Chatoyant College, Book 1: New Student Orientation

Chapter 15: Talking About Religion

"Actually, it's a new rule," Corrie said a little more soberly. "I just made it up now, in fact. But it seems like a good one to have."

"I like it too," Dawn announced. "I think we should all agree to keep it."

Edie raised her almost-empty soda can. "Drink to it?" Dawn found her can and Corrie took the two steps necessary to cross the room and reach them. They all clinked their cans together, though they made more of a "swish" sound, and drank. Well, Dawn held her can to her lips and tilted it back, grinning--she'd already finished hers.

"Okay, speaking of friends," said Edie as Corrie settled herself in her desk chair, "there's something I've been meaning to ask you about, Corrie."

Corrie spread her hands wide. "Ask away. I am an open book."

"You swore by a Goddess earlier today. Are you a Wiccan or something?"

Corrie looked surprised. "I don't even think about that. No, I'm not Wiccan, I guess I'm... generic pagan or something like that. Religion isn't something I think about much, but my mom and grandmother raised me to worship the Goddess, and we celebrate Beltane and Samhain. Sometimes Yule so we can do Christmasy stuff."

"I didn't even know people did that," said Dawn, sounding a little awed. "I knew some pagans in high school, but they were just out to shock their parents. I never thought of it as being... I guess a religion like any other." Edie nodded. She'd thought the same thing, though was selfishly glad she hadn't been the one to say it. It seemed kind of bigoted now that she heard it out loud with a real pagan in the room.

Corrie shrugged. "I never thought of it any other way. I guess that's what happens when you're raised a certain way--you assume it's normal, or close to it. What about you guys? What religion are you?"

"I'm Christian," said Dawn. "And I guess I'm Christian in the same way you're pagan... that's how I was raised, I celebrate the holidays, I swear by Jesus sometimes, though I do try not to take His name in vain. I usually go to church with my mom, though I guess that will change now that I don't live with her. I'm not sure if I'll bother going to church now that I'm in school, but I doubt I'll stop being Christian."

"I don't really have a religion," Edie said slowly. "I'm Jewish, but that's more of a culture than a religion, do you know what I mean?" When Corrie and Dawn both nodded, she continued. "I thought about having a bat mitzvah but at least at that point in my life I didn't want to do all the work involved and I'm not sure if it's right for me. I think I'd like to have a religion, but I don't know what." She shrugged. "I guess that's one of those things to find out in college, isn't it?" She felt a little lighter having made that decision. Now she had a goal--she didn't have to start trying random things to see if she liked them. "Corrie, do you have any books or anything on paganism? Maybe I could start with that."

Corrie pursed her lips. "I don't have anything like that, but I could ask my mom when I talk to her tomorrow." She grinned. "I bet she'll be thrilled that I have a roommate interested in paganism."

Edie grinned, pleased that her new goal could be at least partially accomplished through her favorite activity--reading. She yawned, realizing that she was starting to feel sleepy, and was about to suggest that they all head to bed when they heard a scream from the hallway.