When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.

Walt Disney

I’m dating the greatest person I’ve ever met. His name is Lincoln. He’s currently working at Walt Disney World in Florida, and I got to visit him this last week.

You’re probably wondering what Walt Disney World has to do with interfaith activity. Honestly, fair. But there was something I observed this last week that I thought could be an interesting lesson in religious activity.

Okay, stay with me here, but this last week I saw and met my fair share of “Disney Adults.” For those unfamiliar with the term, here is Urban Dictionary user mr. cellophane’s description:

“An adult with an intense and extreme love of The Walt Disney Company films, television shows, franchises, characters, theme parks, merchandise/memorabilia, and/or products. Disney Adults may devote … time or resources towards expressing their love of Disney, and the content Disney or its subsidiaries produce. This can include buying merchandise, memorabilia, collectibles or novelty items, movie tickets, or subscriptions to streaming services, visiting and spending money at Disney-owned theme parks … or generally supporting Disney, financially or otherwise, to an excessive degree.”

I want to express, there’s nothing wrong with being this person! But, like many other Disney Park visitors, I found it incredibly easy to tell if someone around me was a Disney Adult, versus just being an adult at a Disney Park.

Why was this? Why was it so easy to tell?

Based on the definition above, you can tell from some exterior signs. You can see a difference between a serious and casual parkgoer by their Disneyland Spirit Jerseys, their LoungeFly backpacks, their huge books of collectible pins that they present at pin trading boards.

There are more ways to tell. A Disney Adult may be more able to determine when to wait in line for which ride, making the wait as short as possible. They may be partial to certain restaurants or stands at the park, as they’ve had time to eat at more places. They might be more aware of special events and parties happening at the parks. And the list goes on.

As I considered this throughout the week, it dawned on me that there is something deeper and simpler that distinguishes a Disney Adult from a non-Disney adult. In a word, the difference is sacrifice.

A Disney Adult sacrifices their time, money, gas, shelf space, and other resources for Disney. They willingly give something that is precious to them away, gaining something that they believe is even better. However, the change in them is more than surface-level. They learn things, they talk about different things, they have different priorities, et cetera. The sacrifice itself makes them something new.

So, it’s not the Disney Adult’s positive view of The Walt Disney Company that makes them a Disney Adult. It’s also not their going to the parks, wearing merchandise, or any other day-to-day action. Instead, a Disney Adult is a Disney Adult because of what they give away, and what they become in return for their sacrifice.

Strangely enough, this Disney Adult concept has direct connections with religious studies. In these different circles, people ask similar questions to try to define a believer from a non-believer. They may wonder what truly shapes one’s religious experience: is it what you believe (orthodoxy) or what you do (orthopraxy)?

I have a different argument altogether. I believe that religious experience is shaped by what one chooses to give.

What would you give to be holy?

There is something inherently spiritual about sacrifice. My blog’s tagline (above) highlights this idea. Different faiths employ sacrifice in many ways, but you will find elements of “giving things up” in every religion you encounter. I hope that we all might examine what we are willing to sacrifice in order to deepen our spirituality. In addition, I hope we all take time to consider what we are already choosing to sacrifice (whether intentional or unintentional) and how that is shaping our spiritual experience.

I’m looking forward to seeing how people of all faiths use sacrifice as I depart on my around-the-world study abroad experience. In just two days, I’m leaving to visit Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Morocco, Turkey, India, Nepal, and Japan. Lincoln and I had a running joke throughout our trip that my study abroad will not live up to EPCOT’s World Showcase, where pavilions highlight countries from around the world. I hope I still find magic as I go along, even though I’ll no longer be in “The Most Magical Place in Earth!”

Here are some more Disney World pictures! Stay tuned for more exciting adventures!

Sacrifice

“We love what we are willing to make sacrifices for…To love is to give. Sacrifice is the choreography of love.” The act of willingly giving a resource away. Employed by all religions. Greatly influences spiritual life. Used mainly as a way to grow closer to the divine, but not all sacrifice is holy (i.e. suicide bombers). 

“Understanding Sacrifice.” The Rabbi Sacks Legacy. (rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/tzav/understanding-sacrifice/)

Orthodoxy

“Right belief, in addition to (or sometimes in contrast to) orthopraxy.”

“Orthopraxy.” Oxford Reference. (www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100255215)

Orthopraxy

“Right action, in addition to (or sometimes in contrast to) orthodoxy.”

“Orthopraxy.” Oxford Reference. (www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100255215)