Feeling Hungry?

True story: Sara Miles, a journalist and an atheist, became tremendously curious one day as she walked by St. Gregory's, an Episcopal church in San Francisco. What was going on in there? she wondered, her journalistic sense tingling. So she ventured inside. The church was offering communion--to everyone! Sara (pictured right) was more than a little shocked when a woman handed her a piece of fresh bread and offered her a goblet of wine.

"I ate the bread and was completely thunderstruck by what I felt happening to me," she told PSB's Religion & Ethic's NewsWeekly. "So I stood there crying."

After the service, Sara bolted out of the church, not wanting to be accosted by some crazy Christian. But the next week, she returned. And she continued to go to that service, again and again. The former Mother Jones editor says she kept going back because she was "hungry."

I've been thinking about Sara a lot, mostly because I've heard a lot of church folk talking about being "fed" recently: attending a certain church where they'll be "fed," getting "fed" by their pastor. You all know how I'm pretty fed up (bad pun intended) with Christian words and phrases that are only used within the church--our "Christianize" language. So my first instinct on hearing Christians use the word "fed" was to roll my eyes and let out a long, loud sigh.

But before I could mentally line up my arguments for why every Christian should quit using the word "fed," the Holy Spirit yanked my ear. "Stop it!" the Spirit seemed to be telling me. "Don't judge people for expressing how they feel in words with which they're familiar. Think about what they're saying. Think about what their words mean."

I realized I needed to dig deeper. So I thought about some ways we can be fed:

FORCE-FED: Sometimes, folks don't really want spiritual nourishment. Yet they go to church or read their Bible anyway because it feels like the right thing to do. Perhaps another person actually coerces or forces them to go, like in a parent/teen relationship or a marriage. Or perhaps in a dating relationship, one might go to church hoping to please their significant other.

SPOON-FED: As a seeker, I was so spiritually hungry that I would take anything from anyone. I didn't know how to fill myself up spiritually, so I accepted whatever was given to me. This is also a way to describe Christians who don't investigate their faith. They accept whatever the pastor says, and they don't bother to look up Scripture to verify whether the sermons--or their beliefs--are on track.

In a physical sense, these two methods of feeding are usually used by parents who are the sole providers of their child's nourishment. The kid gets whatever he's fed, whether he likes it or not. Likewise, in a spiritual sense, something good might get digested, even if one doesn't actively seek or desire the food.

Even as I seek out spiritual nutrition for myself more and more, there will probably always be moments when I don't want to read my Bible or I'd rather just sit passively in church without processing the pastor's words. I know God forgives me for those moments of selfishness and laziness. Soon enough, I'm ravenous and ready to do the hard work and deep thinking required for a good meal. Anyone who cooks knows there's a lot of work that goes into eating: writing the grocery list, heading to the supermarket, planning the menu, finding the recipes, then the actual prepping and cooking. We get out of a meal what we put into it.

"The requirement for faith turned out

not to be believing in a doctrine, or

knowing how to behave in a church,

or being the right kind of person, or

being raised correctly, or repeating

the rituals. The requirement for faith

seemed to be hunger." --Sara Miles

Does this mean we should be striving to do all our own cooking when it comes to our spiritual meals? Not a chance. It seems impossible to know absolutely everything about food, so how could I possibly learn all there is to know about faith?

Every Tuesday, I go to my friend Peggy's home for dinner. Peggy is a good cook, so it's a treat for me to enjoy a delicious meal I didn't have to make. In the same way, we should seek out "good cooks" in the church. Spiritual wisdom can be found at every age and stage in the Christian walk, so we shouldn't limit ourselves to the pastoral team.

It's important to get fed by others for a couple reasons. First, they may have insight that I don't. Isn't it great when someone gives you a recipe you've always wanted, or maybe even a cooking lesson? Most importantly, when I let others feed me, it keeps me humble. It causes me to acknowledge the value of others. I don't know how to cook meat on a grill, so I'm thrilled whenever someone invites me to their barbecue.

I recently learned something huge from Sara Miles, that former atheist journalist who walked into a church and was given a piece of bread. Sara became a Christian and now--get this--provides meals to hungry people through St. Gregory's food ministry. Her words about that first, accidental communion experience:

"I think what I discovered in that moment when I put the bread in my mouth and was so blown away by the reality of Jesus was that the requirement for faith turned out not to be believing in a doctrine, or knowing how to behave in a church, or being the right kind of person, or being raised correctly, or repeating the rituals. The requirement for faith seemed to be hunger," she told PBS. "It was the hunger that I had always had and the willingness to be fed by something I didn't understand."

