A three-way room swap beginning this semester moved me across the hall. Little did I know that I'd hit the roommate jackpot.
Of course, that wasn't the expectation. Second thoughts ambushed my head over break when I assessed what little I knew about my new roommate: he was a strong Christian.
I started to wonder how we'd clash. I wouldn't be able to listen to my Tupac CDs. He'd probably take offense at my more risqu+â-¬ art movies like "Last Tango in Paris," "American Psycho," "Leaving Las Vegas" and "Boogie Nights," among others.
Within days my spiritual radar revealed otherwise. Josh is a rare find: the true, faithful, humble, Christ-like Christian.
Since abandoning the church I've possessed similar views to Gandhi: "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
It's difficult to name Josh's actions that single him out from the masses who label themselves Christian. A genuine compassion seems to have grown into an integral, natural component of his being.
Philosophical psychologist Erich Fromm details it best in his classic book "The Art of Loving" when he talks about how if one develops the capacity for love, one cannot help extending it throughout all people and aspects of one's life.
I never feel as though Josh is judging or looking down on me for my unholy ways. He's just a great guy to be around. His spirituality shines out in his life-affirming positivity. It's really the difference between living a life of faith as opposed to one of religion. And the two are as different as love and sex.
Most people tend to think of sexuality and religion as polar opposites. Actually, they make surprising bedfellows.
Just as sex without love is empty, so is religion without faith. For both it's possible to confuse one for the other. Too many a time one mistakes his lust for something more. In the same way, an individual might think himself a "good person" merely for regular church attendance.
And of course so many terrible acts throughout history have been committed because of sex and religion. Rape and child molestation are what happens when sex goes wrong. The Crusades, Sept. 11, and discrimination against gays and lesbians are some of religion's follies.
It's all about when one person or group wants to 'conquer' another.
It boils down to the simple reality that individuals who are overtly sexual or religious are almost always immature and irritating.
A much funnier aspect also exists. For sex and religion there will always be those who seek to capture the experience and pass it off in a weakened electronic form. Translation: televangelists are like porn stars.
Jerry Falwell is Jenna Jameson. Pat Robertson is Ron Jeremy. How about that visual? Don't want to have that stuck in your head all day. Almost makes me wish I was more skilled with Photoshop.
And of course Fred Phelps, infamous for his preaching and picketing that "God hates fags," is John Holmes because he's the biggest jerk of them all.
Smut aside, Josh and the few true Christians I know live the spirit of Christ while all the "religious people" are too busy talking about it. I only wish that perhaps someday, loving and faithful people escape from the endangered species list.
Write to David at dmswindle@bsu.edu
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