I’ve often found that boys are capable of a more frank discussion of manhood than us older guys are. When I have gone to boys’ schools to speak the questions are always so blunt, the interest in what it means to be a good man so palpable. Whereas men, perhaps, have grown a thick skin to protect ourselves from the most pressing questions, boys really want to know. Now. They haven’t had time to get cynical or decide that opening their hearts could be dangerous.
Nowhere is that discussion more pressing than on the biggest of possible questions: God.
I asked two 16 year-old boys to allow me to videotape them. At first, I was asking the questions. That went exceedingly poorly. The boys gave more or less one word responses. After almost an hour I gave up. I told them that I was leaving but would keep the camera running and they could figure out if they had anything they wanted to say to each other. I didn’t suggest a topic. Everything they discussed was their idea including the central dilemmas of organized religion.
Yes, these guys are both related to me. I leave it to you to figure out how.
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About Tom Matlack
Interesting video. It’s not very often you get to hear teenage boys discussing something as important as religion. Somehow I’m not all that shocked that the topic of penises popped up though (no pun intended).
It’s easy to see why so many youths nowadays subscribe to the non-Christian way. There is no one to answer to. There is no truth or nothing to look forward to. As long as they’re a “good” person, they’ll be okay. But without a “one truth,” who decides what is good? So the Unitarians “can” learn about the Bible at church? That’s interesting. Why study the Bible if you aren’t going to believe and follow it? Do they just overlook the parts they don’t like? The Unitarian kid doesn’t seem to believe in heaven, or that Jesus was anything more than a man. The Bible disagrees with both counts. I guess I just don’t understand. Either you believe it or you don’t.
As for the Catholic kid, he states that “we aren’t supposed to bow down and worship Jesus or anything.” Really? If the Bible says Jesus is God, shouldn’t we be doing exactly that? Maybe I just don’t understand Catholicism well enough. But it seems to me that Catholics have their own version of the Bible. Mary is a major figure for them. Clearly, she was awesome because God chose her. But no where does the Bible say we should pray to Mary or “Hail Mary.” Or how about Catholics calling their pastors “Father.” Matthew 23:9 clearly says that no one on earth should be called Father, except he who is in heaven. Interesting.
I do thank you for this video. If nothing else, it has prompted me to want to learn more about these two faiths and how their followers believe. All the better to defend my own faith. After all, NO ONE should ever take the word of teenage kids as gospel. LOL
Thanks
For what it’s worth from a practicing Catholic who is not formally trained in theology, Catholics pray to saints (Mary first and foremost) for their intercession. The most famous example of intercession in the New Testament is the wedding at Qana. Having taken that cue, prayers of intercession, especially to Mary, are well attested among primitive Christians. Sure you could forego intercession, but perhaps you would be doing yourself a disservice by not using a time-tested resource.
Regarding the use of “Father”, the Church Fathers always understood this to be one of the instances when Jesus spoke figuratively, much like he did when he instructed people to put out an eye or cutoff a hand if they caused us to sin. His admonition of using the word “Father” must be taken in the context self-aggrandizing, hypocritical religious leaders. Billions of Christians around the world still call their male biological parent “father” without incurring on sin.
I’ll give you the one about calling your priests “Father.” That could be taking that passage a bit too literal. But I’m still confused on the other points.
As for Mary interceding, I assume you’re referring to the wedding in John Chapter 2? I see where Mary was there and she asked Jesus to help. I suppose that’s a form of intercession. But verse 4 says, “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” That seems to indicate he wasn’t all that pumped about her interceding. Are there other examples of Mary interceding, because I must’ve missed them. Seems odd that Mary is such a major figure in the Catholic church if it’s based on one verse or two verses. Other than her being present every now and then, she really isn’t even mentioned in the Bible that much. Nor does she play a big part after the birth of Christ.
It’s just always been my understanding that we are to pray to God; not Mary, the Saints, or even Jesus. When Jesus taught the disciples (and thereby all future generations) to pray, the prayer started with, “Our Father, who art in Heaven,” not “Hail Mary” or “Hey St. Pete, please relay this message.” LOL I’m having a bit of fun here, but I assure you I’m not trying to ridcule your faith. I just don’t understand it well enough.
Another area that confuses me is confessing your sins to the Priest. Now I understand that James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” I believe that’s in order for the church (the members) to help each other through life. But where does it say anywhere in the Bible, that priests can forgive sin by having you say some Hail Mary’s? Seriously, I’ve read through the Bible once and am almost through it for a second time and I don’t see where anyone can forgive sins except for Jesus (God). What am I missing?
Hi Tom, I think this discussion was quite interesting, erect penises notwithstanding. Since I know both young men, I found it interesting that they were seeking common ground rather than trying to convert one’s religious views to the other. I thought this was open and forthcoming.
As a practicing Catholic I just want to state that The Catholic Church has never espoused a strictly literal reading of the Bible, and has always supported the theories of Evolution and the Big Bang (in fact, Fr. Georges LeMaitre was a world-renowned cosmolgist who was instrumental in the development of the Big Bang Theory)
That being said, the courage these two young men have shown in allowing their most personal beliefs (or nonbeliefs) to be showcased to the world belies a a level of maturity well beyond their years. They are obviously both very special.
The Catholic church supports Evolution and the Big Bang? Wow. I didn’t know that. How do they tie that into Genesis 1:20, which reads, “20And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky,” and verse “24And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.” ? That seems pretty clear that he created separate animals; sea creatures, birds, livestock, and creatures that move along the ground. How does evolution work with that?
Where were all these articles???Another one that I missed. It’s great to hear and see this when so much is about a rape culture. Truth is there are a lot of kids like these two but let’s be honest, it’s not cool to talk god, especially among teens.