“God is too big to fit in one religion.” It it is a beautiful paradox of how much hate and love can come from having a faith; it can cause war but also save lives. Religion is a vehicle for so many causes; it is not something to be scared of, but rather something that people need to be more understanding about. The world is suffering from religious intolerance; world leaders are calling for bans on certain faith groups, ISIS is killing infidels, anti-semitism is still high on the list of most prominent hate crimes in America and more. The only way to alleviate the pain that comes with ignorance is education, which is why I would teach others about the cultural and philosophical beliefs of various religions. The class would be about more than just tolerating others; it would go beyond into accepting other faiths to create a culture of respect. After all, no person can prove that one religion is fundamentally “right.”

I have already have taken steps to educate people about religious diversity. I am a contributor to School of Doodle, which is an organization that believes, that teenage girls need a forum in which to express themselves creatively. As ardent supporters of their mission, my friend Hannah and I organized an entire workshop for them. It was my idea to have a religious diversity panel, therefore it was my responsibility to organize a group of girls from various faith communities to discuss aspects of their religion, from how women are treated to how the media portrays their community. Of all my work for the September event, I was most proud of organizing this panel. Religion, when approached properly, fuels love and peace; in a time as volatile as now, it is imperative that everyone understands the foundations underlying every religion.