On sharing our faith
I read a religious post on LinkedIn, written by someone who is currently a Chief People Officer, but was also the head of Human Resources at a company I worked for years ago. His post—along with a thoughtful but critical reply by a peer—inspired me to share my experience and ask some questions.
I don’t share his specific faith tradition—at least not in the way I once did, but I did recognize the universal human needs underneath the religious language.
A few shared human needs
To feel seen, known, and not alone.
To receive grace when we mess up and cause harm.
To share hope when the world feels scary and dangerous.
To have peace about our life’s direction.
Living in Utah County (where there is a clear dominant religion and culture), I’ve developed a personal practice of translation—finding language that lets me receive the gift someone is offering in a message like this, even when their words aren't quite mine.
My personal translation practice
When I hear "God," I think of something like the pervading quality, or source and connection of everything, and “the universe” seems to describe this expansiveness.
When someone says “Savior," I replace it with “hope.”
"Heavenly Father" makes me think of that inner wisdom we tune into when we meditate, pray, or reach toward our highest selves. For me, the term “consciousness” feels the most universal.
When there’s a reference to the “Power of God" I think of “love,” which is the greatest power I can imagine.
This practice has genuinely helped me, but posting about it raises questions and I'd love to hear your thoughts:
Is this kind of translation useful, or does it dilute something important for people of faith? Would swapping "Jesus" for "Peace" honor the message, or miss it?
On the other side: when I use terms like "inner wisdom," "the universe," or "consciousness" in a professional context, does that feel more inclusive, or does it carry its own kind of alienation for people who find that language just as charged?
Since we all experience common needs as humans, I wonder if there is language for hope, peace, love, and connection that can truly belong to everyone? Or do we each just speak in our own language—and leave it up to listeners to interpret it in a way that works best for them?
As I see it, if we each use our own language, we risk alienating—or, at best simply not reaching—a significant segment of our intended audience. But with a universal language, we risk losing the beauty and learnings in the nuances of our different belief systems.
I really would love to hear from you on these. All perspectives are welcome, especially those who found deep resonance with Brandon’s messages.