We all have to start somewhere, don’t we?

As a 19 year old University student, my perception of the world we live in is constantly changing and adapting. Especially in the modern world; where most of us have immediate access to the largest database of information known to humankind. Ever. One thought that keeps re-entering my mind is this: how has access to the internet from a young age molded me into the person I am today?

That question alone sparked the train-of-thought that led me towards creating this blog. What if I had been born 40, even 50 years ago? How would that setting have changed the person I am today? So I looked into my roots. When my Grandfather was my age, he had dropped out of high school, married (and knocked up) my grandmother, and was searching for a farm to settle down on. In other words, we’re leading two very different life paths. His was of survival, and mine the pursuit of knowledge.

My Grandparents are not intellectuals, nor do they crave information as I do; and why would they? Every five minutes spent studying or reading meant one less potato harvested for the family, or one less egg collected from the coop. They never felt the desire to question life, as they needed to preserve their own first. My Grandmother would send her children (my mother included) to church every Sunday, and would occasionally attend herself. Living in a small rural area in Nova Scotia, there was nobody to question her beliefs. There was only one true God, the christian god. To this day, my hometown is still predominantly christian.

Now, I’ve been fortunate enough to grow up in an environment where knowledge has always been readily available to me. I’ve seen both sides of the coin. By the time I was ready to question my beliefs (in the last few years), I had already been exposed to the beliefs and philosophies of numerous other religions. I understood the premise behind the theory of evolution, and was captivated by individuals such as Richard Dawkins and Neil DeGrasse Tyson, fighting for science, reason, and free thought. So, I proclaimed myself to be “Agnostic”.

At this point in my life, I left behind the rural town I grew up in and moved into the City of Halifax. The Capital of Nova Scotia. In other words, that’s as big as it gets around here. I started attending Dalhousie University, and chose Business Commerce as my major. The shift from small town to big city was a huge culture shock for me. I started working with the university, and met with people of all different faith. Muslims, Jews, Christians, and even an acclaimed buddhist. I lived in a hallway with people from around the Globe. The Philippines, Germany, the United States. I had half the basketball team living across from me. I became best friends with a few gay guys. Within a few months, I started noticing that most of my peers shared similar beliefs to me. Born around religion, never fully accepted one true belief.

Now, I finished my first year at University and i’m back in my bible belt hometown for the summer. I’m left with a bitter taste in my mouth. I’ve crossed the threshold between child and adult, and can now see more vividly how things work. How could so many people I love and care about blindly follow a faith that blatantly declares being Gay is wrong? Why are they so quick to hate other religions? Why is knowledge almost laughed upon?

I’m generally not a confrontational person, but i’ve found myself in many heated debates, no, battles with creationists. I chose not to call them ‘debates’, as my arguments are never truly considered or rebutted against. They’re just falsified by the ‘truth’ of the bible. It has come to the point where I simply do not to talk about my belief system to others. I’ve determined that before I can truly understand the draw towards christianity, I should read the bible (the old AND the new testaments) with an open mind. If I come out a believer, so be it. Otherwise, I’ll settle this personal score with myself once and forall.

Oh, and i’ll have a whole lot of ammunition if I need it. If your interest is at all sparked, stay tuned for future posts containing my thoughts on passages that catch my attention.