Is Religion Poison and Opium?

Before being a Christian-- what a look am I--I was hating about religious stuff, sinful activities, and liberal, what you meant, FREEDOM. I did believe in God but disliked talking about religion because it will never finish and just ended up debating, with no respect. 

We know the slogan of Communism, "Religion is Opium", and I agreed about that time. Bunch of religions I learned and did, but no one came to feel to be peaceful before Jesus chose me. I supported the LGBTQ, and freedom, and was proud to be a liberalist, feminist, same-sex marriage, and whatever related the human rights. Because we live on freedom that is owned by, from, and to people in the world. I have many friends who are gay, lesbian, and bisexual, and so looked diverse I was proud. The thing I care about, the most is sports, especially football, and basketball. I spent hours watching Super Bowl, football matches, and basketball games, including the regular season and playoffs. Sometimes, cheering for the United States soccer team competing in tournaments.

But, waiting up... there is something that I have never considered before. That... is it... what you surprised and have experienced the word of "change life"? Aren't you?

Yes, this is what stuff made my life change. I came back to a church after a two-year absence due to Covid, it was due to what I disliked worshipping online, only. Mask up! You have to mask up! Go and take a vaccination! I did all! I keep the people around me healthy and make sure we were safe. Thanks, God! God appointed the church that reopened worship with the health protocol and restrictions which other churches still closed. Which was the only one in the city, a church being English spoken that I had been looking for. Why English? Because I had to learn English and have been wanted to be like a native speaker, I learned English hard over the years. I paid a private teacher on my own and learned English every day, sometimes, I used a dating app, just learning English purposely. So, I found a church that reopened the worship and I decided to go because this was a chance I didn't want to miss. I was a Christian at that time but not stuff looking at who am I at this moment. I was there for learning and improve my English. A church was just formal as I viewed it. 

Nah, that was a church that I was shocked to have been part of my life, throughout the ups and downs. I decided to learn deeper about Christianity after Pastor Katie encouraged me to join the Core Group, then was the same as what they encourage each other-- Nike invited me to join XA Chi Alpha-- which I haven't been considering, to be honest. No need to think long as twice, though, I said, yes, I will do. As same what they offered me to join a service team, I said OKAY, I want to. Although, I am the only Deaf person in this building and always feel like a foreign person (orang asing) in the middle of hearing people packed. I can be joking when they asked me, "Can you speak bahasa Indonesia?" and used Google Translate, as they thought I don't know bahasa Indonesia. That's okay, a new thing happened ever in my life. Tidak apa-apa, that's okay and will be fine, though. "Kok lancar bahasa Indonesia?/ You speak Indonesian?" Yes, I am Indonesian, but bahasa Indonesia isn't my first language and Indonesian sign language is my mother tongue so I have mistakes about my Indonesian, for example, I can't differentiate roti kukus and rebus.

Being a Christian is about a pattern you need to change. A pattern is my meaning in life, thoughts, feeling, actions, and behaviors. What to, think, feel, act, behave, and view. When I am going to read the Bible and look what is the verse, then go to a website to research more. Having a deeper discussion with my pastors and friends, catching up with their minds and opinions. I just do to need a balance, first and second opinions, occasionally third and fourth. In a fact, my church has an interpreter, but we didn't close though as a friend. I didn't know why, and it was my fear of having male friends. So, now, we are getting closer to a step, amazingly. 

I kind of being a step toward becoming a conservative. It is towards the flow, faith growing up.  I don't support the LGBTQ, abortion, same-sex marriage, or whatever social issues are related but we look at how Jesus is. He sat down and forgave sinners as He loves them. The boundaries-- which is what we are supposed to need and set up in the middle of unbelievers in evangelist the gospel. The gospel, kabar baik, good news, in saying and acting in the right way because it's supposed. I leave slowly with having female friends because it is full of lust and temptation, even fraud, it can be dangerous if I don't exercise self-control, and get male friends trying, instead because it matters having same-sex friends. God healed my past trauma of having male friends and made me find back who currently am I, as a man, a Deaf man, a Christian man, and a man of God. Spending the boys' time matters. 

God is so good! He placed me for a reason. I'm so grateful and learning so many things. Meeting new people. I don't need to take a picture to describe a word but Him, the Lord it is. My Witnesses in my life. That's something I have never considered before. 

Tuesday Night Prayer, Hide and Seek on my birthday, fellowship on Sunday afternoon, Sunday party, spending at Goa Cemara Beach, Bible Study Lab, XA Night Costume, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, what a year! Thanks, the Lord!