For Stephanie Macomber ’08, the Dalai Lama’s discussion about religion and spirituality was the culmination of her four years on campus as a religion major and member of University Church.
“One of my most influential professors, Professor Sindima of the religion department, once told me, ‘an unexamined faith is no faith at all.’ He couldn’t be more accurate,” Macomber said. “By examining my faith I have learned a lot about religious tolerance in a time when our world certainly needs it. I was so deeply impacted by the Dalai Lama’s words because all of our differences, whether racial, economic, or religious are just secondary to our likeness as humans.”
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| The Dalai Lama enjoys the moment during a conversation with students at James C. Colgate Hall. (Photo by Susan Kahn) SEE MORE PHOTOS HERE. |
Macomber hopes to teach middle school in the future, but Colgate’s younger students still have time to influence the campus community with what they learned.
“Learning from His Holiness personally; this was the best situation that we could have,” said Shae Frydenlund ’10, who leads Colgate’s chapter of Students for a Free Tibet. “He has value to us not as a politician, or someone who is elite. He is a spiritual being, yet we can learn from him as a human being — speaking to us as human beings.”
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As the religion panel was held in Donovan’s Pub, the Dalai Lama was freer to bow and smile warmly to people he passed on his way in and out of the room.
“He hugged me and said ‘I’ll pray for you,'” said Frydenlund, who was clearly astonished by the personal attention.
Earlier, she had approached the podium to ask the Dalai Lama what he enjoys most about being alive. After a day of scientific and theological questions, the simplicity seemed to delight him.
“We are social animals,” he said. “[To be] surrounded by fresh smile and human spirit — that I enjoy most!”
At Colgate, he got what he asked for.