PREFACE AND CHAPTER ONE

PREFACE

When I first began thinking about my subject matter, I carried out a little experiment whose results were revealing. In a one on one situation at a social gathering I would ask a person, "How would you define the word believe?" I would even explain that there was no trick, no right or wrong answer, etc. I did not say why I was asking. Most of the time I got a reasonably meaningful answer but noticed that the person I had queried became noticeably nervous as they worked out their definition, even though they knew me. In consequent conversation, it became clear that they were suspicious I was asking a leading question that was going to put them in some vulnerable position. They were sure I was planning to change their thinking on a religious subject. It became clear that believe is not a cold, academic word; rather, it is one that instantly rakes up strong emotions. The word "believe" is so intimately connected with religions that it would not be out of place to suggest that, when using "believe" in connection with any subject other than religion, we ought to have a new and different word such as I "bethink." During all these reflections, it became obvious that Believe is a troublesome word. Thus, the title of this book.

Believe is a troublesome word for both believers and nonbelievers. It has been a troublesome word for me again and again. That is in part because of my own thinking processes, but also because of many things I have been taught through the church that I have concluded or learned were in great need of further clarification or were simply incorrect information, as I sought to understand a relationship to God. I decided to take on this writing project as a way of rethinking and learning more about religious issues that I have dealt with throughout my adult life. I should state at this very beginning that what I describe in this book is a very personal train of thought and deeply involved with my own experiences.

This book is intended for believers of any religious background, nonbelievers and the many who find themselves straddling a fence about religion. We will explore the environmental circumstances that feed one’s propensity for belief or nonbelief. We will look at belief as it occurs in major religions of the world. It is very important to emphasize that people of all classes, intellects, interests, education, moral and cultural stance can be found under the umbrella label of believer or nonbeliever.

It is not uncommon to find people on the extremes of a belief spectrum who see the other end in a pretty negative light. At times that negative view is just the product of over generalizing about those whom they see as "opponents." I do not intend to reflect moralistically in defense of one over the other. Neither belief nor non belief is going to go away in the present or the future. Further, the levels of conflict and criticism that prevail between opposing sides is never likely to result in anything resembling understanding, peace, or accord for either side. However, that is an extremely important objective. It is ironic that the behavior displayed by both sides of the fence on Internet sites more resembles a war of urgency to win and an attempt to lay moral judgment against the "enemy" rather than a discussion to find any real truth.

My intention is to provide educationally useful information as a means to understanding. I want to be sure that all sides are heard and understood. That is a complex challenge that I cannot guarantee to be worthy of but I feel impelled to try. While it is important that each of us has the opportunity to state our case and have it heard with understanding, ultimately, it is positive relationships between people that I aspire to motivate. A mental and especially emotional perspective I would encourage throughout this process is that of trying to find a broader truth than that which we already have. As a first step we will look at how people evolve into being believers.

A final word: The material currently presented here is the first chapter of this planned book. It is about 27 pages long if printed out, broken into smaller sections with headings. Chapter Two will focus on nonbelief and the finer details of theological and scientific reasoning processes.

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Believe is a Troublesome Word
By Ray Braun

Chapter 1 - Beginnings

Did you know some people believe there is no God?
Well, it is true!

How did you react to the two lines stated above? What was said in those two sentences, yes, in a too casual kind of way, was "It is true that there are people who don’t believe in a god." You may have read the sentences to mean "It is true that there is no god." There’s nothing wrong with you! The misread is perfectly understandable given both the poorly laid out prose, the speed with which many of us read and, if you are to any degree religious, the fact that we are dealing with an inevitably emotional subject. That is worth knowing because one purpose of this book is to examine feelings related to religion. The misread might have generated worry, a sense of threat, or downright shock, (or, if a nonbeliever, a sense of triumph) especially because it appeared that the mistaken idea was possibly about to be proven. That is the way it is. Change anything in the basic premise/s of any religion and one’s daily orientation as well as one’s personal integrity, sense of security and ultimate destiny are all at risk. Religious beliefs are supported by some degree of rational conceptualization but they are basically grounded in a considerable degree of emotional investment. That circumstance is simply a fact while some regard it as religion’s weakness.

Beliefs are encountered in most areas of human activity but in the realm of religion, belief is the driving force for almost everything that is accomplished. It has been shown statistically, that about seventy percent of the world’s population relies to a greater or lesser degree, on information that directly evolves from one or more beliefs involving religious life. However, in our current period of history scientifically minded thinkers are more frequently and openly asserting their concern that more of life’s daily decisions ought to be based on proven facts, or reasoning rather than belief. Are they right or wrong, or is there any simple black and white answer?

A Continuum of Belief
The degree of belief or non belief that a person professes, under any religious faith, can be placed somewhere on a continuum ranging from no belief at all, or utterly fragile but hopeful, or stabilized belief, to adamant if not aggressive certainty (see the illustration below). We could compare this continuum to a dimmer control for a light bulb or a volume control on a radio. The lower the setting, the more likely the belief is tentative and may less frequently occupy one’s conscious mind. Individual’s concepts vary considerably as to what is believed, but emotional involvement is universal. We shall look at the predominant differences in concepts in chapter three.

Belief Is Highly Emotional In Content
The intensity of a belief, as identified on the vertical left side of our graph, is a reflection of the degree of emotion driving the belief more than it is a product of intellect. That raises a question about all believers between the extremes of our continuum. In some ways it might seem unlikely for a "fragile but hopeful" believer to be intensely emotional at one time about his or her belief only to cool down or switch off totally a few days or months later. However the nature of religious belief for the "fragile but hopeful" (where many of us can be found) can fluctuate in quality for a variety of reasons. It is often part of a formative time in an individual’s life. The causes of change can be everything from reasonable intellectual discoveries that alter one’s thinking and create doubt or reinforcement, to very emotional states which can be affected by many normal factors, internal and environmental. Even clinical depression can drive a person into a level of doubt that is easier managed by a pill or psychotherapy, than by trying to force improvement on one’s belief system.

The classification that we call "stabilized belief" is the least dramatic stage on our continuum. This is where we will find the majority of believers in any religious body. That therefore represents a great many people when one considers that there are over four billion religious believers in our world. Our "Stabilized" folks usually have been part of a religious practice for many years, have learned enough to be satisfied with the perspective they endorse but may still study, and are likely to continue in their status because of the breadth of their content knowledge as well as deeper emotional involvement in their belief system, stronger social connections and possibly more mature age. Their lifestyle is more settled less prone to sudden changes. In many instances they are capable of recognizing inconsistencies that exist at points within the religious body of knowledge they embrace without a total breakdown of their faith.

