...Assignment 2: Report on Religious Field Research Paul R. Gates REL 212 – World Religions I remember as a young adolescent growing up in a predominantly Christian-based community seeing men on a busy street corner dressed in suits and bowties selling their own publication of newspapers called The Final Call and women dressed in layered garments that covered everything from their ankles to their hair only revealing their face selling bean pies and various kinds of fruit. I later learned that these people were of the Islamic faith and commonly referred to as Muslims. At the time this is all I knew of the faith other than the fact that Muslims were not permitted to eat swine. Later, I learned that the Muslims selling The Final Call were Muslims in the Nation of Islam which is a sect of the Islamic faith. The Nation of Islam was considered a more radical group of Black Muslim which had gained more celebrity during the sixties and the Civil Rights Movement due to the teachings of Malcolm X. In this assignment, I chose to interview a member of the Islamic faith to get a personal point of view of understanding of the Muslim experience. This person is not a member of the Nation of Islam, but only a devout Muslim born of African heritage. His name is Mousa Adamou born in Karma Koira, Niger and was raised in Lome, Togo Africa. In preparing for our sit-down, I thought of what I already had known about the Muslim faith which was not as much as I thought prior to studying...
Words: 1798 - Pages: 8
...RELIGIOUS FIELD RESEARCH: CATHOLICISM Being from a non-religious background myself in that I'm Agnostic, Catholicism is most intriguing to me because of all the stigmas and misconceptions surrounding this religion. I mean let's face it as soon as someone brings up Catholicism the first thing that pops into your head is Priests molesting little boys! Other misconceptions I found fascinating are: They pray to The Virgin Mary and to The Saints if they are a monotheistic religion why pray to Saints? I've always believed that Confession is a sure fire way to be absolved, and a ticket straight to heaven. I also did not understand that they believe in salvation of young children (babies) through baptism. I set out to see for myself about these misconceptions surrounding the Catholic Church, and I was quite surprised to what I found. Why do Catholics pray to The Virgin Mary and Saints? I was always under the impression that Catholicism is a monotheistic religion meaning they believe in one God. So to say the least I was confused as to why they would pray to Mary and the Saints thus meaning it would have to fall into the polytheistic (many Gods or Idols) category. I was told its more of an interception of prayer. "When we are in need of prayer we ask those closest to God." Hence praying to Mary or the Saints, because they are close to God. (Woodruff, 2012). To put it in another way of thinking, think about a child who has done wrong by his/her parents. If this child favors, say...
Words: 1038 - Pages: 5
...Report on Religious Field Research Joe Carter Bob Andrews Religion 212 June 4, 2012 Report on Religious Field Research Religion is defined by Brodd (2003) as a collection of beliefs concerning the existence of nature, the purpose of the universe, the existence of human beings, and deities. Religion is usually related to the cultural beliefs systems, which are connected to humankind, spirituality, and the moral values. There are different types of religions in the world that have different signs, beliefs, descriptions, ethnicity, and, sanctified accounts that explain the meaning and origin of life and the universe. Through the accounts ideas, principals, morals, sacred laws, and the way of life are generated in addition to the existence of the universe and the human nature. Examples of religions include Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, and atheism. Among all the religions, atheism tends to be different from the others as it is not similar from any of the others. I watched a program on atheist and this encouraged me to conduct a research on atheism through interviewing an atheist and through books to gain a complete understanding of atheism. According Neilson (1985), atheism is said to have a great connection in the lack of beliefs of God’s existence. This situation occurs due to a purposeful choice of not believing or from a natural failure to believe the religious teachings of a certain religion, which literally seems unbelievable...
