This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s senior fall editorial intern Arianna Nahim. Find her on Instagram at @ariannanahim. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
To many, the adjectives young and religious may sound like a paradox. When we think of youth, the things that come to our minds are more than likely anything that would align to any religion. When we are young there are inherent ideas attached to that description. Young people are rebellious in many ways and juvenile. The struggles and traditional experiences of coming of age hardly align with the following of any faith amidst that.
What Sparked My Curiosity
A couple of weeks ago I attended a cultural organization meeting on campus for the first time. Many of the prospective members were also new to the organization so a lot of small talk and introductory conversations were being held. In a lot of the conversations, I was hearing I noticed a lot of my peers were finding commonality in the other organizations on campus they were a part of. These organizations were all affiliated with religion, one for Christian Greek life students and a couple of bible study groups on campus. I found this to be so fascinating because when I first think about religion, especially Christianity, a long list of things you can’t do comes to mind. I recounted the experience with one of my aunts who lives in what is known as a, “bible belt,” area and she was surprised as well. “College kids at bible study sounds like something that would only happen in a bible belt are like this one,” she said. However, when she said this, I thought of all the reasons these college kids were willingly going to an activity like this one.
My curiosity preceded me, and I figured what were the chances I’d really ever see this group again? I have never been religious and personally, I’ve always been more against than for religion. I just don’t agree with a man-made system, usually used to excuse extreme behaviors, filled with teachings that promote forms of hate or misogyny in many cases, even in the name of a god.
The Source Of Devotion
When I posed to the group the question, “Why are you so devout?” The answer I frequently received was that their faith and committed following to their religion served as their beacon of principles and comfort. There is so much uncertainty in our youth. Will we be successful? Will we find love? Are we on the right path? How should we be living our lives? This is where religion comes in. It’s a path that offers a solace that is gratifying. However, this is a path that requires an immense amount of discipline to engage in teachings that conflict with most of the activities college students find themselves in.
A Personal Interview
While I wasn’t able to get into more details like the question posed above with this group, I was able to connect with a peer and ask her to recount her own experiences. For privacy reasons we’ll refer to this person as Mary, pun intended. Mary is a junior in college right now, majoring in accounting. She became closer to God and her faith during the pandemic.
“Do u feel as a religious young person you are missing out on anything?” Personally, I feel like this would be the hardest thing as a devout young person, especially in an environment that breeds and nurtures temptations. Mary is no stranger to this feeling.
“There were times in my faith that felt like I was missing out. The most common being party culture because of how prevalent it is in my age group. It became easier when I began being around and meeting new people with like-minded principles and ideals. As I’ve grown and matured in my faith, many of the things I felt like I was missing out on were superficial and I knew it wouldn’t bring me fulfillment. In hindsight, my ideas of what I want out of life began changing. It was no longer wanting to find happiness or doing things that would bring me temporary pleasure, but now I’ve longed for a true and sustaining satisfaction that will carry through now and the future. That satisfaction indeed is my religion.”
Like the first group I was curious about what specifically draws them to carry such a strong belief and even more so how they upkeep that faith even when it is difficult. So, I asked Mary what her call to faith is and how she keeps faith strong in moments when it’s not easy, specifically in the context of a young person. Mary feels that she is a representative of Christ and to do that means practicing teachings even if they are difficult. It’s a threshold so certain to her that it cannot be shaken.
“This is especially true in the pressures young people face, in academics or career, or even in the changing dynamics that happen in social spheres. The certainty of God is what leads me to represent Him and helps me to know there is something that is constant, even in this ever-changing life.”
Being a religious individual does not have to be singular to being from the bible belt or being a rigid person. Many young people follow religious teachings and let it guide them through what is no doubt a tumultuous life. While many may have less than positive feelings towards a group like this, I find it fascinating. To be so young yet have such a strong conviction already on your values and belief is a rare thing. So long as there is no hate being thrown onto others it is a community supported by connection, and really that is what we all need. Mary has similar thoughts.
“It is also being in community with other Christians that make all of this easy too. To have others that bear your burdens and to encourage you back to what is true and right. I could be rock bottom in life or in my faith, but I would also know that there are people that are willing to help me and to be there for me, whether that is physically or spiritually like petitioning of prayer for me.”
What are your thoughts? Is there a belief you have that may not align with most of your peers?
Leave a Reply