The Transitive Property Of My Religion

Coming back to the blogging-sphere has been something I have wanted to do for months.  Taking all the things I have to say about this world and finally channelling them out here.  To do that, I decided to start a little local.  This post has been inspired by my recent and temporary move into a little place with a very pervasive sub-culture of its own.  A sub-culture in which a person like me does not really fit in.  I won’t go into all the little details of its sub-culture (or why it isn’t something I want to be a part of...although I will list some) because it isn’t necessary for this entry, but the name of the school gives away the most necessary ingredient to this little college campus:  Olivet Nazarene University.  Here are some of the implicit rules of this school:

1. You are Christian
2. You are protestant
3. You are pro-life
4. You want to one day (hopefully, soon) be married in a heterosexual relationship
5. You are republican (although I have recently become aware of a democrat group on campus, but the fact that I spent a year and a half here before becoming aware of its existence speaks for itself)
6. You believe in very “traditional” roles for men and women
7. You believe women are responsible for controlling men’s “lust” (this rule is actually more explicit, but I needed to mention it)

...To name a few.  If items 2-7 are a product of item number 1 then I can proudly tell you I am not one.  And most people here besides my close friends think that makes me very very wrong, and probably less of a person.  That was mostly just to give you an idea of what I am surrounded by right now.  I do not consider those things to be related, so Christianity isn't necessarily ruled out for my religion.  (The problem is I am required to attend chapel where the likes of that list are preached).  

Sitting in chapel yesterday (having tuned out after the opening of the sermon began with a sexist story about nagging, love-thirsty women) I began to contemplate once again my own religious beliefs.  When I was young, and to some extent still today, I had a craving for spirituality and I have only recently began to understand why that spirituality manifested in being highly attached to my United Methodist church, its youth group, and the Christian God. 


It seems obvious, being the granddaughter of a Christian pastor, why I attached myself to Christianity and not Judaism or Hinduism or any other religion.  But even more than that Christianity is the dominant religion in our world (especially my hometown where the only thing close to the amount of Christian churches was the amount of fast-food restaurants) and we all know that being a part of any dominant group awards one privileges.   Privileges I wanted.  For example, being comfortable when my school says prayers before events, having my school celebrate and honor my religious holidays, not being made fun of by other kids for my religion, actually having a group in my town with my religious beliefs substantial enough to have the resources for a place of worship and programs for kids, etc.  Religion can also provide a community (as long as you fit our standards) and an in-group.  Being a part of a youth group and having strong adult and peer relationships during a time of crisis, such as middle/high school was of great importance in my development.  Having a community as strong, accessible, consistent, and with as many resources as some churches is a great advantage to people. 

The unfortunate thing I have discovered is that it isn’t accessible to all people.  I was recently talking to my roommate about the marketing business of churches and I can’t help to apply it here...it’s my experience that you will be hard pressed to find a church that advertises its discriminatory practices, but certainly not hard to find one that discriminates.  If you are welcomed into the church “as you are” you certainly won’t be able to stay that way comfortably.  Meaning, the church is out to convert.  Typically this refers to their politics and their biblical interpretations (which are completely subjective to their environment and cultural biases...the person after all cannot be taken from their context).

This is something I don’t want to be a part of.  I don’t want to convert anyone; I do want to learn from other people.  I want to be someone who is full of love and peace.  I want to challenge stereotypes I grew up with, not reenforce them.  And I don't want to claim any religion as my own without more study of what that religion actually stands for.  The community of a church is something I find right now in my friends and family.

My conclusions for myself...

1. God may or may not exist
2. If God exists, I would only want to follow God if God represented equality and truth
3. I am not worried about my current lack of acknowledgment of the God I am unsure of because I am constantly striving to learn truth and how to be a better person.  A person that cares for others and believes everyone is equal. 
4. I would like to explore other religions and truths they hold.  And to be aware of my own quality of life while learning new religious practices.
5. My religion can be broken down by the transitive property:
   I will continue to strive to live according to truth and equality
   and
   If, God = Truth and Equality
   Then, I will continue to strive to live according to God
   If God doesn’t exist then I simply live by truth and equality