This video contains controversial and thought-provoking segments through the lens of faith and the transition to college. Watch this segment and respond to your impressions of standing firm in your belief as you go off to school next year. How will you honestly defend your stances without feeling like and outcast?
After watching the first video and a very small part of the second part, it definitely got me thinking. I honestly at this juncture in my life would not expect myself to speak up against my professor without feeling like an outcast; against my peer(s), I believe I might stand a chance. Everyone has their opinions just as I have my own, and just like I would not want them to tell me I am wrong I would not tell them they are wrong. If I was in a class in which I needed to suck it up and write or speak on topics my teacher asked, I would respect their class because I would need to pass it, and move on my jolly way the next semester or year. However, if it was a situation like that one girl where she had to actually sign her name to a document she didn't agree with, I would draw the line there because in no circumstance should anyone have to compromise their beliefs like that for a class especially because it could come up in the future in a thousand different ways which could affect her career opportunities or anything.
Reply
Allie Bokar
3/19/2013 12:32:45 pm
I'm a very opinionated person and I think one of my biggest struggles next year will be adjusting to so many new people with their own perspectives and opinions on tons of different topics. However, I know when I've taken something too far. The girl in the video went through all that extra trouble standing up for her beliefs - for one class. I don't think the added stress during finals week was worth it. Outside the classroom, with peers and such, I can see why taking a stand for what you believe in can be the right thing to do. The last thing I want to do next year is conform to what other people think unless I am really, truly convinced that their opinion is better.
I don't see myself having much of an issue saying what I believe in as long as I continue to respect that everyone has their own opinion. I know not everyone will agree with me. I don't think my opinions will make me stand out at the school I'm going to either. If I do have a differing opinion, I will definitely express it (at the appropriate time), but make sure I do so respectfully so as to not create any tension or drama between new friends and acquaintances.
Reply
Hallie Stacho
3/20/2013 12:33:26 am
I like to think of myself as a very open-minded person. Yes, I have my own beliefs that I stand firm in, but I’m willing to listen to others’ beliefs, even if I don’t agree with them. College will be a diverse, new atmosphere filled with people of all sorts of backgrounds and beliefs. I’m curious to hear what my peers and professors think about faith; not because I’ll think they’re wrong, but because we are all entitled to our own opinions. I think college will help me grow as a more accepting and less judgmental person because I’ll be exposed to many different opinions, beliefs, values, and religious views. I know where I stand in my faith and I don’t think contrary opinions will sway me.
I've been attending Catholic school since I was in kindergarten, so I've always been surrounded by Catholic teachings and influences. I think it will be somewhat of a culture-shock next year when I’m surrounded by people who think my faith is irrational and ignorant.
Despite this, I’m not worried about being deemed an outcast or religious freak because that’s not how my faith works. I don’t see myself as a one-sided, close-minded Catholic school girl. My faith is something necessary in my life that affects me and how I live my life; it’s not something I think I should thrust on all people, shoving my Christian beliefs down their throat. If a peer or professor chooses to call me out next year and criticize my Catholic faith, then so be it. It is a choice that I’ve made, and while I am entitled to my beliefs, they are entitled to theirs. We are not all the same and we cannot force someone to think the same way as we do. Particularly in the video, I was taken aback by the girl who made such a big deal about her project involving homosexual advocating. Of course she had the right to be against homosexuality as a part of her religion, but this was a school project that was required for her to graduate. She could disagree with the project but still complete the assignment rather than asking for the college to change the curriculum because it went against her beliefs.
Reply
Lindsay Griesmer
3/20/2013 05:51:42 am
I consider myself opinionated but also open-minded. This means, that I am willing to listen to what others have to say or believe in but ultimately, I will continue to believe in my faith and stick to my morals. I have been in a Catholic school since I was 3-years old. That being said, I understand what I believe in and why I choose to believe. Even though I was taught about God and my faith at a young age, as I grew up, I understood that everything that I believe in is my choice. It was my choice to pray to God, to receive the Eucharist, and to have faith in Him. There may be some Catholic doctrine that I disagree with, but no matter what I may or may not agree with, I will always be a Catholic.
I’m not worried about going away to college and having to deal with people who do not share the same beliefs as I do. The reason why I am not worried is because I have already been questioned about my faith at my job. I work with a variety of people, young, old, Christian, Jewish, and even a Jehovah’s Witness. I’m very open about my beliefs at work. I have had coworkers ask me why I believe in the things I do. I’m open with these questions because I have nothing to hide or to be embarrassed of. I am not the type of person to belittle someone for the beliefs they hold or try to convert them. I know that college won’t be exactly the same but it has prepared me for the different kinds of people that are out there. I’m not afraid of being open about my faith in college or worried if my professor does not agree with me. The only thing that matters is that I will keep my faith in God strong and hold on to what I believe.
Reply
Teddy Nemunaitis
3/20/2013 05:52:39 am
I think that it is very important to stand firm with your beliefs as you transition to college. Watching the video clip made me realize some of the temptations and struggles that I will face in college. At NDCL, most of the teachers are Catholic and follow moral values. It will be such a culture shock going to a school that does not honor the same values. I am concerned about having professors that aren’t necessarily moral on their views of the world; however, I will not let them change me. I know my faith and believe in every single aspect of it. I am not going to let someone talk me out of it or change my ways.
It will also be quite a shock to be surrounded by people who share different values. Following my faith throughout college will be quite a challenge. I may hit a few road blocks along the way, but I will persevere. When visiting colleges, particularly public schools, one of my very first questions was where is the Catholic Church? Some schools pointed me only a block away, while others directed me 30 minutes down the road. Obviously, my faith will play a large part of my college life. I can only hope to strengthen my Eternal Thou relationship now, so that in college, my relationship with God will remain strong. My stances will be defended through my faith in Christ. I won’t let other people bring me down. It may not be the “coolest thing” to do, but deep down, I know it is the right thing to do.
Reply
Delaney Hufgard
3/20/2013 06:24:15 am
Before now, I never really thought about the transition of my faith into college. I think this is because I have always gone to a catholic school so I expected everyone's beliefs to be the same as mine. In college I will have to be more careful about making this assumption. I will have to remember that everyone has different views and ideas and not one person will believe the same things that I do. I feel like I will be able to stand firm in my beliefs as long as I don't start to exhibit the idea of ethnocentrism. If I listen to other peoples beliefs and take them into account, I think I will be able to stay strong in my faith in college. I want to be able to defend my beliefs but the thought of being an outcast in college is frightening. To ensure this wont happen, I will remain open minded as well as active in discussion of beliefs. I believe that while some people might be less open minded to my beliefs, there is still a great chance that people will not take my different beliefs as a characteristic of arrogance. I hope that they will be as open to my beliefs as I am to theirs.
Reply
Chris Cimperman
3/20/2013 10:07:26 am
I am completely shocked by this video. It never even crossed my mind that when I go off to college next year that my faith will be challenged. Some of these professors in the video seem like they are crazy with what they believe in and teach to their students. The professors are going to expect me to agree with them and support everything that they teach. It is going to be hard for me to do this. On one hand, my grade depends on how well i do in the class and on the other hand, my faith is in jeopardy. I will always stay firm in my beliefs but there will be times when I have to participate in things that I do not want to do. The best thing for me to do is to keep my mouth shut and do whatever the professor says. I will never let someone change my personal views. It is these views that have shaped me to the person that I am today and I am happy because of it.
There will be many temptations in college next year. These temptations will challenge who I have become over the past 18 years of my life. It is important that I stay true to myself. Too many people in this world are headed in one direction , but then are mislead down a darker path. These people have lost their faith. As long as I have faith, I will be able to see what is right. There will be people around me next year that believe in different things than me. It is not my job to convert them. I need to respect these people and also learn from them. People have different views on the world and if we all accept the fact that not all people are alike, the world would be a better place. It is important that I stay true to my faith, no matter what the scenario. This will help me as I live my life.
Reply
Julie Zagar
3/20/2013 11:37:08 am
After watching the video, it shocked me how much faith does play a role in our college experience. I was brought up through a catholic education in elementary/middle school but in junior high when I went to a public school, it was up to me to partake in my faith or not. Well, I didn't. And I regret it but it had made me who I am today. My faith is so important to me now and such a strong part of my life that I don't think I'd be able to let it fall again. Going to JCU in the fall I'll be able to continue to practice my faith and be involved with religious activities and charities which are really important to me, and I don't think standing up will be that difficult of a problem. I've stood up within my own family and now I'll just be mixed with many different faiths which is completely fine and I'm open and interested in! What surprised me most in that video was the girl who stood up against homosexual adoption. It is her faith and belief that makes her different and within our rights to practice those. I'm extremely surprised that the school handled it the way they did. Honestly they made more of the matter than if the professor just assigned her something else or let her have a con stance on it and bring that view to the class.
Reply
Jordan Wolf
3/20/2013 11:53:55 am
This video was quite interesting. People's belief's are going to be tested in many forms next year. It is up to us to stick with them and not back down. I don't mind hearing others speak out, even if I don't agree with their opinion. I'm going to a public university, but there is going to be something that I never got to really experience in high school: diversity.
We have every right to practice our faith as we want. I'm all up for debates, and if somebody can prove me wrong, then that's great. At least I won't constantly be shot down for anything I even simply wonder about. I won't let any of my professors sway my beliefs and values if they are strong. I like to listen to what others have to say, but nobody has any right to force their opinions down each others throats.
I'm not going to be an outcast. I've been to both public and private schools and I feel like I have experienced a lot. At least in college I will be able to feel free from some of the people here who think that they are the only ones who know what is "right." One thing won't change, and that would be my values that have formed from the start of my journey.
