A few weeks ago, my ten year old daughter, Isa, came home from school rattled to the core. She needed to speak to her Mother, it was urgent, a matter of life or death. Sitting down with her Mother, she exploded in confusion, worry, and angst. “Mom you’re not going to heaven because you don’t believe in God. Jewish people don’t believe in God and if you don’t believe, you’ll never make it to heaven.”

Needless to say, my wife was in shock. She was baptized and raised a good Catholic, but giving birth to our oldest son at fifteen, the church felt she was no longer worthy of their God. She still believes in God, she just doesn’t believe in the Church, more specifically she doesn’t believe in worshipping false idols who claim God like status while running the Church.

This is a subject that pains my wife, she doesn’t share it, but I know just to skirt the subject conjures up memories causing her to still feel like that scared pregnant little girl, tears of shame burning her cheeks, as she was cast from her safehaven and branded a sinner, a heathen.

Nonetheless, she inhaled deeply and placed her arms around Isa. She explained that she does believe in God, she just doesn’t go to Church to prove it like some people. Isa, who goes to a lax Catholic school and recently celebrated her confirmation, was assured, end of story; her mother would be saved. If only my wife could have had “reforgotten” so quickly.

Four days ago, Isa got herself into trouble for not doing homework, as a consequence, she was banned from the computer. Both my wife and I sat her down and explained computers and chatting are fun, but homework is a priority, no excuses. My poor child, she was devestated and acted as if we handed banned her from existing or taken her right to breathe. Isa, however, doesn’t give up easy. She is determined and personal pain only accents her urges to exstinguish injustice.

Yesterday she calls me from her room. “Dad, Dadddyyyyy” to which I replied, “Just a moment Isa, I’m working”. Again Isa bellowed “Papi, I neeeeeeeeed to talk to you.” I was just about ready to answer her, when she entered my office, hands on her hips, ready to slay injustice like a midevil dragon. Our conversation went as follows:

Isa: Dad, you said chatting is wrong, you have to finish work first.

Me: Isa, I AM working.

Isa: No you’re not, I see you chaattting.

Me: Isa, I’m working on the blog, reading comments, writing comments, and trying to learn, figure something out.

Isa: I told you, you were chatting. Maybe I’m trying to figure stuff out, too, when I’m chatting.

Me: Isa, you’re not going to win, just stop. Trying to figure out how to get to the ice cream parlor on Club Penguin is not the same as what I’m trying to understand.

Isa: So what’s so important, what don’t you understand Daddy?

Me: Religion.

With that I explained to my daughter what I was so desperately trying to understand here on IB. I took out our globe and showed her India. I explained what little I knew and why I don’t understand the hate and intolerance divide sometimes created by religions.

Without even blinking an eye, my Isa was snuggled on my lap with her own story to tell me.

“My Mom’s Jewish, Mariana and I are Catholic, but Mariana doesn’t believe it the Devil and I think Mass is stupid; all we do is stand, pray, kneel, sit, pray, stand, kneel, pray. Patty says her Aunt and Uncle are not Catholic, but Morons. Katia’s Dad worships the devil, but her Mom is Catholic, and Julisa never told us, but we heard she and her family don’t really love God, but some wierd guy named Jehova; she just comes to our school, because it’s a good school and cheaper than the other ones.”

It was definitely my turn to be shocked, in fact I was speechless.
I had no idea my ten year old and her friends focused so much on religion. After I recovered, I had some questions for Isa. First off, I thought we got over her Mother being Jewish, to which Isa responded in kind: “It’s okay Dad, Mom can still go to heaven ‘cuz she believes in God, I mean just because she was born Jewish doesn’t mean she has to stay Jewish.” Now I understood the Jewish issue and quickly explained. Obviously Isa had overheard, as it is no secret, her Mother was born in the “Jewish Memorial Hospital”, being born in a Jewish hospital, to a ten year old, I found, automatically renders you Jewish.

Next what do Morons have to do with religion? Isa of course had a reply for this as well “You know Dad, Morons, the ones that go to the fancy Church with the gold eagle on top in the city.” Isa was close, unfortunatly she left the “m” out of the word. She was trying to say Mormon. I only had a few more questions. Why does she think Katia’s Dad worships the devil and who is talking about Julisa and her family? Isa’s replies were simple and factual in her mind. Katia’s Dad worships the devil because he wears the “devil’s star” on a necklace. Julisa doesn’t have to go to Mass, but also doesn’t come to parties or other festivals, older kids who know the girl’s older siblings made the comment about them being Jehova witness’ after being told by the brother.

Wow, these girls are observant. I explained to Isa Katia’s Dad was not a devil worshiper, as the golden star around his neck was not Satanic, but the star of David. I also explained that while she had quite a mix of religions amongst her friends, the issue in India wasn’t as easy, as it involved the entire country.
I thought I was giving her what little insight I had until Isa shared her truth with me and said:

“I know Daddy, that’s why it’s so silly of them. I mean they have the whole India country and they fight, but we are all in the same little classroom and we’re best friends.”

I couldn’t have given a better example had a spent years trying. I didn’t need to give an example, my girl lives tolerance, peace, and love.