Reflection On Religion

Although people who know me might picture me being in Ravenclaw, but Hufflepuff is actually the right house for me. I was sorted into the house Hufflepuff because the house characteristics suits my personality in many ways. I am kind, patient, hardworking and clever. I agree with the Sorting Hat that Hufflepuff is the right house for me.

For my third theological reflection I was given the task to relate a recent event to something I read from one of the Gospels this semester. I am going to write about Matthew’s chapter on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount reading has to do with the Ten Commandments, and how Jesus’ disciples should follow these ways of living. I find that this section of the Gospel can be found throughout a volunteer service I recently preformed. I will be talking about the time I went to Second Harvest Food Bank Warehouse, how it is relatable to the Gospel of Matthew, and what I learned from this experience.

Altruism and prosocial behavior are linked with helping others. This can be seen in all aspects of life. For instance, young children helping each other when they fall, adolescents helping each other with schoolwork, and adults helping one another at work. To develop further, prosocial behavior and altruism can first be highly illustrated in children. Children are taught to help one another and this behavior grows with the child to their adulthood; therefore, people are taught to act in a caring manner towards those who need help.

Speak is often referred to as a classic young adult books. Listed in the English Journals “Bold Books for Teenagers” column as one of the “Best Young Adult Novels of All Time” in 2005, it has won numerous awards including the School Library Journal award for “Best Book of the Year,” (Jackett, 2007). Although well deserving of recognition, for older teens titles such as All the Rage by Courtney Summers and Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr, they are items to keep on the bookshelf. All the Rage deals with a girl from a low socioeconomic background that gets sexually assaulted by the town’s “golden boy.” Branded a liar and bullied relentlessly, Summers’ novel examines the shame young women often have to endure when who you are matters more than it should. Story of a Girl explores the impact one mistake can have on the rest of one’s life, and the struggle to overcome social stigmas.

When asked the question on my definition of religion, I decided to look at it in a way that goes beyond just my religion. Religion goes much deeper than being something that we just believe in, it is a relationship or a part of a person’s culture. My purpose of religion is something for me to try and understand what my goal in life is, as well as building a relationship with a higher being. Religion gives people that higher being that they can look to for guidance and comfort. I feel that you can also express your culture through religion as well as explain some of the reasons for some of the things that you have done in your life.

When thinking, about reflecting on a time when I question or challenged a belief or idea, all that comes to mind is religion. This is how I questioned, challenged and had my final decision on Christianity and its beliefs.

During the course of this class, I have learned a lot about different religions. I still have an unprejudiced view of religion. However, I did not suspend my belief to have an understanding of religion. I have been able to learn of other religious beliefs without feeling threatened of my own. I found there are many different practices in other religions, some I agree with and some I do not agree with. I have come to except others, ways of worship without getting upset. I have become humble in my conclusion now that I have a better understanding of others beliefs. The world seems to jump to conclusions and be judgmental about other religions. Postponing ones judgement on a religion is a difficult thing to do. Being raised and taught a certain religion and set of beliefs is distilled in to one’s mind. I, on the other hand, reserved my personal judgement until I have learned more about it.

This composition will give you information on why I chose the topic Christianity. What is compelling about this issue and why is it important in the study of religion? This assignment and the content within it will explain the significance of Christianity across all religions studied. The information in this composition will show in what ways Christianity is significant for religious beliefs. I will give you, the reader an example of how this religion, have a profound effect on my life, and the area I reside. What impact does Christianity have on the everyday lives of people who practice Christianity in my area?

sins to a priest and attend mass weekly. Jewish societies will gather their whole families

Throughout my life I have been lost and confused when it comes down to one aspect of life, religion. I felt out of place in scripture class freshman year because I knew close to nothing about Catholicism and about who God is. Up until my time at Brophy, I did not even really consider religion to be a part of my life. I rarely thought about God and the only times I did were times that were selfish and when I thought I needed help. Like before a big game I would ask him to help me get a hit, or crossing my fingers when it was the final play of a game and hoping God would help. Looking back that’s because I did not truly know who God is, and I’m not saying I do now, but I for sure have a greater understanding through my experience and research. In chapter two I explored who God is and was able to find a good connection of who God is through the words of Reverend Doctor William Barry. Barry brings up the idea of how God and is like our parents in a way how they provide us with comfort and are always there when we need them. This I agree with because I believe that the best way that I have encountered God through my time at Brophy has been through the actions with others, not only my parents, but I have been reinforced that God can be found in simple ways. In my first experience with getting my dog Harper I talked about how that was one of the only strong evidences that I have of God working in my life. And this is most likely because I feel that God was acting as a parent to me

