Friday, August 8, 2008

How granpa became a Christian

I never really know what actually transpired as what I know is based on hearsay. Granpa was a loose Taoist believer all his life, i would say. Not that he goes to temple a lot, nor is he the pious type. In his younger days, he used to smoke, drinks heavily and does not hesitate to use vulgar words to illustrate his emotions. Not a strongly religious person.

A few years ago, granpa got very sick, and i really meant very critically ill. He got a team of 5 doctors looking at his case, none of them bet on him to survive. For a few months, he was struggling for his life in ICU and semi-ICU, with tubes and wires emerging from his throat, nose and mouth, and hanging everywhere. It was terrible.

One of my uncles is a Christian, and he is the type of Christian who is convince that all non-believers will go to Hell. One day, when no one was around, he quietly brought a priest to granpa's bedside, talk to him, pray for him tell him about hell and heaven, and baptisted him on the spot. The rest of the family weren't Christian, and when they heard about the sneaky way Granpa was baptised, there was an uproar. Everyone was concerned whether granpa was in groggy or fully conscious when he agreed to convert ? That incident further alienate uncle with the rest of the family.

Gradually Granpa got better against all odds. He vaguely remembered about the baptise incident. He didnt really remember whether he agreed to convert or not. To granpa - a promise is a promise, as he did not want to risk evoking the wrath of God. Surprising everyone, he decided to attend church every sunday with uncle.

I was reading a blogger relating how she became an atheist, it was a honest article really. It reminded me of my granpa's experience, so I decided to share as well. For me, religion is a personal thing that cannot be force upon anyone. Personally I believe uncle and those christians folks meant well. But trying to convince someone who is at deathbed to change his/her religion, in the promise of heaven, is rather disturbing.

4 comments:

ninoamigo said...

this is another example of why I dislike missionaries and religious extremist...

what is the difference is your uncle compared to the chinese-muslim son who converted his father on his sick bed, just to inherit his money!

so sad...

davors said...

can't agree more with ninoamigo... (on the first sentence)

i guess your grandpa case is a win-win condition as usual...
1.he was fortunate to turned better
= oh the great miracle of god...
2.he was not that lucky
= oh the great god bring him to heaven...
3. he was heal but still unbeliever
= Psalm 52:5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.
52:6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:
52:7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

ninoamigo said...

"what is the difference is your uncle compared to the chinese-muslim
son who converted his father on his sick bed, just to inherit his
money!"

http://www.jeffooi.com/2008/01/gan_eng_gor.php

please read on..

purple girl said...

Ninoamigo... its a sad thing that in all religions, there are some extremists..... who decides they have the rights to impose on others