Thanks, Sara, for teaching me that every person on this planet is hungry. It's not my job to judge how others get fed. Or how they interpret that word. While I may know a little bit about spiritual food preparation, I'm not the food source: "Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty' " (John 6:35).

My job is simply to tell every one of them where they can get a free meal.

To ponder:
1) How much effort do you put into understanding your faith and building a relationship with God? Are you eating like a gourmand or a pauper?

2) What is your attitude toward the "meals" served at your church? If you don't feel like you're getting fed, ask yourself, "Is there nutritional value here? Is there truly nothing to eat? Or do I just don't like the taste or type of cuisine?"

What Would Jesus Do (for Physical Fitness)?

My friend T just sent me a press release for the next great Christian exercise craze: CHRISTOGA!

(Yeah, I knew you'd never believe me, so here's the photo to prove it.)

I admit, at first I had a good laugh. Especially when T said, "Christoga? Seriously? That sounds like something you wear to a Christgreek-themed party. Or a kind of wagon you'd ride in during the United States' Western expansion."

"Next, they'll be selling Christogear and Christowear for Christoga," I replied. "Or maybe we'll be buying environmentally friendly cars with an optional Christomatic gear shift. Or the newest digital camera that shoots perfect photos of the sky and stars, thanks to its Christographic lens."

The "mantra" of Christoga is "Yoga-filled body, Christ-filled soul." In the program, exercisers meditate on Bible verses.

I like stretching. I like meditating on Scripture. I like Jesus. But I don't much like it when Jesus' name is used for marketing purposes.

Take "WWJ [fill in the blank]." What Would Jesus Eat? Well, I suppose he'd eat food suited to his time and culture. What Would Jesus Drive? Hmm, perhaps a donkey? Maybe a camel? And how do these aspects of Jesus' life apply to my own? Since I didn't live in that time period or culture, I really don't know. I suppose we can speculate about Jesus' motivation for many things. And I guess it isn't altogether bad to apply that speculation to life today. As long as the bookstores file it under "self-help," and not "theology."

But using our Lord and Savior as a way to sell stuff? Seems like we're wrongly using his name. I don't much like that at all.

Some time ago, I thought someone was wrongly using my name. It appeared someone had registered a blog under the name "Holly Vicente Robaina." I immediately contacted the company that ran that blog service, demanding they investigate the misuse of my name.

Since I'm a writer, my name means everything to me. I could only imagine the charlatan who'd stolen my name was going to write something terrible--with my name on it!--thus tarnishing my hard-earned reputation.

(Thankfully, it turns out, I was the culprit--I'd registered a blog years ago and had forgotten about it.)

I sometimes wonder, What Would Jesus Think ... about the ways we use his name and his image? Back when The Passion of the Christ came out, on hearing Jim Caviezel had the role of Jesus, I told T, "I bet Jesus was hot!" My very wise friend replied with this verse: "He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him" (Isaiah 53:2). That verse made me think about Jesus in a new way.

What Would Jesus Think ... about the

ways we use his name and his image?

I also think about the diamond-encrusted platinum crosses that rappers like 50 Cent wear. Maybe Fiddy is just expressing his love for Jesus in his own way. Maybe everyone who wears a silver, gold or platinum cross around their neck--from teen-agers to blue-haired seniors--is merely expressing the way they value the cross, as something worthy and precious. But I do wonder, What does Jesus think about the way we've blinged out the old, rugged cross?

Mostly, I wonder how I'm affected by the way our society uses Jesus' name, his image, and symbols representing him. Do I look at the cross as a status symbol? (I can remember wearing lots of cross jewelry in the 80s primarily because it was uber-cool.) When I think of Jesus, do I imagine the European savior in the white robe with the blue sash, his long, brown tresses flowing in the wind? Do I slap the latest Christian bumper sticker on my car because it's clever--a cool way to show others I'm a member of the club?

Or do I think about a dirty homeless man who hung out with the types you'd find on Skid Row? Do I remember he was a laborer? Do the sanitized images in my mind prevent me from seeing how relatable--down-to-earth real--Jesus is?

