It is interesting to have many different points of view on religion. In my own home I took the time to interview a family friend, Marcus. Marcus is a 38 year old man, he works at the Cook County Jail, and loves and believes in the Lord. We are in the kitchen sitting at the counter eating Tootsie Rolls. I decided to interview him because all of the years he has been in my life I have never heard him talk about God. Finding out what he thought about God was very interesting and I learned a lot of new things.
Me: Hi, how are you?
Marcus: “I’m fair for a square”
Me: I would like to talk to you about God.
Marcus: “Ok”
Me: What are your views about God?
Marcus: “I kind of don’t understand what you mean when you say views about God. Do you mean do I believe in God or is there a God, break it down for me” (Laughing)
Me: Ok, well do you believe in God and why?
Marcus: “Yes, I do believe in God, because I think that there is really a higher spirit”
Me: Tell me about a time you had an encounter with God.
Marcus: “I can tell you about a lot of times I think or feel as though I have had encounters with God.
Me: Do share.
Marcus: “It was a particular time when I was sitting on the floor in my living room mulling over problems I had. I was listening to some gospel CDs that I got from my deceased brother and I had decided not to worry or think about problems I had and I prayed. By the time I was finished praying I felt like He, God had put his hand on me and then I sat there and cried for about two hours.
Me: Who is your biggest influence on your spirituality and why?
Marcus: My mother, when I was young my mother gave me options to make choices that kids I grew up with wouldn’t do. I actually held a Bible study in my house and invited people to come to the Bible studies. I have visited churches for long
periods of time, different denominations, lil’ bit of all that.”
Me: Why do you think people go to church?
Marcus: “I think people go to church to learn about the Bible and to fellowship with others but I don’t believe you have to go to church to fellowship. So you already
know I work in the Cook County jail, so I had an inmate and it seemed like
everyday this man had a new piece of literature about God! We spent the first two
hours fellowshipping for ninety days.
Me: Do you think you have a less advantage because you don’t attend church every Sunday?
Marcus: “No I don’t believe that.”
Me: Do you think it is important to study other religions and why?
Marcus: “No, it is not important, but I do believe it’s nice to know something about most because supposedly it’s only one God but so many different religions for the most part boils down to something, there is a God or that a god is acknowledged. The differences I see are the way most of the religions govern their congregation. Pretty much people are talking about the same God.
Me: What is your favorite book in the Bible?
Marcus: “Revelations”
Me: Have you been baptized?”
Marcus: “No, I have not been baptized. I have had plenty of opportunities to get baptized. As a child I do not know why my Mama never took me to get baptized. Now that I am grown I think it is a waste to cleanse my body of all these sins when in my
mind and my heart I know I will do it again. Although when it is my time and I am ready I will take that plunge.
Me: Would you sacrifice your son for our sins?
Marcus: “Would I give up my son to give life for everybody?”
Me: Unhuh.
Marcus: “If I did not do this it would be a chance the world would perish?”
Me: Unhuh
Marcus: “I would, it would hurt but if I did not do it and then the rest of the world perish who and what would my son have…nothing. I would give myself for the rest of the world and not my son if I had that choice. I do not like that question but it is a good question though.
Me: What is your favorite gospel song?
Marcus: “It’s Gone Be Nice” by Yolanda Adams because she talks about the things she has been through and despite it all she is going to come out the valley and be at peace.
Me: When was the last time you felt blessed?
Marcus: “Everyday.”
Me: Why, what about everyday makes you feel blessed?
Marcus: “Waking up, having my five senses, healthy kids, a healthy family, I am healthy, and I have a roof over my head. When I look around and see the state others are in I feel blessed.
Me: What do you think God looks like?
Marcus: “Everybody.”
Me: Now what exactly do you mean when you say everybody?
Marcus: “In the Bible it says we are made in God’s image. So if we are made in God’s image then he looks like us.”
Me: If there was one thing you could do with God what would it be?
Marcus: “I would sit at a peak of a mountain with God and just talk with him.”
Me: What is one question you want to ask God and have a direct answer to?
Marcus: “(Smacking of the lips as if enlightened) I know, since Adam and Eve was the first ones to eat from the tree of life; this was a sin, why would you want everyone to be punished for their sin?”
Me: Do you feel you are close or far away from God at this point in your life?
Marcus: “Close.”
Me: Predicting the future and saying you will, who are you looking forward to seeing in heaven and why?
Marcus: “I would like to see God, my momma, and my grandparents. God because out of my 38 years I think I have been through a lot and at times when I felt like given up God has seen me through. Therefore, I would love to meet my provider,
protector, and the one who has loved me unconditionally. My mother because I
miss her and there are a lot of questions I would like to ask and the same thing for
my grandparents.
Me: Do you wish to have the quality of forgiving and forgetting like God does?
Marcus: “Who said he forgets?”
Me: That’s what I have been told.
Marcus: “He forgives but he has a “Book of Life” up there, so again who says he
forgets?”
Me: Interesting. Well that concludes this interview it has been great hearing your views of things regarding God and religion itself.
Marcus: “My pleasure Ms. Curtis.”
Doing this interview I learned a lot about Marcus. I never had and understanding of how he felt when it came to religion and God. I was very amazed at the thoughtful answers he gave me. Listening to him made me see and view religion and God a different way. Not only has this enlightened me but it has also made me closer to someone who is significant in my life. I say this because he gave me an opportunity to get to know him better and on a much more “deeper” aspect. The theme of this interview I would say is that no matter what religion you practice there is a presence of God and in a way that unites us all as a people. It’s amazing how you find out so much about something from a person who doesn’t speak much about the subject at hand.