I find it amusing when people assume that because I studied theology, I must've been getting "this is what I believe" from any of my professors. To date, the only professor who made that statement was the Rabbi. Even then he only spoke with the general qualification that he gave his answer as a Reformed Jew, and even then spoke in general terms, not personal.
My entire life I have never discussed any of the family's political leanings with either of my parents. The only information I ever had about their political views was a comment my mother made back prior to the Reagan/Carter election. She only said, "your father and I have always voted on opposite sides." She didn't specify who was which, and later made a comment that made me suspect these sides may have changed at times, but to this day I don't know which parent voted for whom. I know my sister registered as a Democrat in HS, but switched her registration to Republican so she could participate as a Girl Scout in the Bush Sr inaugural parade. *snickers* This was met with much amusement by the extended family, which still gives me no clues to my part-time curiosity about my parents' and grandparents' political views.
When it comes to religion, I think--like politics, in some ways--people don't apply this, because it's an socio-emotional aspect of one's identity, and not something most can/will pick apart and put back together again. And it is easier, in the long run, to remain where you were raised, unless you were raised in an environment where the socio-emotional rules changed somewhat regularly. This is why I envied my military and foreign service friends, who were immersed in widely varying cultures, especially those who lived off-base overseas and did not attend the local (military) American School. I suppose my parents did a smaller version by sending my sister and I to a variety of churches through our upbringing, from Jewish synagogues to every form of Protestant up to Greek Orthodox. Then again, my parents were raised Methodist and Presbyterian, so becoming Episcopalian was a compromise, not a life-long allegiance prior to my baptism.
And yes, Russian Orthodox services are amazing. You want ritual? They've got ritual in spades. Gorgeous, gorgeous. But I've also been to a tent revival, complete with little kid preaching (screaming is more like it). Talk about a one-eighty from the first example. Hell, tent revivals are a one-eighty from the standard Anglican service, let alone the pomp and majesty of Russian Orthodox.
[I have yet to attend an event at the local Hindu temple, and the only thing keeping me is that attendance is usually around two hundred plus people, yegawdz. And I would like to go for the next Ganesh Chaturthi. Because Ganesha: god of learning and elephant!, and you can't get cooler than that.]
no subject
Date: 11 Mar 2005 06:00 pm (UTC)I find it amusing when people assume that because I studied theology, I must've been getting "this is what I believe" from any of my professors. To date, the only professor who made that statement was the Rabbi. Even then he only spoke with the general qualification that he gave his answer as a Reformed Jew, and even then spoke in general terms, not personal.
My entire life I have never discussed any of the family's political leanings with either of my parents. The only information I ever had about their political views was a comment my mother made back prior to the Reagan/Carter election. She only said, "your father and I have always voted on opposite sides." She didn't specify who was which, and later made a comment that made me suspect these sides may have changed at times, but to this day I don't know which parent voted for whom. I know my sister registered as a Democrat in HS, but switched her registration to Republican so she could participate as a Girl Scout in the Bush Sr inaugural parade. *snickers* This was met with much amusement by the extended family, which still gives me no clues to my part-time curiosity about my parents' and grandparents' political views.
When it comes to religion, I think--like politics, in some ways--people don't apply this, because it's an socio-emotional aspect of one's identity, and not something most can/will pick apart and put back together again. And it is easier, in the long run, to remain where you were raised, unless you were raised in an environment where the socio-emotional rules changed somewhat regularly. This is why I envied my military and foreign service friends, who were immersed in widely varying cultures, especially those who lived off-base overseas and did not attend the local (military) American School. I suppose my parents did a smaller version by sending my sister and I to a variety of churches through our upbringing, from Jewish synagogues to every form of Protestant up to Greek Orthodox. Then again, my parents were raised Methodist and Presbyterian, so becoming Episcopalian was a compromise, not a life-long allegiance prior to my baptism.
And yes, Russian Orthodox services are amazing. You want ritual? They've got ritual in spades. Gorgeous, gorgeous. But I've also been to a tent revival, complete with little kid preaching (screaming is more like it). Talk about a one-eighty from the first example. Hell, tent revivals are a one-eighty from the standard Anglican service, let alone the pomp and majesty of Russian Orthodox.
[I have yet to attend an event at the local Hindu temple, and the only thing keeping me is that attendance is usually around two hundred plus people, yegawdz. And I would like to go for the next Ganesh Chaturthi. Because Ganesha: god of learning and elephant!, and you can't get cooler than that.]