It's impossible for me to have an accurate image of Jesus, since the best I can do is to measure him by what I've seen and experienced. But I can try to experience more of the biblical Jesus by digging deep into Scripture.

The example Jesus set and the things he's called us to do can be difficult to swallow. I want to be careful that I'm not recreating him to be more palatable or more to my own tastes. I mean, I don't want to start believing Jesus might have done yoga in a belly shirt.

To ponder:
1) In what ways have you made Jesus--and your Christian life--more palatable?

2) What are some possible consequences of glamorizing Christianity?

3) What are some positive and negative aspects of Christian merchandise and programs?

4) Along with reading the Bible, are there ways we can develop a more accurate image of Jesus?

Oops, I Did It Again

There's a little something new on H-n-T: a disclaimer to let you know the opinions expressed herein are solely mine (with the "mine" referring to me, Holly Vicente Robaina) or of the guest authors who post. It'll remain under the "Affiliations" section of my profile.

Nobody asked me to add the disclaimer. But after seeking the advice of my buddy and fellow writer T (AKA Teeriffic, who's posted on H-n-T before), it seems like a good thing to include.

That's because I had another little "incident" this week, of the only-in-my-head nature. A few weeks ago, I'd written about my struggle with the c-word (the poo-related one). I'd long intended to post several times so that entry wouldn't be at the top of H-n-T. It's not that I wanted to hide my struggle with naughty words. Rather, I knew a new audience would soon be visiting H-n-T. I'd really wanted to put my better foot forward, especially because the last post opens with huge red letters that say, "Warning: The following blog entry contains language some may find offensive." But I never got around to covering up the poo entry with new, happier posts. So many of the new readers saw my foot that's covered in poo.

You see, I'm started to write a blog column for Today's Christian Woman (TCW) online this month. I didn't know my page on TCW was already live, complete with a link to H-n-T. Several TCW readers have thus been introduced to me as "poo-mouthed girl."

Does it bother me? Honestly, a little. My buddy T says blog writing presents an interesting challenge for Christians because we struggle to balance authenticity and holiness. It's easy to go too far in one direction or the other.

That seems to be a struggle for many Christians in life, too. On the one hand, we Christians want to be real, particularly with folks who aren't Christians. We want others to see we have faults, shortcomings and pain, just the same as everyone does. On the other hand, we don't want our personal struggles to negatively affect others. For example, I'd never want the teens in my youth group to think I advocate using the c-word--thus, it would be wrong for me to use the c-word in front of them, then shrug it off as me "keepin' it real."

Keeping that balance can be especially hard when I feel I've got to perform for an audience. For me, that audience is you readers. T asked me, "Why are you writing this blog in the first place? Are you writing it to draw an audience of people who will like you and agree with you?" She compared this with an unknown artist who is signed to a record company--then suddenly, the artist loses everything unique about her music because she's trying to please others.

"Or are you trying to honestly share your experiences and your faith journey?" T asked.

Well, yeah, that second one. Above all, I want my words and this blog to be pleasing to God. I believe God moved me to start H-n-T last year with a mandate to make it straightforward, honest, and free. That meant I had to be careful not to use confusing church jargon, that I had to be forthright about my own struggles and doubts, and that I would offer my best writing (not secondhand reprints or castoffs) free of charge so my best stuff would be as accessible as possible.

But sometimes, I start wondering, Can God use someone as imperfect as me? A few months ago, I almost stopped writing H-n-T after posting a joke about James Dobson. No one complained, but I wondered, Was the joke too mean? Am I mean? If I'm mean, should I be writing a blog about faith?

T reminded me the fears in my head can be good. They are a sign I'm concerned about holiness and staying balanced, even as I tell jokes in authentically silly Holly ways. Or this might just be purposeless fear, the kind that makes us freeze in our tracks, weighs us down with guilt, and prevents us from talking about God at all. (One of my pastors refers to this as the difference between conviction and condemnation. The first moves us to change; the second paralyzes.) Maybe I could have done without the Dobson joke. But it certainly shouldn't have stopped me from thinking and writing about God.

