Religions in American - Research Paper Example

Religions in American Introduction Religion forms an essential part of one’s life since childhood. Therefore, this dictates later the kind of person one will be based on the facts he or she has learned and grew up with from childhood. It is these facts and beliefs that an individual utilizes to evaluate varied challenges, which he or she encounters in life that may seem threatening his or her existence. For instance, bodily illnesses that characterize Wilson’s mother health, which almost prove to her young daughter otherwise contrary to what she has grew up believing (Wilson 87). In most cases, these predicaments and numerous mysteries, which young people cannot comprehend when they come of age, prompt them to lose their faith and abandon creeds, which they grew up believing. Hence, result to embracing other new modes of creeds that seem to offer them the necessary immediate comfort or answers to what is puzzling them (Wilson 87). This study seeks to expound much about varied stages of developments as well as certain life’s issues that prompt one to change what he or she has all through since childhood believed (Wilson 87). Spiritual life is barely discussed in early childhood development (Gordon & Kathryn 502). Little consideration on religion development psychologically on a child leads to a person who advocates for secular and humanist perspective of human behavior (Antonia 25). Participation in religious activities is thought to be a way of avoiding numerous society vices for instance, adolescent pregnancy, drug and substance abuse as well as self-esteem among children (Antonia 25). There are varied reasons why parents tend to ensure their children associate themselves with the religion they believe and see is best for their spiritual development (Antonia, 25). For instance, some parents claim that without a shared religion between the parents and children, a child will fail to feel and enjoy the connection with his or her family. Children tend to deal with religion in varied ways at diverse stages of their development. In this case, it is significant for the parents to ensure their children associate themselves with specific religions from a tender age but as they grow, the parents should tolerate different views from their children towards certain denominations or regions, which they may seem to have interest in based on their understanding (Antonia, 25). Mostly, this occurs because as the children grow they tend to realize that norms, beliefs and faith associated with the religion they were introduced to at their early childhood, are absurd and cannot apply in the their daily lives (Wilson 344). As they also grow, they meet and interact themselves with varied people of diverse creeds in places like schools or work, hence get influenced towards certain creeds or denominations. The child may find the new religion, which parents introduced them is in accordance to their besides other norms. Based on James Fowler’s stages of faith theory, stage I Intuitive-Projective faith is the fantasy-filled, and is imitative phase. In this level, the child can be powerfully and permanently influenced by examples, moods, actions or stories of the visible faith (Neuman, 44). This is via interacting with the adults who influences their behaviors and what they seem to hold as true in their lives (Neuman, 44). This stage usually occurs among the children aged between three to seven years and encompasses unending thoughts patterns by the child (Neuman 44). In this stage, the child usually develops mutual relationship with the caregiver (Neuman 45). The quality of relations and teachings of religion passed in this stage tend to affect one’s future religiously (Neuman 48). In league with forms of knowing dominated by perception, imagination in this stage is extremely productive of long-lasting images and feelings (positive and negative) that later, more stable and self-reflective valuing and thinking will have to order and sort out (Neuman 46). This is the stage of first self-awareness. The "self-aware" child is self-centered regarding others approaches. Here there is first awareness of death religion, sex, strong beliefs by which ways of lives and families strongly hold. The child in this stage will pay much attention to parental teachings like Barbra Wilson did and the values taught remain a lifetime. In contrast to Barbara Wilson's childhood faith and religious believe, her parents brought her up in a good and strict Christian background. Sjoholm, claims Wilson believed evil does not exist and everything in life is pure. Based on Sjoholm agreement, Wilson deemed all these while in Stage I Intuitive-Projective faith. Through teaching she believed there was no sickness or sadness which is beyond the power of prayer, hence making these theories as well as religious believes sink dip inside her heart evident from Sjoholm’s argument. However Barbara Wilson gets confused and loses her faith as she watches her mother experience utter pain and anguish due to cancer illness. Sjoholm argues that despite her faith, Wilson’s mother became insane, attempted suicide and later died. All these Wilson witnessed, which in turn lead to the crisis of faith and religion in her life. A victim in this stage starts developing towards the next stage after starting to think critically about the issues that prompted them to believe (Beaty 28). Since, an individual has no alternative ends up believing even more based on certain life’s predicaments or mysteries that he or she cannot explain. In the myth related stage which is the second stage, one starts understanding the world with its stories, beliefs and observations in a more logical manner (Ashcraft). In this stage, the rise of concrete facts lead to the restriction and ordering of previous stage's imaginative composing of the world (Ashcraft). In this myth, one generally accepts the theories and holds firmly facts presented to him or her by those whom he or she interacts with on daily basis. Symbols in this stage to the concerned take one-dimensional and appear literally in meaning by the person. In addition attitudes, moral rules and beliefs are held with literal meaning (Neuman 47). For instance Wilson accepted her mother’s beliefs and through faith held the thought that sickness does not exist. However, in this stage the child can take other people’s views but in a literal point of view for example” if I pray I will become rich” (Neuman 48). On encountering contradictions in the stories, they are interpreting literally they start reflecting on the actual meaning (Ashcraft). In Synthetic-Conventional stage of a child’s development, the child usually is already a teenager (Neuman 50). At this point, their lives have grown to include several diverse social circles that are even beyond the family and there is need to pull it all together (Wilson 41). In the midst of all these circles, faith avails a coherent orientation. In this stage beliefs, religion and faith the person has tends tend to stick in them exhibiting in the physical world (Neuman 49). The child may start to examine their previous creeds, religions and in most cases become disappointed because of them especially if they fail to offer comfort in one’s immediate world (Neuman 50). Consequently, this prompts numerous children abandoning the religion for good and embracing other creeds entirely diverse from those they deemed to be appropriate while they were young. For instance, Barbra Wilson according to Sjoholm believed that there was no sickness and sorrow, which prayer could not do away with but what followed overwhelmed her immensely besides experiencing utter grief. This is especially she watched on viewing her mother suffer from cancer and eventually despite through prayer petitioning that she regain her health (Wilson 87). References Antonia, K. J. Dell. Children, Choosing Their Religion. The New York Daily Times 3 January 2013. Web. 24Th April 2013. Ashcraft, W. M. Children and Childhood in American Religions. Church History 78.4 (2009): 952-4. Web. 23 Apr. 2013 Beaty, Katelyn. Interview. Spiritual Lives All Their Own By Ratcliff, Donald. Christianity Today 54.1 (2010): 28. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. Gordon, Ann M. & Kathryn, W. Browne. Beginnings and Beyond: Foundations in Early Childhood Education. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2011. Print. Neuman, Michelle, E. Addressing Children's Beliefs through Fowler's Stages of Faith. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 26.1. (2011): pp. 44–50. Sjoholm, Barbara. Blue Windows: A Christian Science Childhood. New York: Picador USA, 1998. Print. Wilson, Barbara. Blue Windows: A Christian Science Childhood. United States of America: Picador. 1998. Print. Read More