Beauty in religion.
I have posted 2 rather not so flattering views of religions and now I need to balance that. I can use my "religion friends" as examples. One the best friends I have ever had was the result of meeting a mutual friend. She is very religious. She is a Christian. She was sitting in the dining hall freshman year and just started talking to me about curly hair. (She has gorgeous dark curly hair.) Well, she was so happy and so friendly, I instantly loved the girl. She invited me to a Baptist Student Union volley ball game and I said I'd go. I did and while I was there I met Emily McGuckian and Yung Hae Kim, two of the most wonderful women I have had the privilege to know on this earth.
At this point in my life I wasn't very religious and felt something was out there, but was skeptical by this now. Cynthia, however, lived for Jesus. She still does, I think. She is even still active in FCA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Through out my life since college I have met several people who were very strong in their faith. Most of them are Christian. They are compelled to do the right thing based on the words of the Bible. My grandmothers, rest their souls, devout Catholic and Southern Baptists gave thanks to God, Mary and Jesus for everything. Now, many of my closest friends are way deep in their faith (see earlier post) or very strong, at least.
This is what I have noticed in all of them:
-Service to others. They donate time, money, energy all to help their fellow man in service to God.
-Patience.
-Reaching out to those less fortunate.
-Positive thinkers.
-Appreciate beauty in nature. A favorite trait of mine.
-They want what is good for others.
These are GREAT qualities in any person. Religions reinforce these qualities over and over. The moral framework that is fostered by religions keep society running in a positive direction. It gives humanity boundaries and keeps us all in check, basically.
It's weird for me to speak both negatively and positively about religions. It's a weird place to be. I love my friends and I know that the same religion I have issues with is the same one that makes them who they are and I would never ever want to change that. I would never want them to lose it. It may not be my religion, but it affects my life for better or worse and I react to it and learn from it.
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