So hopefully, the disclaimer will help me out. It makes it clear: My statements--profound or trite, serious or silly, correct or totally off-base--are mine alone. That's kind of freeing. If we tried to make ourselves "right" for everyone in our lives, we wouldn't be ourselves anymore, would we? I'll probably still worry about what people think of me, though I promise to do my best to be real. And I'll do my best to stay focused on the reason I'm writing and you're reading: to think about God.

To ponder:
1) Do you find it difficult to be real with your friends and hold on to your faith, too?

2) Why is it such a challenge to balance authenticity and holiness? Which side do you tend to "err" on?

3) What are some of the perceptions your non-Christian friends have about Christians? How might your actions play into their ideas? How might your actions change their ideas?

4) Write a disclaimer or slogan about your faith (e.g. "Nobody's perfect--including me"; "Trying to be Christlike ... with emphasis on 'trying' "; "One day at a time").

Talkin' 'Bout My Potty-Mouthed Generation

Warning: The following blog entry contains language some may find offensive.

During television commercials, I usually get up for a snack, a stretch, or any little diversion that allows me to avoid watching the ads. But sometimes, I feel too pooped to exert the energy required for standing. So I sit there and just let my eyes glaze over for the four minutes of commercial agony.

I was attempting to ignore a Kia commercial when my ears perked up at the words "kick ass." I couldn't believe a commercial would use the a-word, so I pressed rewind on the Tivo remote. Sure enough, there it was. That same night, I watched a commercial suggesting I drink Pepsi while naked, and a Nike spot that praised "boobs" (of the female variety, not the British one). In another, a pre-teen spells out "OMG" in a Cingular commercial. (The ad translated her acronym to "Oh my gosh," though that usage of God's name is rarely softened on television.)

While I'm not surprised by the words used in the commercials--anything goes on TV these days, right?--I was shocked by the tone used for the words. It was commonplace. Natural. Normal and informal. References to bottoms and breasts were spoken as if the words had been "weather" or "mayonnaise."

Seems my generation considers many naughty words to be everyday language. I recently attended a young-adult church event where the speaker was a pastor who used such colorful language as "heck," "PO'ed," and "crappy." Nowadays, I guess those aren't considered swears anymore. And honestly, I probably wouldn't have blinked twice at the pastor's language. Except that night, I was sitting next to my mom. I saw her wince every time the pastor used a bit of colorful language. Afterward, I asked her what she thought of the pastor's presentation. "I guess I'm used to people talking that way these days," she said with a sigh. "But it makes me sad to hear it from a pastor."

Of George Carlin's 1972 list of "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television," one word, "piss," is now commonly used by, um, just about everyone. Including that young pastor. And me. I work with teenagers, so I make every effort to watch my language in front of them. But I've noticed how some of the more widely used potty words have slipped out when the students aren't around. I've said, "I'm pissed off" and "I feel like crap." I've said, "That's so gay" and "He's a retard." My current fav is "Dangit!"

I've tried to clean up my act, and it's really been difficult for me to stop swearing and making deprecating remarks because I enjoy them so much. I like to use this language because it provides a quick release of emotion. Since I don't usually swear, these words get people's attention. Others are quickly clued in I either want to talk about an issue, or I definitely don't want to talk about it.

It would be easy to dismiss, figuring, "Hey, what's the big deal? It's not like I'm dropping the f-bomb, or even the s-word." Yet, I'm troubled by my own swearing on many levels. It bothers me because I'm a writer and those saying don't make any literal sense. (Excrement doesn't have any feelings, emotional or physical, to be sure.) It bothers me because I'm relatively intelligent: My brain works well enough to churn out words better suited to express myself. It bothers me because I'm representing a trend I hate: using slang just because everyone else uses it.

And it greatly bothers me because I'm well aware of what the Bible says about speech: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29, NIV). I love the simplicity of the CEV translation: "Stop all your dirty talk. Say the right thing at the right time and help others by what you say."

My use of profanity is always negative and helps no one. In fact, my swears probably hurt people. While it was no biggie to me when that young pastor said he was "PO'ed," his word choice sure made my mom feel sad.

As a youth leader, I know it's important to guard my words. Some students from our youth group regularly say, "Oh my G--!" Except they use God's whole name. Meanwhile, I'm so offended by taking the Lord's name in vain I refuse to even type out the saying. This is offensive to God, and the Bible is clear about this (Exodus 20:7).

