In response to the column titled “Different shades of faith” by Bryan Nichols that appeared in the Feb. 1 opinion section of the Daily, many people these days turn their nose up to the fact that some people are religious. Most Christians I know of actually dislike being labeled “religious” because it has so many stereotypes that come along with it. Since when does being religious make one perfect, make you never sin or even make you a better person. It doesn’t. Religion is something that you believe in. The problem I will be addressing deals with the fact that people often get mad at us Christians because we believe a certain way about an issue that doesn’t conform to the world’s views.Since God is a very loving God, he provided us with an instruction manual for us to live by. This manual is called the Holy Bible.The Bible is meant to help us decipher what God’s plan is for us. When we are constantly changing the words around, manipulating the context so that we feel comfortable with the way we are living, and saying “well, it’s OK in this circumstance,” we are no better than the ones who have no faith or beliefs at all.Now I’m far from living the perfect Christian life and actually have only been a Christian for two years now. But in those two years, my life completely changed for the better. My parents have both been married more than twice, my household was never a “religious” one, Christ was never even mentioned once in our house. It wasn’t until at Iowa State through SALT Company, Cornerstone Church and a girl who cared about me, that I realized I wasn’t living my life the way a Christian would. I believed I was a Christian but because of their love, I can now look back and see how I was being deceived and I thank God for their persistence with me and my walk.I’m not writing this letter to give my personal testimony of how I came to Christ, but rather to stick-up for those Christians who actually stand firm in their faith and who aren’t afraid to defend what the word of God says. When we stand for something it doesn’t mean that we are “members who hate and condemn and pass judgement on people, all in the name of God.”We are fulfilling our duty as Christians on Earth. God created us to worship, praise and spread the Gospel, not in a way we feel is right, but to spread the gospel the way God has written it to be true.In the circumstance of a Christian hating his brother because he is a homosexual, I would have to say that Christian is not a Christian at all. A true Christian would love their brother for who they are but also would not conform to the world’s view on acceptance of homosexuality, but would rather accept God’s word. I’m not going to address all of the controversial issues in which the Bible clearly states what is acceptable and what is not, I’m simply trying to state that I believe the way of a holy and perfect God over the way of a world which has conformed to self-service.On a lighter note, I believe that people will know that I’m a Christian most of all by the love that I show. How do you show love? Is it by being a friend who is basically “loving your friends into hell” because you are accepting everything that they do because you’re afraid that it might ruin your friendship even when you know in the long run you will be separated for an eternity? Or is it by being a friend who loves someone enough to take the time and show your friends the way of the Lord so that they will be able to spend an eternity with you?True love is the friend who is concerned not only about your days here on earth, but also where you will spend an eternity. Therefore I leave you with two questions: Where will you spend an eternity? Is it the same place that you are helping to send your friends and even family members to? I also hope that I don’t have to remind you that our God is a very loving God, but he is also a very right and a very just God as well.Paula Hagemann

Senior

Exercise and sport science