When directed to have a religious experience, I finally realized the irony of not being religious, yet taking a World Religions course. I haven't been to a church service in years so this whole experience-no matter the type of religion -would feel foreign to me. Being agnostic means I don't claim a religion, but from my experience, it felt like religions didn't claim me. I noticed that the last few times I was in church, I felt like an observer. I felt like an imposter as I looked over and saw people immersed in a world that was beyond human connection. How do you believe in a god? How do you put your life and trust into something that is so unknown? These questions swirled inside my head for years until I saw this course and thought I could finally get the answers. Due to my special history with religion, I wondered where to even begin.

Prior to this class, I viewed religion the way most Anglo-Americans do. From a young age, I was raised around Protestant Christian churches. My family went to church once a week on and off throughout my childhood. At church, I tried to focus for an hour on the sermons based around ancient stories that may or may not have happened. I usually forgot the story within a few hours of exiting the church doors. Like many Americans, this was religion to me. Something you more or less endured in order to say you were religious. This class gave me a totally different perspective on religion. For many Native American tribes, religion is not a separate portion of life. Many tribes have no word for religion. That is because there are religious aspects seen in just about everything they do. While there are cultural differences across various tribes, this idea holds fairly constant through most Native cultures. From the Navajo to the Hopi to the Pueblo and Plains tribes, there is a clear effort made by the Native people to treat everything around them with respect in order to maintain balance in the cosmos.

Religion is a hard concept to comprehend. In all honesty what is religion? Is it what we believe is true to our hearts or is it what we are taught to believe.See, I was raised in a Catholic household my parents believed in it strongly, in was in a sense it was their backbone. Both came from very rough as well as different background, the things that they had seen are ones that I can't even begin to imagine. Yet, no matter what you ask them they will tell you that the lord's voice is the one which told them to turn back and the lord's hands are what molded them into whom they were supposed to be.They told me so many stories growing up, some of which I wish I never had the chance of knowing but I know they did it so I could learn from their mistake as well as realize just how alive and real the lord is. When I grew up I was raised by two nineteen year olds, whose hearts blazed like the sun. No matter what they did my parents were filled with passion and the will to make nothing into something, they were my idols I just wanted to be like them meanwhile they just wanted me to be better than them. They showed me who God was and how every time I cried he would be the one to hear me. I remember whenever I was younger my parents had separated. I knew why they were separating but it seemed as they did their fire turned to embers. I questioned myself and I wondered why had God do this to me… to us. Eventually I stopped believing, I began to hate myself, I stopped loving my elf and I

I remember being a young, naïve boy getting ready to venture off to my first semester of college at the Lord’s school: Brigham Young University. I was ready to live away from home, stay out however late I felt, and eat as much ice cream as I wanted with no repercussions. Life was going to be amazing! My dreams were soon shattered as was bombarded with homework and essays from all my other classes but there was a light at the end of the tunnel: Religion. I was especially excited to embark on the journey of religion as it had always played an important role in my life and I couldn’t wait to explore seemingly endless verses of scripture and prophecy.

Being raised Presbyterian was more like a social gathering than a religious experience. Admittedly there were times when I truly believed in God, but for the most part it didn’t impact my life or how I lived it. I had made up my mind in my early teens of how life was. I looked at people around me and connected closely with those who believed homosexuality was fine and natural, abortion was a woman’s choice and that there was nothing wrong with doing anything you like as long as it does not impede upon another being’s rights. Many of the people who I met with opposing opinions were very wishy washy and were ineffective in defending their beliefs to me. This led me to believe that republicans were wrong, religion was something I didn’t need and God, if he existed, was only someone who created the universe, and not someone worthy of my attention. When I finally met someone who held these opposing beliefs, but was great at defending them, I became interested. How could someone as smart as this man I just met, believe such backwards things. I finally began to take their claims seriously and started questioning others, religious leaders and the internet. After learning these points of views, dissecting them and gaining respect for those who had these beliefs, I eventually came to find that I agreed with them. I think the biggest turning point was realizing that the people who came before me, have been questioning these same issues much longer than I have, so maybe I