HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE CHANGED ?
WRITING ABOUT TRANSCENDENCE
When I was teaching Year 11 General Studies at Carey in 1969, I asked the boys to write some statements about their experiences of God. The particular question was
“Has God ever seemed real to you. If so, when?”
Here are some of the responses of Year 11 students about 35 years ago.
Perhaps on the odd occasion when a prayer has been answered.
In any time of joy, and when I see someone who is close to me enjoy life and be really happy. Other times when sadness has struck the family, God seems really close.
No.
When I do something bad that is very wrong. I say to myself “god help me” and after a while you stop thinking about things you have done wrong and try and start fresh again.
God has never seemed real to me. I am an atheist.
Never.
Once when we were returning from surfing we were travelling home along a beach road. Not many people were around and all the kids in the car were talking etc. I looked out the car window and saw the sun glistening on the last dying waves of the day. It was one of the most beautiful things I have seen to look at although before the sun started to radiate it was just a normal beach. I then realised that maybe life can be made to be really enjoyable. An inside enjoyment. This scene and the day refreshed and cleansed my bodies of the worry of exams etc. If I pass my exams I think it will be because of this.
Yes, at large rallies, quite often.
No
Only when I was very young and forced to go to Sunday School but as I grew older I didn’t need this fantasy. Now whenever I think I am doing things under the influence of another person it is not God but another person who I know and get on with well.
No. Not the Christian God or any other deity.
Yes. God has seemed real to me.
No.
So here is a range of answers , showing different levels of experience and insight. Some of those who said “No” were thoughtful students who were responding to my request for honesty. One boy, who wrote that he was an atheist, wrote at the end of the whole questionnaire,
You asked for honesty, Mr Nicoll, I hope what I have said has not offended you or the staff, but I feel very strongly about these matters.
I am relieved to think he did feel free to answer my request for honesty with his authentic feelings and thoughts.
Mac Nicoll
When I was teaching Year 11 General Studies at Carey in 1969, I asked the boys to write some statements about their experiences of God. The particular question was
“Has God ever seemed real to you. If so, when?”
Here are some of the responses of Year 11 students about 35 years ago.
Perhaps on the odd occasion when a prayer has been answered.
In any time of joy, and when I see someone who is close to me enjoy life and be really happy. Other times when sadness has struck the family, God seems really close.
No.
When I do something bad that is very wrong. I say to myself “god help me” and after a while you stop thinking about things you have done wrong and try and start fresh again.
God has never seemed real to me. I am an atheist.
Never.
Once when we were returning from surfing we were travelling home along a beach road. Not many people were around and all the kids in the car were talking etc. I looked out the car window and saw the sun glistening on the last dying waves of the day. It was one of the most beautiful things I have seen to look at although before the sun started to radiate it was just a normal beach. I then realised that maybe life can be made to be really enjoyable. An inside enjoyment. This scene and the day refreshed and cleansed my bodies of the worry of exams etc. If I pass my exams I think it will be because of this.
Yes, at large rallies, quite often.
No
Only when I was very young and forced to go to Sunday School but as I grew older I didn’t need this fantasy. Now whenever I think I am doing things under the influence of another person it is not God but another person who I know and get on with well.
No. Not the Christian God or any other deity.
Yes. God has seemed real to me.
No.
So here is a range of answers , showing different levels of experience and insight. Some of those who said “No” were thoughtful students who were responding to my request for honesty. One boy, who wrote that he was an atheist, wrote at the end of the whole questionnaire,
You asked for honesty, Mr Nicoll, I hope what I have said has not offended you or the staff, but I feel very strongly about these matters.
I am relieved to think he did feel free to answer my request for honesty with his authentic feelings and thoughts.
Mac Nicoll
posted by ledingham at 11:58 PM
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