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R.E.flections by a chaliceD.R.E.amer
Wed 20 Jan 2010 1:02pm
As my column is due, I am also preparing to leave for Atlanta, Georgia with Robyn to participate in the Interfaith Training we were selected to be a part of. This is fabulous and I’m so thrilled for this wonderful opportunity. But at the same time, work duties call and my column is due. And so, my Coming-of-Age group agreed to help me write it. It all started when they were so intriguing with their responses to their “what do I believe” surveys that I became totally mesmerized by their words. When one of them said, “What you believe affects what you say when you are losing at cards.” It sounded funny at first and then I realized how deep it runs. I couldn’t stop thinking about the different dimensions of this one statement. I then just had to ask if I could share their comments for my next column. To which they happily agreed – well, in exchange for me bringing ice cream to their next meeting.
That’s what our youth often do to me. Get me thinking outside the box and beyond my usual realities. They challenge me to open my mind and heart. Check out this response one youth wrote after surveying some friends and family about what they believe. “While interviewing four people who have been very influential to me (from three different religions), I realized that I did not know as much about them as I thought … Through the interview process, I came to realize that despite that religion people lend their name to, everyone is an individual with their own personal set of beliefs. I didn’t get the cookie cutter responses I thought I’d get.” Another youth wrote, “Both UUs (I interviewed) don’t believe in God, but they don’t believe in God in different ways.”
Or how about this one to get you thinking? “When asked what they believe happens when they die, the people I interviewed paused to think in depth about what I had asked. All people believe something different - which was great, but puzzling. Can different things happen to different people when they die? Something else to think about. I found it interesting that my dad is still undecided about his beliefs on the subject, knowing that he was alive when dinosaurs roamed the earth.”
Wow! And there were countless more I’d love to share but I’m already running out of space and I still have to share a few highlights from after they watched a movie about what different teenagers believe. Consider these perceptions:
- “There are different variations of God – it is kind of personalized. And the teens have more creative versions of God.”
- “It is cool to see people our age so dedicated.”
- “I thought it was interesting that the Catholic boy, who I think I stereotype in my head as being one of the most religious types of Christians, said that when praying, even in chapel sometimes, he felt like Jesus was there, but other times he didn’t feel Jesus and he felt nothing.”
- “Religion seems like a comfort zone for some people – a reassurance that there is order in the world. People seem to be afraid to discover that there isn’t a God because they want to have something to depend on.”
- “I wondered about the fact that although many of the people believed in God, almost all had at least some doubts or reservations about total belief.”
- “How is it that even a movie about different types of religion doesn’t seem to know about Unitarians or Universalist or Unitarian- Universalists?”
Wow! Lots to think about! I am so impressed to see that this is what they are already coming up with halfway through the program. And then they inspired their middle school friends who started their own survey last Sunday and enthusiastically rushed around Social Hour asking some very unique “what do you believe” questions. Will have to save their results and reactions for another day…
I’m happily glowing because of the blessings and gifts of our youth community! Hope you are too!!
Roberta ♥