Being Saved in the Sauna

I went to the Gym this morning for my workout before I go to the store.   After my workout I went to do my time in the sauna.  I love the sauna.  It reminds me of the sweat lodge.  Getting very hot like that is both cleansing and spiritual for me.

I got in the sauna and there were a few men in there.  They left and it was me and one gentlemen.  I asked him to pour water on the stones to get it nice and hot.  He complied and poured some water making a comment he did not want it to get to hot for me.

This is where I made my mistake.  I don’t know why but in making conversation I explained to him that I participated I sweat lodges and was very comfortable with high heat.  He told me that he had done some sweat lodges and all beliefs were ok but to find salvation one had to believe in Jesus Christ.  He asked me if I was a Christian. Of course I should of known better but I had to respond.

I told him no that I had practiced my path for almost 25 years and I was not a Christian.  I shared with him that my path was sacred and personal.  I believed that God was vast and encompassed all paths.  I lived in a country where I had the right to my own beliefs. I shared that I had no problems with other beliefs and I only I asked for the same respect.  He told me that he believed that and respected my beliefs.  Then he went out of his way to convert me.

He first started with the “I don’t want to die and find out Christians are right syndrome”.  I asked what would happen if we died and found out the Muslims were right.  His reply was they could not be right because Christians did not kill like Muslims did.  I told him that the families of the people that were killed in the name of abortions might disagree.  He shared with me about a movie that justified that type of killing.

He then began to share all the healings he had seen.  I shared with him the healings I had seen in the lodge.  He seemed very frustrated because I stayed calm and secure in my beliefs.   I shared with him that I believed in a God that could accept both our beliefs. He left to take a shower and I thought I was free of him.  I stayed in the sauna a few more minutes and went to take my shower.

When I returned to the locker my new friend and Savior was there.  I decided to keep quiet.  I was tired of talking and I was tired of his efforts to save me.  He started to talk again.  I stayed quiet.  He shared how it was great to live in a country where all beliefs were accepted but people that were not Christian were going to be surprised when they died.  He then told me how he had seen three people come back from the dead due to Christian laying of hands.  I realized then that he was playing that game “try and top this, my religion is better than yours.”  I did not want to play.

He kept pushing so I thought I needed to respond to diffuse his crusade.  I looked at him and explained that my beliefs were as important and personal to me as his was to him.  I thanked him for sharing but shared that I was very comfortable in my beliefs and had no desire to change them.  I told him that since Christianity and church worked for him and he felt close to God, that was where he should be. I also shared that I was grateful we lived in a country where we could both have our separate beliefs without any consequence from the government.

I think he left shaking his head wondering what was wrong with me, praying for my lost soul.   The next guy that came in was huge, bald and looked like a biker.  I was grateful.

There was a time when this behavior would have upset me and I would have become angry.  I am glad that I have evolved in my Spirituality and I don’t care what others think.  I was able to see the truth.  He told me he respected my path but tried to convince me he was right and I was wrong.  Today I was mature enough to know that his behavior said more about him than it did me.  I did not have to get defensive because I had nothing to be defensive about.  I am grateful that I have learned to take my power back from people like this.  He in turn was baffled dealing with a person that was secure in his beliefs and accepted his even though they were very different.

My friend and savior told me he respected my beliefs but had no understanding what that meant and showed me he had no respect for my beliefs.  And I was able to let him be who he was without overreacting.  I wish I knew how to talk about sports.

Loki

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