Rumspringa

I'm finishing a book called Rumspringa about the Amish and their teens. It's quite an eye-opener and very interesting. Some decide to leave the Amish as young s but 80-90 percent decide to stay. One of the reasons is the strong attraction we all have to be a part of a group that shares the same religious beliefs and moral values.

I started thinking about it this morning and it occurred to me that I don't necessarily feel that the people in my church share the same moral values or even the same religious beliefs. (I know many of them don't share ours.) That might sound surprising, or it may not, in these days when "diversity" (whatever that means) seems to be so highly valued.

As for me, I'm all for being part of a church that shares the same beliefs and values. I think it increases one's sense of stability and meaning and purpose. We all want to have our lives stand for something. And deep down inside we all want to stand together with others, don't we?

I do.