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Church is the source of knowledge

To the editor,

Throughout this week, I have been reading much of the commentary in the Wildcat regarding "Dave Week." Judging by what I've read, a lot of people have misconceptions about what it means to be a Christian. Being a Christian is not about being "right or wrong" and screaming sermons at unwilling hearers. Christians are not around to pass judgment on everyone and tell people how to live their lives.

I consider myself a "normal" guy - I have friends who don't believe the way I do, and they do not feel uncomfortable around me. In fact, they respect me and my beliefs. The very focus of Christianity is love.

God loves everyone, and our mission is simply to repeat that love to other people. Involvement in a Bible study group or other Christian clubs does not promise one "instant spiritual gratification" as Dan Cassino wrote.

Christianity is about ongoing change in a believer's life. I know several people who have had unexplainable changes in their life, most notably, my father. When I was younger, he drank and chewed tobacco and was so deep into depression that he contemplated suicide. One night, something happened to my dad and he was forever changed. It wasn't a moral, social or intellectual revelation - it had to be God. In my own life, I can honestly say that I am completely satisfied. I do not drink or have sex, and I don't feel like I'm missing anything from my life.

I am comfortable with who I am, and I don't feel pressure to engage in those activities to fit in with a certain group of people. Finally, I would just like to respond to Rachael Ludwick's comment that Christians "discount their brains as useless organs." Throughout history, especially in the Middle Ages, the source of knowledge was the church.

Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics, was a monk. Believing that there is a God that you are accountable to has no correlation at all to your intelligence level. Christians are not "mindless drones" incapable of having independent, complex thoughts. Indeed, some of the brightest, most influential people in history have been Christians. As a believer, I think it is disappointing that so many people are unfairly critical of Christians and Christianity. Perhaps the people who accuse Christians of being judgmental should take a closer look at their own narrow, judgmental views.

Perry Michael Pauley

Communication and marketing freshman