For Some, Religion is More Than Just God

by Sonia Dholakia

Less than half of U.S. adults belong to a religious congregation, according to a 2021 poll from Gallup. This trend of fewer people connecting with religion can be seen at Menlo as well. While some students may come from religious backgrounds, they don’t always believe in God as individuals.

Sophomore Ari Kaufman, who grew up conservatively Jewish, still identifies with Judaism even though she doesn’t believe in God. “I still consider myself Jewish because I like a lot of the values that the Jewish religion covers,” Kaufman said.

“I don’t believe in God just because I’m very much a logical, visual thinker, and I can’t see or I can’t really envision a higher power.”

Kaufman was able to balance her connection and questioning of Judaism after a lesson with her rabbi in preparation for her bat mitzvah. The rabbi asked the students to raise their hands if they didn’t believe in God. “I was the only kid who raised [my] hand, and my rabbi raised his hand as well,” she said. “To this day, I’m not actually sure if he agreed with it, because it was less about believing in God and more that the idea of questioning religion is so prominent in Judaism.” To Kaufman, this experience symbolized that one doesn’t have to believe in God in order to be Jewish.

Senior Reese Weiden echoed a similar sentiment. “There [are] a lot of other core values of Judaism that can make you Jewish, and a belief and servitude to God do not need to be one of those,” Weiden said. Weiden’s parents are Catholic and Jewish, and she attended a Catholic school from preschool through elementary school.

“I grew up thinking that Catholicism was what I was supposed to do,” she said. After a close friend of hers died when she was a sophomore, Weiden stopped believing in a god.

“I was like, ‘How could this happen?’ I [was] praying, and nothing,” Weiden said. Now, Weiden considers herself agnostic, meaning she believes the existence of a higher power is unknowable. “I don’t think we can prove whether or not there is a God,” she said.

Senior Helen Barkley is also agnostic, despite being raised in a Roman Catholic family. Barkley had her christening, first Communion and confirmation. “I still see myself as a part of the church because I appreciate the values it brings to people and just as a family tradition, but I’m not set on the idea of a higher power,” Barkley said.

The church Barkley attended on Sundays with her family frequently discussed the importance of “loving your neighbor” and helping others, something Barkley still carries with her today. “I still have a lot of appreciation and respect for the church; it’s instilled in me a set of good values,” she said.

Kaufman tries to take ideals from her religion into her life as well. One of these ideals is mitzvot, commandments outlined by the Torah, which has taught Kaufman to do something good each day. “Taking time to actively think about doing something kind is sort of how I connect to my religion and implement it into my daily life,” she said.

-Sophomore Ari Kaufman

Kaufman finds that, in a way, not believing in God brings her a sense of reassurance. “I find it more comforting thinking I’m in control of my life as opposed to some higher power being able to push these buttons that change things,” she said.

Kaufman acknowledges that one’s relationship with religion can be ever-changing, stating that her own religious ideals may shift again in the future. “Something could happen in my life and I feel like there is a higher power with some influence,” she said. “Where I am right now, I’m pretty solid in my beliefs. A lot of things are fluid, and I think religion falls into that category as well.”