It was Wednesday 12:30 pm about two years ago. My friends and I went to the school’s dining
hall as usual and served lunch. We always loved Wednesdays and never
seemed to miss any meals reason being, the chips and burgers was
something no one dared to miss. The afternoon was too hot for comfort.
This was the sole reason a majority of the students avoided Wednesday
afternoon classes. Sizzling heat plus full stomachs obviously leads to
no good.
Janet, Adassah, Charity and I were having a great time chatting while
eating when a good friend, whose name I won’t mention (so let’s call him
Dan), just came out of nowhere and joined us. This was something we had
gotten used to in campus. People starting conversations even with those
they do not know. That is why it is referred to as a communication
university by many.
Dan is a sarcastic and funny guy. He is the type that lights up a room
whenever he walks into it. It might sound cliche, but that’s just him,
such a rare species. In the midst of all the laughter and amusement, he
glanced at each one of us before asking, “Why are you alive?”
I thought to myself, “Here we go again, one of his sarcastic moves.”
All of us just looked at him and said nothing. We always got away with silent treatment when it came to him, just not this time.
He looked straight at me and continued, “Everywhere I go I hear people
say everyone was created for a reason and a purpose. If I kill you right
now what will change? …. We’ll come to your burial and fill our
stomachs with nice food and just months down the line you’ll be
forgotten, right?”
Now where did this come from? A minute ago we were talking about all the
happy moments we experienced together then now he decides to drop a
bombshell.
“What are you trying to say?” Adassah asked.
“All I am saying is that we are just living. God has no purpose for any
of us. There is no evidence that your so called God created us. The
Bible is not even a source. In fact, it was written by people who are
long dead. I do not believe in the Bible; it is old. I do not believe in
God.”
There it was. What none of us was expecting to discover. He was an
Atheist. Which brings us to one most important question; what exactly is
religious faith?
According to the Oxford dictionary, it is the theological virtue defined
as secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God’s will. It is a
fire in our hearts. Different religions have different ways of showing
their faith in who they worship. I grew up knowing that there are only
three religions; Muslims, Hindu and Christians. But it appears there are
more than I thought. Some say Atheism is a religion. No offense but
calling Atheism a religion is like calling bald a hair color. That is
just my opinion and if you beg to differ I have more.
I’m not putting down any religion. Everyone has freedom to worship or
not to. I would rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find
out there isn’t, than live my life as if there isn’t a God and die to
find out there is.
Our faith helps us do the impossible. We are given the ability to
explain things that are known to ourselves even though others may not
comprehend. How do you convince a person who has no religious faith that
there is a supernatural being above us? This is a person who doesn’t
believe the sun actually rises. How do you prove to him that it does
rise? Do you say the earth rotates to make it possible or to make it
worse say you have seen it rise many times?
Having a strong religious faith enables an individual to be hardheaded
in that, no one is able to easily change what and how they think. If
your faith is not strong, you might be easily persuaded and doubt what
you believe in.
What if I approach you and ask how exactly God can be three persons; the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, at the same time. Does this mean
that He has three personalities? If God is the Father and Son, how then
is it possible for him to give birth to himself through Virgin Mary? In
John 35:11 “Jesus wept.” Since God is the Son (Jesus), does it mean God
weeps?
Now most of you are probably nodding and saying that there is a point in
the questions I just asked. Some of you actually doubt their faith.
Nothing a person says to me can shake my faith. Give me one statement
against my faith and I’ll have a thousand reasons why I won’t change for
anything.
Look around for something that doesn’t have a cause and therefore a
beginning. Is there any? The universe certainly did not just drop itself
from nowhere. There has to be a designer. The Bible might be old but
wouldn’t you say the same for Fort Jesus (an old building in Mombasa)?
There must be something to make it survive that long, right? Here is a
fact: If you worship God, you can’t lose, if you don’t, you can’t win.
We live by faith, not by sight. Faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see. I’m aiming at heaven because I know I
will get earth thrown in. If I aim at earth alone, I am positive I will
get neither. That is why I do not worship a person from the earth but
the God who stays above.
I could hear someone saying my name from a distance but I was lost in thoughts and just sat there looking like a zombie.
“CYRIAN!” Dan shouted, waking me up from my world. I gained back my
senses and an idea crossed my mind before I said to him, “Funny people
do not exist.”
“What do you mean?” He said. “I am here and I’m certainly not boring.”
“Then how come not everyone in this dining hall is laughing?”
“That is because they have not come to me.”
“Exactly my point.” I said. “God exists. You just have to go to Him.”
