Religion Confusion

While I was making a whole crap ton of trips back up to Kville to get the rest of my stuff from our house, I couldn't help but see this same billboard sign each time. It was for some church, whose name I can't remember and probably shouldn't include anyways, that was advertising its faith like most churches do. Except this one's message was a little... confusing.

It read: "Take a chance on Jesus, if not, Satan will take you."

Or something very similar. The last part is right on the money as that is the portion of the phrase that made an impact on me. Was it meant as an alternative to Jesus? Is this a threat? What happened to God being the focus? Will Satan really take you somewhere? To Hell maybe? What if you don't believe in Hell? Does believing in Jesus mean you automatically believe in Satan also? Is Satan a part of Christianity? I had a ton of questions that stemmed from that particular phrase and no one besides myself available to be asked.

Now, I'm not going to go ask anyone these questions for the purpose of finding the answers. I don't really care that much about this issue. However, seeing that made me think. Which, by the way, is a real good thing as I tend to fall asleep when driving long distances.

I don't really know what I would call my version of faith. I can say that I am not a Christian if only because I do not believe in the Bible. Man-made things are not perfect, so I will not put my unyielding faith in something that is not perfect. I also can't, because of another aspect of me that the Bible says is wrong. But anyways.

I believe in something like a creator, something that made everything and gave purpose to everything. To me, everything was meant to happen for a reason. There is room for hindsight, regret, guilt, joy, thankfulness, happiness, what have you. However, everything that has ever happened to you has happened for a certain reason. That's how I try to look at things. And although I may fail and get angry, I will get over it and learn from the experience... eventually.

I believe in karma. I use that word for lack of a better word. I believe that you will get what you give; all things will be returned three-fold. So, I try to be upstanding. Now, don't get me wrong, some people think I am a mean person or just outright rude. However, I will never be mean to someone without a reason. That reason is often just my own mind overreacting to something, but it is still there and still bothering me. I'm just opinionated and things that I find stupid or a waste of time is going to get me riled up. Getting me to talk about what is bothering me is a whole different issue. I don't open up very easily. It makes me uncomfortable and makes me feel weak.

Death scares the crap out of me. In my mind, I can't cope with or grasp the feelings of eternity or simply ceasing to exist. So both avenues are scary prospects for whatever happens after death. I don't know if I ever want to find out what will be waiting on the other side. Heaven/Hell forever and ever or just nothingness. The only idea of life after death that I have ever liked has been reincarnation. But I'm not sure if that is a cop out and escape from the aforementioned prospects.

So, what does faith provide? Hope, I think. I think that people who go to this church with the billboard go there every Sunday (or more!) for the sole reason of finding some hope. A small measure of hope, brought about by belief, will produce mass amounts of comfort and content. And perhaps, in a message like this, as confusing as it may be to some people, it is, in its own way, trying to spread that hope.