How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
On Sundays, when we went to church, my mother told me to pray to Jesus, and he would answer all of my prayers. Sometimes it gave me hope that she would change if I prayed, but she never did.(3.47)
Is this big disappointment one reason Shaka finds himself growing doubtful about his mom's approach to spirituality?
Quote #2
Thoughts of my mother and father tumbled through my mind. I thought about everything they had told me about God and how none of it made sense in that moment. I cursed theirblond-haired, blue-eyed God. How could he allow this to happen to me? I wondered. Where were the caring, protective arms of Jesus when I needed him? (7.32)
The Christian Bible never claims that Jesus had blond hair and blue eyes, but a lot of American takes on Christianity sure make Jesus look white. Would Shaka's childhood spirituality have been more compelling to him if he hadn't been getting a version of Christianity filtered through white American culture?
Quote #3
Anytime I found myself in serious trouble, I would pray to Jesus and ask him to pull me out of the mess. My motivation wasn't to establish a real relationship with God—it was to get my ass out of hot water. But that didn't mean that a small part of me didn't desire a sincere spiritual connection to the source of all life.(10.40)
Rediscovering his spirituality in a different way does seem to be a pretty important part of Shaka's story of transformation. What different concepts of redemption do Shaka and the people around him have? Are they all versions of spirituality, or are some of them secular ethical systems?