Undergraduate / Challenging Religion to Become a Better Person (I'm 50 words over the limit) [3]

Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

As a child I always maintained an obedient temperament; I was raised by my parents to obey directions from my superiors and for the most part I happily obliged. I am everlastingly thankful for their guidance, not because it has made me a submissive human being but because I learned how to challenge authority in a respectful way that has fostered discovery and tolerance. Faith served as a main vehicle to achieving this feat-specifically, Catholicism.

Coming from a devout Catholic family, I received a rigorous Catholic education. Our religion was a means to unite my family-through first communions, confirmations, baptisms, weekly mass attendances, and nightly prayer sessions. I held my faith dear to me for many years of my life; it provided me a comfort and security until I began a more concentrated education in preparation for my Confirmation. A rebellion surfaced in me typical of most children, soon defying my parents became routine. One of the practices I began rejecting was faith; my philosophies began to misalign with Catholicism. Once I began thinking for myself I was discontent with the beliefs my parents and religion had told me to obey. Abiding by rules created thousands of years ago based on stories whose verity could not be confirmed seemed illogical to me, along with mindlessly believing in certain ideas because my parents told me to. This dispute launched me on a journey I never thought possible.

Still not wanting to disobey my parents, I maintained my Catholic education. I forced myself to view the institution from an uninfluenced light-I wanted to form opinions about faith on my own terms. This prompted me to explore the principles of other religions I had never taken the time to ponder. I realized a newfound fascination with religion and what it means to people around the world. I developed a toleration and understanding for different cultures just by analyzing the facets of their beliefs. I have spent hours learning about the entailments of the Five Pillars of Islam, the significance of Jewish holy days, and the core principles of the many Hindu gods. A new inquisitiveness emerged that allowed me to appreciate unfamiliar customs of humanity and sparked and inextinguishable interest for worldwide understanding. I wish to continue to nourish this curiosity by exploring the world and experiencing the numerous cultures it has to offer.

My "disbelief" did not halt participation in my local parish's community either. I continued attending services, holiday celebrations, and playing flute with the music assembly. I would not disband myself from the community that had always been so kind and welcoming to me. I also continued to take part in their humanitarian efforts such as feeding the homeless during the holidays and assisting with fundraisers that gave relief to disaster victims. Despite my disagreement with their principle values, I still shared the desire to help the community in any possible way. I understood scripture readings for their moral underlying messages. Although I do not necessarily coincide with their central beliefs, I am still able to cherish the company of the Catholic community that has accepted and loved me. This tolerance taught me to find the good in people I may disagree with. I look for the good in others rather than allowing myself to be blinded by our differences. I will carry this insight with me for the rest of my life and establish meaningful relationships that otherwise would have been barred by my ignorance.

Though I may have briefly broken my parents' hearts by disagreeing with their faith, I will eternally be grateful that they allowed me to explore the many possibilities different religions offer. I discovered a repeating pattern among all religions: to love and care for one another. This lesson helped me realize that I want to break boundaries with other cultures and spend my life bettering humanity. Though not everyone can agree in beliefs, we all can agree to treat each other with respect. I take pride in the fact that I can form my own genuine opinions independent of the influence of others. I will always be Catholic, as it is the community that welcomed raised, and loved me. However I have not yet come to a consensus on what faith I truly prescribe to, as it will take an entire life's experiences to discover what religion means to me.

Still pretty iffy and 80 words over :( I would appreciate any feedback and advice for condensing it