Change in Belief System

Introduction

Every person has a set of beliefs in life that determines their actions and decisions. These beliefs are either constructive or destructive depending on the effect they have on the believers outlook on life and the world. People develop beliefs from many sources. For instance, many people take up values that are instilled in them by their parents and guardians who act as role models and mentors. However, as they grow and develop their mental faculties, they start doubting and reviewing certain beliefs. Their life experiences, friends, and exposure to reality are some of the factors that contribute to such shifts in belief and attitude towards diverse occurrences in life.

Change in ones belief system affects every aspect of life because the process of developing new viewpoints and turning them into convictions is critical. The conviction that destiny is determined by external factors is a common belief that many people hold. In my childhood, I believed that external forces such as society, the environment, family background, and the economy are the determinants of ones destiny. However, different life experiences disabused me of that viewpoint later in life. Currently, I accept as true that destiny is predominantly determined by internal factors such as personal responsibility, discipline, grit, will, self-control, purpose, and persistence.

Main body

My perspective changed when I joined a high school where students are expected to be more responsible and accountable. Working on assignments, managing finances, finding passions and hobbies, creating relationships, resisting peer pressure, and managing time are critical factors that determine success in high school. I realized that external factors such as rules, school policies, teachers, and peer pressure had little influence on my life.

Factors such as self-control, discipline, focus, and willingness to work hard had a greater effect on my life. The view that destiny is determined by external factors was largely due to a lack of experience and knowledge regarding the recurrent dynamics of life. As a child, I had no means of testing the validity of the belief because my parents provided for all my needs. However, reality dawned on me after joining high school.

I had to start taking care of myself because of the transition from childhood to adulthood. For instance, I had to learn how to manage money and time well. The economy and rate of unemployment had little effect on my financial situation because it was primarily dependent on how well I spent money, the willingness to create a spending plan, and the readiness to prioritize my needs. On the other hand, academic performance was not determined by school policies and regulations but by the willingness and readiness to work hard in order to achieve my goals.

In high school, success is primarily determined by the individual rather than the effect of external influences on the individual. I learned this after several experiences that included failed friendships, poor academic performance, huge debts, poor health outcomes, and bad influence from peers. Initially, I thought that these outcomes resulted from factors such as inflexible school schedules, ineffective regulations and rules, inadequate time, bad friends, and harsh economic times. However, after receiving several warnings from the schools management, I realized that change was inevitable.

The change involved a shift in the belief that external factors were responsible for my predicament. I was the main cause of the numerous failures and therefore changing my beliefs was the most potent route to achieving success. I had the freedom to choose friends and decide how to spend time and money. I started budgeting, scheduling time, and choosing friends wisely. These changes had exceptional outcomes that proved that internal factors were the main determinants of ones destiny in life.

Conclusion

Stopping to think that destiny is determined by external factors has affected how I think about my other beliefs and ideologies. I have developed a habit of reviewing them often in order to determine their implication on my daily life. In addition, the experience has ameliorated my rationality because of the need to form personal opinions and convictions on different matters. Many of the ideas that I hold were picked up in childhood through observation and instruction. However, I have come to realize that most of them are limiting and narrow with regard to their ability to expand my thinking and outlook on life.

Ceasing to embrace that conviction has enabled me to develop new values that include personal responsibility, accountability, patience, determination, and purpose. These values affect the social, financial, psychological, and spiritual aspects of my life. In order to achieve ones dreams, it is important to be deliberate, focused, and persistent. External factors play a role in determining ones destiny. However, the aforementioned internal factors play the greatest role.

Embracing the belief that destiny is determined by external factors absolves individuals from personal responsibility and accountability because human beings have little or no influence on such factors. I have learned to deal with external factors through the sound application of proper principles in order to ensure that such realities do not compromise the attainment of my goals.

Poverty, Faith, and Justice: Liberating God of Life by Elizabeth Johnson

The idea of poverty about faith and liberating theology is directly connected to major Biblical concepts. The struggle of the impoverished life is seen through the lens of liberation done by God towards people in need. Johnson (n.d.) constructs the following presumption: Daily struggles for the survival manifest potent, tensible human strength implying that the poorest follow the complex path (p. 74). Moral strength is needed to remain in trust in God while staying in a position of oppression. The regular praxis of unconditional love and trust in Christ, in the long run, is implemented into one of the key principles of the Christian faith. Johnson (n.d.) mentions the genuine love and all the charity done by Jesus to the poor, constructing the validity of liberation theology. The author explains liberation theology as the gift to humanity of all nations and statuses. The concept of justice and equality cannot be separated from Gods reign. Humans are all meant to be equal and the gap between people is what wounds the idea of Gods kingdom. The author constructs that the main goal of human beings is to ensure the establishment of justice for all and to combat structural violence toward the poor.

Latin American Bishops (1968) in their document focus on a multifaceted view of poverty in Latin America and beyond. While they stress the severity of poverty in the region there are also many points applicable to the world. The main point of the document is to spread awareness about the vulnerability of impoverished people and the churchs mission to follow Christs will in ending poverty. One of the key elements in the document is the distinction made between material and spiritual poverty. Moreover, Latin American Bishops (1968) highlight the commitment to poverty, the one Jesus had who being rich became poor (p. 2). There are people open to experiencing the difficulties poor people go through to gain liberty from materialism. There is also an argument for the reformation of the existing system to the one without financial discrimination. Moreover, there is a note on inspiring people to be more modest in their means and more generous to those around them.

