Working and Reggie

For some reason, I've been thinking about Reggie White recently. Might have something to do with the fact that I've joined a Facebook group or two dedicated to him. Anyways, decided to do a Wikipedia search on him, just to see what was there. Turns out his son Jeremy wrote a book about growing up with him.

Most of you probably don't know this, but I went to school with Jeremy and his sister. And I don't mean your typical "student body of hundreds" type of thing. I'm saying, a small classroom of 20 for a couple of years. I want to say 3 years, but I could be wrong. Anyways, I knew the kids and Sara, Reggie's wife. Didn't actually know Reggie himself, which I regret.

I remember Jeremy and I didn't quite get along all the time, although we had our moments. I'm not even sure what it was about, but we got into a fight once on the playground. This had to be around fifth, sixth grade. We just started punching and wrestling around on the ground; I remember winning, but it's irrelevant. I don't even know what the fight was about. The funny thing was the instructor watching us didn't seem to care; he just watched us fight. I didn't even get in trouble or anything.

So I guess he's written a book about having Reggie as a dad. I'm thinking I might pick up a copy sometime, and try to track down a copy of the movie Reggie made, "Reggie's Prayer." What's unfortunate is that it is only available on VHS...I saw it once a long time ago, and while I know it's a really crappy movie, I still want a copy.

We lost a great man with Reggie.

Ok, moving on. At work Sunday, one of my coworkers, we'll call her B since I can't spell her name (and shouldn't), told me about a bunch of guys trying to get her to come to their church yesterday. She didn't know what church they went to, but after I asked a few questions (JW? Suits and ties? A huge wooden cross carried by some weirdly dressed people? etc), found out that they were Mormons. Then she dropped the question on me: "What do they believe?"

Sheesh. What a loaded question. I tried explaining to B the big thing first, the entire "Jesus was not God but only a man" issue. Well, she sided with the Mormons; doesn't believe that Jesus was God, and for some reason, kept on repeating that "dying on the cross proves he wasn't God!" Oh, and she denied the resurrection too, when I asked her about that. B says she based these opinions of hers on the Koran. I know she grew up around Islam, but she tells me she got away from all of that.

For some reason we started talking about Moses...and how Jesus was Moses or some such nonsense...and how when Moses saw God he was struck blind...whatever...and then I tried explaining to her the concept of the Trinity, trying to get off the rabbit trail and back to her original question about the differences between Mormons and, well, me.

She didn't understand it. Three in one and one in three. The Beatles is one band but four musicians...ok, maybe five if you count Yoko. She claimed that God is "unknowable", and cannot be male, first of all, so he can't be a father. And there can't be a father, a son, and a holy spirit! After a while of me just trying to explain the concept to her, she got a little frustrated and pretty much ended the conversation, citing that "logically" I could not be right.

I went up to her later and apologized, told her I wasn't trying to attack her beliefs or her "logic", but only just trying to explain myself/Christianity to her. She told me she reads a lot, so I'm probably gonna give her a book or two to read later, but I wonder where even to begin!

Still, this shows promise. It was refreshing actually to just talk about stuff like that with someone. I hope it happens again. While I'm not exactly wide-open with my faith at work (I don't go telling everyone that Jesus loves them, or preaching at them), I've never shied (shyed?) away from denying anything, and I'm quite honest about going to church and stuff like that.

Already I can imagine several people at my church spiritually "tsk-ing" me for not being more open or evangelistic...but then I remember Scripture and who I'm accountable to.

I'm thinking of giving B a copy of The Case For Christ first. It's been several years since I read it, but I remember it gave a strong argument, as well as being written for normal people. Any other suggestions? Maybe a copy of the Message too...