Learning to appreciate religion

My Mom use to take my sister and I to church every Sunday when we were small. All I remember from those days was the boring music, the hard seats, and the delicious lunches at Pizza Delight afterward. Needless to say, as I became older and gained the responsibility of making my own decisons, practicing Christianity was not a priority. I came to feel as though religion actually caused more problems than it solved, and felt that those who claimed to be religious held a completely different view of the world than I did. Then I went to Zambia. Many Zambians refer to their country as a Christian state. Often times, the 3 questions that you're asked when you meet someone new are: "What's your name? Where are you from? What church do you go to?" I had never before been so blatantly confronted with this pressure to understand and articulate what I believed. Even though I don't follow any organized religion, I had to be cautious with whom I disclosed this information, lest it should result in negative assumptions. I could usually tell within a few minutes of discussion if I could openly talk about my position. Many people would listen intently, but would often look at me as though I were a lost soul. Most were completely good natured, and accepted me for who I was, even if our views differed. Zambia taught me how to appreciate religion and faith. I saw the benefits of organized religion -the support network it created, the unwavering faith that people depended upon to help them through difficult times, this belief that there was something bigger which would never let them fall too far. I used to attend the Brethern in Christ church on Sundays. I found the singing, the drums, the dancing, and the socialzing good for my soul. There's a feeling of belonging that can make you stronger. I saw people living as Christians, not only on Sunday, but every day of the week. I saw this embodiment of the teachings of the faith in both adults and children. I learned about forgiveness and sharing from people who believed in treating others as you want to be treated. It was a beautiful expericence which has pushed me to understand how to incorporate the teachings of different religions into my daily life.