Michael Knight

            I am an avid weightlifter I go to the gym nearly everyday. Yet, I haven’t been to church since I was 12 so attending Fordham University was a surprise to my family. I was baptized but that’s basically the extent of my relationship with God. Fordham gives people an all around education and that was what I was seeking. I have been going to the Westside YMCA for about a year now and didn’t notice that the Grace Church and a religious school are connected to it until a few weeks ago. I think this was done purposely to show the importance of community. Religion, to many people, is a support system of friends and is for people longing to feel a part of something, which makes religion very effective. That is my weight room; I have made numerous friends that share similar interests as me and when they or I need a spot I know we can count on each other. I haven’t been to confession but I have seen movies of people going to confessions for support. The attractiveness of a community is significant because it is motivation. I am more motivated to lift harder when my friends or pretty girls are there, just like my dad has been going to the same ceremony for years because of his favorite priest. He is motivated by the way this priest speaks. Similar aspects are also the way people treat these two communities. Some people go often because they feel like they have to go; they walk in and go through the motions. While some people go and get the whole experience, every rep or every hymn is taken seriously.

            The school is also an interesting building next to these two because it is another communal place of interaction. Most people would rather do things together because it makes them feel like they are doing the right thing. There are also teachers in school to help guide you just like priests in church and athletic trainers at a YMCA. CNN has also done research to show that religious Americans are more connected to their community than non-religious Americans. The article states  “Pew asked Americans about their membership in 28 different kinds of organizations and clubs. The average person not involved with a religious organization participated in 2.11 groups. That compares to an average of 5.11 groups that religious Americans were involved in” (Dan Merica). This shows that religious people like to be around people more than non-religious people. While I like to be around people, I am not the first to sign up for any clubs or community jobs. This could also tie back to Falwells point of if the nation became more religious fewer crimes would occur because everyone would be more connected to their community. Community is a very important aspect to life because it is a social aspect. It is important to find places of caring people who share common goals to lead you in the right direction. These three places (YMCA, school and church) all contribute to bettering the community and they are all on one block.