Reason and Emotion
Intellectual activity and related emotions float within all of us, like a complex liquid. This mix of emotion and intellect is potentially volatile especially in the realm of religious belief. Traditionally we would have suggested that our reasoning system is or should lead the way in our decision making, and our emotional system should simply respond to what occurs first in a very rational way. Recent studies would however, suggest to the contrary, that ultimately, our emotional state is what drives our "rational" decisions. We are therefore accepting that a significant amount of power functions within the two parts of our nature in a way that is partly determined by our training and individual propensities. Melodramatic as it may sound, it is nevertheless true that, like a powerful pill, the mix of intellect and emotion can totally alter a wasted or confused life for the better, provide comfort that belies comprehension to one in distress, or cause a peaceful person to evolve into an angry and even cruel judge of others. A relative nonbeliever can rather quickly turn into an intensely religious person but, for totally different reasons, the reverse is also true. It is also true that these experiences are often attributed to whatever "god" the believer is committed. There are also some adamant believers who will assert that a faith in their god is all one needs to be and feel well. While we cannot affirm the validity of their contention, there is considerable evidence that such a "cure" simply does not work for large numbers of the population within a religious group. While we can’t be sure of the reason for this, the believers in question will assert that the faith of the needful person is simply inadequate.

The concepts produced within patterns of belief at times do generate questions that are difficult if not impossible to resolve completely. Typical questions that belabor many faiths and divisions within faiths are "What conditions must be met to be truly accepted by one’s god?" or "Why does their god allow people to suffer?" These questions then result in conflicts between believers and/or between believers and nonbelievers. Before we know it, friendships dissolve, people take sides in self defense, and a thirst for the truth takes second place to a lust to gain points and win an argument. The ultimate result is enmity and division--the direct opposite of what most religious faiths propose to offer.

Why and how all of this happens, and whether it is necessary, is worth looking at in detail, and that is in part what this book intends to study. We want to look as objectively as possible at how and why people become believers and nonbelievers with the contention that both are normal human behaviors with distinct and mutually positive contributory values. As a product of the following pages there may be some who totally change their stance having examined their own thinking in greater detail. That is their right if not their obligation to themselves!

We will take two steps, First we shall look at a definition of belief and examine how the behavior gets and performs within us. In our second step we shall look at a hypothetical person from birth to adulthood and observe the natural process of growth into the realm of a religious believer or nonbeliever. In Chapter Two we shall look at the world of the nonbeliever in much the same fashion. For most of us. it is probable that one chapter will feel better than the other. If you are a serious thinker with a focus on truth at any cost, perhaps the greatest amount of effort should be invested in the chapter you expect to like the least.

Belief
In this book we regard belief as a behavioral act of agreeing to what begins as a purely academic proposition or premise. It is a step beyond mere thinking. A proposition or premise is any verbally stated idea about reality, that at least one person, but usually more, thinks is true but as yet has not proven through current scientific procedures. A belief and a premise on the surface appear to be the same thing but there is one critical difference. A premise stands alone as an idea written on a piece of paper or a blackboard or is verbally stated. As long as no person does anything about it beyond that, it goes nowhere and affects nothing. Belief, however, is a human action in that it includes an emotional engagement that overlays and often determines the direction of intellectual decision making. For example, a person who says "I think there is a god," is trying to remain within the realm of pure rationality and is saying something far less committal than "I am sure there is a god," or "I know there is a god," The two latter statements, in the mind of a rationalist, may not be provable but that is not the issue. Rather, they strongly suggest that the person making the statement has already become emotionally engaged with what they consider to be real valid knowledge. It would then be absurd to suggest that a person, who has decided there is a presence as overwhelming as the concept of a god of the universe in his or her life, is not going to be emotionally involved and do some or many things about that commitment. The statement beginning with "I think . . ." is merely verbal shorthand for allowable and possibly sensible and cautious fence-straddling. One is really saying "There may be . . ." or "I guess there could be . . ." It is not an act of commitment. Therefore, actions may or may not follow to utilize, determine and/or demonstrate the validity of the premise. Emotional involvement or the lack of same literally determines any movement and thus whether there is any belief or not. The rationalist may of course object, saying that when making decisions about any premise, one should keep emotions out of the picture. Recent studies of the brain would suggest that such is not entirely possible. Emotional flow actually engages a different part of the brain than does reason and plays a significant role in influencing decisions. It also means that more of the person is involved in a commitment than in one or many intellectual calculations. Imagine deciding whether or not to marry, change jobs or career, have children, take a vacation based purely on logical reasoning devoid of emotional involvement.

Religious beliefs hold a unique status in that their primary premise/s haven’t yet and may never be proven by standard scientific or reasoning processes. Yet, the individual who chooses to believe is showing that s/he is convinced the belief has validity. It actually does not have to be valid, in a scientific sense, to be useful for the believer. However, no belief of any kind, religious or not, is justifiable if it causes the believer to display hostility in any manner or impose unprovoked discomfort upon those around him or her. Let it be said that a person who decides to sever his or her relationship with a religious faith is not guilty of provoking the discomfort of those who remain in the faith. A decision to leave a faith is something that usually requires much agonizing thought and emotion over an extended period of time. It almost always results in the painful loss of contact with some family members or people the departing would like to believe were real friends. Any discomfort experienced by the believer is caused mostly by the sense of a loss of control over the departing individual. Such control is never justified to begin with nor is condemnation of the departing to hell or other place of punishment a reasonable response.

The Test of Time
Most of the beliefs encountered within any given religion have a survival history and capability that traverses millenniums. Human emotions play and always have played a decisive role in those beliefs. Additional useful emotional states occur as a product of belief such as serenity, a state of joy, happiness or peace, a sense of security, the ability to tolerate stress when it is unavoidable, etc. It is also notable that, when we count the enormous numbers of those who are believers, we can reasonably count the hundreds of millions or more, from the past, who also were lifetime believers but are just no longer with us.

True or False?
All religions are founded upon a totally unemotional initiatory proposition or premise. That quite simple fact is often not seen because almost all religions have been with us for millenniums and, in each, we are many lengths, historically, removed from their starting points. Nevertheless, to understand fully, any belief, it is important that we understand the root from which it has grown--its history. In every case the root is a simple premise.

A Rap to Croak About

Here is an example of a nonreligious but somewhat common premise that has pervaded the lives of many children: "Handling frogs can cause warts." Is that true or false? If people think it is true, a whole package of behaviors is going to evolve in the community because of it--children arguing among themselves, a mother upset because little one has carried home another frog and already has warts, "Now your pockets are infected . . ." etc.

