The introduction to Chapter 16, talking about teaching religion in schools today caught my attention. While I do believe in the separation of church and state, I think sometimes people are too sensitive about the subject of Christianity in school. What I mean is, the Europeans who came over to North America were expanding and colonizing with Christianity in mind, a driving force even. So today, Christianity should be discussed when learning about the formation of America. Do not preach Christianity, teach Christianity. We learn about many religions in school why shouldn’t we learn that Christian missionaries played a huge role in the expansion of America?
I was talking with some friends over the weekend about religion. I don’t know why but I have remembered Martin Luther and his 95 Theses in 1517 since the first time I read about it back in 7th grade. I admire the fact that he challenged something he didn’t believe in, especially because I am Catholic and am glad some one called them out on their wildly inappropriate abuse of power and corruption. I think it is interesting that his questioning then evolved into a whole separate religion. And this is where our friendly discussion began.
Do people believe in God or religion? I identify with the Catholic religion, but at the same time I think religion is so weird. Like Martin Luther, some one essentially made up each religion. Luther protested Catholicism, and this Protestantism was born. It is right there in the name, the religion is based on Catholicism but modified after questions, protests arose. It is some one’s interpretation of the bible, or other primary sources. But why does that determine what I believe in? Do I have to believe in some one’s interpretation? Or can I have my own? I think if people believe in God, they should believe in God and not necessarily a church or religion- until they learn more about it. This is all hard for me to articulate, I don’t know if having questions makes me “un-Catholic” or what. All I know is that I believe in God, I was baptized Catholic as a child, but I do not believe in everything mandated by Catholicism. For example, in the Bible it is said that faith the size of a mustard seed defines a relationship with God and that to get into Heaven all you have to do is have that faith. I don’t believe in purgatory, because if you believe in God, you will go to Heaven. People talk about murderers on death row and how they claim they believe in God right before they die so they will go to Heaven. That is not for us to judge, if they do then great. But if they believe in a desire for salvation and not truly in God, that is between him and God.
“Throughout the modern era, people solidly rooted in Confucianism, Buddhist, Hindu, or Islamic traditions proved far more resistant to the Christian message than those who practiced more localized, small-scale, orally based polytheistic religions” (p 468). It makes sense that orally based religions were not as strongly upheld, however it is tragic that so many traditions were lost. Europeans and Christianity totally overpowered the natives and native cultures. Ever since those early days, it seems like Europeans and new Americans have taken that to heart and continue to overwhelm cultures and religions that are different. One small positive is that some native traditions were sometimes absorbed into Christianity in that area: “In such ways did Christianity take root in the new cultural environments of Spanish American, but it was distinctly Andean or Mexican Christianity, not merely a copy of the Spanish version” (p 470). Whether it was an attempt to resist Christianity or an honest infusion of new beliefs with old ones, each culture contributed some customs their new Christian life.
Sometimes I wonder where each religion came from, because so many of them have strong similarities that it almost seems like one religion was morphed into a unique sect based on the culture in which it developed. Maybe that is my own naïve, please-everybody delusion but if more people realized the similarities don’t you think we could reduce the conflict and discrimination (at least between religions). I love science and believe science and religion can be related, but I am stumped when it comes to arguing for one over the other and generally try to avoid that discussion at all costs!
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