How we cite our quotes:
Quote #7
What she meant was, she no longer believed in God and did not like to think about Jesus (for whom she still felt a bitter, grudging admiration). (1.15.19)
Even Anne-Marion has to give it up for our boy J-Dawg. Like many religious kids turned political activists, Anne-Marion both defies and exemplifies her stringent religious upbringing. After all, she's currently sacrificing her own education to help the poor. If that's not straight-up Jesus stuff, then we don't know what is.
Quote #8
She stood as the people began to sing a once quite familiar song, but now she could not remember the words; they seemed stuck in some pinched-over groove in her memory. (3.28.5)
For reasons unknown to even her, Meridian starts attending church. It shocks her how different things are. This feeling is embodied in the music, which, as already established, was her favorite part about church growing up. The church still honors those old traditions (that's the job of churches, after all), but looks at them with a fresh perspective.
Quote #9
He said he was thankful they could count on each other in times of trouble. He said he would not pray any longer because there was a lot of work for the community to do. (3.28.6)
This man embodies a new movement within the church. Yes, of course, he wants them all to pray in honor of his son. But, more importantly, he wants them to act. Church-going folks seem like they're the most conservative people in the world, but sometimes they're the ones most willing to fight for what's right. Martin Luther King Jr., anyone?