Piece image

My God

From: Richard Paul
Length: 00:25:39

Embed_button
Three 12 year olds - Muslim, Orthodox Jew, evangelical Christian Read the full description.

More from Richard Paul

Caption: Yoki Matsuoka, Credit: Seattle Times

The Mind of the Innovator (00:59:01)
From: Richard Paul

How engineers think and where innovation originates.
Piece image

WAMU at 50 (01:59:01)
From: Richard Paul

50 years of broadcasting at WAMU-FM in Washington, DC
Piece image

Shakespeare In Black and White (00:07:01)
From: Richard Paul

The African-American experience with Shakespeare
Piece image

Washington Goes To The Moon Part 2 (00:58:55)
From: Richard Paul

The fire on Apollo 1 killed three astronauts and nearly destroyed the space program
Piece image

Hiroshima - What We Think (00:06:32)
From: Richard Paul

How American public opinion has changed in the 60 years since Hiroshima
Piece image

Fighting With My Dad (00:07:32)
From: Richard Paul

A profile of a man who can't work with others
Piece image

Life Before Social Security (00:07:03)
From: Richard Paul

A look a life for the elderly in the years before Social Security was created
Piece image

Moon, Mars and Money (00:05:54)
From: Richard Paul

Will we go back to the Moon and on to Mars? A reality check.
Piece image

Destroy It To Save It (00:06:00)
From: Richard Paul

A trip back to a neighborhood the Supreme Court ordered destroyed
Piece image

Sing To The Glory of God (00:54:12)
From: Richard Paul

The legacy of anti-Semitism in choral music

Piece Description

We follow three 12-year olds, a Muslim boy, an Orthodox Jewish boy and an evangelical Christian girl at home and at school where they, their parents and teachers talk about their understanding of their faith and their relationship with God We also hear from Robert Coles, eminent child psychologist and author of The Moral Life of Children and The Spiritual Life of Children.

1 Comment Atom Feed

User image

Review of My God

We certainly have not heard much about the spiritual life of American children. This piece jumps right in and gives us three different monotheistic perspectives from 12 year-olds who are Jewish, Christian and Muslim. There is much to be commended in this examination of religious values and its effect on the raising of children. Anyone who has interviewed children knows how much they really do want to talk about their beliefs or non-beliefs in God. Hence my dissatisfaction with what is a promising documentary topic. There is not enough of the kid's perspectives and too much reliance on news style and the need to have adults comment on kids. The structure of this piece is less documentary and more extended news feature. The rapid paced, gasping for breath, delivery of the narration in the first five minutes of the piece was relentless and didn't do justice to the thoughtful premise. The best parts are the kids frankly and we needed more of them at home with their families, interacting with other kids, socializing in the real world and pop culture and how they deal with it. Still I'd recommend stations give a listen because it's certainly discussion-provoking and something I would listen to if I happened upon it on the radio.

Additional Files