What is right and wrong? What do we, as teenagers, base our decisions upon? Lina and I are both 16-year-old high school students. We live in a predominantly white, suburban bubble just outside of San Francisco. As we’ve grown older, questions about faith, God, and internal standards have arisen and been challenged by our increasing
Religion
More Than Spirituality
I grew up in a not-so-religious Muslim family, in an atheist country in the former Yugoslavia. In terms of history, stories, and religion, the Balkans were flammable. So, when at 17 I became a Christian, all hell broke loose. My devastated parents recruited one of Europe’s best psychiatrists and 50 relatives to take their best
- January 14, 2013
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- The God Issue
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A Fresh Look
I was born into a spiritual family. My parents practiced Vaishnavism, a monotheistic sect of Hinduism based on worship of Krishna, the Supreme. As a result, I’ve grown up immersed in this rich and ancient tradition. I have woken up every morning to the sound of ringing bells and fragrant billows of incense. I’ve learned
- January 7, 2013
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- The God Issue
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Belief and the Beast: A Review of Life of Pi
Ang Lee’s filmic interpretation of Yann Martel’s wildly successful book Life of Pi is unapologetically fanciful, visually stunning, intellectually valuable, and it is undeniably a great work of art. The movie opens with a series of tableaus of a beautiful Indian zoo, these opening images already give us a sense of the aesthetic playfulness and
- December 3, 2012
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- The God Issue
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Science and Religion: A Love-Hate Relationship?
“Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.” Einstein’s quote on science and religion is one of the most famous proverbs in history. But what does Einstein’s tantalizing quote actually imply? Einstein argues that science and religion are inseparable, yet even today, scientists argue over whether God is necessary to explain the mechanisms
- December 3, 2012
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- The God Issue
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Does Experience Shape Our Understanding of God?
The idea of God is different for everyone and is possibly many things even to one person. We all have different ideas of what and who God is. Some people do not believe in God at all, while others believe in many gods. Others believe that God infinitely shapes their lives and their afterlives. Others look
- December 3, 2012
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- The God Issue
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The Loudness of God
Interfaith Connections is a column for teens to dialogue about how their faith or wisdom tradition influences their view of life’s big questions. In each issue, three teens from different backgrounds respond to a question posed by the Editorial Board, based on the theme. This quarter the Ed Board asks: How has your concept of
- December 3, 2012
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- The God Issue
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Hinduism, Buddhism, and… Money? Everyday Enlightenment
Interfaith Connections is a column for teens to dialogue about how their faith or wisdom tradition influences their view of life’s big questions. In each issue, three teens from different backgrounds respond to a question posed by the Editorial Board, based on the theme. This quarter the Ed Board asks: How do the values of
- September 10, 2012
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- Money and Value
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Volunteer
Oh! God, send us a messenger of peace and love Who would change the world. Rain peace out of the cloudy sky Then, make a peaceful day out of a storm. Oh! God, send us a follower of peace and love Who would remove the fog Stop violence with peace and love Then, make
- April 25, 2012
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- A Lens on Learning
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The Golden and Diamond Rules: Essential Jewels of Heart and Mind, Body and Soul
As the song goes, “Be kind to our four-legged friends,” but what about our siblings, other relatives, neighbors, friends, or mere acquaintances? Loving actions and empathic compassion are both wise and desperately needed in this violent, competitive world. Just how is it that each of us can live in such a way to contribute toward
- January 23, 2012
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- Ethics and Morality
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