What’s missing in the United States of America?… Faith

What do you believe in? A simple question on the surface, but when one digs a little deeper, it is not an easy question to answer. What do you believe in? As an individual, what we believe in determines our faith.

The word faith has disappeared from our vocabulary in almost all aspects of life; except for religion. Expressing faith in terms of religion is easy. What do you believe in? “I believe in Islam, Judaism, Christianity. Yes, one’s faith in religion is strong. But let’s get one thing straight, faith is not synonymous with religion.

The United States seems to have a hard time differentiating from these two terms, but why? Why is faith determined as religion in this county? When I sit and watch our politicians speak. I hear faith in God pushed frequently. Christianity runs the United States. Christians in this country often vote blindly for politicians that push religion. In a terrifying way where our blind faith in God has given us the blind faith in politicians that believe in God. Blind faith in God is a religious value. Blind faith in a politician is a fundamental problem in this country. Blind faith is worship. Worshiping anything other than God is a sin.

If blind faith in politicians worked. We would have faith in everything in this country. So, let’s look at this a different way. Do you have faith in climate change? Do you have faith in public education? Do you have faith in healthcare? Do you have faith in your community, your city, your state, your country? If you answered no to any of these, blind faith doesn’t work. If you answered yes to all of these you are naive. 

There is a lack of faith in this country (not blind faith). Faith in religion is fading. For those who do not have faith in religion, one more time, what do you believe in? Do you believe in the good of people? Do you believe in a higher connection to the Earth? You need to have faith.

Without faith, existential crises multiply. If you cannot answer the question, what do you believe in, life becomes increasingly hard. My faith is in the goodness of people. I believe all people are good at their core. Yes, we all make bad decisions, some worse than others, but I truly believe if you have faith in people,  you personally will make better decisions.

If you read this, I have faith in you! I believe in your ability to impact this world in a positive way. If you do not believe in anything, I ask you find something to believe in. It does not have to religion. It does not even have to be others, but believing gives your life purpose. Have faith!

Christianity in the United States; Does freedom of religion really exist in this country?

Today in my beautiful state of Indiana I was made aware of a change to a welcome sign when coming from Ohio into Indiana. It appears that the new sign has replaced the old slogan of “Welcome to Indiana, Crossroads of America” with “Jesus is our Lord America, Indiana Welcome You”. Now I am a Christian, but when I look at that sign it blatantly says to me “If your are not Christian, then you are not welcome in the state of Indiana”. Why else would it be on our welcome sign?

Now the location of this sign is in an area that is probably 98% Christian on both the Ohio border and the Indiana border. I’m not sure if they have changed the welcome sign in other locations, but I don’t think it is right to make anyone driving through have to question their religious choices.

It seems ridiculous to me that some of the “first settlers” of this country left their own country because of religious persecution (I put first settlers in quotes as Native Americans have the true claim to this), yet individuals still don’t understand how this could be offensive. I don’t think that it was the intention of our forefathers to make the United States a “Christian Country”. Our country was founded to be the land of the free; a place where everyone should be free of injustices. However, it seems to me that if you are not Christian in this country, you often do not feel safe. I have never been called names based solely on my religion. I have never been called a terrorist. I have never been called greedy. I have never been told what I believe is wrong, and I wish others wouldn’t have to suffer based on their religious choices.

Yes, In God We Trust and One Nation Under God are patriotic phrases used everyday in this country, and I’m not sure if they should be changed due to their historical significance, but I understand why people could see them as offensive. However, for a state government to make a statement today that “Jesus is our Lord” is extremely disrespectful. I want to live in the country that our forefathers had envisioned; a land of freedom where individuals of every sex, race, religion, national origin, class, sexual orientation, or any other trait can work together to make our country better for everyone in the future.