Faith (religion)
My faith is a source of comfort. Defending that to fellow progressives puts me in a mood.
![Portrait of Connie Schultz](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/05/30/USAT/a2b9af02-417f-4583-9431-471309d2bf5f-64314400_10157062897285272_463019344482271232_o.jpeg?crop=1365,1365,x0,y0&width=48&height=48&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
USA TODAY
![Maureen Ferguson and Betsey Hunter place flowers on the cross as a sign of rebirth and renewal during the Pilgrim Church of Duxbury Easter sunrise service on Duxbury Beach, Mass. Sunday, April 4, 2021.](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.usatoday.com/gcdn/presto/2021/04/04/USAT/e4a09518-bc4a-4f53-b0a2-646ceb7dfb0d-USATSI_15845513.jpg?crop=1600,1067,x0,y0&width=660&height=441&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
My father struggled with racism all his life. My mother, a devout Christian, was determined that her children would not.
“God loves everyone,” she told us, over and over. “No exceptions.” We were a white, working-class family in a neighborhood with lots of families who didn’t look like us, so we got plenty of practice with Mom’s directive.