Church involves a lot of singing.

For the first half of the two hour Sunday service the entire church stood and sang. That is, almost the entire church. I didn’t sing, mostly because I didn’t know the songs well enough to keep up even with the lyrics projected onto a screen behind the pulpit. But also, I didn’t sing, because, the songs seemed a bit weird and cult-y. They were about things like giving everything to god and being loved even though we were sinners. It didn’t sit right with me.

I know that the songs were meant to be hopeful and uplifting, but this was all new to me. I, also, wasn’t the only one not singing. There were a few people in the crowd that abstained. Most of who where gruff looking men.

After the singing ended the pastor said we could all be seated and, like a wave, the people of the church sat at the pastors command.

I was sitting with Becca and her family. Her parents seemed nice. They were always smiling and they were dressed really nice.

“Now, I would like you all to turn to first Corinthians chapter ten verses twenty and twenty one.”

The pastor preached about the demons that plague mankind and the unholy ness of videogames and ‘vices that ensnare our youths’. He talked about how other religions were wrong and evil. He condemned those who use ouija board and tarot cards, saying they were worshiping the devil.

I thought Christianity was all about love and acceptance. When I asked Becca she said ‘we are. Sermons like this don’t happen often. But we still need to hear these sermons once and a while to remind us of the evils in the world. It’s our duty, as Christians, to bring sinners to god’.

I guess I just came on a Sunday where the service wasn’t optimal for first time visitors. It was pretty eye opening though.

I know I’ve seen my dad with tarot cards and I think there is a ouija board somewhere in the library. I don’t see my dad as evil and sinful. He’s the nicest man I know. He volunteers at the soup kitchen every holiday and I’ve seen him donate money to charities on a bunch of occasions. My friends all call him super dad, for Pete’s sake. He never even lies! That’s like one of the Ten Commandments!

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The sermon wrapped up with a prayer and Becca’s parents left to go talk with some other church goers. Becca stayed with me and started asking questions about what I thought of god and the church.

“Wait! Open that back up again.” Becca exclaimed when I was putting away my dads old bible. “Is that in another language?” she asked while brushing her hand across the page.

“Oh... yeah. It’s Latin. Isn’t that common for bibles?”

“No! I mean kind of... I’ve never seen a bible in another language but, I know they print it in all of them and I guess, a long time age, most bibles were written in Latin. Can you even read this? I would have let you read mine if you told me.”

“I can read this just fine. There seem to be some things that translate different but it’s basically the same text.”

“You can read Latin! That’s so cool!”

“Huh? Yeah, I guess most people only know one or two languages. I forget that sometimes. My dad knows like every language, though. I’m not that impressive.”

“Every language? That can’t be true. Your dad seemed pretty nice. Are you sure you couldn’t get him to come? He has a bible, so he must have some interest.”

“He probably knows quite a bit about this stuff. When I asked him he said he would come if I really wanted but he said he wouldn’t enjoy it. But I’m pretty sure he does know every language. He taught me a bunch of them and I have this kind of game I play with him where I try to find really obscure or dead languages and see if he knows them. He always does though. That language that woman was speaking during that prayer after the singing seemed pretty obscure. I don’t think I’ve heard it before but it sounded oddly familiar.”

“Oh... that wasn’t a language. Or at least I don’t think it is. That’s how some people talk when they are filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s called tongues. You could see if he knows how to speak that though. If he really knows every language...” Becca gave me a mischievous smile and turned to greet a boy that looked our age as he approached us.

Hmm? What was it that that lady said? It sounded like ‘[][][][][][][][]’. I bet I could stump dad with this.