Reply
emily jereb
3/20/2013 12:34:45 pm
Before this video I never really thought about how my faith would be tested next year at college. I knew in some way it would be, but I could not think of specific times or that it would be partly because of my professors. Although I know people have their own opinions and views on different faiths, but I do not think that professors should be telling students what to believe. All of us Christians strongly believe in God, going to church, praying, and so on probably because that is how we grew up and it is what we have been taught/practiced our whole lives. I cannot imagine how I will feel when I am hit with other perspectives that are the opposite of what I know. For starters, I think I will be confused. Confused as to why they are trying to tell me differently than I know and confused as to what is the right thing to believe. In this video, it seemed that most of these people were able to stand strong in their beliefs even when told it is not the correct way. In this moment I can hear myself thinking “that won’t happen to me, I won’t get told anything different, and if I do I just won’t believe them.” But I think I am just saying that now because I have not experienced it and I am not in those shoes yet. This is probably because I have gone to catholic school all my life and will continue that in college. Like the video said though, even at catholic colleges, professors will try to shake the catholic faith so many believe in. It will be hard to not feel like an outcast if everyone around me does not believe or is getting a different view of Christians, but I would never try to change my faith to be someone I’m not. I know the people I know at my college already will be there to help me and be on my side to see where I am coming from. I will not let new different opinions change what I have known for so long in my life.
Reply
Andrew Leahy
3/20/2013 12:45:49 pm
This video greatly shocks me. I never thought that the professors of universities in our nation, as exemplified by these witnesses, could be so closed minded to any other thought or concept of different values and beliefs than their own. I am justly completely taken back by the reality that my professors may, and probably will, go against my Christian values and deny any beliefs that I present. This is wrong. I have essentially been fondled by the teachers here at NDCL who embrace all perspectives and respect each student's beliefs. Yes, they may attempt to enforce Christian values and beliefs into the student's life, but they do not entirely dismiss the values and beliefs that we have all been raised with. As I watch this video, I am greatful that I have come to understand what college may or will be like and that my faith will indefinitely be tested.
I am shaken by this reality of what college is like, but I believe that if I create a community of friends who reflect by own values and beliefs, then it will become easier to support and maintain these values and beliefs. The reason we become so susceptible to losing our faith in college is because we immerse ourselves into a society that differs from our previous community, and we feel pressured to conform with this new society. However, if we decide to immerse ourselves with others who reflect our previous community, then we create our own society that we do not need to conform with because we are already a part of that community. I think what I am getting at is that in college, we have to choose our friends wisely. We will be challenged and face realizations that will shake our foundation, but if we have people to rely on who will support our Christian values and beliefs, then our foundation will be shaken, but not crumbled.
Reply
Tori Gorom
3/20/2013 01:19:58 pm
Before watching this I hadn't really given any thought on how I will respond to my faith being tested in college. This is probably because I have always gone to Catholic schools, where most of the other students and teachers have shared my beliefs. Now I realize that when I go to college next year, I will have to stand firm in my beliefs and values. I didn't realize that professors would be so close minded and fail to think of any other viewpoints besides their own. Now I can see that I will have to be prepared to defend my views if they do not agree with a professor's views.
After 12 years of being surrounded by people who share my beliefs, I think it will come as a shock when I am surrounded by so many different world views. I'll try to respond to this as best as I can and have an open mind. To avoid feeling like an outcast, I won't stay away from people with different beliefs. I'll try to find friends that respect my beliefs and I will respect theirs.
Reply
Mark Malone
3/20/2013 01:24:31 pm
This video opened my eyes to how much your faith can be tested in college. It surprised me to see how often a professor will try to force their opinion on you. I feel it will be hard for me to stand up to a professor if they are challenging my religion, partly because i will get crazy looks and party because everyone has their own opinions and I'm not going to try to force my beleif on someone. Just because you don't speak up doesnt mean you do not have good faith. I've went to catholic schools all my life so I feel that my faith is pretty strong although I know it will be tested and it will be hard to stay strong in faith. I feel that my faith will be tested more through actions rather than discussion or debate. There are so many opprotunities to drift away from your faith and it is up to you to choose what the right path is. I'm not too worried about being an outcast because I won't go around preaching my faith but rather showing my faith through my actions.
Reply
Mary
3/20/2013 01:32:07 pm
This video definitely made me realize that my faith will be challenged in college. I had been so worried about the transition with school work and friends that I didn't think about how my faith life would be affected. I would consider myself a good practicing catholic, and hope to continue this in my college years. I also consider myself a fairly opinionated person, but I'm also open minded. I can easily be persuaded by others so I hope that this doesn't get the best of me in college, especially when it comes to my faith and beliefs. I am definitely a person to stand up for what I believe in however, so if I think it is necessary I am not afraid to speak out to others. I'm not worried at all about being considered an outcast because I will surround myself with people who have similar beliefs.
Reply
Daniel sahlani
3/20/2013 01:34:04 pm
After watching this video I had to take a moment to let this sink in. I have never been challenged on my faith, being I went to a catholic school my whole life. I hope to never have to deal with a professor as the ones in the video, however my faith comes first. I am attending John Carroll university next year, and am looking forward to growing in my faith. I will defend myself on my faith if needed. I would not be able to put up with a stubborn professor that mocks people's ways. What they are doing is wrong, and if they are too ignorant to notice it is affecting their teaching and class, than they shouldn't be educating.
Everyone is open to their own faith, and I feel it should not be dictated solely on a professors take on the point. Be free and be true to yourself.
Reply
Mike Boehm
3/20/2013 01:40:34 pm
Watching this video actually made me pretty mad. No one has to believe me when I say this but if a person including my college professor called me out or disrespected my beliefs I would never stand for it. I'm a baptized Catholic but I still like having my own beliefs that are uncommon and questionable to most people because that way they feel more significant to me. My beliefs and morals define who I am. Not what people think I am but who I know I am. I'm also open to hearing other people's opinions which have actually altered my own at certain points in the past. Even though I'm open to other's beliefs and opinions, if my professor told me to write a paper on a topic that goes against my beliefs I would first write about the information I learned referring to the topic and then fill up the majority of the essay stating why I completely disagree with that topic even if I receive an F. That essay is a million times less important to me than God or anything that I strongly believe in and live by. We should respect everyone's beliefs as long as their positive and have meaning behind them.
Reply
matt baldassarre
3/20/2013 01:50:06 pm
During this whole process of deciding on a college and preparing myself, I was aware that my faith would play a large role in it. I knew that I would be better off choosing a Catholic college because I would be surrounded by many other people who practice the same faith as me opposed to a public college that would surround me with people who come from all different types of religious backgrounds. This could ultimately blur God's image in my life. This video made me realize that my faith will definitely be challenged next year at college. Even though it will be difficult at times, I know that my faith is strong enough to turn down the tempatations I will face.
Reply
Jonah Cook
3/20/2013 02:02:45 pm
I believe that it is very important that as we make our transition to college that we keep the faith that we have been taught since we were young. I am a catholic and i could not even imagine not having my faith in college. Watching this video made me upset that professors, among all people, would single out Christians and make them feel like outcasts or call them plain stupid for what they believe in. You should not have to experience that kind of abuse when you go off to college, yet it is something that I may or may not face. Honestly, if i or my faith were called out or mocked about by another person or even a professor i wouldn't do anything. Everybody is entitled to their own opinions about things and if it makes them feel better to mock other religions than more power to them. However, if it was persistent and i was individually singled out in a class setting for my beliefs then i would probably do something about it. College will be a new experience with people of many different religions and backgrounds. ideally it would be great if everybody could respect that but that would just not be realistic. Even though i may waver in my faith or question what i believe in college i will never let go of the faith filled foundation that I have built my life on.
Reply
Noah Boksansky
3/20/2013 02:19:41 pm
This video was indeed thought-provoking. Obviously, everyone has a perspective and world view. Professors want to make you think, but of course they are going to have their own bias in teaching their course material. One of the first examples shows a Bio professor saying he follows Richard Dawkins completely in non-religious beliefs. One doesn't have to look far to understand that a professor like that is the ignorant party in the conflicting situation, because he is following a closed-minded individual blindly. If a professor considered Dawkins, Jastrow, Sagan, Feynmann, Kaku, etc. together, I would find them much more knowledgeable. If I find myself at odds with a professor over the role of religion in the world, I would avoid a political discussion, but, especially in a science course, I would be quick to hand them my existence of God paper from the first quarter of this course. I would love to have an academic, unbiased conversation with a brilliant individual. If they want to flex their knowledge muscles on me, I would be thrilled to reciprocate, in a friendly manner, of course, but a headlock might be in order. The goal here is not to burn down any bridges. I am open minded, and because of this, I feel that I could go toe-to-toe with just about anyone.
I was extremely disappointed in the segment featuring the girl who was adamant in not advocating homosexual adoption. Sure, the Church teaches that marriage is between a man and a woman. Sacramentally, this is absolutely true. Even our beloved Pope Francis likens homosexual adoption to a form of discrimination against the children of the world. (Is that right? Debatable, but I say he is errant in that stance.) A true Christian would consider the social justice implications of what happens to the children that are denied adoption because the potential adoptive parents are gay, and why that goes against the common good. Also, a true Christian should always consider their most important responsibility to society: to question "how are we treating the least of our brothers and sisters?," and "Are we respecting ALL forms of human life, both unborn AND born?" The girl in this segment took her closed-minded beliefs so far, she nearly ruined her academic career. That is both absurd and unnecessary. Do the assignment already, and if you feel that bad, go to confession.
