The Everyday Club

5/19/10 Corine, 24
Today I met with Marty (church elder) after work for a "fishing trip". A young lady (Corine) came walking down the sidewalk, dark sunglasses on, earbuds in. She had that look so many people have when out in public; in a hurry, intent on her destination, avoiding eye contact, in her own world, unapproachable, unstoppable. I caught her eye, smiled and said "Excuse me. I have a question for you." She stopped and took off the earbuds. "What kind of question?" "Kind of a crazy question, really. What do you think happens after we step off this world? What's on the other side?" "You mean after we die right? Wow, that IS kind of a random question" She thought for a while and said, well, I'd like to believe there is a heaven, but it's really wishful thinking because I really think we just die." Corine had grown up with almost no exposure to religion and although she has a master's in social work she had never read a Bible and had no idea what the Ten Commandments are. She had many of her own ideas of what God should be like if there is one - ideas based on her preference that she could run her own life rather than submit to some "higher power" invented by humans. She wondered how God could allow suffering in the world, yet didn't think he should hold people accountable for their sins, putting the blame on society and its corrupt institutions instead. We had a long and very interesting conversation with Corine, answering many of her questions and giving her a Bible and a lot to think about.