An atheist and a Muslim go to a church...

An atheist and a Muslim go to a church...

“Do you have faith?” Peter stumbled over an answer. "I'm sorry?" “Do you have faith?” repeated the priest matter-of-factly. Peter stopped loading his plate with cucumber sandwiches. "Um, yeah," he managed before quietly shuffling away, not elaborating.

The question, as harmless as it was, was unexpected. We had enjoyed a relaxing day at his friend's summer wedding in the beautiful English countryside and were not expecting to share our religious affiliation with the service manager in the buffet line.

Both Peter and I have difficult relationships with religion. He was raised as a Methodist Christian but became an atheist in his early twenties. And I... well, I was born Muslim, which was... problematic for a girl who always wanted to see the world and never get married.

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When a local Samoan family invited us to Sunday service at their Catholic church, we both took a break. It was a great opportunity to learn about Samoan culture, but we weren't sure if our participation was appropriate.

As if on cue, Lena, our host, said, "Don't worry if you're not Catholic. We welcome all people to our church." Then he added with a smile, “There’s a free lunch afterward.”

With our British reticence removed, we accepted the invitation. After breakfast, I searched through my backpack for something stylish to wear. I always pack a conservative outfit for occasions like this, so I put on a pair of capris and a white cardigan, which happened to be the church's color. We packed into Lena's van and off we went.

As the service began, I felt Peter moving back and forth next to me. For me it was an enchanting cultural experience; For him, it was also a reminder of childhood and the resulting confusion about his faith. The language may have been different, but the mood was the same.

Later, as he recognized the cadence of the Lord's Prayer, I saw him repeat it in English, joining in the punctuating "Amen." I guess some things are more permanent than we think.

I watched quietly as members of the congregation knelt, crossed themselves, prayed, and sang. At one point, our normally lively and extremely confident host had tears streaming down her face.

It reminded me that religion, for all its ills, also brings solace and solace to much of the world's population. In a media-saturated world, it is easy to believe that religion is the root of the world's problems; that it causes division and hatred, but I felt no division and I felt no hatred in this church that welcomed us so warmly.

As I listened to the songs, my mind wandered. If I could stand side by side with people who hold different beliefs than me in this tiny village in deeply religious Samoa, perhaps the rest of the world would catch up one day.

And then I stopped being sentimental and got ready for our lunch feast...

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