This video began with a premise that the college mindset, and "the liberal mindset" is out to get religion. I know that religion and science are inevitable wedded to one another, so anyone who purely believes in creationism and does not consider evolution valid is a backward thinker, and truly not a citizen of the 21st century. Some of the kids in the video were truly shocked that some people did not believe in creationism as the sole method of progression. Wow. Great biology and sociology students right there. Also, it was clear to me that some of the girls in the video didn't have much experience with meeting people of different backgrounds and ideologies. That's why their early responses sounded like "Oh no, the liberals are out to kill my religious faith," or "Blah blah blah creationism, inerrancy of scripture." Non-intellectual blabbering doesn't impress me, if you apply thought to religion, your beliefs and words to others become more well-rounded, thoughtful, and eloquent.
If I have a class and professor that challenges my faith, I would consider dropping it if it became detrimental to my academic career. Otherwise, I would clearly state my beliefs and stand by them, in order to not feel like an outcast. I know that I am a Roman Catholic who happens to believe in open thinking, and both supports and disagrees with a various controversial Church positions. Want to fit in religiously on a college campus? The answer is not drop everything and become an atheist. Academia, when used correctly, can be a fantastic boost to faith. Join a Newman Center, go to mass with like-minded friends, and hey, take a comparative religion class! The solutions to grappling with religion at college are within reach, but only if you seek them. It is clear that some of the closed-minded individuals in this video did not seek out their options, and judged as they were judged in return. I know I will meet students and profs who find religion unnecessary or ignorant next year. That's fine. If they find fulfillment through that lifestyle, it's no skin off of my bones. "To each his own" is the key idea in that relationship between believers and non-believers, both of whom have rights and responsibilities in society.
/end rant
Reply
James Herubin
3/20/2013 03:05:36 pm
I was kind of surprised at how liberal some of the teachers really were after watching this segment of a video. I have been told all of my college searching process on how liberal teachers were, but the degree depicted in this video really put it in perspective. What I really took away was that, many people stood firm in their beliefs until they realized that they were not surrounded by people of the same background. My thoughts are that you can still keep your faith and then almost blend others views with yours, as long as they don't completely shatter what you believe in. I feel that you can hear and take in the thoughts that may be contradictory to yours and rationalize those thoughts and then form those beliefs around something that you already believe. With creationism being false as a teacher would say, you can her that and interpret it as, God started us off by creating the Earth and that as time went on, God's 7 days continued until our current state. I feel that when put into that situation, I will keep my faith, but hear and consider and respect the beliefs of others. I am not one to vocally fight about my beliefs but I would defend them if need be. But if I would need to adjust them for an assignment, then I would do so and still keep my belief, I would cave and do it for the grade. I feel that my faith is sturdy enough that I can keep it even when challenged.
Reply
Jarman smith
3/21/2013 01:08:00 am
Watching this made me realize how important it is to keep one's faith strong while away at college. I didn't think that people actually criticized the faith and beliefs of others. I found it surprising to find out that some professors go as far as to same certain teachings are stupid and certain religions are stupid as well. People aren't as understanding and accepting as i once believed, but through a strong faith, i can stand past any hate i receive and make others aware of my faith. Just because they don't like my beliefs doesn't mean that i have to stop believing. I can try to find friends with similar beliefs, but i will not put my beliefs behind me just to fit in or please others. I will live life according to my faith and others will just have to respect and accept that.
Reply
Nick Fuerst
3/21/2013 07:45:49 am
Living in the sheltered environment that I do from going to a catholic school throughout my whole life I have never been truley tested in my faith in a constant and different invironment. Being catholic was always the majority opinion and college that is gonna change to a minority opinion. I guess I don't really know what I'm going to do. Watching this clip definitely pulled at some of my emotions and I found myself mad at some point that someone can be forced to think a certain way. I know myself well enough to know that I am a hot headed individual and everyone who knows me knows that I will refuse to do anything that I don't want to. I believe that I will have to surround myself with people who feel the same way as I do In order to continuously maintain my moral values even in the face of disbelievers. I must always check myself every so often to make sure that I have not fallen out of my catholic identity that I had when starting the school year.
Reply
AJ BRANISEL
3/21/2013 08:44:08 am
As I started to watch the video I had not a clue what it was about besides getting your faith questioned by your peers. As I watched the video it seemed to me that in college people do not care about your faith and the professors want it there way, or no way. This video showed me that no matter who I am or what I am doing, some one or something will be questioning my faith as I take the journey through college. It was amazing to me that the girl who had worked 4 years to graduate was getting questioned about her faith in the last semester because she didn't sign a project she didn't believe in. That just goes to show you how real college is and how little they care. If I become an outsider because of my faith I am not worried I wont make new friends. I will be able to find people who have the same beliefs as me and encourage me to keep pushing my faith even more than it already is. College is a big deal and nobody said it was going to be easy. That's why I attend NDCL, to get me ready for the challenges I will face in my future! BOOO YAHHH
Reply
Mariah Salloum
3/21/2013 10:26:12 am
Honestly, this video shocked me and scared me. I have a very strong faith in God. But I remember once one of my Muslim friends challenged my beliefs, and I ended up getting upset and I ended the discussion by changing the topic. I was young, probably about 14 years old, and I did not know how to defend myself. I hope that I will learn how to properly defend myself should I ever need to in college if someone attacks my beliefs.
I am firm in my belief of God and his almighty power, but at the same time I am willing to listen to other people's religions and opinions about life. However, when someone says something I do not agree with, I won't say anything in order to try and be respectful towards their beliefs. But if they attack, or if they try to force their beliefs on me, that is when I become upset and no longer wish to listen or be a part of the discussion.
Currently, I am not sure how I will defend my beliefs in college. I want to stand up for what I believe in, but I do not want to risk ruining any friendships, grades, or my privilege of attending whichever college I go to. I believe there is a time and a place for everything, and sometimes, you have to do things you do not want to do in order to pass. I was so surprised that the girl in the video was forced to sign the paper and submit to the professors in order to graduate and receive her diploma.
So to clearly answer the question, I will defend myself without causing trouble. I will not go out of my way and cause a scene about my beliefs, but I am not just going to sit there and take it (unless the Professor is a hot head who only thinks his beliefs are right... I have learned from experience to not even bother with people who think only they are right because no matter what you say, they will pick on you and argue with you, and it is not productive. I have learned to silently disagree with hot heads.) I will find ways to strengthen my faith. For example, I will hang out with others that share my belief in God. If I go to a Catholic/Christian College, which I plan on doing, I will make it a point to go to Mass or just pray in the Church in order to strengthen my faith. I will do things like this in order to shield my faith from others who will try to knock it down.
Reply
Nicole Perfetto
3/21/2013 12:14:21 pm
After watching the video, it really gave me something to think about that I haven't really given much thought about yet. I think that in order to stand by what I believe in next year and throughout college,without feeling like an outcast, I will just stand by my own convictions. People will like me for them and people will judge me because of them. I think this will be one major test next year to see who my true friends will be, and who the "others" will be. I don't think I will feel like an outcast as long as people know who I am and what I stand for. The fear of feeling like an outcast isn't a worry of mine, because I think I have strong enough morals and values to stand by and guide me through the difficult times in college and through the rest of my life.
Reply
Sheila Smith
3/21/2013 12:15:07 pm
Personally, i'm not worried about my faith in college. My relationship with God is personal, something between God and I. I'm a very open-minded and accepting person, so hearing other opinions and views won't exactly bother me. Unless a person is discriminating against someone else or is using their views as a way to be rude towards someone else, I won't have a problem. I feel like college classes will be more interesting considering how many different views will be in the room. If I don't agree with something, I won't mind stating my beliefs. They're my personal opinions and people should accept them as I accept theirs. I can see how things were difficult were the teens mentioned in the video who were raised in more conservative and religious households. It must have been quite a change to not be surrounded by the same opinion as theirs.
Next year I will not be attending a Catholic college. I think this will be a nice change because it lets me put my faith to the test. I've definitely have opportunities to be faith-filled, but i'll also be in more of a diverse community. I think it will be the best of both worlds.
Reply
Mary Lenk
3/22/2013 07:36:07 am
This video was somewhat bothersome. It was basically outlining the poor persecuted Christian students. They just seem stubborn and ignorant. Being only 18 years old, I don't think we have the spectrum of knowledge that college professors have. We can't just say they're wrong. That's just naive. We should go into college with more of an open-mind. Yeah, you can have your beliefs, but I don't know if you should close yourself off to others. We shouldn't let an organized religion define us. And the church plants this fear in us, fear to go against the grain. Like we're going to go to hell if we're pro-choice. College is a good time to be more open because of the diversity. I'm not saying students should buy into everything the professor says and sacrifice their beliefs, but try to understand. People don't even realize that students at NDCL have to struggle with these difficulties currently. Being a Catholic school, NDCL forces beliefs onto its students, whether they like it or not. It happens. It's not necessarily a bad thing.
I'm probably biased in my opinion because I have no firm beliefs in anything, but I still believe people should be stronger, not in their beliefs but in their ability to recognize which ideologies they connect with and which they can disregard. Like I said, I don't think we should let religion define us. We're afraid to question. In the end it doesn't matter. Who cares if you have a different opinion? You're not teaching the class. The teacher may be wrong in your opinion, but they're just people, too, with their own sets of beliefs. They can't just shut those off, especially if they're passionate about them, which they most likely are because they're teaching it. Accept it and learn from it. I think it's okay to question our faith. We may grow stronger in it or stray away from it. Ultimately, the decision is up to us how we process the information.
If I ever face a situation where my beliefs are judged or criticized, I'll be open most likely. It all depends on who I am talking with. If I don't respect the person, I won't listen to their opinions and I'll probably debate it. (But that's not because of my beliefs, it stems from my issues with authority and control.) But I like debate. Even if I am firm in a belief, it still makes me question, which I think is good. It all depends though. I have no real beliefs though, so it doesn't matter.
