Here I am, just sitting in my social work class and we start talking about Social Work in Rural Areas. For some odd reason, the LDS religion came up; how it always seems to in any setting in Utah, even when it doesn't apply to whatever is being said. I was just straight chillin', and my professor decided that he wanted to call on me and put me on the spot.
He asked me about my religion.
I honestly don't mind talking about it, because it doesn't bother me that I'm not Mormon in an extremely conservative state because I know who I am and who I am striving to be and it doesn't involve being in any type of religion, but it does bother me in this situation because I'm one of three non-Mormons out of the whole class, including the professor. I proudly told everyone that I was raised in an LDS household, but different circumstances and experiences made me choose to be inactive; and that's totally okay.
I could see the judgmental stares of the other girls in the class, because obviously just looking at me (septum piercing and little baby wrist tattoo), it's no secret that I'm not a Mormon. One girl pipped up and told us about her mission, and how this is the only true church, and I couldn't help but think, aren't we supposed to keep church and state separate? I signed up for this class because it's something that I'm interested in, not because I wanted to be put on the spot about a religion that I may or may not be apart of. Ever since Elementary School, teachers have been stressing about how we need to keep church and state separate, but yet ever since Elementary school, the Mormon religion has always been brought up in school lessons.
I may look like a badass(;)), but I honestly am far from it. That being said, I'm also not a bad person just because I don't go to church every Sunday. That girl on her mission, she did changed lives, and that is the main reason that she went on that mission in the first place. I get that, I really do. I know that there are good people out there, who may or may not be Mormon or a religion whatsoever
and that's totally okay.
In fact, my best friend happens to be LDS and she's one of the most understanding, non-judgmental people I've ever met in my life.
But there are also people who have been pushed away from their religions because of bias and negativity inside those doors, just how I have been.
It honestly doesn't matter what religion you are, it matters what kind of person you are.
If anyone knows me, they know that I almost never go out of my way to make a point of what I am thinking. I'm more of a "I'll just sit back and listen to everyone and nod my head in agreement even if I don't", but today, for some reason, I just couldn't hold back on this particular subject. I then told the class that being a certain religion doesn't define a person or what they can offer. Someone may believe in different things than you do, but you can still like that person. Things were starting to get heated, the three of us 'Satan worshipers' between the rest of the class. My professor finally decided that he should step in and keep things on the DL, and he said "Do you all see how you feel? You don't feel judged at all, you feel good and warm inside." I mean, I beg to differ, but who am I to try and change the minds of people who don't want them to be changed?
It is hard to not be Mormon in Utah.
-Talia
No comments:
Post a Comment