DRAWING CONCLUSIONS: INTERNATIONAL STUDENT “SEEKER”
1. What is your religious background?
I have no religion. My parents have no religion. I think China is famous for some of the Buddhist. So if you travel to famous cities, they will have the temples. People don’t know specifically about this religion. They go to the temple and pray there but they don’t know specifically what that means. Before I went to college, I went to a famous place and I prayed in a temple for my exams; I prayed for my future; prayed for my career. I prayed to my great grandmother. I think I believe she heard me. I think she will give me power.
2. Do you currently practice a religious faith? If not, why?
You know we have a Chinese [Christian] church here? I will go to that Chinese church very often. I go every Friday because they have a…talking about the Bible. And every month, they do have a family get-together of all the Christians, and I go to that. I think it’s interesting. I like hearing their stories.
I’m more interested than I used to be. When I was in China, I didn’t have the experience about the Christian. I didn’t know anyone who was Christian. After I came to the United States, one of my roommates is Christian, and she give me a lot of influence. I am open to learning about God and Jesus.
3. What comes to mind when you think about God?
I think He has power. It’s a power that He can do everything. Sometime, I like to pray to God. I think, after I pray to Him, I feel peaceful in my heart.
I believe in God. You know, in China, there are many people who do not think there exists God. But I always think God is exist. But right now, sometimes I’m just a little confused about some things in the Bible. So I think I need some time to understand all the things in the Bible.
Sometimes I talk to my mom and say, “What do you think if I become a Christian in the future?” And she said, “I think it is a good thing.” She will support me.
4. What comes to mind when you think about Satan?
I just think of something very bad and will make you feel sick. I don’t know where does he come from. In China, I think they believe there is something like a devil; an evil thing around us.
5. What comes to mind when you think about Heaven?
I think it’s a beautiful place. I think everyone in the world wants to go to Heaven after they die. I believed in Heaven as a child. In my mind it’s like a beautiful beach. People there are very kind-hearted. No bad things; only good things there.
I’ve never thought about what we might do in Heaven. [Maybe] just talk with each other. {laugh}
6. What comes to mind when you think about Hell?
I think it’s a dark place. Fires. People there have evil face. It’s a dangerous place. They will hate on you. I think the people who will go to Hell are the people who did something very bad when they were alive. They made others feel sad and damaged the world.
7. What comes to mind when you think about the Bible?
I’m curious about Bible. I want to know more about Bible. When I was I child, I heard of a book called Bible Stories. I think it’s an interesting book. I think it’s also a way to know some Western culture from Bible. [In China] it is generally believed that Christianity is a Western religion, even though it started near Jerusalem. {laugh}
[The Bible is about] things God have done. He tell us what we should do. I’m still trying to determine if Bible has authority.
8. What comes to mind when you think about Jesus?
The first time I know Jesus is from our English book in Middle School. It mentioned about how Jesus come to the world… from Mary? That girl give him birth. I think it’s amazing he came to the world. He’s God. And then he becomes just like a human being. He want to tell us what is good and what we should believe. It think that’s amazing.
I’m confused about [whether I believe Jesus was a real person in history]. Sometimes I believe it, and sometimes I think, “Oh, he’s a God, so how can he physically exist in history.” I hope it’s true. {laugh}
I remember there is a story in Bible. It is about Jesus and someone else. They just go across a river to the other side to help people there. And then on the river, there is a big storm. Other people were very scared and they wake Jesus up and say, “Why don’t you save us?” And Jesus say, “Why don’t you believe me? I teach you for a long time and you still don’t believe me.” Something like that. I remember it and I think believing him is important. And also, I think maybe it takes a long time for people to establish their belief in him.
I think if he didn’t come to the world and talk to people face to face, it would have been harder for people to believe in him. He told people who he is and what he is doing. He saved people. Something I know from the churches is that people who believe in God will go to Heaven after they die. So I think he wants people to believe in him. Then they will get the peace, and get the help from him whenever they face some difficulties.
9. What comes to mind when you think about the purpose of life?
I think when everyone come into the world, they have their purpose. But you have to seek for it. You won’t know your purpose when you are a little child. But after you go to college and work, then you will find your purpose finally. And also, I know something from Bible, that God has a plan for you. I like that sentence very much. So I think God has a plan for everyone in the world. So just do what you should do right now, and then you will find what God wants for your life.
I don’t know how to discover that. {laugh}
10. On a scale of 0 to 10 (0 being no confidence, and 10 being complete confidence), how would you rate the level of confidence you have that your beliefs (regarding questions 3-9) are accurate?
Ten. I feel confident about the things I talk about. It makes sense in my opinion.
11.What would you say have been the biggest obstacles in your search for truth?
Maybe we only see a small portion of the whole thing, to make our conclusion. That is an obstacle to find truth. Maybe our knowledge is limited. We don’t know everything. Another obstacle can be influence by other people. Sometime when your friends tell you their opinion, you will be influenced by them. You think, “Oh, that’s true,” but actually it’s not true.
12. Is there anything you’re afraid you would have to change or give up if you were to become a Christian?
No. I think for me, if I become a Christian, some of my lifestyle will change. When I face some difficulty, my thinking about the difficulty will change. You know, when some people face a difficulty, they will feel it’s the end of the world. But if you believe in God, you think God will help you. So your opinion would change. If [I come to believe that] Christianity is true, I will become a Christian. I think if there are any changes in my life, they will be only good changes. So I’m not afraid.
13. Hypothetically, if you were to stand before God today, how would you feel about meeting Him?
I think I would be a little bit scared. I think I would just stand in front of God and he would judge me according to what I had done in my life. So, I already know what I have done. So whatever God judge me, I think it would be… accordingly? So I would just face it.
14. Hypothetically, on what basis do you believe God will or will not accept you into Heaven?
If I did something really bad I don’t think God would accept me into Heaven. So if I just do what God wants me to do, He will accept me into Heaven. When I was in church, they told us if you believe in God you will go to Heaven. But I don’t think so. I think if you believe in God but you still do something really bad… why God should accept you into Heaven? If you continue doing something bad, and you never think you did something wrong, and you don’t feel regret about what you had done, I don’t think it’s right that you go to Heaven.
15. If you could ask God one question, what would it be?
“What’s my purpose of my life?” {laugh}
16. If you could ask 1,000 Christians one question, what would it be?
“What do you think is the biggest difference after you became a Christian, compared to when you were not a Christian?”
17. If you could ask 1,000 people who are not Christians one question, what would it be?
“What is the biggest obstacle for you to become a Christian?”
18. Would you be interested in participating in an Investigative Faith Study at your convenience?
Yes, of course.
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