Questions
Questions people are shy to ask
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Good. Bring something. Here is what helps you not say the wrong thing.
You don’t need to know everything. Knowing the name and saying it kindly goes a long way.
Go. Ask three questions first: what to wear, shoes or head covering, and anything not to do. Then follow your friend’s lead.
Different isn’t dangerous. Start with what they’d say about themselves.
Every family is a little interfaith. Some of them just haven’t noticed yet.
Two languages, two kitchens, and one of you, translating for both.
Good. That’s how every friendship on every street started.
Good questions, asked kindly, go a long way. Here’s where to start.
- How do I ask a friend about their religion without being weird?
- My friend is fasting for Ramadan. What do I do at lunch?
- Someone made fun of my friend's hijab or turban. What should I do?
- Can I go to my friend's church, mosque or temple?
- Can I miss school for my religious holiday?
- What do I say to a friend whose grandparent died?
The questions that wait until the house is quiet. Sit down a minute. If tonight is heavier than a question, call or text 988 to talk with someone right now.
Faith and beliefs
What your neighbors believe, how they pray, and why it matters so much to them.
98.7 Neighbor to NeighborIn Which the Neighbors Believe Different Things
- Are atheists and agnostics the same? No, but they overlap. An atheist doesn’t believe in God or gods. 2 min read
- Can I go to my friend’s church, mosque or temple? Usually, yes. Most places of worship welcome visitors, and going with a friend is the easiest way. 1 min read
- Can you be a good person without religion? Yes. People without religion can be kind, honest and generous, and many are. 2 min read
- Do Buddhists believe in God? Most Buddhist traditions don’t teach belief in a creator God the way Judaism, Christianity, and Islam do. 3 min read
- Do Christians, Jews and Muslims worship the same God? All three faiths say there is one God, the God of Abraham. 2 min read
- Is it OK to be angry at God? In most traditions that believe in God, yes — and the scriptures say so more directly than many preachers do. 3 min read
- Is religion the cause of most wars? No — and scholars who study this say the answer is more complicated than either side usually admits. 3 min read
- What do Hindus believe? Hindus hold a wide family of beliefs, not one creed. 2 min read
- What do Jehovah’s Witnesses believe? Jehovah’s Witnesses are Christians, but their beliefs differ from most other Christian traditions. 3 min read
- What do Jews believe? Jews believe in one God. God made a covenant, a lasting promise, with Abraham and his family, and gave the Torah, God’s teaching, at Mount Sinai. 2 min read
- What do Latter-day Saints believe? Latter-day Saints (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes called Mormons) are Christians who believe Joseph Smith restored the original church of Jesus Christ in 1830. 3 min read
- What do Muslims believe? Muslims believe in one God. Allah is simply the Arabic word for God, and Arab Christians use it too. 2 min read
- What do Native traditional religions teach? There is no single Native religion. There are 575 federally recognized tribes in the United States alone, each with its own language, history, ceremonies, and relationship with the sacred. 3 min read
- What do Sikhs believe? Sikhs believe in one God who lives in everyone. 2 min read
- What does “love your neighbor as yourself” mean? It means caring about other people’s good as much as your own. 2 min read
- What happens when we die? What do different faiths teach? Every major tradition has a teaching about death, and no two are quite the same — though many share a shape. 4 min read
- What if my child leaves our faith? It’s one of the most painful things a religious parent can face. 3 min read
- What is a rabbi, an imam, and a pastor? All three lead faith communities, but in different ways. 3 min read
- What is grace? Grace is God’s love and favor given as a gift, not earned. 2 min read
- What is halal? Halal means ‘permissible’ in Arabic. For food, it means the animal was slaughtered in a specific way (quickly, with a blessing invoking God’s name), and certain things are prohibited: pork, blood, and alcohol. 3 min read
- What is kosher? Kosher is a Hebrew word meaning ‘fit’ or ‘proper.’ In food, it describes what Jewish religious law (halakha) permits. 3 min read
- What is Shabbat? Why won’t my neighbor drive on Saturday? Shabbat is the Jewish day of rest. It runs every week from sundown Friday to nightfall Saturday. 2 min read
- What is the difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims? The split goes back 1,400 years, to the question of who should lead the Muslim community after the Prophet Muhammad died in 632 CE. 3 min read
- What is the Good Samaritan story really about? It’s Jesus’ answer to a lawyer who asked, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29). 4 min read
- What’s the difference between Catholics and Protestants? Both are Christians who believe Jesus is God’s Son, who died and rose again. 2 min read
- Who is Abraham in Judaism, Christianity and Islam? Abraham is the shared father of faith for all three. 2 min read
- Why do good, smart people believe different things about God? Because they start in different places. People grow up with different experiences, trust different sources and belong to groups that shape what feels obvious. 2 min read
- Why do people change religions? For every reason you can think of, and then some. 3 min read
- Why do Sikh men wear turbans? Sikh men wear a turban, called a dastar, to cover and care for their uncut hair, which is an article of faith. 4 min read
- Why do some Muslim women wear a hijab? Many Muslim women wear a hijab, a head covering, as an act of modesty and devotion to God, based on how they read the Qur’an. 3 min read
Heritage and identity
Where families come from, the languages they carry, and what it feels like to belong to two places at once.
