How does it feel to be given the choice of religions?

 

Jason Segel, star of How I Met Your Mother (and various films) is the son of a Christian mother and a Jewish father. Segel was recently interviewed on Marc Maron’s podcast, WTF. About 15 minutes into the podcast the subject of religion comes up. For the next 5 minutes Jason pokes gentle fun at his experience of being raised between religions. He states that letting a child choose their religion, “is like the dumbest thing you can do for a kid.”

He goes on to chat with Marc Maron about the typical challenge to a patralineal child’s identity and the status of perennial outsider – a Jew in Christian environments and a Christian in Jewish ones.

Despite the highest ideals and wishes of parents, the people around us will retain their own view of religion and identity. It is better to be prepared for reality – and to prepare your kids – that to just dream of an homogenous world when everyone shares our personal perspective.