I consider myself a fairly peculiar fellow, based both on my personality and certain aspects of life. For example, I am an agriculture mechanization major with a minor in legal studies and I hope to go to law school to be prosecutor. 

I am also Catholic. Whoa. A Catholic, moderate Republican, ag-mech major from the deep south who wants to be a lawyer. How peculiar. 

Growing up Catholic in the south has taught me many things, and gotten me plenty of strange looks from my Baptist friends when I share this news with them. Sometimes I think people forget that we as Christians are “all on the same team,” if you will. 

Coming to Clemson has taught me that not everyone in your classes is Christian, and not everyone is like you, like it may have been in high school. I have also learned that there is a strong Christian presence and family on Clemson’s campus. This is great. Clemson is home to some of the most truly faith filled people I have ever met, including my roommate; I have much love and respect for him.

I can honestly say that my faith has been both challenged and consequently strengthened by meeting and conversing with these people. I have also found by coming to college that everyone finds God in different ways.

The great thing about the Almighty is that he doesn’t care what church you go to, or where you go in the quiet moments of your life to seek his wisdom. He doesn’t care about how you talk to him. He only cares that you ARE talking to him, with your heart, and that you have accepted Him as your Savior. I feel, too often, we forget that.

We tend to think that our one church, our one denomination, has it all right. I believe that simply isn’t true and it simply doesn’t matter. Different denominations have varying beliefs and rituals. We are all Christians and we are taking that life long walk of faith. We are all trying to do so in ways that we feel best reflects how the Lord would want us to act and live.

Do not judge others on their actions, because who are you to judge? There exists but one true judge of our actions here on earth. Do not be a Christian that casts a net of judgment on others because of their actions, or just because you feel like your church and the way you find God may be in the slightest way superior to someone else’s. 

Every person may be a child of God, but no person lives the same life as another, and consequently, no one finds the comfort of God in the exact same way as another.