So how did an agnostic get involved in writing articles on religion and talking to people about what they believe? In June of 2010 I got an e-mail that asked if I wanted to be a writer. Well, since I have been writing for over 30 years for magazines and books on railroads, archaeology and photography I found this invitation interesting. It was from examiner.om and when I answered in the affirmative they gave me a list of subjects. Of course as an agnostic I was immediately attracted to the subject of religion and spirituality. I got an e-mail back that said, “You are now the religion and spirituality writer for Long Beach, California.” I wrote back and asked what I was supposed to do and they e-mailed back, “You are now the religion and spirituality writer for Long Beach, California.” I again asked how I was supposed to do that and received an e-mail that stated just do it.
Hmmm! OK so I had majored in Anthropology and Archaeology at Long Beach State so this shouldn’t be too hard and could be fun. The suggested length for initial article was for 400 to 500 words. I had one railroad magazine contact me a few years ago and ask me if I could do a 500 word article on MI jack cranes used in train yards and I called them back and told the editor that I didn’t know how to write a 500 word article and I ended up writing one for 1,800 words and they printed it. I called the local Lutheran Church right around the corner and did one interviewing the pastor and then since from my railroad connections had learned photography and videoing covered a service and then one on the organist and since this was a Lutheran Church videoed him playing Martin Luther’s famous hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”
My title was basically “Christian History” but I decided that was rather limited. There was a Hindu Temple down the street so I did two articles on them and also a Buddhist Temple not far away including a Greek Orthodox Church and a Catholic Monsignor. I made the decision that I was going to pursue these stories in as journalistic a pursuit as I could and also take advantage of the fact that the stories were being presented as an on-line magazine which meant I could add photos and videos. They were all amazingly co-operative. I included a video on the Greek Orthodox Church service and of the Buddhist Priestess singing a Buddhist hymn among other videos. Eventually I ended up taking a travel assignment in Northern California and contacted Churches up there. My contacts again were basically cold and the people I talked to were again co-operative. I hit the yellow pages and also the internet and started calling. Again articles on Hindu Temples, the Annanda Yoga Church, and at the Sikh Gudwara met a friend who I recorded singing and also videos of the Gudwara in San Jose.
The nursing assignment came to an end in Northern California so I drove to Greenville, North Carolina to visit my brother and there were churches on every corner and again the Internet. I called people and they invited me over. I also found out a church in Mt Pleasant was putting on a presentation on the Last Supper and set it up to do a piece on that. There were also amazing organs including a new under construction at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenville and interviewed the man building it and then when the organ was dedicated shot the entire dedication service and also at an Episcopalian Church two entire Evensong services plus a video on their organ. My goal has always been as I do these stories as best I can for the people reading them. Now I am in Riverside, California and doing stories on Churches out here. Yes there is another Sikh Gudwara here and a Hindu Temple both of which I have written about plus 4-square and other others. More churches to visit tomorrow and while I always let them know that yes I am agnostic I continue doing what works for me and apparently for them too. I put a digital tape recorder down between us and we talk like one human being to another. That is one of the purposes of these columns in that we are all human beings and hopefully bring an understanding between all of us. I invite you to search the stories here and have that experience. I have a fundamentalist friend who has been after me for years regarding the Bible. She has stated that to be in a friend relationship (she recently was married so it would be simply friendship) I had to believe every word. The other night I wrote her: "
Dave Crammer on line as dcrammer@aol.com
How can you write for examiner? Well here is the site http://apply.examiner.com/?editionid=921 and I would <G> appreciate it if you would mention I sent you there.
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