I could probably make a strong case for the difference between swears involving bodily functions and blasphemous ones. But before I can dismiss my poo synonyms as benign, I have to think, "Can my teenage students really differentiate between my use of "crap" or "dang," and their use of "Oh my G--!" Probably not.

So rather than defending my words, I'll try to take 1 Corinthians 8 to heart. In that chapter, Paul discusses whether Christians should eat meat that had been offered in the temples of other gods. Paul probably shocked a lot of people by saying it was OK to eat this meat. At the same time, he cautions that one's actions can negatively affect others: "Don't cause problems for someone with a weak conscience, just because you have the right to eat anything. ... Suppose a person with a weak conscience sees you and decides to eat food that has been offered to idols. Then what you know has destroyed someone Christ died for. When you sin by hurting a follower with a weak conscience, you sin against Christ."

Then Paul brings it home by pledging to change his own behavior: "So if I hurt one of the Lord's followers by what I eat, I will never eat meat as long as I live."

I'd like to believe it's OK for me to use little swears like "crap" because it seems insignificant--many people don't even consider it a swear. Here's the thing: Why would I want to put myself in the position of having to explain myself to God or others? Would I drink half a glass of wine in front of an alcoholic, then explain, "I'm drinking just this small amount because I won't get drunk and I can enjoy it without going crazy." 'Course not. It's selfish and disrespectful. Just because I have the right to behave a certain way doesn't mean I should do it.

We use swears to express our own negative emotions or to insult other people. Maybe we use them because it's easier than discussing what's troubling us, easier than trying to tell a friend how they've hurt us. Maybe the swears protect us by pushing people away rather than letting them in through disclosing our deepest feelings. Sometimes, they just make us feel cool--we're on board with the latest foul lingo that's edgy yet can be used in public.

Personally, I'd rather not hear, "Oh my G--!" everywhere I go. I'd rather not see the day when 7-year-olds are casually saying the f-word on TV. Maybe it won't make any difference whether I stop saying "crap." But maybe it will. At the very least, it will make my mom happy.

If Paul was willing to go without a whole food group, I guess I can keep trying to hold my tongue.

To ponder:
1) Do you think there's a difference between expletives about God, hell, bodily functions, etc.?

2) Why do you think our society swears more now than in past generations?

3) Holly sez: "It's really been difficult for me to stop swearing and making deprecating remarks because I enjoy them so much." What things in your life are you trying to let go of? Why do you think you hold on to them? How do they seem to benefit you?

More:
Aw, Shucks: Are Americans Getting More Swearful?

Christians & Atheists Debate Existence of God on Tonight's 'Nightline'

Think carefully--this is so important. Please don't look at this as simply a debate to see who's going to win a theological discussion here. Look at this as an opportunity to help you make a personal decision about what you will believe about God."

--Actor Kirk Cameron, on the upcoming "Face Off" debate on ABC's Nightline. Cameron and evangelist Ray Comfort debate the existence of God with two atheist/agnostic members of the Rational Response Squad tonight on Nightline. Portions of the debate are currently available on ABC's website; portions will air on the show tonight. The entire debate is supposed to be available online tomorrow. There are already more than 1,200 comments on the website, and the piece hasn't aired yet.

Holly sez:
I've watched the clips from the debate and found it to be exhausting. While I enjoy debates, I usually don't find much that's personally productive. I'm sure there are people who have the gift of debate, who are able to use it as a way to convince others of their faith. I'm not one of those people. I like discussions, where two folks are trying to get to the bottom of their thoughts and feelings. For me, debate is about pushing power around. For me, discussion is about making myself vulnerable. I do much better at the latter!

Still, I gotta admire Cameron and Comfort for going on mainstream TV to share their faith. It will cause a lot of people to think deeply, if only for a few minutes. If you watch the debate, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Holly Gets an Award--Yay!

Got some exciting news today. I was recognized in the Evangelical Press Association's (EPA) annual awards contest. They awarded me fourth place in the Freelance Article category for "Unearthing Unearthly TV," an article which appeared in the Sept/Oct 2006 issue of Today's Christian Woman magazine. This is my second EPA award.

I didn't expect to win, so this was a nice surprise today. (No, I don't get any money. I don't get a trophy. I do get a groovy little award certificate!)

Iraq Church Leader Reflects on Life in Baghdad; PLUS: More Tangerines!