Reply
Anna Martin
3/23/2013 06:04:44 am
I believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but professors -being the knowledge filled people they are- should have enough sense to teach the facts about a subject without being biased so students can make their own decisions about what they choose to believe and come to their own conclusions through the knowledge they acquire. I know that this would only happen in a perfect world, but when I watched this video it made me angry that professors act like such immature people. I understand you cannot force your beliefs on others and that would be a main point I would make in standing up for my faith in college. They are trying to force their beliefs on students and trying to distort the truth, providing people with false information or information only supporting their case.
I am a very reserved person and I usually keep my opinions to myself, so I will probably not start an argument with my professor about this issue unless it starts effecting my grade or causing me to do something I find to be morally wrong. If challenged, I know my faith will stand firm because of everything I have learned at NDCL. I know God exists and that science cannot disprove it. I know what is true in my faith and I know what I believe and no one can change that, even if they present a great arguement, because of how stubborn and closed minded I am in my beliefs and it would probably take the good Lord himself to convince me otherwise. This is not a subject I will comprise on much. I may not say anything to provoke others, but I will certainly be thinking how wrong I think they are. I believe college will be a test of my faith and I believe that it will only strengthen my faith.
Reply
Maddie Chandler
3/23/2013 11:01:28 pm
This video was very real and eye opening to me. I couldn't believe some of the things that people have gone through pertaining to their faith in college. What stuck out to me the most was the last story about the girl that was a senior in college and was being forced to do a project on homosexuals. She clearly was a christian and did not feel comfortable participating in this project due to her personal beliefs. Her teacher was not very understanding and neither was the president. I couldn't believe they filed a grievance against her for not wanting to do that project. She did refuse but she also wanted to be given an alternate project, it's not like she was completing defying her professor. This video definately showed that everyone has their own views and in college it will be very different for people like us who attended a catholic high school surrounded mostly by people who share the same beliefs. We were all taught the same things about christinaity/catholicism.
Next year will be very interesting in that I will be in a new environment and it will be very diverse. I'm sure I will meet many new people who don't all share the same beliefs as me, which is fine. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I'm not very opinionated when it comes to religion, only about certain things. I'm not sure I would react to a situation similar to one in the video but I think that I would stand up for something if it really went against what I believe and I will stand my ground.
Reply
Julia Tuason
3/24/2013 01:22:11 am
I think this video offers a very interesting view into transitioning into college and the way in which the professors' world views may affect students or may be somehow "forced" upon students through coursework. However, I feel like this is how college can be an important transition into the outer adult world where the mix of world views may be even more broad and yet more moderate than the intellectual climate of a university. I think exposure to world views very different from my own will help me to explore and question my own, a process that I hope continues even through adulthood. What I believe now might change wenty years from now as I am exposed to different opinions or world views. While I may think what I believe now is "right," thinking that way for the rest of my life will probably not allow me to grow within myself and accept and understand people who grew up with very different backgrounds and beliefs. I want to know how people think, I want to know how they do not think like me, and I want to evaluate how differences in beliefs may affect my relationship with people. I think it is more important in the college environment not to expect others to agree with or respect my beliefs but to analyze how and why you yourself hold these beliefs and the ways in which you choose to manifest them in your life. However, I know I may deal with people or professors who may expect me to agree with them or submit work reflecting views that are not my own. While this may put me in difficult situations, I do not think turning in a term paper detailing how God does not exist will fundamentally change my deeper beliefs. Instead, I have explored what other people see and seen the conclusions from their eyes. Therefore I may see through their eyes how my beliefs differ from theirs. However, if a class did expect me to go further and perform actions that were against my current fundamental beliefs, I may act as the girl in the video did and express how I may have been offended or disturbed by a particular assignment.
In short, I not think I am obligated to defend my stances to professors in college because that is not what I am paying a ridiculous amount of tuition money for. I think as the last few people in the video said it is more critical to analyze how the world view of the professors affects curriculum and see how their view differs from mine. I may have something to learn, I may realize that we are very different, and maybe perhaps I might realize that we are alike. Either way, I am not worried about feeling like an "outcast" because I've survived almost four years of high school.
Reply
Julia Tuason
3/24/2013 01:22:50 am
*twenty oops haha
Reply
Kendra Zbinovec
3/24/2013 02:21:38 am
While college is supposed to be the best time of your life, it will test your faith. I give major props for the girl who went through all of that just to get out of the project, or do a different one. Considering I do not have a problem with homosexual adoption, it wouldn't be a problem for me but if someone were to say God scientifically does not exist, then we would have problems. I will be honest, my faith is still a little uncertain but right now I am pretty strong with it at this point. I can definitely see myself stand strong in my beliefs but only if it is worth it to me. There will be times were I will be tired of fighting a fight, but God knows in my heart that he is my father and my salvation and know matter what happens in college, he will always be there for me.
In regards to the professors, I will definitely have a problem with them. I will call them out on it, and I don't like people who cant back there beliefs up with facts. Also, a religious choice, does not co-inside with religion. just because a scientist can prove one thing, it doesn't mean that the one thing proven I the reason God doesn't exist.
Reply
Alex Pirc
3/24/2013 02:45:45 am
When I go off to college next year, I will stand strong in my faith. I will not, however, be outward about it. If someone asks, I will have no problem saying I am Catholic. I can answer any question someone throws at me and feel comfortable in my faith. But other than that, I will be quiet about my faith. There is a time and place for everything, and I do not think college is the place to be so open about one's faith. It is a time for kids to find themselves, and they should do that on their own without the influence of peers' thoughts. I would never feel like an outcast as a catholic. It is my faith and I will never feel uncomfortable as one. I have been given a strong sense of faith and belonging for these 18 years. I don't need to be surrounded by peers that agree with me necessarily in order to be sure of my faith.
I've known for a while that college is a place that does not nurture Catholicism. For that reason, I have been searching for answers about this world through my faith for the past year or so. And what I have ultimately discovered is that nobody has any more chance of being right than me. A college professor may have degrees and so on, giving him a sense of credibility about what he/she says. But they are just another person like me. They can try to say I'm wrong, and I'll have no problem with that. A college professor is not someone I will allow to influence my faith.
Reply
Kyle Kruse
3/24/2013 03:23:03 am
College is a time to grow and experience the world. Universities today pride themselves in diversity of ethnicity, culture, and faith. The student body, as well as the faculty, brings various world perspectives into the classroom. For me, I will find the alternate viewpoints to be opportunities to consider, on a deeper level, my own personal faith.
Up until this point in my life, I have been influenced by those around me. Admittedly, I have never really been challenged about my faith or presented with another faith. Studying world religions helped me get an understanding of some of the various religious belief systems; however nothing is like an actual face to face discussion or confrontation. I know that my faith will be challenged, but I am confident that I will be able to think freely and be my own person. Accordingly, I will not simply throw away what I have become because of what a professor or classmate fervently believes or tries to make me believe. My mission statement will help keep me on my current track. Next year I plan to make time to continue to practice my faith by attending weekly mass. Mass allows me the opportunity to become reinvigorated in my relationship with God.
I believe I will be accepting of other people’s perspectives. Just because I am willing to understand their unique views does not mean I must believe them. I will make my own decisions. I look forward to expanding my understanding of faith through interacting with many different brilliant minds at the collegiate level.
Reply
Danielle Aquila
3/24/2013 04:04:40 am
While watching this video, it bothered me that the Christians were feeling like we're being attacked in their classrooms. They saw themselves as the victims in the situations, but you are only a victim if you let yourself be a victim.
I'm comfortable with my beliefs, and yes some of them do disagree with the church. That doesn't necessarily make me wrong to feel the way I do. My beliefs are just what they are titled as MY beliefs. I have a right to my own thoughts, and if they go against other people's values then so be it. I will not force my beliefs on anyone. Simply, I will understand that people have their own views that are different than mine. This doesn't mean that I have to change my views. People are all unique and have their own opinions.
So, when I go off to college I will stand firm in my faith just by trusting that I have developed it well enough to stand firm in it. Of course it will be difficult, but I will surround myself with people with similar values to mine. It is much easier to hold onto to your thoughts when you have a support system that agrees with you. People are going to tell me their beliefs and insist that they are correct, but I will simply listen and still decide for myself what I think is correct. I truly that standing firm in your faith is just a matter of trusting your own judgement.
Reply
Haley Meadows
3/24/2013 04:07:21 am
Watching this video and reading other comments made me realize how much my faith has changed over the course of my time at NDCL. Yes, I have attended Catholic school my entire life, but I have met plenty of people who have chalenged my beliefs and even changed them. I'm not worried about whether or not I will be able to defend my faith in college, I'm worried more about what I actually even believe. I like to think of myself as a pretty open-minded person. I think in college this will help me a lot with meeting people from many different backgrounds, and I'm sure it will help me adjust. I guess my real struggle right now is what exactly are my beliefs? I feel almost indifferent in regards to my own faith right now.
Reply
Diana Muzina
3/24/2013 04:12:54 am
One of the facets of the purpose of college is to expand your world view, and your perspectives on various topics and issues. College is much more diverse than NDCL, a small, private, Catholic high school. Therefore, in college I will be met with new viewpoints that I have not heard in my current environment. I will take those viewpoints to deepen my own faith. Just because someone thinks differently than you, you cannot just throw out their beliefs and disregard their thinking. By listening to various perspectives, you can better determine your stance on an issue, or strengthen one that you already have. For seventeen years of my life I have been in a learning environment with peers that are just like me, practicing the same religion, and thinking almost the same. In college I will encounter many new religions, and people who have grown up much differently from me. I honestly do not think that my faith will necessarily be challenged just because I am someone who is very strong in all of my beliefs, but I do think that I will look at it differently. I have always been one to think freely, and be open to various perspectives. But at the same time, I will stand by what I believe and will not abandon that because of what a professor or classmate says. I also understand that I must respect what others belief as well. Ultimately, I think that I will grow not just as a person, but in my faith as well. I really look forward to being somewhere where the perspectives and world views of the people are wide ranging. I am very interested in hearing what people have to say, and learning about others.
