Minority Experience
In my situation with my minority experience trying to identify with the majority aspect of my identity was kind of difficult. Just because it was kind of opposite for me. The majority of the people around me in Clinton, SC identify with Christianity. For myself, I do not identify with anything. I view myself as my spiritual rather than religious, because it is not that I don’t believe or do not have a personal relationship with God. It is the fact that I have never been to church before until about two months ago when this class challenged me to do so. I just do not associate myself with a religion. I would always get super awkward when someone asked me what religion I was, but always got super offended when they told …show more content…
I brought two of my softball friends that sat together a couple rows in front of me. They knew it was my first time ever going to church so they were there more to support me. I made them sit in front of me, because I did not want them to watch me because I felt that uncomfortable with myself at church. I did not know anything, how to pray, what to say, or when to stand. I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb. When the Pastor said, “love and welcome the people next to you” A mom and her three young girls turned to me and said you must be new. At that moment I just shook their hands, and really awkwardly said, “Hi, I’m Kirby this is my first time at church.” The look of discomfort they got was the tensest feelings I have ever gotten in my life. I knew at that moment I messed up by telling them the truth. The whole service the three little girls did nothing but watch my every move. They looked at me like I was some kind of alien. I was so embarrassed not because of them but because of myself. I hated not being part of something or anything for that matter. Even though my friends recognize themselves as non-denominational they still have been to church before. So, I feel like I was the only one who was a true minority that I know of.
In my situation with my minority experience trying to identify with the majority aspect of my identity was kind of difficult. Just because it was kind of opposite for me. The majority of the people around me in Clinton, SC identify with Christianity. For myself, I do not identify with anything. I view myself as my spiritual rather than religious, because it is not that I don’t believe or do not have a personal relationship with God. It is the fact that I have never been to church before until about two months ago when this class challenged me to do so. I just do not associate myself with a religion. I would always get super awkward when someone asked me what religion I was, but always got super offended when they told …show more content…
I brought two of my softball friends that sat together a couple rows in front of me. They knew it was my first time ever going to church so they were there more to support me. I made them sit in front of me, because I did not want them to watch me because I felt that uncomfortable with myself at church. I did not know anything, how to pray, what to say, or when to stand. I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb. When the Pastor said, “love and welcome the people next to you” A mom and her three young girls turned to me and said you must be new. At that moment I just shook their hands, and really awkwardly said, “Hi, I’m Kirby this is my first time at church.” The look of discomfort they got was the tensest feelings I have ever gotten in my life. I knew at that moment I messed up by telling them the truth. The whole service the three little girls did nothing but watch my every move. They looked at me like I was some kind of alien. I was so embarrassed not because of them but because of myself. I hated not being part of something or anything for that matter. Even though my friends recognize themselves as non-denominational they still have been to church before. So, I feel like I was the only one who was a true minority that I know of.