When I was a child living near the "Twin Ponds" in Queens County, Long Island, I had handled many nice frogs and my young friend Georgie learned from somewhere, that frogs would cause warts. He told me, and I believed him because during my childhood, I had warts. That belief was held by most children in my day, and even some adults; it may still prevail in some areas. However, now as an adult I must confess, I have learned that this premise and its belief is not true. Medical science has demonstrated that warts are caused by a virus and you don’t even get the virus from frogs. You can find reference to this myth or rumor (a belief proven false) on the internet (http://www.allaboutfrogs.org/weird/general/myths.html).

Whenever something is common in the lives of people and cannot be explained by scientific means, premises and then beliefs will often evolve to solve the mystery. Some beliefs will eventually be demonstrated as true--"Earth is round and travels around the sun," originally a belief, now a fact accepted and understood by most everyone accept perhaps very young children. Other premise/beliefs will be shown to be false--"Earth is flat and the sun travels around it" a belief that turned out to be wrong but was nevertheless defended by the Christian church for about 1500 years because any notion to the contrary would have threatened some theological notions. Talk about emotional involvement!

When a premise is shown to be true it is no longer a belief, rather it is considered to be a fact. If, on the other hand, a premise is proven wrong the belief may still hang on as "true" for many individuals whose lives are too emotionally entangled with it to change. The belief may eventually dissolve and in the meantime, those "in the know" will perhaps refer to it as a rumor.

Religious Belief
As we have said, belief is an act of agreeing to what begins as a purely academic premise. Most religious belief begins with the act of agreeing to the simple though profoundly commanding premise "There is a god who has created everything we know." This premise has been the fuel, starter motor and the engine for most of the major religions of the world. It has been with us for almost as long as humans and still hasn’t been proven true or false. It has been believed through history by more people than not. It is an all-encompassing statement that carries with it extraordinary implications. There is not even much likelihood of its being proven or debunked in the near future for a variety of reasons which we shall discuss. We should acknowledge there are nonbelievers who say no one has to prove that there is not a god. Under most circumstances and perhaps even with a religious premise, we would agree they are correct. However, with this issue, nonbelievers are in something of a democratic bind--the majority rules by default. No one who disbelieves in the reality of a god has any obligation to prove they are right if they are totally content within themselves and with their status as a minority. However this writer’s experience has been that many who disbelieve, for a variety of reasons, are quite anxious to change the minds of those who do believe. Therefore, because of the immense discrepancy in numbers of believers versus nonbelievers, the naysayers have one heck of an uphill battle if they lack some kind of "proof" to help their cause. The believer, however, must keep in mind that no person has any obligation, moral, social, academic, or otherwise, to believe in a god, nor should they experience persecution for their stance.

Although one might expect that our There is a god . . . premise is the obvious starting point for anyone’s religious life, it is not always easy to see that. It is just as easy to think that simply joining a religious organization is evidence of a belief. For example, that might be the individual who accompanies a friend on a weekday to the friend’s place of worship to help out with some charitable or other project. While there, they perhaps like the atmosphere, the people they meet or other, and decide to come back on a worship day to see what it is like. That individual, in a tentative state of mind and emotion, may then attend worship for social, aesthetic or cultural reasons for quite a period of time without establishing any actual beliefs. S/he will have likely accumulated some religious information as a result of attending the services and s/he would certainly be well aware of the notion of a god. That does not, however, guarantee any intellectual and emotional adoption of the information except that if there were none, attendance might not continue. As we shall see in some detail, it is difficult to make it from birth to adulthood without having encountered, many times over, the concept of a god. We shall also see that it is quite possible for a person to simply push that premise into the back of one's mind (it would be almost impossible to totally forget it, once absorbed) for assessment at some undetermined future date. However, such a situation might not last very long before pressure toward membership or a voluntary decision to believe might have to be settled. Yet, even a formal establishment of membership is no absolute guarantee that the individual who joins and participates in a religious institution has totally endorsed our original premise; they may simply make a committment for social reasons--"It’s a good idea for the kids"--or other. It is true that membership vows usually have to be made but when one considers the magnitude of divorces in our country, it is realistic to suggest that membership vows in a religious organization may be just as tentative or revocable as well. The belief options for the individual who accepts and continues to be active in a religious organization range anywhere on our Continuum from "Fragile but Hopeful" to "Adamant and Aggressive Certainty." The more conservative the organization, the more pressure there will be to adopt the higher end of belief on our Continuum. The more liberal the religious group, the greater is the likelihood that almost any level of belief intensity will be acceptable for membership.

There are also some who will contend their religion began not through some academic premise but, rather, through a "miraculous" event, evoking a sudden conversion, or through historical evidence, such as from a "holy book," describing historic things that occurred long before they were born. The influential nature of a "holy book" makes for a reasonable argument. However, it is probable that the book’s content provides the stimulus for our There is a god . . . premise to become a belief before anything else can happen. Additionally, "miraculous" events are purely personal experiences with no witness who can attest to what happens inside the converted person. Therefore, no matter how real a miraculous event may seem, its validity is unprovable even to the one experiencing it. Additionally such an event, valid, or not still does not negate the likelihood of our There is a God . . . premise having introduced itself in some way first. That said, there are occasionally, within religious circles, individuals who have experiences that result in religious decisions that are mysteriously difficult to explain and it would be rationally arrogant to be sure of a simple materialistic or secular explanation.

It is reasonable to assume, when we examine the facts, that the premise There is a god . . ., is implanted in each person’s mind minutes, days or decades earlier than any other event carried out in relation to a genuine religious belief. Like a seed it lay dormant, unacknowledged and unseen or rejected until the conditions are right. When and if that becomes the case, the seed bursts from its burial fully alive and into the consciousness in a positive form. Of course, there are instances where such a scenario can occur in a person’s life many times over but, each time, the "sprout" is thwarted by some kind of rejection, reburied and forced to sprout again at some time in the future. We will also see in the paragraphs below that a "seed" planted in a preschool child’s mind has the status of reality (positive form) simply as a product of the way a growing child’s mind works.

Flashbulbs
Without acknowledgment of the premise There is a god . . ., a religious belief cannot or does not begin. Many believers, however, may still find that assertion difficult to agree to. They probably have no personal recollection of having spent any mental time working on such a premise. It is, in fact, reasonable to say that most of us have no recollection of ever having said or perhaps even thought There is a god . . . If we do recall such an experience, we are more likely to be among those whose religious life began in adulthood or teen years with some personal or public event whose details we can recall for many reasons. If the event brought about a significant change in life direction for that individual, it would more likely be remembered.

