My first introduction to Bitcoin was in 2014. I was driving from California to New York, picking up hitchhikers on Craigslist Rideshare along the way. One of the most memorable passengers I had was a guy I affectionately call 'Ginger Jesus', who I met in Sturgis, SD. We spent hours hypermiling my Honda Civic to Chicago, taking turns pushing the limits of fuel efficiency.
What stuck with me about Ginger Jesus was his enthusiasm for Bitcoin. He had made a small fortune as an early adopter and was fresh back from a trip to Brazil.
Despite his best efforts to educate me on the merits of cryptocurrency, I was too distracted by my own interests at the time - namely, binge drinking, experimenting with hallucinogenic drugs, and trying (unsuccessfully) to woo smart college girls who were way out of my league.
To be honest, I was also going through a bit of a faith crisis, having grown up Mormon and starting to question the teachings of all that I had been told to believe.
So when Ginger Jesus started preaching about the gospel of Bitcoin, I was skeptical - not just of the cryptocurrency itself, but of anything that seemed too good (or too cult-like) to be true.
Looking back, I wish I had listened more closely to what he had to say... but at the time, I was too caught up in my own world to care. Ah, good times.
Fast forward to today, and I'm amused by the irony of my own transformation. I used to be a missionary for the Mormon church, spreading the good word to anyone who would listen. But now, I find myself preaching a different kind of gospel - the gospel of Ginger Jesus, and the revolutionary power of bitcoin.
As I look back on my own journey, I think I finally understand how he felt - like a visionary, a trailblazer, and a true believer in something that has the potential to change the world. Who knew that a chance encounter with an awkward stranger from Craigslist would set me on a path to becoming a disciple of the almighty blockchain?
In the name of Satoshi Nakamoto
GM and Amen
