<p>Just to clarify, I'm no radical conservative (I'm liberal on almost any policy that intertwines religion in the conservative counterargument in fact), but I had an idea for an essay that would force me to mention God several times in it. My idea is as follows: I have this quirky habit of not directly asking God for a positive outcome on my behalf. For instance, while my parents might encourage me to pray before taking an important test (SATs ugh), I personally refuse to ask for that high score. I want to make this my essay topic, therefore, because it reveals what I find is one of my defining traits: my belief that the individual is entirely responsible for the course and direct consequences of his/her life. Of course, this is a deeply personal issue and, as it does in fact have very religious undertones, I'm wary about using it. Anyway, what do you guys think?</p>
<p>Sounds good. Just make sure it's not a rant; it's a personal statement.</p>
<p>I think if you are a person of faith and someone asks you to write about yourself, there is a good chance God is going to be in there somewhere. It is completely ok as long as it is personal not a sermon. Happy writing!</p>
<p>Just have a second essay prepared in case you want to apply to any Catholic schools.</p>
<p>Can you state these views positively without directly (or even impliedly) criticizing the religious views of others?</p>
<p>Well, thx for all the replies and lol @ BronxBombers. To answer Hunt: I suppose I could minimize the use of religion so as not to offend. The problem is that some people get riled up when they see the word "God" so it's more a matter of who's reading it I think.</p>
<p>Following up on Hunt's thought--the target imo is to say good things about your viewpoints and practices, and to avoid saying bad things about those of others.</p>
<p>It's fine imo to write a personal essay about your religion, but it would be inappropriate and unhelpful in my view to be contentious about it, or to criticize the religions of others.</p>
<p>"it's more a matter of who's reading it I think"</p>
<p>Exactly. The adcom reading your essay may or may not agree with your viewpoint. That doesn't mean you shouldn't express it, but be careful in how you express. Show it to somebody that you know has a different viewpoint.</p>
<p>Here's what I think (and I'm by no means an expert, this is just conjecture and opinion, heh). It doesn't matter whether or not "God" appears in your essay. What matters is whether "you" appear in your essay.</p>