New Age thinking and an emphasis on being a spiritual-but-not-religious person seem to be the majority mindsets of the population here. Most people seem to have this attitude: “I have it figured out. Buddha, Allah and Jesus are all the same. Let us all go out of our way not to step on each other’s toes, so that we may live in harmony and coexist with one another.”
Driving around Fort Collins, it’s easy to see many cars with a bumper sticker that says “COEXIST” on it. Each letter in the word represents the emblem of different religions—for instance, the “C” resembles the Muslim crescent moon and star, and the “T” represents the cross of Jesus. I think that this is a perfect representation of the majority religious attitude in Fort Collins, Colo.
One church planter, Nate Templin, assigned my team the task of walking around Fort Collins and videotaping interviews with people. We were asking questions that allowed discussion for spiritual matters, such as “What do you think of the Bible?” or “How do you feel when you hear the words Christian or Jesus?” Most of what we heard was along the lines of “Jesus was a great man,” or “The Bible has some great stories in there!”
These people have heard the “stories,” but they have completely missed the point of Jesus Christ. Matthew 28 does not say, “Therefore go and COEXIST with one another.” Only God can change the hearts of those who don’t consider themselves in need.
Clara Kern, a student at Angelo State University, is serving as a summer missionary in Fort Collins, Colo., with Go Now Missions.
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