Your parents wouldn't lie to you. When they tell you Santa Claus is real, you believe them. When they tell you they decided to bring the dog to a farm in the country, you believe them. When they tell you eating vegetables makes you grow, you believe them. Why wouldn't you? They are your parents.
But this open-mindedness to all spoken by your parents extends past innocent lies and tooth fairies. Your parents teach you how the world works. To say that more correctly, your parents teach you how they think the world works. Concepts like religion, race, politics, even the proper method to prioritize your classes and hobbies, are passed down from your parents.
"This is how so many different religions continue to be popular," my dad frequently explains to me. "When children are told by their parents that the earth is 6000 years old, evolution is a lie, the climate isn't changing, etc, they believe it because they trust their parents."
My mom's family is Jewish. Growing up, we always went to my step-aunt's house for Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), my aunt's house for Yom Kippur (the day of atonement), my Grandma's for Hanukkah (the most overhyped holiday ever), and my Grandpa's for Passover (the celebration of the Jews' exodus from Egypt). Personally, I like to go by what science tells me, making me pretty atheist. Most of my family is atheist or agnostic as well. But these holidays and their traditions have been passed onto me, and I always have a certain appreciation for these holidays.
My dad isn't religious at all, and likes to go by what science tells him. If scientists say there was a giant explosion thirteen billion years ago that created a bunch of quarks and atoms that formed the vast universe we live in today, he'll believe it. Scientists use a scientific method to make sure their conclusions are factual, not opinionated. And he makes sure that everything is a fact before he believes it.
When I have a question about how the world works, I always go to my dad. I know he knows how the world works. My dad wouldn't lie to me.
This blog post works because you start with broad statements that most people can relate to. I was drawn in to the piece right away, and as I read on I realized we have had a lot of similar experiences, in terms of having parents who observe religion to different degrees. However, after you say that you look to your dad for explanations about religion, I am still left wondering how that has affected your outlook on life, and your personality in general. You had a powerful ending that tied it together nicely when you said, "My dad wouldn't lie to me."
ReplyDelete