Crouton
August 27, 2003, 01:57 PM
My older sister is a converted Jew and raises her three children as Jews. I was walking with Benjamin, the youngest (age 7), one day this summer, and we passed by a poster for some Christian event, which must have induced him to ask me about my religious beliefs. He seems to do this from time to time because I think it interests him that someone could exist outside of the artificial dichotomy of "Jew or Christian" that has been imprinted on his mind by his upbringing. Also, I'm sure that he remembers, because he usually answers his own question by saying "Are you a Christian? No, wait, you don't have a religion." We have talked in the past of what that implies about cosmology, paleontology, and evolution. We've also discussed the scientific method at length, especially for a seven year old. He has a voracious appetite for scientific knowledge especially in the area of zoology. Whenever I visit he asks that I tuck him into bed and tell him about science.
Back to the walk. After reaffirming to him that I don't have a religion he pondered silently for a few moments, perhaps recalling some of our past discussions. Then he said something that I think I'll remember for the rest of my life. In a serious, but not somber tone Benjamin said, "I think that when I grow up, I'm going to be like you." Externally suppressing my joy, I asked him why. He precociously replied, "Well, there are a lot of things in my religion that don't make any sense to me. Even after they are explained they still don't fit with other things that I know for sure. So I don't believe the things that don't make sense, and there's a lot of things like that." I asked him, "When someone tells you to believe something, is it important to you that they provide good reasons to believe it?" He answered, "Yes." I said, "Me, too."
Back to the walk. After reaffirming to him that I don't have a religion he pondered silently for a few moments, perhaps recalling some of our past discussions. Then he said something that I think I'll remember for the rest of my life. In a serious, but not somber tone Benjamin said, "I think that when I grow up, I'm going to be like you." Externally suppressing my joy, I asked him why. He precociously replied, "Well, there are a lot of things in my religion that don't make any sense to me. Even after they are explained they still don't fit with other things that I know for sure. So I don't believe the things that don't make sense, and there's a lot of things like that." I asked him, "When someone tells you to believe something, is it important to you that they provide good reasons to believe it?" He answered, "Yes." I said, "Me, too."