Reply
Raj
3/24/2013 04:30:19 am
After watching these videos I thought a lot about if I would stand up for my beliefs and how far I would take it? I am the type of guy that when I believe something I am passionate about it. When I am passionate about my beliefs I don't back down from them. Although in a college setting this may be a challenge. When I transition into college I will already be nervous due to the fact that I will be in a whole new environment. And now realizing that not only will I be intellectually challenged but my faith will be challenged too based off of a teachers view. I think that I would write down the notes and follow their teaching just to pass the test, then right after the test I think I would just erase it from my memory. But if a teacher questions my thinking on something dealing with my faith I will have no problem standing up for what I believe in. My peers may look at me differently, but I know who I am, and I know my values and I refuse to change them just based on someone else's opinion or based off of fear of being judged. Throughout college the professors views will challenge my views because I will have to learn their views just to pass their tests..then forget about them later. But I will always know my views and won't let anyone else's opinions cause my to question or think differently about my faith. And if it is challenged I will not be afraid to stand up for my beliefs.
Reply
Michael Macuga
3/24/2013 04:37:00 am
Interesting video. As Noah pointed out, I also believe some of the students in this video did not seek out the options they had available to them and that they judged others the same way they were judged. Many of these people just did not know how to respond to their professors and their peers. That is partly due to the fact that those students probably did not know themselves and their believes too well. They were taught certain things, but they did not necessarily believe them. It's as if they were stuck in a flow and when they exited that flow for a new one, they were in shock.
Personally, when I go to college, I'll be ready for a new flow. I'm reserved enough that I'll just sit and listen to viewpoints contrary to the ones I've grown up with. Afterwards, I'll actually take the time to think them over and analyze them, eventually considering which views are correct and which are incorrect. Okay, maybe I can't do that because obviously it will be biased, but I will have my opinion. If I am challenged in a college course or by my peers, I think I will still just continue to listen. I may speak up against opposing viewpoints, but I believe I'll be rather quiet and I'll probably just go about my business. If someone doesn't like Christianity, I'll still go to mass, I'll still believe my own beliefs. I won't let someone's beliefs interfere with mine. They can believe what they want to believe. If it seems to me that they are clearly ignorant of something, then I may try to convince them of my beliefs, and they may do the same to me. I'll listen, consider, decide, and continue living life.
Reply
Julia Corello
3/24/2013 04:47:36 am
After watching this video, I was a little shocked and disturbed. I guess I never really thought about how much my beliefs would be questioned in college. I have never been personally questioned about it and that is what makes me nervous as I transition to college. However, I do feel that with my strong Catholic background I will be able to remain firm in my faith. I feel that I will be able to listen to others and their beliefs, and maybe that will help me to grow stronger in my own faith and beliefs.
When it comes to defending my stance, I feel as though I will not necessarily speak out about my faith unless asked what I believe. I am not the type of person to try to persuade people to believe what I believe because I feel that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, especially when it comes to topics like faith. I don't think that I will have an issue in college with staying firm in my faith and I do not think that having friends that believe differently from me will be an issue either.
Reply
Jimmy Vanek
3/24/2013 05:23:01 am
Wow.
The video really got me thinking about my own faith and the road that lays ahead of me next year in college. In many ways, I knew that my faith was going to be tested next year at school. I assumed that most of these temptations would be personal struggles with decision making. I had no idea that my own professors who I will be learning from will be influencing my faith, and sometimes in a negative way. I have decided to attend a Catholic University in the fall and it never would have occurred to me that I would have many struggles and challenges in the “safety” of a religious institution. I believe that it is really important for me to stand firm in my faith next year. The past 18 years have formed my opinion and the man that I am and a pray that I can stick up for my values and for what is right. I understand that it is going to be a challenge, but I must stick up for what I know is right and just. Jesus teaches us that those who stand up for him and stick with him will be rewarded in heaven. This is definitely going to be a struggle. In fact, even Jesus’ own followers struggled with sticking up for God. I pray that he helps me next year and gives me the courage to stand up to the injustices that I will face.
Reply
Ian Hardesty
3/24/2013 08:36:22 am
Personally, my dad has talked to me about "the real world," and i know that they are people that wont agree with others. He told me that people will have their own world view points and that others will try to tear down your walls and break all your beliefs just to get their point across. I know that people will be doing this next year and the years to come so i thought that it was a good idea to prepare myself and think about what to say to those who try to tear down my walls. I have thought about these other views and then thought about what really makes sense. I thought that it was good to see and others views to see where they come from and also learn more about my own just in case they pose for an argument. But the common sense thing to do is just to let them do their own thing, try not to get into arguments that no one can truly win. My dad said that its better to just keep your mouth shut and don't let anyone get in your head, and that's what i plan to do.
Reply
Ryan Javorek
3/24/2013 08:37:44 am
Watching this video put my faith and others faith as well as lack of faith in perspective. surely not everyone holds the same viewpoints on ideas or religion. We all know this becasue of the current state of our world and society. There is war, corruption, poverty,etc. You name it, it's out there. As a catholic individual I look at meeting someone of a different denomination as a learning experience. They can teach me something and I can teach them something as well. There might be conflicts of small matters or of significantly large ones. Learning to accept other's perspectives is part of growing up and living with other people. If it came down to a similar situation aas the girl in the video faced, I would probably write that paper and sign it becasue deep down God would know that I'm against the idea that was being discussed. Through going to college and succeeding at these papers I am living out my God-given purpose in life. God is understanding, he would no doubt forgive me or any individual who is placed in the same situation. Maybe my faith isn't as strong as the girl's faith in the video and that's why I take this point of view. I think we all need to understand that we live in a little bubble in Northeast Ohio and need to acknowledge that people are different and always will be.
Reply
Lydia Alexander
3/24/2013 09:04:20 am
Honestly, most of the professors in that video seemed ignorant. And I think that the one girl's professor should have respected what she believed in and gave her alternative work to do. I also don't think that he should have punished the entire class by making them start the project over, rather should have just handled the situation with her individually. I think it was wrong that the board was asking her all those questions on her faith and what she believes, because it was almost like they were trying to convince her that she was wrong in what she believes and that her actions were uncalled for, which is not the case at all.
I don't expect people to believe everything that I believe, but that doesn't give them the right to tell me what I believe is wrong. And if that is coming from the people that are supposed to have the biggest influence on my education, I just think that's wrong. When I feel strongly about something I will stand up for it. I'm not going to call out a professor for telling his class what he believes and that other beliefs are wrong because I don't have the right to tell him that he is wrong, but if someone makes it a point to single me out and tell me that what I personally believe is wrong then there is no doubt that I will stand up for what I believe in. I will never tell someone that what they believe is wrong, but I will defend what I believe in and stay true to my faith. I know it may be hard and I will have some temptations along the way, but I know that I will always come back to my faith and what I believe.
Reply
Emily Boyle
3/24/2013 09:15:35 am
I've rarely ever had to stand up for something that I believed in, mainly because I don't necessarily believe in anything strongly enough to bother myself in speaking out about it. However, when I do stand up for something, my opinion is usually ignored or fought contemptuously with. That alone makes me uncomfortable, uncomfortable enough that I just give up or walk away.
It'll be difficult in college because it will be the first time in my entire life that I will be attending a public school. I've never had to defend something like religion before, and honestly, I'm not even going to attempt. If someone has a problem with me because I'm a Catholic, fine, let them because it just makes THEM look like a bigot. Sometimes the biggest protests come from the fewest words. As long as I know what I believe in, nobody can prove me wrong.
Reply
Daniel Kling
3/24/2013 09:29:02 am
*Let breath out*
Upon watching this segment of the entire video, I began to think about my faith, how it affects and influences my life, and how it will affect me next year. Before watching this video I understood that I might get teachers who will have a specific opinion on certain things like religion, but I did not expect the teachers to take such strong and radical stances on Christianity. I hope that the teachers presented in this video were just an exaggeration and that hopeful not every teacher will be that way.
Next year although I know it will be hard, I hope that I will be able to stand up and give my opinion. I have recognized that I find it very easy for me to get in an argument about my beliefs. I often feel that I am always right and that my way will at least be heard because it is the right way. I agree with those who said that it will be hard to stand up to the teachers, but find it to be easier to stand up to other students.
After listening to the story that the girl who had to sign that she supported something that she didn’t, I felt first sorry for her but then hopeful that a similar situation will not happen to me. I don’t believe that I could sign a paper that it a lie. I believe that every student is entitled to their own opinion and that one would not have to sign a paper that he/she did not support.
College will be hard, but I know that I will be able to get through it because I will do what I have to do, in order to get through my four-ish years. I will keep my faith intact and will pass my need courses.
Reply
Kaitlin O'Connell
3/24/2013 10:33:53 am
After watching this video it really made me think. Not just about the realization of actually going off to college but what the future holds in store for me and my faith. Something that never really crossed my mind was how I may be challenged by my faith. I'll be the first to admit that my faith hasn't always a smooth ride but I've come to a point in my faith where I know when to stand up for what I believe.
I've always seen myself as one of those people who respect others opinions and beliefs, so I don't think accepting others who have views on life/faith that are different than mine will be too difficult. There are going to be many things in college that I'm going to have to adjust to. I'm going to find people with objecting and similar beliefs as me, but ultimately it's how I keep a hold of my faith and not let others questioning God to have an impact on my life.
Reply
Mike Mandac
3/24/2013 10:45:40 am
I do not think it is important for me to influence others about what I believe. I think it is only important for me to know what I believe. In terms of judging about what is right and wrong, the issue is pretty simple. When you do things that do harm in any way to another person, whether it is physical, financial, psychological, or spiritual harm, you’ve done something wrong. I do not think a person should apologize for being a Christian. As long as you lead with love, people are not going to shoot you down. I think when people encounter problems is when they try to win someone over with their point of view. I don’t feel the need to do this. I can coexist with people who don’t share my views and beliefs.
