零距离美语会话[信仰]Lesson 1:Do you believe in God?

Unit 2       Beliefs
One   Do you believe in God?
你有什么宗教信仰吗？

 1    Introduction
A    Most Westerners are Christians 2.  Some go to churches as often as twice a week, some less often.  Religious services include the singing of songs and listening to speakers, sometimes referred to as preachers.
大多数西方人都是基督教徒。一些一周去两次教堂，一些去得更少一些。宗教仪式包括唱歌、听讲，有时候是听传教士布道。

B    God is the all powerful creator and sustainer of the Universe.  God is real and accessible.  The power of God enables ordinary people to lead extraordinary lives.
上帝是宇宙间万能的创造者和支撑者。上帝是真的，是可以接近的。上帝的力量可以使普通人过上美好的生活。

 2    Sample Sentences
1.    Buddhism 3, Christianity and Islam are the three major religions in the world.
      佛教、基督教和伊斯兰教是世界上三大宗教。
2.    People have donated a large sum of money to reconstruct the old temple.
      人们已经捐赠了一大笔钱重修这座古寺。
3.    Where can I find a priest / minister who speaks English?
      哪儿有说英语的神父/牧师？
4. What time is mass / the service?
几点做弥撒/礼拜？
5.   Is there a Catholic church near here?
附近有天主教教堂吗？
6.   I enjoy ministry 4.  To lead a hymn 5, to facilitate a Sunday School Class discussion, to preach in a tiny chapel 6, or to listen to a troubled soul, is not at all boring.
我喜欢牧师的职务。领唱圣歌，帮助主日学校进行讨论，在一个小教堂说教，或者倾听一颗受困的心，这些一点都不枯燥。
7.   I strive to live each day with earnest gratitude 7.
     我努力使生活的每一天都充满真诚的感激。
8.   My church requires that I tithe 8 every week in order to be a member of their congregation. 
     为了成为他们教会中的一员，我的教堂要求我每周捐款。
9.   My wife is currently working in China as a missionary 9. 
我的妻子最近在中国做传教士工作。
10.  They really seem to understand that you would think differently from a typical church member.
     他们好像很能理解你会和一个典型的教堂成员想得很不一样。

 3    Conversations
1.   College search.
Nancy:  How is the college search going? 
Ann:   It's a huge headache.  I have no idea what I want to do.
Nancy:  But don't you want to study music?  Shouldn't it be easy?
Ann:  It should be, but there are too many options.  My grades are good enough that I have a lot of choices, but after that…
Nancy:  I know.  You have to decide if you want to attend a school in a city or in the country, a big school or a small school, a public or private school…
Ann:  Yup, you understand.  And my parents are trying to pressure me into going to a Catholic1 college.  They both attended one and think that it combines2 a good education with good discipline.  And the tuition3 is usually pretty low.
Nancy:  I see.  Well, don't forget to talk to the college counselor4 at the school.  He usually gives good advice and can help point you in the right direction.  He gave me some information, and next week I'm going to take a look at some of the colleges he recommended. 
Ann:  Thanks for the information.  And good luck in your college search.
【译文】
——学校找得怎么样？
——是件很头痛的事。我不知道我想干什么。
——难道你不想学音乐吗？难道不容易一点吗？
——应该是容易，但选择太多了。我的好成绩足够使我有许多选择，但除此之外还有……
——我知道。你必须决定是去城市还是去乡村上大学，是去大学校还是去小学校，是去公立的还是私立……
——是的，你懂。我父母正试图强迫我去一所天主教大学。他们两个都上过。他们认为天主教大学能把良好的教育与良好的纪律结合起来。而且学费通常很低。
——我明白。唔，别忘了跟学校里的大学指导老师谈谈。他通常能提出很好的建议，能帮助你指出正确的方向。他给了我一些信息，下周我打算去看一看他给我推荐的几所大学。
——多谢你给我提供这些信息。祝你找学校时好运。

2.  A Chinese student is talking to an American teacher about religion.
Laura:  I’m not a Christian 1.  I just want to know why Americans believe that sort of thing.
John:  Believe what?
Laura:  You know… like, say God is the creator of the universe, the Bible, and Jesus Christ...
John:  You don’t believe that?  Everyone interprets the Bible in a different way.  To some people, the Gospel5 is a source of much comfort.
Laura:  What do you believe, John?  Are you Christian?
John:  To tell you the truth, I don’t know if I’m a Christian or not.  Christians don’t often share the same belief.  But I believe that we all possess6, by the grace of God, the potential7 to create fantastic changes on this earth.
Laura:  Do you believe that one religion is better than another?
John:  No, all religions are essentially8 based on the same ideals9, so no one is really better.
Laura:  Do you go to church regularly?
John:  When I’m home in the States, I go, but not in China.
【译文】
——我不是一个基督徒。我只想知道为什么美国人相信那种事情。
——相信什么事？
——你知道……像上帝是宇宙的创造者，圣经，以及基督耶稣……
——你不相信这些？每个人对圣经有不同的理解。对一些人来说，圣经福音是安逸、舒适的源泉。
——约翰，你相信什么？你是基督徒吗？
——说实话，我不知道我是否是基督徒。基督徒并不常常有共同的信仰。但我相信在上帝的慈悲下，我们都拥有潜力使这个世界发生一些了不起的变化。
——你认为一种教派比另一种好吗？
——不，所有教派基本上都基于相同的理想，所以没有一个真正比另一个好。
——你定期去教堂吗？
——当我在美国的家时，我去，但是在中国不去。

3.  Something about Mormons.
Candy:  Which church do you attend?
Joseph:  I am Mormon, so I go to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Candy:  What’s the difference between this and other Churches?
Joseph:  Mormons believe that, after the death of Christ and the death of the Apostles10, their church Christ founded became corrupt11 and the authority of Christ on earth was lost to men.  In 1830, a prophet12 named Joseph Smith was brought up by God to restore the church.
Candy:  Then does that mean the other churches are corrupt 12?
Joseph:  That means that they all have parts of the original gospel, but not all.
Candy:  Do you believe that Mormons have all of it?
Joseph:  Yes.
Candy:  Why do you really go to church?
Joseph:  We gather together to encourage each other; because we have common beliefs.  We come together and call it church.
【译文】
——你去哪一所教堂？
——我是摩门教徒，所以我去摩门教堂。
——这个教堂和其他的有什么区别？
——摩门教徒相信，在耶稣和使徒死后，耶稣成立的他们的教堂开始变得腐败，（叛教者）男人滥用世上的基督权利。在1830年，一个名叫约瑟夫•史密斯的先知被上帝养大使教堂复原。
——那么，那就意味着其他教堂很腐败吗？
——那意味着他们都有部分最初的福音，但并不是所有的。
——你认为摩门教就全有吗？
——是的。
——你去教堂的真正原因是什么？
——我们聚在一起互相鼓励，因为我们有共同的信仰。我们聚在一起，并称之为教堂。

 4    Words and Expressions
1. Catholic [] 天主教的，天主教徒
2. combine [] 使结合; 使联合，兼有,兼备
3. tuition [] 讲授,教学；学费
4. counselor 10 [] 顾问,参事，指导老师
5. Gospel [l] 《圣经•新约》福音书，福音
6. possess  [] 拥有,持有;具有;占有
7. potential [] 潜在的,可能的
8. essentially 11 [] 实质上;本来
9. ideal [] 理想,完美的
10. Apostle [] 耶稣的十二使徒(宗徒)之一
11. corrupt [] 腐败的;堕落的
12. prophet [] 先知,预言者