Selling Jesus

A couple weeks ago I interviewed the Head of Public Affairs for a major public corporation (one of the few remaining from the liberalisation purges of the 80s and 90s). He was a bit on the conservative side, but gave a decent interview, which I turned into a front-page story. When I told him I was about finished unless he had any other comments to add, he said, "What do you do with your Sundays?"

This is the point in the conversation where my brain always starts crying out "say you're Jewish!" It's a good neutral faith in Ghana that gets you out of Sunday church-talk. But, being an honest idiot I said, "Generally I relax."

Of course he asked why I didn't go to church; I explained that my church, the United Church, is not available in Ghana, which is a half-truth because it's widely available in Canada and what do I do on Sundays there? Relax. Or run errands, maybe clean a little, do some writing and reading.

And of course he invited me to his church and I said I might bring my wife sometime. Lies lies lies. Why can't I just say the truth (and be set free): I'm not interested in being preached at and sold a worldview that to me is incomplete and at times inaccurate. I have a deep respect for faithfulness, and even more so for spirituality, but I have my own. Strange to feel pressured, in a way that has nothing to do with money, at what is essentially a business meeting.

-Chris