95.1 Hyphen HourIn Which Your Family Came From Somewhere Else (Most Did)
- Am I American enough? If you were born here or became a citizen, you’re American. 2 min read
- Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day: which is it? Both fall on the second Monday in October. 2 min read
- Do Native Americans pay taxes? Yes. Native Americans pay federal income tax like other citizens. 4 min read
- Hispanic, Latino or Latinx: which one is right? Both “Hispanic” and “Latino” are fine. A 2024 Pew survey asked Hispanic adults which word they like. 2 min read
- Is “Arab” the same as “Muslim”? No. Arab describes a people who share a language and culture. 2 min read
- Is it rude to ask “Where are you from?” Not by itself. It depends on why you’re asking and what you do with the answer. 2 min read
- Someone made fun of my friend’s hijab or turban. What should I do? Stand with your friend. You don’t need a speech. 1 min read
- What is Juneteenth? Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865 — the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that enslaved people were free. 3 min read
- What is Thanksgiving like for Native families? It depends on the family. Many Native families gather, eat and give thanks like everyone else, and giving thanks is an old practice in many Native traditions. 2 min read
Family
When the people you love believe or live differently than you do, and you want to stay close anyway.
91.7 The Kitchen TableIn Which the Family Doesn't Agree, Again
- Can we raise our kids in two faiths? Yes, families do it, and they do it in different ways. 2 min read
- How do I talk to family who believe differently than I do? Start by listening longer than feels natural, and decide ahead of time that the relationship matters more than winning. 2 min read
- My parents and I believe different things. Now what? That’s more common than you think, and it doesn’t have to wreck anything. 1 min read
Holidays and customs
Holidays, greetings, food and manners, so you know what to say, what to bring, and how to show you care.
105.3 Porch TimeIn Which We Learn the Customs Next Door
- Can I miss school for my religious holiday? Usually, yes. Most schools excuse absences for religious holidays, and many states require it. 1 min read
- How do I welcome a neighbor from a different culture? Knock, say hi, and tell them your name. Learn theirs, and say it right. 2 min read
- Is Día de los Muertos “Mexican Halloween”? No. Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a time to remember and welcome back loved ones who have died. 2 min read
- Is it OK to say “Merry Christmas” to someone who isn’t Christian? Yes, almost always. Most non-Christian Americans celebrate Christmas in some way, and most people hear “Merry Christmas” as a kind wish, not a sermon. 2 min read
- My friend is fasting for Ramadan. What do I do at lunch? Eat your lunch. Your friend has fasted next to sandwiches for years, and most don’t mind. 1 min read
- Ramadan and Lent at the same time? What’s going on? Ramadan follows the moon, so it moves about 11 days earlier each year. 2 min read
- What is Diwali? Diwali is the festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists. 2 min read
- What is Hanukkah? Is it “Jewish Christmas”? Hanukkah is an eight-night Jewish festival of lights. 2 min read
- What is Lunar New Year? Lunar New Year is the new year celebration based on the lunar (moon) calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar most of the world uses. 3 min read
- What is Ramadan, and how do I wish a Muslim neighbor well? Ramadan is the Muslim month of fasting. Many Muslims go without food or drink from dawn to sunset, then break the fast together at night. 2 min read
- What should I bring when a neighbor from another culture invites me over? Bring fruit, nice sweets, flowers or something from a good bakery. 2 min read
- Why do people shake hands or hug in the middle of church? It’s called the sharing of the peace. In many Lutheran, Catholic, Episcopal and Methodist churches, people turn to those nearby and say “Peace be with you.” Many reply “And also with you,” or just “Peace.” A handshake, nod or wave is fine. 2 min read
- Why don’t some families celebrate Halloween? Usually it’s about faith. Some Christians feel Halloween’s focus on death, spirits and fear clashes with what they believe. 2 min read
Understanding each other
Why good people see the world differently, what the facts really say, and why meeting someone changes everything.