Reply
Charles Pinzone
3/24/2013 10:55:24 am
Wow, just Wow. I watched the first video and the other two parts as well. After watching them, I have a lot of questions for my older siblings. I knew this kind of stuff happens in college but I have not really heard much about it from my older siblings. I am curious about what they will tell me when I ask for more details.
I think that even though the transition to college will be a tough one I will be able to adequately defend my faith. I'm not saying I'm going to win every argument or convince others to become Catholic. All I mean is that I believe and can honestly say that I have a strong foundation and will have a good enough defense against these future attacks to be able to stay strong in my own mind.
I think the hardest part about this unavoidable future of attacks is that I will be seen as weird, different, or an outcast. Honestly, I think that I will have a hard time with that aspect. Like I said before, I believe I have the foundation to keep my faith, but the outcome of keeping my faith is that hard part. People may not like me, or avoid me. It will be hard to deal with that and I think the best defense against those types of people is to surround myself with people of my same viewpoint. Also, when I do meet those hostile people, I will try my best to respect their views and convince them that I don't want to be imposing my faith on them, rather, I simply want to keep my faith let them keep theirs. Unless I am specifically brought out and provoked, I do not plan on professing my faith strongly in public. That doesn't mean I'll get drunk and have sex at parties, it just means that I won't be flamboyant about my views in public. Hopefully all of this will be enough to keep my strong in my faith and out of trouble as I enter into my college career.
Reply
Steve Frandanisa
3/24/2013 10:59:43 am
After watching this video I was very shocked because I didn't even realize this could happen in college. I have gone to catholic schools my entire life and have been sheltered to the fact that all my teachers believe in God. Because of going to catholic schools for my entire life i do not think 4 years of college can change my views on religion. On the other hand, i do not think i would stand up against my teacher if i have a different view then them. But I am sure that i will not let my teachers opinions affect me. I do not think other students will think of me as an outcast if i defend certain things, just like i will be accepting to other peoples ideas. I will have to get used to certain experiences in college but my faith will help me.
Reply
Jenny Raguz
3/24/2013 11:15:57 am
Faith has never been apart of my worries of the college transition. After watching this video, I find myself shocked. Nothing like this extent has even crossed my mind until now. My mom keeps reminding me to find a Catholic church by my college to go to next year, and yes I'd like to go but I know in reality I must really make the attempt and put the effort into going instead of just shaking it off. I know my college has many Christian- based activities like FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) which the softball team as a whole goes to along with many other teams and athletes. I went to one of these and it was honestly so cool. Yes, it was not so much Catholic based, but it was scripture and song and it related very much to my life with God involved. With the video showing professors even at Christian colleges making proposals to doubt their students beliefs, it was shocking to me. No one has all the answers.. that is what believing is. We can't explain it, it's just how we feel. In some circumstance I think it will be intimidating to stand up for my personal beliefs and not be afraid to be standing alone. I pray I have the courage to be able to do that like the girl was with her professor in the video.
Reply
Tim Helton
3/24/2013 11:44:07 am
This video surprised me at how much college will test my faith. I never thought a professor would try and force his personal beliefs on someone. Although my beliefs will be tested, i am not that worried of them changing because of how strong they are. Going to a catholic school for my entire life has made my beliefs strong. If i was in a class and my professor started saying christianity is not real, i am not sure if i would stand up for my religion or not. I am not worried about being judged by my peers for my religion because i am not ashamed of it. I am glad i watched this video because now i know what to expect when i go off the college. I think now that i have watched it, it will help me be accepting of other peoples religions and beliefs because the only people i have really ever been around are catholics. My faith is strong enough that i know a professor will not be able to change it.
Reply
Emily Butler
3/24/2013 12:07:19 pm
I never realized how much one's faith can be transformed or questioned during the transition into college. I don't think that going to college and hearing and learning about different beliefs will change my faith and what I believe because I have already been in certain circumstances like that. When I hear something that I don't agree with I usually speak against it or just ignore what was said because that's not what I believe and others really don't effect my beliefs and faith. While at college, if I have to I will stand up for my beliefs, but not so much as if it becomes an argument, I really don't care what others think.
The part of the video that really made me think was about the girl Emily that refused to do her assignment because it was not what she believed. I thought what the professor did to her was completely unfair, especially the meeting she had to have with all the other professors. They shouldn't have the right to question her about what she believes in, its her faith, not theirs. I was extremely impressed on how well she stood up for what she believed in and didn't let her research or teachers change her beliefs. The video made me more prepared as to what to expect at college from my professors and their views on the world. How everyone has different beliefs and sees everything differently from each other, but all that matters is what you believe in.
Reply
Nikki Franchini
3/24/2013 12:14:07 pm
Before this video, I never really thought about how my faith would be tested in college. I don't want to say that I'm naive when it comes to certain things like that but I think we are all just so excited to start a new chapter in our lives that we often forget about what the hidden struggles are that come along with venturing off to college. I'd like to say that I'm a fairly religious person, but watching this video and hearing what this professor had to say really scared me. It didn't scare me in a way that I wouldn't be able to just go back to my same views after class. It scared me because I don't know if I'd be able to deal with class like that or a professor like that. I'm open to so many people's beliefs, I never judge anyone's religion BUT there is just a fine line and I feel like college will be tough because we're all going to have to stay strong at times like that and just stick to what we believe in. My views will not change if I were to have a professor like that. I truly believe that they won't. But it will take a lot of strength just to deal with a class/professor like that. I don't know if I'd even be able to stand up for my religion and my beliefs at that point, it sounds awful but you can't change anyone's mind. I've grown up with a strong catholic faith all my life, I'd refuse to give that all up just to agree with some nutty professor. I wouldn't really want to give my professor the time of day if that was his attitude so I think I would just stay quiet, pass my class but I'd never change my views because of something like that.
Again, it sounds crazy but just what I think.
Reply
Kathrine Zmina
3/24/2013 12:30:15 pm
I don't think it's possible, at this point in our lives, to be so incredibly sure and complete in our view. I'd say most of us have not been exposed to anything but Catholic school our entire lives which definitely can becomes second nature. I know that it's really easy to just accept Catholic doctrine because it's easy and comfortable but I think college is going to be a great opportunity for everyone to get a kick in the butt in case they didn't realized that people exist with such drastically differing outlooks. I hope to be challenged and stretched in college classes so I have a chance to express my opinion as well as develop my own ideals. This doesn't mean "assimilating", it means being a rational human being who is willing to consider other people's experiences. College is all about piecing together the theories that make the most sense, the theories that we perceive are most true to the world we're living in. After all, the only thing, in my opinion I suppose, that humans definitely know is that we don't know anything. If that makes any sense....? It's a paradox but basically we don't know anything other than the fact that we, personally, exist and that we don't know anything else. I don't think that the personal values that I've established and worked toward my entire life will be so incredibly shaken, but that I'll be able to find truth through the outlooks that I am exposed to that coincide with those values. I'll be able to defend my stances without feeling like an outcast because I don't care what other people think. I'm starting over in college so I hope to be the most true self I can be, which includes sharing my views without feeling like an idiot, or an outcast. I'll just have to do my part in respecting other's opinions and hope it will be reciprocated.
Reply
Dom Natale
3/24/2013 12:44:39 pm
I will be attending a catholic university so I'm sure that keeping my faith will be slightly easier because people will not be shooting down my religious ideas as much. However, I know i'll have my freedom to discover my faith on my own and I'm sure i'll be growing in my faith instead of losing it for the most part. I don't doubt that I'll be tempted to skip masses and other things of that sort but for the most part I don't see why I'd have any reason to do anything but grow in my faith. I already decide on my own to go to mass and I'm strong in my faith with my own free will so I believe that will continue
Reply
Tom Fening
3/24/2013 01:12:37 pm
For 12 years I have attended catholic school. I have been inside a bubble and never have faced real diversity. Next year, I will not be attending a catholic university and possibly one of the bigger colleges in the country. I am bound to find people of different religions, race, and backround. While my beliefs might be in the majority at NDCL, in college I could easily be a minority. In order to hold strong to my convictions, I can't let professors or anybody tell me what I believe is incorrect. I think I would probably just go through the motions in a class where something like that happened. It is hard to say without being in the situation. I would think in class you can be a different person than you are outside of class. So conveying my beliefs in class and seeing my friends opinions in class would not be difficult because if they were really my friends we would be able to agree to disagree and leave an argument at the door. It is something I will have to do and I hope that I am strong enough in my faith that I won't be swayed.
Reply
Jaclyn Melvin
3/24/2013 03:40:14 pm
This video certainly made me think. To be honest, I have not thought much about how I will live out my faith in college. I have considered what role God will play in my personal life (prayer, decision making, etc.), but it never occurred to me that I may have to defend my beliefs one day. I have attended Catholic schools all my life, and I cannot think of a time where someone even remotely questioned or argued against my faith. I would like to say that I will be able to stand up for what I believe in, but I won’t know for sure until my faith is actually tested. In the video, I was shocked to hear the stories of professors who mocked Christians and forced their students to follow his or her way of thinking. (However, I think it would be interesting to see/hear the professors’ points of view.) I know that most of my teachers will not be this extreme when it comes to their teaching styles, but there is a good chance that I will cross paths with people who will not respect my beliefs. I think the best thing I can do is pray. I can pray to God for strength when it comes to voicing my opinion and telling others why I believe what I do. I can pray for understanding so that I do not become close-minded towards the beliefs and opinions of others. I have never been afraid to make my opinion known or speak up in a class. When someone disagrees with me, I don’t let it bother me. I respect their opinion and move on. So long as I put my faith in God and treat others with respect, I think I will be able to pass the “toughest test in college.”
