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Walking home from the rare occasions that I go to class, I often see people along side bruin walk testing people's faith.  Usually, I can ignore the sign that says "God is dead" and their probing questions because I can tell myself there are other people they can pester or that they only want to antagonize.  But what can I do when its one of my oldest friends asking the tough questions? 

I've got a buddy who seems to even more now ask very critical questions of my faith.  It doesn't seem to matter where we go or what we do, the topic of Christianity and its vile effects on the world tend to enter casual conversation.  He's been explaining his thoughts on everything from how the world would be better without religion at all, at how Christians should label themselves differently because of the baggage they carry with the name, how Christianity brings out the dumbest and worst in people, and how religion makes slaves to us all because religious folk are cattle following the ass in front of them.  Of course, I'm still waiting for the big question:  why does God let bad things happen to good people.  This wouldn't be the first time I've had to confront this question with someone I care about but I feel completely disarmed in trying to answer it because when talking to my buddy, he isn't trying to gain new perspective or to discuss his ideas - he's testing mine.  Its a very weird conversation in which the terms "right" and "wrong" can be used so trivially in a religious discussion.

In my opinion, bad things happen to good people because while God loves us and wants the best for us, he also gave us free will.  Our choices have consequences, sometimes that we don't pay for.  Overall, I believe that God manipulates, not controls, situations to give us the chance to use our will to be who he wants us to be.  Things may get tough from time to time, but its when people are challenged do they grow.  We may not always understand what goes on in the grand scheme of things but what I trust in is that God will make best of whatever I have and whatever comes my way.

What I see is that he's judging a whole by a fanatical minority, taking the worst of a group and forming a collective opinion of its entirety.

I don't think I've ever had to defend my faith before.  It gets tough to be home.

Enter a dimly lit parking garage.  Down to the bottom level and there you will find an underground dodgeball league.  5v5 tournaments every other saturday night at 10pm.  A movie?  Nope, just another day in the life of BD and his incredible EG buddies. 

Most importantly I must add that we've got uniforms - adidas breakaway pants and under armor muscle shirts.  That's right, I've got under armor!  Can someone out there give me "jock ass"!