The church is clearly the most wonderful church I've ever been part of. Everything might be terrible on the outside. But inside, the worship is incredible. The children are amazing. We've had 11 of our staff killed in the past year. Our lay pastor was kidnapped last week. So everything is terrible outside. But inside [the church]--just great."

--Canon Andrew White, rector of the 1,300 member Anglican church in Baghdad, speaking on PBS's Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly. White, who is also president of the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East, says if troops left the area now, violence would escalate. He asked for patience and a continued commitment to bringing peace to the region. White's own commitment has been to stay on in Baghdad despite bombings, kidnappings, death threats and his own struggle with multiple sclerosis. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recently added Iraq to its watch list of countries where religious freedom is threatened.

Full Story:
Canon Andrew White on Iraq

Holly sez:
"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." (Psalm 37:8)

I recently wrote about how some tangerines taught me to take a closer look at what God has given me. I'd been given some ugly tangerines, which also happened to be the best ones I'd ever tasted in my life.

Last week, I walked into my local produce store and found more ugly tangerines, pictured right. The ridiculously high price ($2.99 a pound!) and my past experience with ugly tangerines were the only clues these might be really good. The rest of the citrus in the store was selling for less than 80 cents a pound.

It seemed no one was buying the ugly, expensive tangerines. I must have looked like a goofball as I stood in front of the bin, filling up my bag with them. I wondered, Would people notice I was buying them? Would they give them a try based on how many I'd bought?

I'd never seen ugly tangerines in any store, so the fact they were in the entryway of the store where I regularly shop alerted me: This was one of those God moments. I needed to pay attention.

On Saturday afternoon, I heard the above quote from Iraq church leader Andrew White. And on Sunday morning, my pastor spoke about how his wife had long begged God not to send her to Africa. She just returned from a Sudan trip, and she'd absolutely loved the people and wanted to remain in Africa. (Amusingly, she also didn't want to marry a pastor--they've been married seven years.)

As my pastor explained it, we're often afraid of God's will. Perhaps we're afraid he doesn't have our best interests in mind. Or that he doesn't really understand us. So when we ask him to assist with change in our lives, we add in, "Change me God, but just don't do it that way!" My pastor challenged whether we really believe Romans 8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Admittedly, I often don't trust God. I've had moments of blaming him. I sometimes wonder, Do you even know me, God? And are you really good?

When I received those first ugly tangerines, they were a free gift. It was easy to take them, even ugly as they were. I figured I could always throw them out later. When I saw the ones for $2.99, the high price did make me question: Will these be any good, or am I just fooling myself? Am I willing to pay this price?

They were excellent. Still, every time I see ugly tangerines, I know I'll still wonder, Are they worth it? By experiencing a good flavored tangerine, it will become easier for me to buy them next time, to take the chance and make the investment. I hope my faith works the same way. I hope--through acknowledging God knows more than I do--that my experiences will lead me to choose his way over mine more easily in the future.

My pastor says we're not going to get closer to God through a how-to book, systematic religious practices, or some life plan. Rather, our goal should be this: to develop a relationship with God. And relationships are about building trust, right? Seems we don't experience trust and comfort at first in any relationship. Perhaps we never experience it completely.

Honestly, I'll know I'll continue to ask those questions: God, will following you be worth it? Will you really work everything out in the way that's best for me? I don't like having those questions, but I do love how God's answers to me have so far been: "Yes."

To ponder:
1) Is is easy or difficult for you to trust God? Think about the times you feel God has been there for you. Think about the times you feel God has let you down. Try to be honest with God about your feelings on both.

2) What questions do you have about God? Do these questions ever scare you?

3) Do you believe there's a place for doubt in your faith?

4) Does your investment in God seem worth it? Are there times when the price seems too high? What do you do at those moments?

Higher Learning: Interest in Religion Growing Among Students

There is probably more active religious life now than there has been in 100 years."

--Peter J. Gomes, the preacher at Harvard University, speaking about religious interest among students. Gomes, who has been at Harvard for the past 37 years, remembers how in previous years, religious students were looked down upon and considered not very bright.

A survey by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, found more than two-thirds of 112,000 freshmen surveyed in 2004 said they prayed, and almost 80 percent believed in God. Almost half of the respondents said they wanted to grow spiritually.

FULL STORY:
Matters of Faith Find a New Prominence on Campus