Good Ol' Fashioned Religion

The advent of Jesus Week and the organization of several different Christian groups for a common purpose made me realize the growing presence of religion at Harvard. Coming from the Bible Belt, I was not only raised in a very religious environment (Southern Baptist), but also raised as a very religious person (Hindu). In Augusta, Ga., everyone went to their designated church/temple/mosque on Sundays for some "ol' fashioned religion." While I was aware of certain other faiths, there were only two religions that really mattered: "mine" and "theirs." By the end of high school, I was accustomed to people occasionally looking at the color of my skin and approaching me about having a personal relationship with Jesus. Sometimes genuinely nice, most of the time condescending, but always making me uncomfortable. (My best friend, a nominal Catholic, would get bothered even more, because he was "supposed to know the way of the Lord.")

Thus it was no surprise that Harvard seemed to be a refreshing change from the world of Inherit The Wind. People seemed to be more open to the possibility of other religions and other views of religion. Students saw themselves are impartial judges who could rationally tackle the question of "Does God exist? What happens if He does/does not?" However, this was not the case. I would meet more and more students with anti-God sentiment: a disgust with religion and people who "bought into that myth." This opposition to religion seemed to spring from Harvard itself, as I heard this theme repeated subtly in classes, meals, and meetings. Again I was disheartened, until I realized a key misconception Harvard students have of religion.

There are certain fringe elements in all religions--those who believe their path is superior and hence passionately believe in proselytizing--and, unfortunately, these people are the ones that do most of the shouting. Yet most religious Americans, whatever their faith, do not believe in this message. Instead they try to live their lives according to their God--to be a good Christian, good Hindu, good Jew, good Muslim, etc. These people have a strong belief in a value system and see themselves as moral people, yet they are neither bitter nor aggressive towards those who do not share their beliefs. It is in this manner that religion has taken hold in this country, and it this spirit which drove the Founding Fathers to create "One Nation Under God."

Many people I know have had a spiritual experience of some sort. As vague as that term may sound, there is a reason that it is so difficult to describe such an experience--the diversity of beliefs about God and one's personal relationship with Him can be mind-boggling. Yet the fact that is hard to explain does not mean that one should dismiss it completely as some irrational feeling or a pattern of unusual behavior. It is wrong to completely deny the human need for guidance, one that has such an obvious and simple answer--God.

How far you want to pursue that relationship, or if you want to pursue it at all, is up to you. Granted, organized religion does have several flaws that turn off a significant amount of the population, especially those who consider themselves "well-educated." But attacking people who have a higher purpose in life and are willing to serve others in the name of that cause is not only pure selfishness but also a real form of bigotry. So while the message of Jesus Week was a bit too strong for me, I sincerely admire the organizers for their decision to stand up and be counted. After all, college shouldn't just be about academic exploration, should it?

--Vasant M. Kamath