Words: 1773 - Pages: 8
...Based on the Webster Dictionary the word misconception means erroneous conception; false opinion; wrong understanding. The Roman Catholic Church is not prone to any type of misconceptions when it comes to religions. With nearly one quarter of the U.S. population Catholic and many more around the world, they make up a huge part of society and the largest Christian denomination. The Catholic Church is the only church that can trace its roots back to the apostles. There is no other church that can make the same claim. There have been many Protestant theologians and Pastors that left their faith for the Catholic Church after researching the writings of the early church fathers. Topics such as baptism, confession, the Mass, Purgatory, Mary, abortion, etc.; they are all found in the early Christian writing. Many people are unsure about the Catholic faith or have heard negative opinions. I can admit I was one of those people. In order for you to receive the truth you must be honest with yourself and examine both sides of an issue without prejudice and with an open heart; this is the only way to finding the truth. In the following essay I will discuss any misconceptions regarding the Roman Catholic Church. Next I will analyze how my prior understanding about the Catholic religion was altered with my encounter. Then I will discuss misconceptions about other people’s religions that are common. Last I will recommend as least one step that could be taken to minimize misconceptions people...
Words: 1364 - Pages: 6
...death and its meaning (Keathly, 2004). Another misconception of a Gospel Church is the Bishop has his own agenda and does not focus on the Gospels themselves. Also, I have always felt that the church has become a place to be seen, not just for the sighting itself but also be dressed up in the best clothes possible. Another misconception of the Gospels and Christianity is they have nothing do with Jewish faith and they are completely different. Misconceptions are easy to confirm or debunk with research and a non-partial attitude towards what is being investigated. With so many religions in the world how can anyone be sure which religion is best for them? Religion is a result of nurture and not nature, humans in general were not born to follow a specific religion it is a path that is made or forced upon them. The best way to understand other religions is to research and study the standard practices of that religion and if possible, use immersion and experience it in person. Research Overview Over 2000 years ago in Palestine a Jew was born in Israel by the name of Jesus and unknown at the same time, a faith based on the...
Words: 3797 - Pages: 16
...Assignment 2: Report on Religious Field Research Sage Smith REL 212 Monique Baucham March 11, 2012 I chose to research the Catholic religion since I know very little about the Catholicism except that it was my mother’s religion. I went to church very briefly but was too young to grasp what Catholicism was about and how a Catholic was taught to act and believe. When I was in high school, I briefly dated someone who was a very conservative Catholic and we talked about our beliefs. He informed me I could never be a ‘true’ Catholic because some of my personal beliefs went against the church’s teaching. However when I asked him if his views were based off personal beliefs, like mine, or if they were due to the teachings of his religion he couldn’t truly answer. That experience really turned me off to Catholicism. I felt religion wasn’t for me if that was what the church was teaching its ‘flock’; forcing them to believe what the church wants you to believe and installing within you the fear of sinning against or the threat of being removed from the church if your views are different. I’m not one who believes in following the teaching of a religion verbatim especially since most religions have not evolved with the changes of time and still hold strong to the ideals and beliefs that were prevalent hundreds of years ago. Before researching Catholicism I had many misconceptions regarding the Catholic religion. When I decided to research Catholicism I really felt...
Words: 1898 - Pages: 8
...Religious Extremism in Islam: Perception from Bangladeshi Practicing Muslims Religious Extremism in Islam: Perception from Bangladeshi Practicing Muslims Background I would be doing my research in my home village of Kamdevpur in Jhalakati district of Barisal. The village is not highly populated, and most of the inhabitants are Muslim. The village does not have working electricity except for the village market and school. Families in this village are very large with the average size of a family being four members. In some cases the extended family all live together in one house. Most of the families living here earn a living through farming but the elite class of the village is made up of family members of doctors, teachers, businessmen, and government workers. The literacy rate of the village is very high as there are two big Madrashas and one local public school. It can be said that the village is a very tight knit community as everyone knows everyone. The village market is a very lively place, and is the only place where desktop internet can be accessed. Research Objectives Religious extremism is something that we commonly hear and see in today’s world. Religious extremism also known as fundamentalism, means strict adherence to the fundamental principles of any set of beliefs. Religious extremists in Islam are a group of people who favor strict observance of the teachings of the Quran and Islamic law. The purpose of this study is to find out about religious extremism...