The mental activation or personal acceptance of There is a God . . . generally occurs like a flashbulb in a picture-taking process. If we are taking a picture in a low light situation it is common to use a flash exposure. What we remember beyond the moment, because it physically stays with us, is the picture, not the flash even though the flash is stuck in one’s eye for a few seconds. In a similar way, the personal (and sometimes even unconscious) acceptance of the premise there is a god . . ., is like a flash that is quickly replaced with the picture of all the factual and emotional events that occur within us and around us after the flash. As the simplest of examples, envision the conversion of an individual in a Christian revival meeting. Like a flashbulb, the premise occurs in the mind because it has to before any confessional march to the altar is likely to happen. The part which is remembered most, however, is the emotional picture that results from deciding and going to the altar--sometimes an unforgettable memory. It can easily be expressed as a secondary premise that evolves from the first--This god is very important to me! Yet, what actually most initiates change in the individual’s life is that initial flash of acceptance of There is a god . . .

Introducing Drew
It is not very likely that the addition of a baby to a family will make life easier but we are telling a story very "pregnant" with details. An understanding of those details can best be made by observing the life and growth of a newborn. Therefore, we hereby announce the birth of Drew at nine pounds nine ounces (this is a weighty subject). Drew is a . . . Well, actually you get to choose. We have selected the name Drew because it has been used for both males and females. Therefore, choose the gender you prefer.

There is no evidence that anyone is born knowing of the existence of a god.
It is no different for Drew. Like all babies, Drew begins life as a totally dependent individual, involuntarily and unwittingly accepting what is handed out without any choice other than to cry or swallow or spit out what is delivered into the mouth. In those early years of life, Mom and Dad, oddly, will have a status not at all unlike that of gods as humans understand them. These "gods" are the source of all things including life itself as far as Drew is concerned, as if Drew could think about what that meant. For a healthy (textbook) baby therefore, life begins like a Garden of Eden experience with no awareness of death, evil or pain-- well, in the case of pain, the gods will take it away. The gods are almost always present or appear when needed. They provide all the sustenance Drew needs. They entertain Drew with lots of attention and make almost every minute of life comfortable, interesting and amusing. Everything in Drew’s purview comes from these gods. Unlike later periods in life Drew has absolutely no reason or even ability to experience doubt about these gods--life is good and simple and they are always present when needed. Thus a baby lives out a daily scenario to some degree not unlike what major religions propose to offer humans, the security of an overseeing, all powerful, all knowing "parent" who can provide care and guidance throughout life.

Babyhood has a complex side as well. There is much that Drew will be learning. Drew has a natural desire to learn and doesn’t have to be prodded. It even shows in quietness when Drew’s eyes are looking everywhere. Everything that is within Drew’s vision, hearing and touch these first years has some impact on his/her curiosity and fast absorbing mind. Even pictures or religious symbols on the walls of any room will make some imprint in Drew’s mind though they may not be defined until years later.

Among Drew’s learnings are that the gods have names and s/he even happily learns to say "Da Da and Ma Ma," along with names of other things. Drew learns what fingers, hands, arms and legs are for, and the gods seem so happy when Drew learns to sit up and crawl and stand and walk and talk. The rewards for pleasing the gods are substantial and likely worth the effort.

A Unique Plant
Every baby is like a beautiful plant in a garden and, for the first two years especially, is much like a sprout developing strength and readiness to grow in its environment. The analogy is worth even more when we recognize that once the umbilical cord has been cut, Drew is not merely a branch or flower on an already existing plant, nor just a new shoot from an old root, but a physically unique individual. During those first years s/he begins to acquire a real awareness of that.

Independence
At an approximate two years of age parents will see an increasing tendency for Drew to want to be more self reliant or independent. Often, this period is referred to as the "Terrible Twos," and is when we will see Drew begin to take advantage of words learned such as "No!" Also, Drew will demonstrate that s/he can walk further away from parents than they feel is safe. These experiences present new challenges to parental control and the need to handle situations without being negative or angry at Drew. They are simply the beginnings of an extremely important phase of growth which every human must undergo--the multitudinous skills of self-reliance. Self-reliance eventually leads to independence and the two are the legs of personal responsibility. As years pass Drew will ask, through behavior and, at times aloud, in older years, for more and more independence. Understanding that well in advance is highly important for the "gods" raising Drew.

So begins Drew’s departure from the family Garden of Eden
Personal responsibility for one's decisions and actions is a major element in human behavior that cannot mature if the learnings of self reliance and independence are frustrated. The three elements are highly interdependent. Because they are such complex skills and the essence of what it means to be a human, a child begins working on them earlier than some parents would realize or like. Some parents are inclined to believe that such behaviors are the beginnings of stubbornness or an upwelling of inherent evil--a not uncommon product of moralistic and negative teaching in some religions. Though youngsters are far from ready for total self reliance and independence, no less personal responsibility, many of their behaviors should be recognized as attempted steps in that direction. They will have much to learn about the responsibilities and consequences of independence, but one learns best by doing. How each parent carries out this nurture is an exercise in creative and intelligent thinking. These early years are prime time for Drew to develop a positive self image and the confidence to try new things. The parent who does for Drew what Drew could learn to do for him or herself is unwittingly discouraging the learning of self-reliance and encouraging more dependency than is necessary.

Children, as they grow, frequently tangle with the issue of how much independence they should be allowed to have--what is OK to do and what is not, when to go to bed, how much television to watch, what to eat, how to cross a street, when to come in from outside, what to wear when it is cold or rainy, when to do homework or help with family chores, stay away from adult strangers, etc., etc. This area of child rearing is perhaps one of the most difficult for parents where the chance for major conflict, that does not always get resolved to the satisfaction of both sides, does occur in some families. If children have not attained to a reasonable degree of independence and associated rights (according to their self defined standards) by the time they are into teen years, parents look out! The "Terrible Twos" cannot compete with "Tumultuous Teens!" Progress, from being totally dependent to a more and more independent and responsible person, is so complex a path that few of us ever achieve what might be labeled as perfection, yet we owe it to our children and to mature religious thinking to encourage them to strive for it.

It is unfortunate and not uncommon for a docile quality in children to be unknowingly encouraged by some parents simply because it is easier to manage. In the same way, some schools run by churches utilize pressure toward docility in order to maintain strict discipline in the classroom. This is not always a most desired approach to the development of self responsibility.

Beware Footus Insertum Syndrome
In the mind of an adult, children seem to grow like proverbial weeds. I remember a time, many years ago, when that fact came home to me in a most unfortunate way. I had stopped at the house of a friend whose little daughter I had not seen for at least four years. She was now a teenager, much taller and newly overweight. As she suddenly appeared in the living room I burst out with the words "My, you have gotten bigger." What I clumsily meant was "Wow! You have gotten tall!." The disgusted look on her face clearly revealed that what she heard was "Wow! Are you fat!" I couldn’t think of a tactful way out of that one.

