Project: NPR: This I Believe

Category: Websites - Religion and Spirituality

Highlights

This I Believe uses Internet and broadcast media to engage people from all walks of life in an exploration of their personal beliefs.  So far, more than 30,000 people from 52 states have used the  essay-entry form to write declarations of the values that guide their lives.  These statements  -- expressions of love for family and country; meditations on kindness, creativity, and spirituality; and thoughts on the inner strengths that ground us in difficult times -- comprise a web-based grassroots movement in which people give thoughtful examination to their own beliefs and respectful consideration to the beliefs of others.  The project was inspired by an Edward. R. Murrow radio program of the same name.

The short, personal statements featured at thisibelieve.org reflect the diversity of our nation today:  a Pakistan-born attorney in Miami talks about his right to be fully American, while famed comic book artist Frank Miller describes his belief in patriotism. An actor in Washington, D.C., plumbs the depths of his crack addiction, while animal behaviorist Temple Grandin explores her autism to find life-guiding principles.  Site visitors can explore deeply personal stories about war, death, family traditions, spiritual awakenings, creative expression, and personal responsibility, and read the beliefs that arose from them. 

Perhaps no other group has embraced This I Believe more widely than educators.  An average of 1,000 teachers per month download the  free curriculum available at thisibelieve.org/educationoutreach.html  for use in classrooms ranging from elementary to graduate school, and in disciplines including English, speech, social studies, psychology, American studies, history, and even band.  Of all essay submissions received in the past year, more than quarter of them came from young people under the age of 18.  These students not only learn about themselves and their peers, but discover they have a valuable voice of their own.  In addition to schools, public radio stations, service organizations, and community groups have invited people in their areas to write and share essays.

This I Believe has clearly struck a chord with Americans, especially in today’s climate of sound bites and spin.  A healthy democracy—a healthy society—needs ways for citizens to communicate with one another directly, and perhaps even find common ground. This I Believe is dedicated to continuing to provide this much-needed public forum.  The series explores not what can be learned in a moment but over a lifetime.  When these statements appear in the midst of NPR news programs, time changes a little; the din of events is replaced by a moment of calm.  That moment of reflective thought -- repeated every time someone reads an essay, listens to podcast, or sets pen to paper to answer the question, “What do I believe?” – is, in some sense, the most meaningful fruit of this project.

Visit the site:

• NPR: This I Believe