Why do we play “Faith Taboo?”
Taboo is a hard game. You have to describe a word without using any words similar to it.
Try it: Describe the word “frighten” in one minute without using the words “alarm, panic, scare, startle, or terrify.” Ready, go.
Sure, this is fun as a game you play with a bunch of friends in your living room. But imagine having to play this game every day, everywhere and about something that means a lot to you.
Try it again: Describe the word “faith” without using the words “hope, believe, prayer, religion, or spiritual.” It’s hard, right? Trying to hide or dance around the idea of faith and the role it plays in your life doesn’t seem natural or authentic. But you might actually find yourself playing “Faith Taboo” regularly. Why?
- It can be difficult to explain the significance of faith in your life
- You don’t want to offend others
- You fear that others will make fun of the beliefs that mean so much to you
- You don’t want to feel attacked for your beliefs
- You worry that others might stereotype you and never really get to know you personally
The funny thing is, you don’t actually have to play this game.
While all of these reasons are real concerns, there are some words in there that should throw up a red flag. Can you guess which ones? How about “fear” and “worry?” Being afraid or ashamed of your beliefs is the opposite of having faith. To really practice what you believe, you need to stand strong in your faith. Everyone can and should be kind and respectful of others feelings and beliefs, without feeling the need to apologize for their own. So next time you start to play the “Faith Taboo” game maybe you should try losing. You might be surprised how much you win.
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