It's the second day of second semester and I'm sitting in my first comparative religion class at Tufts, hoping to be enlightened.
Enlightenment is such a transitory concept, if you think about it. Would you please enlighten me as to the status of our relationship? Thank you for enlightening me on the nature of the situation. The Dalai Lama has achieved enlightenment.
What I was looking for, I suppose, was somewhere between the former and latter.
Jump to me later that night, back at Hill, when I was telling everyone how annoying it is when people have to justify their beliefs by walking on eggshells.
"I know some of you prefer to say you're 'spiritual' as opposed to religious, and I know you all cringe when you hear traditionalism, but bear with me for a moment -"
That's what my comparative religion professor said. I dropped the class.
We expect a lot from religion. We expect it to answer all of our questions, to lift us up to some kind of higher level, to fill all those funky little gaps that were left behind in our brains when the splinters of skepticism, or apathy, or vanity were removed. That's a lot to ask of something. And since religion is one of those things whose understanding hinges so much on the amount of effort we put into learning it, can we really be disappointed when it falls short?
After being disappointed time and time again with the explanations that watered-down religious discourses have to offer, we retreat into a bunker of self-importance, calling ourselves "spirituals" or "atheists," as if believing in nothing makes us more worthy of something. We're afraid of real answers. We're afraid of what religion could make us. We're religiophobic.
Now, you may be thinking, "Wait just a minute Olivia. I'm a good [insert religion here]. I believe in [insert deity here] and I don't water anything down. Go me!" Keep your panties on, Bucko. Having a religion doesn't necessarily make you immune to the phobia of the religion of others. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've been asked how comfortable I am with the idea of spending an eternity in Hell. These people walk among you. Be afraid.
After asking several people for their opinions on the matter, I've found that the trend isn't toward atheism; it's away from ignorance. To college students, the word "ignorance" sounds a lot like "fascist," which puts it right up there with the Bogeyman and Kevin Federline. Rather than possibly being labeled ignorant for sticking with a particular religion or for criticizing the beliefs of others, many students are forced to either water down their passions or simply ignore the whole shebang, ironically making the statement that ignorance is bliss.
Let's change the subject. If the fear isn't of ignorance, it is of conversion. You don't want someone to impose their beliefs on you, or worse yet, you don't want to feel out of place or disrespected because you don't share the same beliefs as those around you.
Welcome to life. People are going to disagree with and criticize you, but I can almost promise that any group wanting your respect won't be disrespectful. If a group opens their doors to all, they don't expect a bunch of one-track minds to come through the door wanting to leave with pamphlets in hand and a complete understanding of their organization. They realize that chances are you're there for the free pizza. If you can leave with the knowledge that being religious doesn't make one "backwards," or "fundamentalist," they've met their quotas for the day.
So what's my point? When you hear "religious," don't think "traditionalism," "evolution" or "prayer." Realize that when someone tells you their beliefs, they're probably watering them down a little. They can't explain things in a few seconds that took them years to learn. Becoming more open-minded, becoming spiritual, becoming religious is a step-by-step process. You have to fall in love with it slowly, taking it one sip at a time. A person who has never tried spicy foods isn't going to start by eating a jalape?±o.
Don't listen to what people have to say, especially if what they have to say is negative. I sat on a ski lift listening to a kid tell his buddy about "the basic tenets of Scientology" which apparently he had found out from a "South Park" episode. Seriously, guys: don't take anything at face value. Listen to someone who's happy with their situation to get a better perspective on it. Ask them questions. Chances are, even the most religious of individuals has put their faith into question at some point in their life.
A great Rabbi once told an atheist that if he had the same concept of God as the atheist, he wouldn't believe in Him either. Maybe you're one of those people who was religious at one point in your life, but have now left it behind in your deep, dark past. Rediscover your faith! It can't possibly hurt. The opposite of a religious fanatic isn't an atheist - it's a cynic.
