Questions about reliion, not mine...yours

[taerowyn]

OK, so I'm taking a continuing ed class in writing feature articles. I'm trying to get my journalism side of science journalism beefed up a bit so next time I apply to BU I can get off the f$&#ing waiting list and actually get accepted.
ANYWAY, on to the point, for the class I am writing an article on religion and "the youth of America" or however you want to phrase it. Basically just how religion for young people has branched way beyond Judeo-Christian roots of the past. So I am interviewing some people face to face, but I figure the best way to get a really broad sampling would be to write my questions here as well.

Now, before I begin, there is a chance that this story could, beyond being a class assignment, get published in a local monthly paper so fair warning. If you want you can tell me to change your name...the little disclaimer "some pepole's named changed for their protection" etc.

First the basics:

Name?
Location (At least state, city would be prefered)?
Age?
Do you want your name changed for the article?

And now the real questions:

1. What faith were you raised with?
2. How did you feel about it at the time?
3. How do you feel about it now?
4. What is your current faith?
5. Why did you stay or change?
6. If you changed, what did you look for when choosing your new
faith?
7. What does your current faith hold for you? What does it mean to you? Why is it important in your life?
8. What does it entail? What are the common practices/beliefs of your religion?
9. How devout would you consider yourself?
10. How does it relate to your daily life?
11. How does religion affect your relationships? Does it affect
your choice in partners and if so, how?
12. How do you view religion in America (i.e. Freedom of...,
Separation of Church and State etc.)

So if you are interested in helping out here (please, please help out here), then you can either answer in the comments, or if you would like it to reamin private you can email me at taerowyn@hotmail.com.

Thanks a bunch!!

Comments

name changed only for LiveJournal privacy

[vardissakheli.livejournal.com]

Name?

not posted here but feel free to get it from schwa

Location (At least state, city would be prefered)?

near Poughkeepsie, NY

Age?

38

Do you want your name changed for the article?

doesn't matter

---

1. What faith were you raised with?

Christian, Reformed tradition (Presbyterian)

2. How did you feel about it at the time?

Seemed plenty sensible until my big sister's boyfriend got me reading wacky occult stuff. Then I decided Jesus had messed up a good thing. Don't ask me why.

3. How do you feel about it now?

I'm back to being pretty solid in my Reformed beliefs. The predestination/free will paradox is no more troubling than wave/particle duality (and no, I don't draw corny Carl Sagan-like analogies between them).

4. What is your current faith?

still Presbyterian

5. Why did you stay or change?

It's home. The more different kinds of people I associated with, as I lived in big cities and went off to college, the more I found comfort in the grounding of spending time--some time, not all the time--with people who shared my beliefs.

6. If you changed, what did you look for when choosing your new faith?

[n/a]