Mind your mind As mind your head!

When I applied for a graduate school in US, this professor in Montana State helped me a great deal in the application process. We communicated through letters and telegraph(not kidding)for more than a year. Finally he provided me with TA(Teaching Assistant Position)with my academic competency and English proficiency. This sponsorship enabled me to come to study in America. I am very grateful for his help until today.

That was the same person that gave me first glimpse of religion impact in American life. I grew up right in the middle of Great Culture Revelution. Of course we was taught that no god can save us but ourselves(Actually, this line is from a famous song written during Pairs Commune). It sounded very atheistic. Ironically enough, Mao was worshiped by the billion willingly or unwillingly. Religion was very remote and unthinkable for me.

When I started my school, this professor constantly invited us to his church and I went to several times. And he asked me and other Chinese graduate students to his bible study every week. I could not remember how many times I ever went. Not that many. Surely I and other Chinese felt the invisible pressure since he was the director of the graduate program. I resented that and stopped being part of his church activities.

Until one day, a member of his church told one of my Chinese friend that we had lived so miserably without realization until we become christian. They surely had a misssion to save our poor Chinese souls. Until this day, I am reluctant to doubt my professor's sincerity. However, this experience certainly did not give me any easy feeling for Christianity. He surely opened his heart to help me and others.

We have frequently heard the church preaching to be selfless and open heart. They are all admirable. Spirituality is a part of most every living human being's life. Religion becomes a shelter for many of them just as the Nature is for me. When you are giving, the best return is your spiritual satisfication. However, it seems for me that a great deal of Christian institutions use charity as a weapon to convert others intentionally or unintentionally.

Spirituality should be the puriest field of each individual being. I want to keep it for me to nuture and cultivate. My life has been profoundly influenced by Buddism and Taoism since I am Chinese and grew up in China. But I am still able to be atheist. No any other country is so obessed with the ownership like us in American. However so many have been so ready to surrend their most valuable asset -their minds to others who can not be more ordinary just as themselves. That is why so many bigots and ignornce exist in our country.

I am not anti-religion since it is nothing more than a way of living for many. We feel so fortunate to have somse of our dear friends who are devoted Christians. They not only open their hearts but also open their mind since they possess their own minds. Life will be nicely simple and less confusing when we mind our own mind just as mind our heads!