Blog Reflection 1/21

Currently in class we are sharing our different backgrounds and experiences with religion. One thing I found in common was many students experience with the Catholic Church and my Dad’s experience at the church were both a like. Similar to many kids that grew up in the Catholic church, he also left when he was a teenager and never went back. Growing up, I can recall going to church during the holidays, but then slowly going less and less until we never went at all. My family was never extremely religious and was always open to believing whatever you wanted to about religion. While growing up in San Jose, I never felt that religion was a huge deal or topic in our everyday society. I had friends that would go to church on the holidays or every Sunday, but when greeting someone nobody ever asked, “What church do you go to” like in San Antonio, Texas. We are currently reading McGuire’s text: “Religion: The Social Context” where she brings up certain cities such as San Antonio that has a plethora of religions that are very important to each person. I found it interesting that San Antonio had so many religions present and that so many people were so heavily involved with their churches. When comparing San Antonio to my hometown I wonder why so much religious activity is at the forefront of their culture, and not in San Jose. After being in Redlands for two years now, I can see how religion plays a large role in society here as well. There are a lot of churches just around the campus and when talking to fellow classmates I have found that a lot of them grew up going to church every week and still continue to go while in college. It is interesting to me that different cities and states can have such different perceptions on religion, but yet people in our class can have such similar relationships with religion such as in the Catholic Church.