effect possible on those I encounter tomorrow, the next day, and the next.  As the Apostle Paul once wrote, “They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”