COLUMN: To believe, or not to believe
As Easter Sunday creeps closer, some students may lament over not having an extended weekend to celebrate at home, while others might observe it as any other day.
Confession time.
I did not give up something special or dear to me for Lent this year. I ate meat on more than one Friday, and I liked it. I have not been to church since the last Holy Day of Obligation. I take the Lord's name in vain — very creatively — when I'm running late to class or my Internet connection cuts out during my favorite Netflix show.
And yet, I am taking this Sunday off of work in order to go home to celebrate the holy holiday.
I am a bit of an enigma. As a born-and-raised Catholic, the church has always been a significant part of my life and belief system. As an anthropology major, a part of my education has shown me that organized religion is a social construct created by humans as a way to justify their actions and that which they cannot explain.
Some would argue these two aspects of my life are at odds with one another. I argue that they deepen my understanding, and my faith. Understanding that it was men who built churches, wrote rules and established traditions frees me from the guilt of not always attending and not always agreeing with them.
Right now, I am three weeks into my 100-level online religion class — little tip: get your UP's out of the way before your last senior semester. In this class, I am learning the distinct histories of every major world religion. This prompted me to invest a little more time researching Catholicism.
For the longest time, I was conflicted about my faith and what kind of follower I was. Was I really a Catholic? It didn't feel like it. Was I some other religion? None of them felt right. It wasn't until I began exploring my own religion's history, until I actively tried to understand it, that I was able to decide what I believed in.
Confession time.
I say a prayer almost every night before I go to sleep. I believe I was put on this earth for a purpose, and that only the higher power that put me here knows how I am meant to fulfill that purpose. I believe in the power of forgiveness and kindness to others.
The biggest thing my religious and cultural education has taught me is that your faith is your own. No one has the right to judge the way you choose to practice it, just as you do not have the right to judge the manifestation of another's faith.
Religion gives us so many things. It teaches values, provides direction and unites communities around the world through a shared ideal.
I implore you to educate yourselves when it comes to your own belief system. If something doesn't seem right, question it. If you don't understand a certain tradition, research it. If you feel following a religious rule is compromising your morals, take a step back and ask yourself why.
No matter what your belief system, values or traditions, celebrate this weekend the way you see fit. Or don't.
At the end of the day, we all need something to believe in, even if it is the idea that there is nothing to believe in at all.
