Complete Understanding of Religion - Personal Statement Example

Personal ment I have had a deep interest in religion ever since I can remember. Complete understanding of religion cannot be attained without coming out of the cocoon of biased opinion. I was of the opinion before even starting my academic journey in Religious Studies that I had to take a shovel and burry any biased notion of religion as it would not be in line with the modern academic approach. When I turned sixteen and obtained a driver’s license, I found myself driving to all sorts of religious sites including churches, mosques, temples, and other. Unlike a typical teenager, I was inspired religious practices and leaders from a very early age, which led me to pursuing my bachelor’s degree in the study of religion at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). I have decided to extend my knowledge by acquiring a doctorate of religious studies degree. My long-term career goal is to work as a Professor of Religious Studies to promote the most authentic knowledge about one of the most controversial subjects; the religion. Princetons University will provide me with a solid foundation to set the stage on so that my ambition can be realized. As a result of being raised in a multicultural American society, my ability of comparing religious beliefs has been nurtured. In my third year at UCLA, I decided to travel to Jordan to fully immerse in an altogether different religious community. While I was in Jordan, I volunteered at Oxford International schools as a guest speaker in the Islamic classes offered there. During my volunteer work, I frequently discussed issues related to “Muslim women in the West”. One day, one of my in students, with no background in Islamic studies, misinterpret information from the Quran while talking about Muslim women. My knowledge that I had acquired at UCLA inculcated the consciousness and confidence in me to correct him. That moment, I realized a need to equip myself with deep knowledge of religion so that I can stop biased opinions and innovations in religion from spreading in the people. This experience changed me as a person; I transformed from being quietly passionate about religions, to someone who is overtly passionate and enthusiastic to spread authentic knowledge. Living amongst a nation mostly following the Islamic faith was a wonderful experience. Having been raised in an environment dominated by Christianity, this experience elevated my conscientiousness over multiple perspectives of faith that exist. Understanding how the society behaves as a whole is the most important factor that has deepened my interest in studying religion. People are commonly unfamiliar, or perhaps ignorant about other religions and their perspectives on life. Religion is a very sensitive matter that needs to be understood on all levels. Understanding religion in a great depth will also help me realize how politics, economics, history, and other aspects of life work. I respect the uniqueness of cultural and religious differences, and have been socialized to easily adapt to new environments. My non-judgmental and open understanding for others allows me to have great communication skills with my peers. Besides gaining experience from my travels abroad, I have conducted my own research. I chose to do research on “Seclusion in Sufism” with the aim of visualizing the controversial topic from the religious lens. I contacted Muslim leaders in the monotheistic faith including a Sunni Sheikh, a Shiite Sheikh, and a Sufi Sheikh. I interviewed them about how their divisions within Islam impact their beliefs on Seclusion within Islam. These comparisons also fueled my desire to study religion because they helped me realize how different belief systems often emanate from a common ground. I knew my journey into isolation would not be easy unless I put myself in the experience, so I decided to follow the Naqshbandi way of practice. For forty days, I locked myself inside my studio apartment in Los Angeles, California and would not leave my room unless it was inevitable. Having cut all means of external intervention, I followed a strict disciplined schedule that enabled me to focus on the worship of God. Each day, I recorded my performance and its outcomes in a dairy. This experience reassured me that I have excellent research skills and all the dedication that is required to pursue doctoral degree. To be given a chance to study religion at Princeton University will be a dream come true for me. I want gain new experiences and extend my involvement in religious studies to be eligible for a host of professional opportunities after attaining the doctoral degree. Princeton University’s Religious Studies program with the subdivision of Islam is just what I am looking for to expand my knowledge of Islam. The faculty’s wide range of research on Islamic beliefs and historic context of Islamic societies is exactly what I need to be able to conduct valuable research on topics that are not talked about too often such as “seclusion.” Over the years in my educational career, I have realized that religion encompasses a vast and never-ending abyss of knowledge. There are so many interpretations, perspectives, and differences of views in religion that may result in the development of conflicting sects within the same religion. It was when I was close to completing my undergraduate in Religious studies that I came to realize that I did not need to delete the concept of God or religion in my mind to advance academically and professionally in the contemporary society, but that instead, it had to be extended in order to be able to develop the most rational understanding of the systems of this world. My love for religion has now reached the apogee where it has become my form of seclusion, metaphorically. This program needs someone who will strive at anything to gain as much knowledge as possible through an unbiased means and communicate with people from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds. My rich cultural, religious and research experiences make me believe that I am truly the person who can go that far in this field. Read More