Two plus years into a project that has its tenets around respect, compassion and understanding for children of different faiths has not been all wine and roses. Spiritual leaders who I had expected would support this premise hands down have actually been intimidated by it, and on a more personal basis, friends and family who I would have thought would have been all over this have actually shied away from the challenging nature of conversations that would ensue.

I am consistently amazed (and and mostly disappointed) at the responses I receive in discussions with other adults regarding the title proposition. A basic tenet of spirituality is enlightenment, and the literal definition of enlighten per dictionary.com is;

1. to give understanding or information to

2. to free from ignorance, prejudice, or superstition

3. to give spiritual or religious revelation to

4. poetic to shed light on

With this said, how is it that the responses to the title question are overwhelmingly negative and defensive?

“Religion has the capability to generate unselfish love in some people, and vicious, raw hatred in others. The goal of every caring person should be to somehow change religions so that they maximize the former and minimize the latter. This is not a simple task, because most faith groups are extremely resistant to change.” -Religious Tolerance.Org

I am an active member in my church and I am all in on my faith at all levels. My excitement is boundless and I am thrilled to share my journey and extend my influence to any that are interested, but this is my boundary. If an individual of another belief system has no interest in what I have to say about my faith, I will not force my views upon him or her.

As would be expected, in an overwhelming number of cases, Mom and Dad will raise and mentor their child following the same spiritual path that they are on. If they are Jewish, the child will be raised Jewish, if they are Muslim, the child will be raised Muslim, and so on. I have had many conversations with individuals of different faiths and I was amazed at the reluctance to introduce the premise of faiths other than the one being followed in the household. It was not as benign as, they just did not think to do it.