Children do grow fast even though it seems slow to them, and they do an incredible amount of learning in their early years. As an illustration of that, here is a brain teaser for adults to try some day when it is raining or one is stuck in a waiting room. Write down a minimum of 2000 words that you know--any words--any order--just as they come to you. If you’re in a waiting room you may actually have time! Too many words? Sounds ridiculous?. You are right, but it points out the enormity of two thousand which is the minimum number of words that Drew, at only five to six years of age will know how to use, and schooling has not yet even begun!
Let us change our game and soften the challenge to just one letter. If you divide twenty-six letters of the alphabet into two thousand, you get about seventy-seven words per letter. Now reduce the number of words that begin with letters J, Q. X, Y, and Z (not to mention maybe K, R, and V) at the least, and add those excesses to all the other letters. Therefore you need only think of about 85 words that you know. Let’s try beginning with the letter G/g. What likelihood is there that your list will not include the word "god?" The purpose of all this is simply to illustrate how common the word "god" can be in daily language and thus how likely it is that Drew will hear it perhaps many times in the first four or five years. In the minds of some believers, that is a good thing and, of course, in the minds of nonbelievers, an unfortunate occurrence.

Of course, there are far more than 85 words that begin with "G/g" excluding "god." The point is, even if Drew’s exposure at home to the concept of a god and the word "god" was faithfully avoided, there is a strong likelihood that within the next few years Drew will still encounter, one or more times, words such as "God, Christian, Jew, church, synagogue, religious" somewhere and be curious about them. The reason is simply one of much greater exposure to public contact for Drew. That was the case for this writer.

Time Out for an Important Point
All of our discussion about Drew’s experience of growing up is to illustrate the major point of this chapter. Children in most societies, from birth to young adulthood are conditioned into some degree of religious belief as a product of their experiences within their nuclear family and/or daily social environs, contacts with peers and other adults and many other stimuli which we shall reveal in the remainder of this chapter. Sometimes, this conditioning or "prepping" is intentional. In other cases, it is just what inevitably happens as life proceeds.

Note that we have not mentioned the strong likelihood that Drew was taken to a Christian church to be baptized within a few months of being born. It is because in that circumstance, the impact, as a religious event, is upon the parents, god parents and witnesses and not Drew. While the act of baptism is intended theologically for Drew’s benefit, and it may have some emotional impact on Drew (so many babies cry upon being baptized) there is probably no direct imprint of a religious nature on him or her. In fact, in at least some instances, it is the first and last time Drew may see the inside of a church for many years to come. However, at some older age s/he might see the family preserved baptismal certificate and be curious about it.

Drew and Daycare/Preschool
From birth to about age five, the amount of time any child spends with nuclear family versus other individuals such as baby-sitters, peers and adults in daycare and/or preschool, varies considerably. Parent employment issues and school for older children in the family are possible factors. That means the amount of time Drew is exposed to the family value system, versus those of other people, may diminish, so some of what Drew learns will not be completely within parental control. The number of ways Drew will acquire information, desirable or undesirable as is determined by family standards, is increased enormously.
In a preschool setting Drew may find books with religiously related pictures. Federal rules against teaching religion don’t apply to privately operated facilities. Even the nonbeliever parent cannot always be selective about where their child will attend. School location, available space, transportation time and money issues, perhaps even more than religious issues are likely to affect where a child attends.

The neighborhood in which Drew lives will very likely be populated with religious and nonreligious families and children will begin to play together as families associate.

Is it a problem for a nonbeliever parent if Drew discovers the name "God?" To some degree, yes. As we shall see, any child under the age of about five or six does not understand fantasy or unreality, belief or disbelief. Anything that comes into his or her awareness, no matter what you prefer, is for all intents and purposes, real until some time during elementary school years. In that same respect, a family that is overtly antireligious cannot just say to Drew "Someday someone is going to tell you about God, but don’t believe any of it!" "God" would then be a reality in Drew’s mind and perhaps the subject of further curiosity. That scenario amounts to a kind of pre-belief belief conditioning. Furthermore, the likelihood of exposure to a god concept will not by any means end at preschool age. Drew hasn’t yet entered elementary school.

Fantasy versus Reality
As we have mentioned, up to the approximate age of five to six years, children have not yet acquired the mental skills needed to make distinction between fact and fantasy. The only concept they understand is reality. This is a human developmental issue and has nothing to do with morality. Therefore, their understanding of daily life is guided by somewhat different principles, and that explains why a scary story or thought, for children, can be terrifying rather than fun. Information, in any form, shared with Drew up to at least elementary school age years, is real; it is not a matter of belief or nonbelief. When Drew hears a story, whether fictional or true, the characters named in that story and the things that happen to them represent "real" people in real situations. Thus, when raised in a religious atmosphere, the many pictures seen and stories heard from religious literature have the quality of fact. For Drew, critical analysis of that information must wait for later years.

Drew doesn’t question things that occur in a day’s experience in a critical way. His or her mind is filled only with curiosity about them and the desire to know more. This is an important matter as it relates to religious information because for Drew, it can only take the form of reality. The child has no option to question or evaluate the validity of information placed before him or her. In the mind of a parent who occupies the "Adamant if not Aggressive Certainty" category of belief on our continuum and interprets most religious literature literally, that is not likely to be considered a problem. They will trust what is read, shown or taught in a religious organization setting.

The "Stabilized" or "Fragile" believer may prefer or should want to know and regulate what Drew is being told in Church daycare/Sunday School type settings. If Drew is introduced to the concept of a god or characters from a religious story, those characters, including the god, are real in Drew’s mind. "Who or what is ‘God?’" Drew may think. Not even Drew’s older siblings can change the way Drew thinks. Drew’s brother or sister Madison or Leslie might explain that God is "invisible," but that would simply mean to Drew that "God" is hiding behind a door or under a blanket while speaking.

Eensy Weensy People
A rather vivid example of this early mental processing is a memory from my childhood at three to four years of age. My father repaired radios at home so I heard them a great deal. Nevertheless, before I could learn differently, I concluded that the people I heard talking were tiny and standing inside those large electron tubes in the back of the set. I did know that they talked into a microphone (whatever that was) but I knew that was inside the tube too. The radio just served to make their voices louder. I could not have clearly understood at that time the concept of radio wave signals invisibly traversing the air from afar.

Just as I could not then understand radio waves, Drew could not be expected to comprehend a supernatural being as anything more complicated than a visible human. That is a kind of suppositional belief conditioning which means that, by the time Drew is about six years old, belief in a god and in many details related to that god are already a routine reality, albeit incorrectly perceived, that was not and could not be questioned, and now probably won’t be for years to come. Father Bob Rhoads of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Sequim, Washington, recently told of his experience with children three and four years old who, because he had a beard, matched him up with Sunday School pictures of Jesus Christ and assumed, therefore, that he was the Savior in person. Even if he said, "No I’m not," they would simply move their loyalties to someone else with a beard.

