{#
SPDX-License-Identifier: CC0-1.0

koszko.org website post (How I fought... another view, english).

Copyright (C) 2022 Wojtek Kosior <koszko@koszko.org>
#}

{% extends "__koszko_base.html.jinja" %}

{% block title %} How I fought... another view {% endblock %}

{% block subheading_text %} How I fought... another view {% endblock %}

{% block content %}
  {% call section() %}
    {{ italic('2022-11-30') }}
    {% call para() %}
      In 2021 I defended my BSc thesis.
      My article about the fight to be able to study using libre tools landed on
      the
      {% call link('https://www.gnu.org/education/how-i-fought-to-graduate-without-using-non-free-software.html') -%}
        GNU project website
      {%- endcall %}.
      So far so good.
    {% endcall %}
    {% call para() %}
      It so happened that later on, when preparing to some evengelization event,
      I was supposed to prepare some testimony of mine.
      I ended up describing the same story.
      But this time from a spiritual viewpoint.
      I later decided it's probably worth sharing.
      So, here it is.
    {% endcall %}
  {% endcall %}
  {% call section('testimony') %}
    {{ header(2, 'Testimony for Evangelization') }}
    {% call para() %}
      Besides being a Catholic, I am also a libre software guy.
      One who doesn't tolerate Windows, Google, etc.
    {% endcall %}
    {% call para() %}
      Whe remote teaching began, I had a problem. I was determined not to run
      Teams, etc. on my devices.
      I was bending the ears of all my university teachers so that they allow me
      to complete their courses with some libre tools that I accept.
      At the same time, taking — perhaps slightly incorrectly — inspiration from
      the "Jesus, You take care of it" prayer, I was determined not to
      e.g. complain to the dean about the teachers unwilling to cooperate.
      That approach was perhaps not completely absurd after all — God himself
      loves all people so much that He does not push them into a corner but
      rather gives them freedom, even freedom to choose evil.
    {% endcall %}
    {% call para() %}
      All this was a terrible experience and the stress was up to here. In spite
      of this, I got to complete the last 2 semesters of the BSc studies.
      And there were also some incredible moments.
      For example when I thought I was going to fail the compilers class because
      I "did not come" to an exam on Teams.
      At that time I prayed a bit, perhaps also cried and eventually started
      revising the compilers material "just in case".
      And suddenly, I learned from a friend that Teams did not bear the load of
      over 100 students connecting simultaneously and that the exam would
      instead be conducted via email.
    {% endcall %}
    {% call para() %}
      I still have some doubts with respect to particular choices. Perhaps I
      should have been less radical in some cases?
      Or perhaps I could have been more and e.g. also rejected using nonfree
      platforms from lab computers?
    {% endcall %}
    {% call para() %}
      But even though I was certainly committing {{ bold('some') }} mistakes
      over those 2 semesters (as we know, every man sins) I believed Him to care
      about me all the time.
    {% endcall %}
    {% call para() %}
      After all this I met one libre software hacker from the US who had an
      identical situation. Except he didn't make it.
      He gave up on the studies rather quickly because he didn't see a chance.
      He happens to be a non-believer.
    {% endcall %}
    {% call para() %}
      I was successful not thanks to being more clever or more persuasive — as I
      am likely not — but rather because I tried.
      And I only had motivation for trying because I believe in certain Jesus
      who died for us on a cross and through that can fix all the evil that
      harms us.
    {% endcall %}
    {% call para() %}
      Looking behind on all that stress, fear and everything that constitutes
      the metaphorical "cross of life", I see it has a purpose.
      It brings me closer to God once again.
    {% endcall %}
    {% call para() %}
      But for the purpose to be present in one's suffering, one first needs to
      make the decision to suffer it together with God.
    {% endcall %}
  {% endcall %}
{% endblock %}