What Is Religion Anyway?

By Sydney Scott

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“Even though I don’t have an image of God, and don’t consider myself a religious person, I’ve come to realize that religion is a huge part of a lot of people’s lives.”

Sydney: Have you ever been asked to draw your image of God? Going to a Catholic high school, I’ve been asked this many times, and to be honest, I don’t really have an answer. I usually end up drawing this white-haired old guy in the clouds, so I get an A. Even though I don’t have an image of God, and don't consider myself a religious person, I’ve come to realize that religion is a huge part of a lot of people’s lives, and that it shapes their outlook on life. I interviewed both of my grandmothers. First, my Jewish grandmother explains her disbelief in God, but her love of Christianity. Then, my Catholic and Buddhist grandmother discusses the need to own your beliefs, instead of blindly following religion. I started by asking questions, but…honestly? The interview was better when I let my grandmas freestyle.

Sydney: Do you consider yourself a religious person?

Grandma 1: I don't consider myself religious, because I don't really attest to any particular religion and… I don't believe in God. And I know everybody laughs at me, but I really do believe that cosmically he is the sun, the stars, everything around the planet and the way… weather works, and this and that. I do feel that ... oh, shit. Who the hell is calling? Nobody—it’s—Howard! Pick up the phone, it's Sherry! [Sydney laughs]. Hold on a second, I’m giving… Sydney's interviewing me. I’m trying to get granddaddy to pick up the phone.

Sydney: I’m not entirely sure what the question was, but I was surprised by my Jewish grandmother’s love of Christianity.

Grandma 1: I went to church with my friends, because that's where they went on Sunday. On Easter Sunday I got dressed up and had Easter dinner with them. I mean, it was…but I was disconnected in my head about anything religious to have to do with it, it was more like a party and getting together, in my mind. My father would not let us have a Christmas tree, because to him, it was a religious thing. My mother on the other hand, said, “Oh, let them have a Christmas tree.” And my father refused. So, I said okay, so, no sooner did we get married and we all had Christmas trees, until it got to be a drag, because you had to put them up, you had to take them down. And then the kids weren't living at home anymore and we said, “Why are we putting up a tree?” I said, “You and I don’t want to do it anymore.” [Grandma laughing].

Sydney: My grandmother’s take on religion is lighthearted. Like a party, where everyone gets together, as she says. Let’s hear from my other grandmother. What is religion?

Grandma 2: It depends on what you mean by religion. It’s not all organized religion, but religion is a way of human beings coming together to, really, kind of express the highest and best about ourselves. There’s a phrase in St. Paul, “The believing wife sanctifies the unbelieving husband,” something like that. And it was the other way around, I said he was the unbelieving husband that sanctified the believing wife, because, after a few years I didn’t believe anything that I really hadn’t thought about. I just…the idea of belief versus following a bunch of rules gradually became clear to me, and how you have to own your beliefs.

Sydney: How did you raise your children with respect to religion?

Grandma 2: Um, it’s like my generation never knew how to talk about sex with children—I didn't know how to talk about religion with children either. So, I’m not sure what exactly they absorbed, other than a complete disdain for religion [Grandma laughs], and great relief at not having to go to church when they got bigger.

Sydney: Religion is powerful and personal, and whether it’s an Easter Sunday party, or a Buddhist retreat, everybody has their own expression of it.