Often references to the existence of a god that get into Drew’s ears are very casual and without evangelical intent such as Aunt Emily declaring "I pray to God it doesn’t rain on our party tomorrow!" Drew hears, thinks, and is curious. Or Drew, in a play session with other children, may hear some peer who is raised in a less well educated religious family, tell another child that "God will be angry" because of what s/he did. When still a child, I heard that said to a friend. I also was present when a neighborhood mother told her children that "The Virgin Mary will cry if" they don’t behave. Such forms of behavioral manipulation are less than desirable but religious people are no more respected by the "Devil of Ignorance" than the nonreligious.

The Religious Family Scene
If parents want Drew to be raised with a religious background they will likely choose to induce such awareness at an early age through bringing him or her to services at their Church, Mosque, Synagogue or other place of religious devotion. The reason may be just for want of a baby sitter while they attend a service, or a family tradition that is not going to change. They may also intentionally provide and read at home, or in religious classes during worship service, books replete with many pictures (artist conceptions to be honest) telling Noah’s Ark type stories which have a sensational type of appeal to children. However, these same stories and pictures that represent them are among the most factually questionable in terms of historic and scientific validity of all religious literature but very young children can only regard them as true, as frequently do the parents as well. To preschoolers, even cartoon characters on television are real, albeit "real" characters--there is no question of validity or fantasy versus reality.

Some parents have no interest or involvement with religious organizations, or are aggressive supporters of some nonreligious stance. Their children will not be introduced by them, at least, to religious concepts. Nevertheless, those children will still, sooner or later, be likely to experience religious exposure. This is easier to understand if one is aware of the not infrequent dilemmas of children from Jewish, or other minority religions in America, as they try to function in a society whose holidays are largely based on a Christian calendar.

Drew Attends Elementary and High School
Much of the early years Drew spends in school are spent memorizing essential facts and developing reasoning skills in arithmetic and higher math, reading, history, science, foreign language, computer and calculator use. The amount of actual time spent on problem solving, or creative thinking depends to a large extent upon the intelligence of the classroom children, the nature of a given school’s curriculum, and the skills of the teacher/s under whom Drew studies. In early years, children spend less time in the analysis of things they are taught than in mastering facts. In the area of religious belief, there will be no instruction.

However, in America Drew also would, perhaps daily, be required in school to recite the United States Pledge of Allegiance which includes the phrase ". . .under God . . ." , or want to participate in a scouting program that, through its rules of membership would inject the god concept. There may be relatives, neighbors, any of whom might say grace at a meal attended by Drew, or peers, who are involved in some belief culture, and who make references to a god during play. Undoubtedly, Drew’s peers may at times say things about what they are being taught about a god outside of school, some of which may be very moralistic with a not uncommon message of "there’s something bad about not believing."

Clearly, through one or more of the aforementioned or a myriad of other possibilities, U.S. coins ("In God We Trust"), news clips, comic strips that show children saying prayers at bedtime, other pictures, dramatic presentations, the physical presence of churches in the community, etc., Drew will develop awareness and have questions to resolve, about who is God, or religious belief in general. It only takes a few small exposures to make an imprint that will later have to be analyzed and evaluated.

Drew may also have some or many peers who have no involvement with any concept of a god. Which direction the influence takes on Drew involves some chance, but also depends on Drew’s unique personality, not to ignore the importance of parental leadership and example.

Religious Schooling
If Drew attends a private religion related school, religious discussion will not only be encouraged, there will also be formal classes devoted to instruction and they will, of course, be in the religious slant with which the school is associated. That is, without question, a very powerful belief conditioning process which is rarely altered unless the student attends a school of higher education whose student body is of mixed religions and the teaching staff encourages serious questioning in all topics. It will also depend upon the nature of courses taken and the intellectual/religious bent of professors doing the teaching. However, while in the first twelve years of formal education the student attending a school with religious attachment will be trained in the beliefs and rules of that religious group. Most religious schools, though not all, have very strict standards as to what religious concepts are taught, and strict standards that students abide by religious and other rules.

Speaking of Parental Responsibility
As said, Drew will have no formal exposure to religious subjects within public elementary and high school because of constitutional laws requiring separation of church (any religion) and state. Our country’s founders saw the possibility of considerable educational conflict due to the fact that the great diversity of beliefs in our society are not shared by everyone. While such laws have great value it will also mean that, unless educated privately, Drew will have no understanding, specific analytical skills or preparation, to respond to any kind of religious pressure s/he might encounter in private life. That fact throws the burden on Drew’s parents. If they have no interest in religious affiliation and belief, that attitude may brush off on Drew as well but that is definitely not a guarantee, especially in the teen years when personal friendships become more intense and parents are often less trusted.

All religious groups will understandably present a most positive view of their own religious beliefs to outsiders. While the word "believe" may be used, most information offered will be presented as fact because the believer regards it as such. That makes Drew more vulnerable to any religious or evangelical information that s/he is exposed to. Children, in their early years of elementary school, are given some training in observation and comparison of realities but there is no referring of those skills to more subjective areas of knowledge as would be encountered with religion. That can be an important matter depending on who casually talks with Drew first about their religion. Most religious bodies have a considerable number of divisions (denominations) within them. As an example, Christianity consists of hundreds of divisions. A few of the major ones are Bapist, Episcopal, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Lutheran, Methodist, Mormon, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, etc. Within most of those, there are further divisions. Each has very specific reasons as to how and why they are apart from the other divisions and the differences are in many cases theologically critical . Additionally, some consider their division to be the only true way to approach their god. As you may have already recognized, we use the word division here because, while it is less polite, it more accurately than the word "denomination," describes the mindset of the groups. Almost all divisions within a given religious body are historic breakaways from the larger body because they took exception to some or many theological issues. In some instances the divisions are major political breakoffs. Divisions are also found in other world religions such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. The significance of all this is that each division will teach its differing beliefs as important facts. Despite all those different offerings, the new family in town, looking for a church, will in some instances, choose same on the basis of how they feel about the building, the congregation, the pastor and the worship style, rather than its theological bent.

Drew will have no reason, beyond that of typical resistance to sales pressure, to disagree with religious concepts that are in his/her face unless there is some personal propensity or family pressure to be a skeptic. Outright skepticism, as a functional skill, is likely to be quite limited partly because young children have little reason to distrust those whom they see as real friends.

