Yeah, I used to own a Razor scooter. I used to have an undercut. I even liked Hanson for about a week. They were all fads, and, admit it, you have indulged yourself with a pointless fad at least once before. (Remember those electronic pets?) Fads come and go, but some new fads seem to be linked to more permanent roots. Whether it is the Kabbalah bracelet that Britney wears now or the speculation whether Katie Holmes is going to convert to Scientology, fad religions have been popping up in the news lately.

I have taken Government 101. I know the first amendment guarantees freedom of religion, but it does not guarantee freedom of religion just because all the cool kids are doing it. Religion should not even be a choice; it should be more than that. Our forefathers traveled over large bodies of water in tiny boats to escape religious persecution. Do you think they considered their respective religions a simple choice?

Kabbalah. Scientology. Druidism. Wicca. New Age. These and countless others are commonly considered fad religions, things hipsters talk about when they want to sound spiritual. But that is hipsters taking for you something that is meaningful and turning it into processed garbage. Most major religions can escape the label of fad. That is until some marketing genius designs a bracelet with the letters W.W.J.D. on it. Then it is a fad.

College is a time to find yourself, or so they tell me. I have never actually heard someone say they found themselves just outside of Cincinnati or some other specific locale. But I get what they are trying to say. It is a time to make life decisions, like choosing a faith. So, choose wisely my friend. You could be stuck with your decision for eternity. (Remember what happened to that Nazi at the end of “Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade?” He chose poorly.)