88.5 The Morning DriveIn Which We Wonder How Anybody Knows Anything
- Can a whole group of people be wrong about the truth? Collective truth is what a community knows together: language, history, science and shared faith. 2 min read
- How do I ask a friend about their religion without being weird? Ask because you’re curious, not to test them. 1 min read
- How do I explain other religions to my kids? Straightforwardly and early. Kids are naturally curious and don’t have the anxiety adults bring to these conversations. 3 min read
- How do we know what we know? Most of what anyone knows comes from five places. 2 min read
- How many Americans belong to each religion? Most Americans are Christian, but fewer than before. 2 min read
- I’m going to an interfaith wedding. What should I expect? Expect the unexpected — and be delighted by it. 3 min read
- Is faith a way of knowing, or just believing without evidence? In most traditions, faith means trust, not believing without any reason. 2 min read
- Is it OK to ask how to pronounce someone’s name? Yes. Always. 3 min read
- Should I bring food when someone dies? Almost always, yes — but check first. Most traditions welcome it. 3 min read
- What does ‘first generation’ mean? It depends on who’s using it. In the most common American sense, ‘first generation’ means the first in a family to be born here — the child of immigrants. 3 min read
- What happens in the brain when you pray? Prayer shows up on brain scans. Studies suggest focused prayer and meditation make the parts of the brain tied to attention more active. 2 min read
- What is a reservation? A reservation is land held in federal trust for a Native nation — what remained after treaties in which tribes ceded their original territories in exchange for smaller, defined lands. 3 min read
- Why are young people buying Bibles again? In 2025, U.S. Bible sales hit a 21-year high, and many buyers are young. 2 min read
- Why do people say ‘Indian’ or ‘Native American’? Which is right? Both are used. Neither is perfect. ‘Indian’ was a Columbus error (he thought he’d reached India), but it has been used for 500 years, is used by many Native people themselves, and appears in the names of tribal organizations and federal agencies. ‘Native American’ came into wider use in the 1970s. ‘Indigenous’ is often preferred in academic and international contexts. 3 min read
- Why do some immigrants keep their language? Because it’s who they are. Language isn’t just communication — it’s how you tell your grandmother you love her, how you pray, how you think when you’re exhausted, how you make a joke that actually lands. 3 min read
- Why do some people take their shoes off at home? Practical, respectful, and in some cases sacred — usually all three at once. 3 min read
- Why does getting to know someone change how we feel about them? Because a person is more than the group they belong to. 3 min read
- Why does my neighbor’s synagogue or mosque have security guards? Because houses of worship have been targeted. 2 min read
Doubt and hard days
Loneliness, doubt and grief. The quiet questions people carry, and how to sit with someone who's carrying them.
107.3 The Quiet StormIn Which It Is Late and Your Brain Will Not Sleep
If tonight is heavier than a question, you can call or text 988 to talk with someone right now. It’s free, any hour.
- Can I have faith if I don’t feel anything? Yes. In Christian teaching, and especially Lutheran teaching, faith is trust. 2 min read
- I’m not sure what I believe. Is that okay? Yes. Lots of people, including lots of very faithful people, have been unsure. 1 min read
- What do I say to a friend whose grandparent died? Keep it simple: “I’m so sorry about your grandma.” You don’t need perfect words. 2 min read
- What does it mean to surrender to God or a higher power? Surrender means letting go of the need to control everything and trusting God with the outcome. 2 min read
- What does prayer feel like? People describe prayer as a mix of talking, listening and resting. 2 min read
- What if I don’t fit in anywhere? You’re not the only one, even if it feels that way at 2 a.m. 2 min read
- Why does God allow suffering? People have asked this for thousands of years, and no faith claims a neat answer. 2 min read