Parents should be advised that there are some highly structured Christian groups with paid staff such as Young Life3 that are focused on young people and religion. They claim to be nondenominational which is possible only in part. While there is considerable sincerity in their work, their activities are all geared to the objective of converting children to Christianity. As part of their strategy and therefore as much as possible, they directly approach young people, not going through parents first. If you find out about them it will probably be through your child. Parents should read their religious "mission" or creedal statement to understand that they are a missionary organization with primary Christian objectives. Their recreational offerings are carefully planned to encourage an emotional leaning toward conversion.
For a child the very possible effect of any exposure to religious thinking is to have some curiosity about it, which is perfectly healthy. Drew may only see validity in it, especially if it is well presented or s/he is good friends with or likes the religious presenter. Children who attend religious organizations or the camp activities offered by Young Life are encouraged to try to persuade their peers to attend as well.

My experience, as a child growing up, included no formal or family exposure to religious training or participation though my family labeled its background as Protestant. My neighborhood contained a mix of Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and some nonreligious families. My personal friends were also of the same mix. However, what I learned about religion was based almost entirely on Roman Catholic influences probably because of their highly organized structure, their private schools for children and church events that children had to attend during the week, such as Confession.

No child’s curiosity in any realm should be stifled by a parent negatively putting down what was said by a child’s peer without an opportunity to examine or discuss the information. The curiosity should be regarded respectfully and with intelligent answers even if that requires some humble and wise research by the parent.

Up until teenage years, most children live with some degree of pressure simply to believe the truth of any things taught or said. Of course, a common phrase heard in most families at some time or other is "Don’t believe everything you hear," and that statement becomes a "truth" as it is delivered by the most powerful and difficult to contradict authority in the child’s life. Whatever the issue in question is, it probably deserves more clarification than a blunt and negative command. Additionally, given the odds of a child believing parents versus peers, the outcome can ultimately be strongly affected by the quality of relationships on all sides.

Unless Drew ’s parents or some other respected relative/mentor totally convince Drew that a concept of a god is a waste of time, and that of course happens, Drew will have some degree of knowledge of a god generated, if nothing else, by peer relationships. Drew will almost by default carry some suppositional, or assumptive "belief", well into late teens at the very least.
Life and Death Matters
Also, in Drew’s teen or early adult years sources of religious information may overtly or covertly suggest to Drew, "This is something you should consider at some time in your life. None of us lives forever and science doesn’t provide all the answers!" Pressure in that direction can occur especially if and when a pet, family member, relative, or idol dies, or becomes seriously ill or Drew sees a funeral procession passing by. If you find any of that hard to believe, consider the effect that the death of the Rock entertainer, Elvis Presley, has had on society. For my son, an avidly scientifically-minded person, the death of Carl Sagan was a painful crash into the world of reality. Such situations force young people, and sometimes adults, to come to terms, for the first time in their lives, with the reality that we do not live forever. It can be very difficult for a parent to find something meaningful, consoling, and encouraging to say to a child who must deal with great personal pain and possible fear. It is understandable that a child will look for relief from that which is not easily understandable. To soften the blow to young children, it is not uncommon for adults to say that so and so "has gone to heaven," or "is now with God." To Drew, that of course means there is life after death.

"We’re poor little lambs who’ve lost our way, Baa! Baa! Baa!"
So go the opening words to the chorus of the song made famous by the equally famous and long standing Yale Whiffenpoofs (college) a capella group. The words continue "Little black sheep who’ve gone astray, Baa-aa-aa!" One wonders if some families don’t fear that such is going to happen when Drew proudly leaves for college--the place where boys and girls instantly become "men" and "women" and are expected to be self-reliant and independent; college, the place where minds are almost pried open and students are encouraged to rethink almost everything they have ever been taught. That is a really good thing unless, of course, you, the parents, think this is not a really good thing.

Some parents genuinely fear what college will do to instead of for their children. After all, Drew may lose his or her religion, they worry, through being exposed to "sinful" pressures in the form of teaching that will tempt him or her away from the family's established faith. One does have to recognize that some things taught in some colleges may legitimately conflict with some religious teachings. That however does not guarantee the loss of a faith. One of the most prominent subjects furiously debated and still unsettled in the minds of some is that of when and how the earth and life were formed. The titles associated with the debate are Intelligent Design or Creationism as described in the Book of Genesis in the Bible, versus Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and Natural Selection. The question for us is not really one of which theory is right. The question for us, with Drew included in the discussion is, what is right for Drew! We have only two options. One is to require Drew to attend a school where one theory is taught to the exclusion of any other, with the implied insistence that such a presentation is high quality education and that the theory taught is the correct one, and that Drew doesn’t need to question it. The other option is for Drew to attend a school where complete and open minded access to all sides of a subject are detailed through lecture, discussion and reading opportunities with the responsibility, and freedom, laid upon Drew to study all carefully and decide, independently, which has the greatest validity. There will still be the implication that such is quality education. Neither of those options will shake or destroy a valid faith, and so the decision is ultimately up to Drew and parents.

If you are internet savvy, you can go to the following site:
www.college-scholarships.com/index.html and peruse the offerings of colleges to your heart’s content. Further, you can choose the kind of college that interests you most before you even know anything about colleges, by just scrolling down the column on the right hand side of the main page. For example you can quickly discover that there are approximately 217 "Christian" colleges, most of which, have within their name, the word "Christian" or "Bible." They are listed as "Christian" colleges. Click on any one of the listings and they will take you to the website for that college and you can learn much about what you would like to know. Be sure, in every case to look for a description of their "Mission," "Beliefs," or whatever other word will lead you to a statement of the beliefs by which they operate. You will find that most of them are well glued to a policy closely approximating the Nicene Creed, with the addition that they believe the Bible is the inspired (practically, if not actually dictated) word of God and that the words of the Bible are infallible (should be taken literally). Many of them have curricula that are strongly oriented towards preparing students for Christian careers or, at the very least, a leaning toward evangelization of the world outside of college no matter what kind of work one does. Some schools will be more liberal in their academic coverage and presentation of content than others but the latter is difficult to determine without talking face to face with professors. Ask a science teacher, for example, if Darwinian Evolution is taught as thoroughly as Creationism unless that is not a significant concern of yours.

Most of all, be certain that your religious slant is well matched to that of the school you might find attractive. Christian schools will be quite assertive about their theology and usually expect their students to be in agreement.