Reply
Nick Frindt
3/24/2013 10:08:40 pm
This video got me thinking about something that hadn't really crossed my mind yet. My worries about my transition to college all surrounded the people in my life, both those that I will be meeting and those that i will be leaving. I had not really worried about my religion being shaken until now. However, after watching this video and thinking about how I would react in certain situations, I feel that i will be able to stay strong and support my religion, even if I feel like an outcast, in most situations. I may have trouble telling my teachers and my other elders that they are wrong when standing up for what I believe in, but I will have no problem telling them that there are other points of view and explaining mine. With my classmates and those people that are my age, I plan on telling them what is right and explaining to them everything I have learned about my religion and the Lord. While staying strong to my religion, I plan to also keep an open mind about others' beliefs, and even if I believe that they are wrong, I will do my best not to judge them. I hope that all people will treat me in this same way.
Reply
Greg Talarcek
3/24/2013 10:33:00 pm
As i move on to college i will have to remember that everyone has different beliefs. I am very used to everyone having the same general beliefs however i do have some experiance with othher. Beliefs. I will keep this in.mind as i move onto college and i will not push my beliefs on people and hope tht they will do the same for me.
Reply
Alex Shaver
3/24/2013 10:33:11 pm
This video did in fact provoke thought within me. I thought that all of the people in the video were closed minded and completely ignorant to the world around them. I have respect for th for holding such strong beliefs, but the topics the students were speaking on displayed their inability to realize that people in the world will not think in the same way that they do, and that you need to be able to deal with it. This video made me angry, an almost embarrassed to be in the same "faith-boat" with them. The girl who had to do the homosexual foster care project disgusted me. Rather than just doing it and being done with it, she had to fight it. Why couldn't she emulate Jesus and accept who someone is, regardless of sexual orientation? I feel that this video was a bible thumping propaganda video that doesn't promote progress, but rather promotes closedmindedmess and ignorance.
Reply
Nick Distaulo
3/24/2013 11:07:12 pm
This video surprised me to how much your faith can be tested in college. It surprised me to see how often a professor will try to force their opinion on you. I feel it will be hard for me to stand up to a professor if they are challenging my religion. just because you don't speak up doesnt mean you do not have good faith. I don't talk a lot but that doesn't mean I don't have feelings about what is being said.
Reply
Olivia Coleman
3/24/2013 11:10:11 pm
when I go to college I'm going believe in what I have always believed in. I won't let anyone influence me and change my belief on religion. if I am asked to learn or do something I disagree with I might not be happy about it but I will do it anyway. I don't have to agree something to understand it. if I hear something that sounds interesting I may pay extra attention and maybe I will believe it and maybe I might not. I don't know what I will do in college but I know I will stick by my morals.
Reply
Perry Yert
3/24/2013 11:12:01 pm
I have already anticipated my faith and/or beliefs being challenged as I enter college. I am not really that certain in my faith so if an opportunity arrives where my prior teachings of the catholic faith are challenged and most likely will listen to the professor and take the notes so I can pass the class. Not everyone has the same opinion, and that is something to accept and be open minded about. Just because you learn what you are taught does not necessarily mean you have to believe it, you do it for the class. I am someone's who always stands up for what I believe is right and I don't do anything I don't want to. But in circumstances like this, I realize the situation as something to be open minded about.
Reply
Meghan Anderson
3/24/2013 11:45:25 pm
I haven't really worried about keeping my faith with me in college. I know how hard it will be to do that specially when my faith will be questioned and I know it will be a lot. If its for a class, I'm going to do what I have to to pass even if it does go against my faith because in my heart I know what's right. No one will change my views about faith and I will try my best to keep them the same.
Reply
Chris Shkil
3/25/2013 12:18:45 am
I have never had to deal with people going against my faith because I have gone to a catholic school my entire life. I don't know how I would deal with having professors like that. Attending Carnegie Mellon next year I will see people from all over the world which means many different religions. I hope I don't have to defend my faith in some situations but if people were speaking against my faith I can honestly say I would defend my faith and my beliefs. I'm not saying I'm going to start a fight but I will ask them to simply stop speaking against my beliefs so I don't appear to be a "Jesus freak" unless people were being absolutely ignorant in going against my beliefs I would honestly probably just leave then to do what they want because they are expressing their opinion.I will also try to keep my faith next year by making smart choices. Overall I believe everybody is entitled to their opinion and not everybody sees the same way that I do. However if people are strongly going against some of my highest beliefs I would most likely stand up for what I believe in
Reply
Phil Aquila
3/25/2013 01:18:38 am
My first reaction to the video was annoyance with the students and their reluctance to hear other opinions. I personally like listening to different opinions because at the very least they are interesting, and they sometimes help me solidify my own beliefs. What I mean by this is that a different opinion will have a different view on a subject and might bring up points I hadn't considered.
However, I realize that the students beliefs were important to them, and I sympathized with their struggle. I am not worried about having my faith and beliefs challenged when I go to college partially because I am already used to this. Some of my friends have very different views and morals than I do and this sometimes leads to arguements, but at the end of the day we move past it. I am completely open to hearing their views, but I won't change mine just to conform to theirs.
Reply
Emily Amendola
3/25/2013 01:31:30 am
Having attended a Catholic school my whole life (minus two years), I have a very firm understanding of my beliefs and the reason behind them. For many years I have been surrounded with people who share these beliefs. Heading into college this will not be the case and I know that. I am not really sure what I would do or think if I had a very outspoken professor who spoke against my beliefs. I don't see myself ever speaking out to a professor. I would never start a fight over different beliefs but if someone ever disrespected my faith I would defend my stance. I would never go as far as the girl did in the video to the point where it affected other students and their work, however. If I ever had a serious problem with an assignment such as the one that was presented in the video, the farthest I would go would be simply talking to the professor. If the answer wasn't in my favor, I would leave it. I won't ever let anyone change my beliefs because they are just that strong. I know that staying true to my values and beliefs will be a challenge in college but I know what is right and what is wrong and I am going to try my best to stay true to that without causing problems.
Reply
Nick Cirino
3/25/2013 11:34:19 am
This video is a prime example of a video that is targeted towards a specific audience: religious conservative kids as well as their parents. To a person in my mindset, it almost seemed like a propaganda film for the religious right in America. This video seemed very one sided and offered insight into what would be the absolute WORST experience for a religious conservative at a secular university. They start off by showing these kids from these small, bible belt, towns and show how they react to this "culture shock". Is is really that big of a culture shock or have these kids grown up so isolated and protected from their bible thumping parents that they can't live in this secular society (or THE REAL WORLD). I felt as though the teachers they presented were the worst kind of secularistic, religious hating, crazy liberal ones they could find and they probably over exaggerated their experience a bit. The one girl who described her story about having to fight against her belief in adoption for gay couples. Now I respect her beliefs, even though they are different than my own, and I can understand her problems with doing this project. But she signed up for an advocacy class and any person can tell you that to really understand arguing a point, you need to be able to argue it from every angle including the opposing side. Her reluctance to do the assignment was totally in her ignorance to comprehend the necessity in the assignment and in her lack of understanding of the irrelevance of the topic and just learning how to argue.
The main thing though I found hard to believe was the fact that she (and most of the other kids) were struggling with their faith. Wouldn't her arguments be kind of null and void if the assignment made her question her faith? As a strong Christian and believer, I feel confident in my faith and I try to connect basic scientific ideas to my religious beliefs instead of dwelling on things like creationism. If just hearing these new ideas from these more liberal professors makes them question their faith, then their faith wasn't very strong to begin with. Honestly, this video showed me how screwed up the education system is in the bible belt and how how much in trouble these kids really are. And to these kids who are experiencing these new found ideas that conflict with the ideas they were raised with, WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD!
Reply
Brittany Castrataro
3/25/2013 01:09:51 pm
I think it is very important to keep your beliefs will transitioning to college. I will not listen to anything someone tries to make me believe in college to change my opinion of my faith. I am not worried about my faith changing because I know how strong it is. I know that i will encounter people who have different beliefs with me and I will have to defend my faith. It many break up friendships or relationships, but I know I'm doing the right thing. In college, I will make smart choices and listen to my conscience when making big decisions. I am still unsure what college I will attend next year, but I know the decisions won't be any easier than they are right now. I have attended a Catholic school my whole life and hope to keep the tradition going on until college. The people in the video in my opinion were being attacked because of their faith. I think that was wrong and they should not be attacked for what they believe in. everyone should be able to believe what they want.
Reply
Julian Wilson
3/25/2013 01:27:14 pm
In college, I'm not going to bring up my stances much and I'm going to try to keep an open mind and see from varying viewpoints. Some issues I know I won't budge on, but I won't bring them up unless I have to. An issue that falls in that category, though, is homosexual rights. I find it crazy that it's 2013 and people still oppose them. It's closeminded and it frankly disgusted me to hear from the student who was responsible for shutting down the entire assignment for her class. I feel that if I'm surrounded by mostly accepting and open-minded people, I won't have a problem with feeling like an outcast. But if an issue like that arises I won't have a problem defending my stance vocally to those people, regardless of how many.
Reply
Cassie Kresnye
3/25/2013 09:50:41 pm
I am not sure if the professors are my main issue in this. I am going to Xavier, a Jesuit college, so I don't think I'll have to worry too much about them imposing view points. I only worried for when they purposely make us stand for our beliefs (They said they will challenge them to make us stronger in standing for them). I am probably only worry about this because this can be an almost confrontational experience, and I really dislike conflict of this type. I know I am very strong in my beliefs, and can tend to be stubborn. Even with this, I fear the thought of having to be put on the spot at a moments notice. I am first off a terrible public speaker and really bad at conjuring up my ideas fast. So basically, I am unable to speak to people about ideas that I cannot think of.