Words: 2127 - Pages: 9
...Religious studies are a broad, multidisciplinary academic discipline to study the beliefs, and behaviors pertaining to different world religions. According to the author, unlike other major academic disciplines, the study of religion is not based on any unique methodology but is derived from several other fields of academia. This field of study is so broad that any attempt to develop a unique methodology would limit the scope of understanding and further research into the subject. Hence, religious studies derive inputs from several other fields of study and provide its scholars with a plethora of these derived methodologies. The absence of any unique methodology is dealt by incorporating several other academic fields and developing different approaches for interpretation and research. Scholars, who look at religion from the perspective of society, use one such approach. They look at both sides of the coin and study how society shapes religion and how religion has been shaped by the various societal factors. They also try to analyze the changing symbiosis of religion and society by adopting either a quantitative approach of statistical surveys or a qualitative approach. Another such methodology involves anthropological study of religion. The rituals, practices and behaviors of tribal groups provide a deep insight into the oldest form of religious habits, which have been carried for ages. This approach studies the traditions that have been carried by all these traditions from...
Words: 510 - Pages: 3
...In Canada there has been a raise in non-religious people since 2001. This has shown to be connected to the rise in scientific findings in the fields of human creation and evolution as well as the new technology coming into society at a rapid pace. The Canadian Census in 2011 showed that 23.9% of Canadians chose to be non-religious, this includes Atheism, Agnostic, Humanist, and some did not specify. This has gone up drastically since 2001 when it was just at 16.2%. This 7.7% jump was noticed the most in the Northwest Territories, where a 12.5% spike was seen in such a small period of time. The was surprising for many as the high-speed internet had not and still has not reached a major part of the territory. This drastic rise can also be attributed...
Words: 1078 - Pages: 5
...Etymology[edit] The term Bioethics (Greek bios, life; ethos, behavior) was coined in 1926 by Fritz Jahr, who "anticipated many of the arguments and discussions now current in biological research involving animals" in an article about the "bioethical imperative," as he called it, regarding the scientific use of animals and plants.[1] In 1970, the American biochemist Van Rensselaer Potter also used the term with a broader meaning including solidarity towards the biosphere, thus generating a "global ethics," a discipline representing a link between biology, ecology, medicine and human values in order to attain the survival of both human beings and other animal species.[2][3] Purpose and scope[edit] The field of bioethics has addressed a broad swathe of human inquiry, ranging from debates over the boundaries of life (e.g. abortion, euthanasia), surrogacy, the allocation of scarce health care resources (e.g. organ donation, health care rationing) to the right to refuse medical care for religious or cultural reasons. Bioethicists often disagree among themselves over the precise limits of their discipline, debating whether the field should concern itself with the ethical evaluation of all questions involving biology and medicine, or only a subset of these questions.[4] Some bioethicists would narrow ethical evaluation only to the morality of medical treatments or technological innovations, and the timing of medical treatment of humans. Others would broaden the scope of ethical evaluation...
Words: 967 - Pages: 4
...first amendment; rather Thomas Jefferson described the separation in a personal letter to church leaders in Connecticut where he states that the first amendment erects “ a wall of separation between church and state.” The main point of contention for people interpreting the portion of the first amendment dealing with religion is the difference between the conservative and liberal points of view. The conservative view point of the first amendment, as spoken by Ronald Reagan, is that “ to those who cite the first amendment for the reason for excluding god from more and more of our institutions and everyday life, may I just say; The first amendment of the constitution was not meant to protect people of this country from religious values; it was written to protect religious values from government tyranny.” The liberal perspective more closely mirrors the perspective of Thomas Jefferson who was quoted in his 1802 letter which referenced that there should be a wall between religion and government. Those subscribing to the liberal view point would like no reference or role of religion in all of government. The Christian Coalition has been a force in conservative politics, the main advocators for a Christian America. Pat Roberston has been...
