Hello, all!
My name is Alyssa Martin, and I’m excited to be interning with the Religious Affairs department of the Obama campaign. I will be posting regular updates on the Faith-Action-Change blog, and I look forward to having many positive faith-based discussions over the course of the summer. But first, allow me to introduce myself:
Originally from heartland Nebraska, I am a rising junior at Stanford University. I plan to double major in International Relations and Religious Studies, though I’d be lying if I said this originated from a purely academic interest. Raised Catholic by my father, I don’t recall the newness of mass – for all intents and purposes, I woke up one day with the entire Catholic service ingrained into my being, ready at a Sunday’s notice. However, my faith goes beyond regurgitation, as it informs my inner convictions and outer spirit.
To give you a fuller, more authentic, introduction of myself, I would have to mention my experience with other religious traditions as well. As a young girl, I would watch my Hindu grandparents do puja (prayer), not knowing that I would have the opportunity to observe its roots in India, where religion is omnipresent. I went from knowing 3 Jewish people in Nebraska to becoming involved in Israeli-Palestinian events on campus with my 2 Jewish best friends. I attended an overseas seminar in Italy regarding Judeo-Christian relations, and promoted interfaith dialogue on campus.
Ultimately, I found myself drawn to Obama’s appeal to people of all faith backgrounds. A committed Christian, he does not eschew the topic of religion, but embraces it in a straightforward, refreshing manner. Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr once said, “Power without love is brutality, but love without power is mere sentimentality.” By organizing people of all backgrounds from the grass-roots up, Obama bridges love and power, faith and action. By opting to visit California’s Saddleback Church instead of a more “conventional” stronghold, he challenges typical slice-and-dice politics by seeking unity – which is something that I, a person of faith, can truly believe in.
I look forward to communicating with you all this summer!
With warm blessings,
Alyssa
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