Private Non-Coed Colleges
You will also find colleges in the main page list that are specifically dedicated solely to the education of women or men but not both. Many of these colleges are of the highest caliber and have the most demanding academic standards. They may or may not be related to a specific religious denomination but are private schools. Religious slant is usually not their primary focus, though religion, even as a major, is often provided. Many have students from all over the world as well as from many of the world’s religions. In other words, they encourage respect for individual religious perspective and some provide services to major religious leanings. These schools for the most part have very high standards in both moral and academic achievement and generally accept only the top levels of high school academic performers. While these schools are expensive, they generally do not discriminate against financially challenged students who have substantial academic achievement records. Financial issues can often be addressed through scholarships

Coed Private Church Connected Colleges
On yet another list you will find coed private colleges that have continued connections with or were founded by a particular denomination of the Christian church and thus offer chapel services on the campus and activities for religious students. Student bodies generally consist of numerous different religious backgrounds thereby providing students with good exposure to diversity. They, however usually focus on academic curricula and achievement rather than proselytizing anyone toward specific religious or denominational origins. Many of these colleges are very serious educational institutions, with relatively small enrollments (therefore better teacher-to-student ratios) and high educational standards, sometimes with smaller numbers of course or study area offerings than the very large institutions.

State and Non-Church Connected Colleges
On the very same list as that just above you will find the names of most of the major (in terms of size, state affiliation, private status, or reputation) colleges across the country. These colleges can be outstanding in certain curricular areas because of industrial support in their geographical area. In campus style, they range from intensively metropolitan to rural and in the case of the latter are sometimes the main "industry" of a town. Since they are large, sports activities and achievement are usually well known over a wide geographical expanse. Focus on religion is totally discretionary. Of the schools which are state affiliated, religion is not an area where there is any major course focus. Almost any college will have programs for religious students and larger colleges may very well be able to offer services to a considerable breadth of religious affiliations, in part because of very sizeable student bodies. Generally there is no prohibition against any religious organization on campus, and offices or entire buildings devoted to religious concerns will be found on many of them. State Schools usually can offer substantially reduced costs to residents of the state in which they are located.

Oy Vey! Decisions!
The issue of where to attend a college is highly complex and should include serious consideration of your student’s personal, academic, career, social and activity interests. Be certain to verify that a chosen school will offer thorough coverage, as a major or minor, subject courses that match Drew’s greatest interests.

Decisions should not be based solely upon one’s religious beliefs. Students who want to become religious professionals do not necessarily major in religion. Most graduate schools in Law, Medicine and Religion encourage students to have a broader background than they would get if they major in the same subject area taught in the grad school.

Holy $$$$$$$$!
I don’t know how you pronounce that second word but I do know it keeps getting longer with each passing year. Colleges are extremely expensive to attend and one must seriously question how a reasonable living will be made after college with the degree earned. Remember that most religious affiliations require, for certification/ordination, several additional years of education (seminary) beyond the four years of college. Distance from home and associated annual travel costs also need to be looked at.

To those who want to pursue religious studies and career, I could offer the seemingly spiritual encouragement or consolation that somehow, financially, "God will provide!" It is to be hoped that such is a truism justified by one’s loyalty and faith. However, unfortunately, it is presumptuous if not arrogant to tell God how and to whom extra attention should be given. One day, when I was still a child, my next door neighbor Judy came out to play with the rest of us. She was wearing an obviously new clean dress which somehow she had managed quickly, to get very dirty by rolling on the ground. The rest of us, in some incongruous mindset of piety, thoroughly scolded her for getting her new dress dirty. Casually and callously, she simply responded, "So what! My mother can wash it!" Even we young children were somehow wise enough to be shocked and knew that even if God does do your laundry, it is righteous to keep your expectations to a minimum!

In Summary
A truly thorough coverage of all the important issues related to college attendance cannot be any more than barely touched upon here. It is important to visit more than one school where Drew would like to attend and learn more about them in face-to-face meetings. Even then, remember that your first encounter at any school will, in most cases, be with an individual who is the school’s most effective sales person. They will roll out a red carpet for you. It is always wise to also talk with professors and students and ask to sit in on actual classes. If it seriously concerns you, ask a great deal about the religious perspective. You may find it to be anything from insufficient to overbearing for your preferences.

While parents and their children should seriously discuss the pros and cons of various areas of study, the ultimate choice has to be made by the student. Remember that we are hoping to raise children who will be responsible for themselves. Majoring in a particular subject merely to satisfy parents can be an emotional and in turn a professional disaster.

It is also wise to give thought to the financial future of a choice of minor subject as well as major. The major subject study area is intended to prepare one for a career in that kind of work. However, if for some unexpected reason, that career intention doesn’t work out, what one studies as a minor subject area could be a saving grace. For example, a student who wants to major in music performance is making a very financially high risk choice. It would be advisable to minor in something like education so that one might rely, if necessary, on professional school music teaching for a living.

In college Drew must ultimately be able to discriminate easily between belief based information and demonstrable facts. That is the stuff of which much higher education is made. Drew will receive challenges in analytical and creative thinking, analysis, evaluation and problem solving, emphasizing reason rather than emotion in making judgments, through the subject areas studied. Above all Drew will be encouraged to thoroughly understand him or her self and his or her motivations and ideals apart from just believing what one is told to believe.

Bluntly speaking, the upshot of a good education, during college or in later years, will cause Drew to reevaluate religious feelings and concepts. It does not necessarily follow that s/he will give up the faith of his or her childhood. That has not proven to be the case for hundreds of thousands of students who attend secular colleges and still graduate with the same faith. Consider this. Many of the most violent warlike people on earth today are college graduates. They embrace religious fundamentals that remained unchanged by their education. One could hastily jump to the conclusion that they should have attended a religious school and perhaps some did. A school of their own faith would probably not have pulled them out of their fundamentalist attitudes because most religious based schools are fundamentalist to begin with. Yes, perhaps a mentor within the school might have made a difference. Had they, albeit extremely unlikely, attended a school of a different faith they would have quit rather than change because fundamentalist faiths are highly emotionally based and highly resistant to reason or change. Almost all religiously affiliated schools provide education strongly lacquered with a system of reasoning that does not rely upon observable proofs (we shall study that system in detail in Chapter two), but rather, reasoning that spills down from unproven, believed premises. That is likely to happen whenever a proven fact disagrees with the answer offered by the faith as with Creationism. Or worse, some teachers will provide both sides of a debatable topic but do so by portraying the side they disagree with negatively. Religion after all, is first in the business of believing. Education in an objective college is first in the business of reasoning upon studying the visible, hearable, touchable, smellable, tastable and I will add thinkable world that we believe God made. A basic criteria in the educational philosophy is that a student must be able to grasp and evaluate the manifestations of those senses for him or herself, without having to yield to someone insisting, "just trust me!." A student should feel safe enough in class to ultimately disagree with a professor or question the reasoning. That is something to be highly valued! Would one feel more comfortable if I wrote "God hates the thinker and loves the emotional"? or "Satan hates the emotional and loves the thinker.?

We will look in greater detail in Chapter Two at the mechanics of belief systems and what makes people give up belief altogether. It is through the comparison and understanding of the two options that we can grow a greener lawn on each side of the fence. It is hoped that understanding will lead to compassion so we can both agree to take down the fence between us.