Words: 1563 - Pages: 7
...mandated to practice cultural competence and to expand their practices to fit their diverse client population. This is one of the keys to being an ethical social worker. In a recent large-scale study done by the Pew Research Center, over 75% of participants in the United States identified that they are affiliated with a religious faith (2017). From this study, it is fair to assume that some form of religion and/or spirituality will play a role...
Words: 1644 - Pages: 7
...human experience, beliefs, values and behavior. Religion and spirituality are clearly important to most Americans; however, most counselors have little or no training in dealing with religious and spiritual issues. Since the mid-1990’s, the integration of spirituality and religion into therapeutic sessions has generated much interest as an area that needs to be addressed with regards to diversity in clients. This paper will address the inclusion of religion and spirituality in client’s session and counselor’s attitudes toward a client’s faith based on the assumption that the client’s faith and the counselor’s attitude can have significant impact on the outcome of the treatment of the client. A counselor’s willingness to attend to faith as a means of growth can build rapport and lessen potential resistance with clients who are religious (Worthington, 1989). Spirituality in Counseling: Integrating Religion and Spirituality Spirituality has become increasingly important in counseling and prayer has become the spiritual intervention of choice for Christian counselors, as well as secular counselors. The controversial nature of including prayer in counseling requires much consideration on the grounds of ethical boundaries. Majority of mental health professionals who claim a type of religious affiliation, believe spirituality is relevant in their client’s well-being and value the outcomes of prayer (Bergin & Jensen, 1990). Secular counselors incorporate religion into their...
Words: 2495 - Pages: 10
...towards that country. At the macro-level, studying religious communities within the region could help gain perspective on social pressures that influence the behaviour of the members of the community. Studying the sermon of churches with ties to extremism, at the micro-level, could also be helpful to understand the meaning the group attaches to things, such as God or worship, which could influence behaviour. The sociological topic of terrorism linked to the group ISIS can be analyzed from all three levels of analysis. The three levels help determine the effects that different types of interactions have on terrorist acts carried out by ISIS. Using all three levels of analysis, we are able to deepen our understanding of how these terrorist acts are a product of many different social interactions. 2. According to Durkheim, why is suicide more than just an individual act of desperation that results from psychological disorder? Durkheim formed a strong argument that suicide was not the causation of psychological disorder. He found that there was no correlation between psychological disorder and suicide rates. Instead, Durkheim found different variables with correlations to suicide rates, such as religious affiliation. He found that Protestants had a suicide rate 300% higher than that of Catholics, who share the same ideology on the act of suicide. (PAGE 17) Durkheim then argued, the key factor between suicide rates and religious affiliation, was the degree of social integration...
Words: 1830 - Pages: 8
...THEORIES: A Critique Paper Since the inception of communication as a discipline of knowledge, scholars have come up with many theories related to its components. In fact, the encyclopaedia of communication theories (Littlejohn, 2009) has identified more than 300 relevant theories, a testament that the field is already making a big wave in the academic arena. It has been a product of many minds converging into one vision – to enrich the communication field. However, it was not an easy road for these intellectual minds as they are confronted with issues that still need to be resolved. In this paper I will try to present first the rich beginning of communication theories and in light with this development context follows my presentation on the varied problems confronted the field of communication theories as well my personal views on the matter. Historical Beginning There are two insights into how communication theory came into being – the religious view and the philosophical aspect. Although most of communication theories book do not include the religious view, I find it necessary to take into account the dogmatic view to present the variations of its origin. The religious view is demonstrated in the Holy Bible especially in Genesis when God communicated with man and man had the ability to communicate with Him and with each other. It is no wonder then that other writers of Bible theorize about communication. Notably, the Old Testament portrays the usage of communication through...
Words: 2609 - Pages: 11
