Vanessa Gross

Religion, like politics, is a topic I don’t eagerly jump into when others are discussing because like Mark Twain said:

“In religion and politics people’s beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second-hand from others.” I agree.

I find talking about either causes uncomfortable situations. For example, if you’re Republican and you are in a room of Republicans and you agree with a Democratic position, you’re scoffed at. The assumption is that you aren’t a ‘true’ Republican if you agree with the other party.

So often we can get into a discussion that it turns into “my way or the highway” when the facts are not even clear.

I don’t know if it’s laziness, or just wanting to be a part of the herd. I think that there are more ‘in the middle’ than left or right. Is it so wrong to agree with more than one affiliate on any given subject, especially if you have done your homework?

I am tired of hearing what constitutes a Christian.

As a teenager I quit going to church with my family every Sunday because I was given a choice. My mom could tell that I was not as enthusiastic about church as I once was. I wanted to explore other religions. My mom, who baptized me as a Methodist, agreed to let me go where my curiosity would lead.

I started reading about other religions and going to church with friends of different beliefs. It was the most interesting journey of soul searching. Instead of someone telling me about religions, I put the rumors to rest and discovered the truth for myself.

Years later, marriage and two kids, I have returned to the Methodist faith. But during my soul searching, did I ever abandon God? No, not once. I have always believed in God and thought of myself as a Christian. But because I was not committed to a specific church and not your ‘regular church patron, some assumed that I was not a Christian.

I have always been spiritual to some degree, and through my wanderings to other houses of worship, I have found that I like something about all of them. Whether it was Mormonism, Catholicism or Buddhism, all religions have offered something meaningful to my life.

I chose to return to the Methodist church because it feels right and I feel very comfortable when I go there. The sermons the minsters deliver each Sunday make sense to me and make me want to be a better person. They do a lot of volunteer work for the community and I love being a part of something that touches others in such a positive way. I don’t go every Sunday but when I come back, the doors are still open.

I am comfortable with standing up and saying that I am a Christian, I am a member of the Methodist church and I value a lot of other faiths. So is it possible that I am a Heinz 57 when it comes to religion?

vgross@mesastate.edu