Festival Of Faith (1957)

[Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Jerry stop gulping your food now where is that girl upstairs fixing her head she hardly ate a thing said she wasn't hungry why doesn't she hurry we'll all be late Jerry where are your table manners no wonder it's so difficult for me to get to the temple Brotherhood meetings on time my Sunday school teacher doesn't like us to be late stop gulping your food J Susan you're making everybody late I'm sorry oh my hair won't stay in place you hardly ate a thing I'm not hungry you've been fidgeting all morning what's wrong nothing she's being confirmed in 3 weeks she's a little nervous I think you've taken on too many weekend activities you look tired oh mother reading to the blind once a week isn't tiring then there's your work with the Girl Scouts oh really mother the president of our Temple Sisterhood told me what good work you've been doing that was nice of her can we go now yes Dad I'm sorry you going to be late P we will be unless you hurry and get your books drive carefully bye right [Music] [Applause] h this hair is driving me crazy Susan you look worried about something does it show that much what's wrong boyfriend trouble no well then what's the matter my folks asked me this morning at breakfast what was wrong but I didn't feel like telling them Judy are you disturbed by things in class here what kind of things well what we're learning I don't know what you mean take the Ten Commandments for example do you believe they were given to Moses on that SI Susan what are you trying to say I don't believe it that's what I'm trying to say no the way we're told the world began in fact I'm skeptical about a lot of things we're told in religious school and Confirmation only 3 weeks away hey what brought this on don't you ever question anything I mean well just because someone says something to you does that mean it's so Susan what are you turning into an atheist who's an atheist good morning good morning girls it's time for class to begin we'll talk about it in there will someone tell me what shus means Bill Festival of weeks and why does it have his name Judy because it's seven weeks after Passover yes that's why it's also called Pentecost which means 50 days after Passover what else is shabor called Festival of the first fruit of the spring that's right but there's something more important Judy shuis is the Festival of Faith the anniversary of the day on which the 10 commandments were given yes a festival of faith and remember what I told you in Judaism faith is not blind obedience it's based on understanding Susan have you some questions yes I have may I talk plainly certainly you know we always speak our mind in confirmation class it's how we seek the answers to questions in the temple by asking and studying I just can't believe the Ten Commandments are given the way the Bible says oh well for the moment let's say you can't does that make the Ten Commandments less important they're the foundation of our civilized society Susan why do we celebrate shivu at confirmation time I remember what you said we confirm what the Israelites affirmed at si yes that was the beginning of their spiritual majority that's why shuis also means growth but Rabbi what I'm talking about is the conflict between science and religion is it really a conflict when science says the world begin began one way and religion says it began another way Susan the purpose of the creation story is not to tell you how the world was made but to bring home the fact that the world is a unit and that all men are part of one family Rabbi isn't it true that many of the leading scientists have themselves expressed their belief in God certainly science strengthens our faith in God science tells us that everything has a cause shall we say the only thing in the world without a cause is the world itself shall we say that there is no order or plan in nature and in life I guess [Music] not Susan You're A Million Miles Away dad will you answer a question frankly for me well I'll try do you think I'm a religious person of course I do why do you ask sometimes I don't think I am you don't why not this this morning I I told the rabbi that I was skeptical about many things we learned in class and what did the rabbi say the doubt was understandable at my age and that he encouraged it a good answer the rabbi said we we searched for answers through asking and studying but can a religious person have doubts of course my dear doubt is the beginning of understanding when we start with doubt we go on to investigate and finally discover what truth is I'm beginning to understand you ask if you're a religious person how can you deny it when for so many Saturdays you've given up your own enjoyment to read to the Blind and to help the Girl Scouts isn't that religion in action but then why do we need organized religion because the good things that religion seeks to accomplish require group operation and co-operation if we want a better world we must work with others to bring it about isn't that right I think so [Music] dad [Music] e [Music] God and Father at this our confirmation service our hearts are filled with joy and thankfulness to thee grant that the good seed we sow May ripen into a harvest of righteousness and truth amen we hereby confirm what our forefathers affirmed on Mount Si that we will hearken and Obey these Commandments the moral teachings of our faith and of all [Music] mankind I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt have no other God but me Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy honor thy father and thy mother Thou shalt not murder Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not beare false witness against thy neighbor Thou shalt not [Music] covet today we link ourselves with our ancestors in the great dramaa that took place on Mount Si centuries ago since then the Ten Commandments have served as the inspiration for the great charters of Human Rights including the Declaration of Independence Shabu is a call to dedicate ourselves to the service of God not in blind obedience but seeking how it can best use the powers that God gave us amen the Bible tells us these commands Commandments were written on tablets of stone now let us join with our forefathers and these confirmant in the resolve to write them upon the tablets of our hearts to serve as a guide to righteous Living For All [Music] Mankind may the Lord bless thee and keep thee may the Lord let his countenance shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee may the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace amen [Music] than [Music] o