Religion is not a Game.

This semester I have been suffering from major senioritis. I have been avoiding homework, and already, I am stressed about well everything, but this evening I had a chance to get away from my work etc.
Tonight, I had an amazing experience. I was able to have a two hour conversation with a MBB who I have known for some time. I have always wanted to ask him certain questions, and tonight, I finally had the courage to ask them....well some of them. He speaks of a Turkey that we did not see. He spoke of being tortured in prison during the five different times that he was imprisoned for his faith. He spoke of the beauty of the land and how much he missed it. I then got the nerve to ask one of the hardest questions, had he ever thought about converting back to Islam? (After all, when he left...more like lfed... Turkey his family faked his death). He laughed; Shoke his head and said, "No, No, No. Religion is not a game you know. I made my decision. I saw what I saw (referring to his dreams and visions), and I cannot deny that."
This lead me to think about my own faith. As some of you may know, I have of recent been seriously considering converting to Orthodoxy. I have had some reservations thought. The major one is what difference will it make? Is it really about me being Orthodox? I prefere some of the Orthodox forms of worhsip, but do I really want to sign myself to an institution? My greatest fear is that I am turning my faith, my religion, into a game.
I wonder what would I be if I where locked in a cell for five days without food or water, and it was too short for me to stand but to small for me to lay down...with water dripping on my head? Would I be a follower of Isa al Messi at all?
I wanted to share this with you all. I don't really know why, but there it is. i miss all of you very much. Everyday, I see someone and I think (more like hope) that maybe it is one of you. I hope that God will bless you all in whatever you are doing and where ever you are, and Tory, I desperately want to hear more about your visting the Orthodox church. Kristen, I very much wisht hat I could go to that Arabic church with you. I closed my eyes, and I almost thought that I was there.