Reply
Abby Zahuranec
3/25/2013 10:58:40 pm
In college, I know that I will be surrounded by people with different views, and I will make sure that I take the time to hear what people say but I know at the end of the day what I believe will not change. The segment really showed the worst of situations and I know that not ever class I am going to have is going to be like this, but it makes me think about what I might do in theses situations. I feel that for me I cannot sit there and tell a teacher that their views are wrong but I know that I just have to remain faithful because everyone has their own thoughts and that should not change mine.
Reply
Adam Kobosky
3/26/2013 12:20:17 am
We have learned many different things about college in the past year of our last year in high school. Wherever we go, there will always be bias opinions and we make the decision that fits us best. Its hard to grasp sometimes and every person we face shapes us. I can say I have become more aware of who I am becoming and what I want to be. This will defiantly be dealt with in and throughout college. I have my life and it makes me upset because the professors aren't me. If they really want to clone themselves in me and "mold" into what they want, they won't. I'm just one person and I know I can teach others and guide others, but I'll always be the person I am on the inside. I have a passion for anything and it may never seem like on the outside, but I can easily be unfolded when I want to.
Reply
Ryan Paul Sebastian
3/26/2013 01:39:02 am
I don't think I will change my outlook on certumstances and such in college because I have grown up with great parents and they had instilled goo values and morals into me from the beginning. The things my mom and dad ave taught me have become the norm and I will not let bad choices ruin my life. I will be who I want to be and I believe in myself to be a strong individual.
Reply
Marisa Mandato
3/26/2013 10:54:07 am
This video was interesting and it posed some good points but I feel like these are the extreme situations that have occurred. Next year when I go off to college I will not have to consistently prove myself as a christian because my professors won't care that much. That girl who went through all that just to have the professors gang up on her added way to much stress than was needed. I will be that person next year that will not stand up for my beliefs because in reality my singular beliefs are insignificant. That girl caused her entire class to have to redo that project that took them an entire semester. It was unfair of her to cause this problem and add stress to others lives.
I am a go-with-the-flow type of person. If a professor gives me an assignment I will do it with no questions asked regardless of my beliefs. If I have to support abortion, which I am highly against, then I will support abortion. I know the difference between my beliefs and an assignment and an assignment shouldn't affect my beliefs at all.
Reply
Erica Lam
3/26/2013 01:57:40 pm
How will you honestly defend your stances without feeling like an outcast?
After watching this video and doing some self reflection, I definitely think people should stand firm in their beliefs when they go to college. Holding personal beliefs is what makes people unique from one another, and helps others to become open to new and different things.
I honestly think that when I go to college, I won't always stand up for my beliefs. I don't think I could stand up to my professor unless it was about my extreme beliefs. It's just like the girl who had to sign the petition for her class that said she believed in something that was actually the complete opposite of her beliefs, but she just needed to sign it to get the grade. I think I could do all the classwork and stuff just to pass the class, but if I actually had to associate myself with something I didn't believe, I would say something about it, because it's just not what I believe in.
Reply
Caylee buckman
3/26/2013 01:58:37 pm
I feel that when I go to college I will absolutely be questioned about what I believe in and thatI will struggle with staying completely rooted in my beliefs but I accept the challenge. I am strong in my faith so I know that if there is something that makes me doubt what I belief I know that questioning it more will only help me find exactly what I believe. I feel that it will be a good test of my faith to meet opposition and new beliefs so that I can have a better understanding of my own faith. I think that in the video,although homosexuality is an issue I personally disagree on with how the Catholic Church teaches, it was necessary that the girl stood up for what she believed, I admire that and feel that more people need to take on that strength when it comes to faith. If we let others force us to partake in things we do not believe in we are missing the opportunity to be an example of faith which is greatly needed in our world today. We need strong leaders and people to make their mark with their set of beliefs so we can work together and find truth.
Reply
Billy Molle
3/27/2013 12:46:12 am
After watching these two videos, I started to think more about how I will react to the concept of faith while I am in college. At the moment, I don't consider myself a very faith-filled person, but I am always open to new ideas. In college, I hope to carry this outlook with me. I enjoy learning about things objectively, and sometimes this means removing the aspect of religion from the classroom. My whole life, I have gone to a catholic school and I am used to being able to openly discuss faith and religion. However, I will be at a public university next fall where religious discussions may be discouraged. I am excited to see how this will challenge me personally, and I hope it allows me the opportunity to grow as an individual with their own convictions, rather than just believing what I am told to believe.
Reply
marina
4/3/2013 08:04:36 am
Honestly this video is ridiculous; if you do not have the strength or intelligence to argue and stand by your own personal beliefs especially when others around you have differing opinions, you immediately need to regroup and ponder why you have those beliefs. If you are scared to speak out, too bad for you, because that is how the real world functions, you will be tested, poked, proded, and critiziced by everyone. in your career you will be asked to do things that don't neccesarily line up with all that you believe, but if you are a strong person, and truly put your heart and soul in your beliefs you can get by without compromising them because you know within your heart what you believe to be is true. If you do not have the intelligence or openmindedness to learn different philosophies, and respect intellligent opinions of professors , however fiery and forceful, you don't deserve to be in college, because your ignorance only exposes your blantant unintelligence.
Reply
Amanda Zbinovec
4/9/2013 01:06:05 am
Watching this video made me think how much my faith will be tested in college. I have to stand true to my beliefs and not let what others think hinder what I believe. I am a person who is strong in their beliefs, so as long as I stay true to myself I should not have any problem with my faith. I need to stick up for what I believe in even when those around me may not. I may be questioned and it may be hard, but I have to think about where I stand and stand by it. If I can do that, then I should be able to retain my strong faith in college.
Reply
Mikayla Bucciso
4/10/2013 10:48:16 am
I think that it's good to stay strong in your beliefs but never be too strong. Since people are in a constant state of change, something you believe in your teens may no longer seem true after more experiences. Because of this, I think that the challanging of beliefs is very positive. It allows people to either realize that, yes they do believe this, or, no it was just a phase. Personally, I feel that the strong opinions of others will help me solidify and find my own beliefs. I'd rather be with a variety of people with diversity in beliefs so I can learn from them and grow deeper as a person. I realize, however, that this is not the way to go for all people, because I am generally more firm in my opinions. To people who are easily influenced by others, the transition to this aspect of college may be harder.
Reply
mikayla
4/10/2013 10:49:37 am
*bucci
Reply
Jacqueline DiCillo
4/15/2013 02:10:48 pm
As I watched the video, it occurred to me that I hadn't put much thought into my faith in college. Some of my other concerns such as transitioning and living alone and the balance of school work and socializing seem to cloud over one of the biggest challenges I may face. I am a very opinionated person and if I disagree with someone, I am not one to keep quiet about it. If I was put in the same situation as the people in the video I would have no problem speaking out, especially about my faith. Being an outcast would not be a concern of mine. I feel that when others speak to what they believe in, people respect them more. However, if that is not the case, then I wouldn't want to be associated with those people anyway. Colleges are big places filled with thousands of people, there are plenty of others I can be myself around and be accepted by.
Reply
Niarra Ogbonna
4/16/2013 10:21:03 am
I know that when going off to college my faith will be tested and also what I believe in will be tested as well. I feel that i will have more problems than others because my faith right now us not firm and I'm not sure what I believe in right now. And if some of my professors are anything like the ones in this video I know it will only make me more confused than I already am. My values and what I stand for on the other hand are much more concrete. I am not usually a person to speak out or speak up even when it is something that I need or want because I rather stay in the background so I feel like here again I wont stand up. But it is one of those things where I would have to be there in the moment to know exactly how I would act. I guess if I care enough abot the subject or situation I will stand up to voice my opinon.
Reply
Chris Capretta
4/24/2013 09:11:46 am
I know that my faith will probably be taking the back seat when i go to college. In my high school career my faith took a front row seat for a year in a half and then a major thing happened in my life that made me loos my faith. Don't get me wrong i believe in a God and i don't need to go to mass to be on his godly side. I think that if i took time i could have solitary time and that i can pray and with pray i can be able to talk to God one on one. I think with prayer i can get through college. My faith is somewhat strong but it is not as strong as i would like it to be. With me i would like to say that my parents have instilled in my that you dont need to go to mass every single minute because my mother was raised in a prostant family and my father was raised in a christian family. They took that and my mother converted for my father and they have a stronger relationship with God then i will probably ever have. They pray to him in times of need and they also pray to him when they want to thank him for something good happening to the family them or a friend. I have them to look up to for the rest of my life and i will hopefully be looking to them for help with my faith in college.
Reply
Olivia Evans
5/10/2013 11:43:08 am
It is going to be really hard to learn from professors that don't share the same beliefs as I do. I don't know if I could defend my faith in front of the person who is grading me. I know that their beliefs would not change mine and I doubt that I would be able to change theirs. I guess it would depend on the situation. If I was forced to do a project on something that I don't believe is right like the girl in the segment I think I would defend my faith. But if my professor was just saying stuff I think I would just suck it up and get through the class and make sure I never had that professor again. It is going to be really hard to go from a catholic school to a public university. There are going to be a lot of people who have different beliefs. I think ultimately I am just going to have choose my battles and make sure I stay strong in my faith.
Reply
JohnChen
5/16/2013 01:34:20 am
I go to college to learn, not to change my opinion. Sure what I learn might have effect on my opinion, just like what I learn in high school change my opinion on abortion. However I am pretty confident to determind the differece between knoweldege, skill and personal opinion to the professor. I follow logic and tmy personal emotion that has developed from me own experence, logic will never change, what is logical is what I believe. If it is something that cannot be determine by my lofic, I will always follow my heart, not what professor says. I welcome and accept everything that is tough to me, but is up to me to change me believing.