While Johnson (n.d.) acknowledges his status of not being poor, I stumbled with the question of whether the insight of the liberating theology has a concrete practical implication other than in charity. I would like to receive more clarity on this concept from a point of view of people who consider themselves to be rather average and what is in their powers to spread liberating theology. In my personal view, the spread of liberating power is important, and it is a human responsibility. However, I struggle to understand to what extent it should be inbuilt into a daily routine of one and what are the consequences. Moreover, it is interesting to see liberating theology in correlation with principles of Christians service and missions abroad.

I found insightful the linkage of Christs journey to the People of God and how as Gods children humans should follow the example of the Messiah. It is a silver lining to the whole text itself. Hence, there is an essentiality in an expansion of this idea towards the future frameworks on poverty and church. The development of Christs example to people in their everyday life may influence their understanding of money and prevent them from stepping on the consumerist side. Poverty could be only combated through the spread of the ideas formulated in the Medellin Document, and therefore there should be particularity around the issue.

References

Johnson, E.A. (n.d.) Liberating god of life context: Wretched poverty [PDF document]. Web.

Latin American Bishops (1968). Medellin document: Poverty of the Church, Columbia [PDF document]. Web.

The Christian Faith and Its Advantages

Religion plays a critical role in the life of millions of people. Individuals all over the world have their rituals and visions. Christianity is one of the most ancient and influential teachings popular in different parts of the globe. It has some fundamental beliefs, such as the necessity to save a soul by leading a good life and following the major ideas of faith, or the figure of Jesus who was sent by God, his father, to redeem peoples sins. In general, it is a peaceful religion focusing on spiritual values and helping each other.

For me, the most attractive aspects of the Christian faith are ideas of love, hope, peace, and salvation. They create a unique framework needed for understanding this religion and building a healthy society. For instance, love is a fundamental concept as people should most teachings state that a person should love God and the people surrounding them. Hatred cannot make you happy while being kind and supportive to others is a way to salvation and becoming a better person. Another important concept is hope, which I believe is essential for all followers. Christian teachings say that all individuals can hope for better and be sure that their suffering will be rewarded. The idea of the afterlife helps people to understand that their good actions will make them happier in another life, as our souls are immortal. It motivates and encourages people to live and be more satisfied with the things around them.

Finally, the Christian faith emphasizes the importance of peace and readiness to forgive, critical for the modern world. All sinners can hope for salvation, meaning that there is a chance for everyone who wants it and is ready to change. For this reason, I believe that this religion helps individuals to become better and shows the right way to build relations and interact with others. Following its basic assumptions, it is possible to create a better world.

Bahai Faith as a Global Religion

Introduction

Although the Bahai faith is one of the youngest world religions, it involves millions of followers in the exceptional geographically diverse community. Originating in the middle of the 19th century in Persia, now Iran, it spread to different continents, and now it is present in many countries. The unique nature of the Bahai faith implies the acceptance and inclusiveness of all global religions as valid. In essence, the views of the Bahais are founded on the teaching about the oneness of God, who sends the divine messengers like Muhammad, Moses, Zoroaster, or Jesus. The differences between religions are interpreted through the fact that they developed in different cultural and historical environments and fulfilled the societies needs in each period. However, modern reality requires different beliefs that focus on equality of all people, and see the entire human race as one soul and one body (What Baháís Believe). While many religions rely on ancient doctrines, Bahais prefer to face contemporary challenges of the global community. Thus, the celebration of other beliefs, social service, and humanistic values, make the Bahai faith unique and unprecedented.

The Brief History of Bahai Faith

In comparison to most of the global religions, the Bahai faith is relatively young, as it emerged only in 1844. The teaching was founded by Bab, who encouraged his small group of followers to seek truth without reliance on rituals and clergy (Momen The Reading of Scripture 137). The Bab announces himself to be the divine messenger of God who then inspired one of his followers Bahaullah to become the spiritual leader of the new faith. The latter is believed to be the founder of the entire global movement as he first put down all the prophecies of the Bab and the essential beliefs in his Writings. Today, these revelations are considered sacred texts of the Bahai faith.

From the inception of the new religion, its followers have experienced persecution from the state. Bahaullah himself was imprisoned and then banished from the country, living many years in the mountains and gathering new followers. This exile to Kurdistan and later to Turkey helped the faith to spread abroad. For more than one and a half centuries, Bahai of Persia has been through severe persecutions and even genocide of the national scale (Momen The Bahai Community of Iran). According to Momen, The present Islamic government of Iran has been exceptionally hostile to the Bahais, imprisoning and executing the leaders after secret trials (The Bahai Community of Iran). Modern Bahai religion is popular in many countries and has an estimated global population of 5 million (Momen The Bahai Community of Iran). Over the years, the faith was led by Abdul-Baha and Shoghi Effendi  its spiritual leaders and the successors of Bahaullah. However, today it is governed by the Universal House of Justice and its regularly elected nine members.

Bahai Teaching and Beliefs

The sacred texts of Bahaullah are considered the essential source among the religions followers. The Scripture reflects the core values of the religion, where Bahaullah has formulated its laws and ordinances, enunciated its principles, and ordained its institutions (UHJ). Momen summarizes these writings in the three fundamental viewpoints  the oneness of God, the universalism of religion, and the wholeness of humanity (The Reading of Scripture 137). One God is believed to be sending prophets who become the founders of different religions and reveal his message to people. Although world religions differ, the Bahais believe that they all are the manifestations of the same faith, which has evolved in different epochs and in different cultures to correspond to the needs of people. The Bahais believe that modern global society needs to become united under the commonly shared values that are based on equality and humanism.

The views of Babs followers were revolutionary in Persia of the 19th century as he proclaimed the equality of all people, including gender equality that was non-conforming to the Muslim beliefs. According to Zabihi-Moghaddam, the equal rights of men and women were seen as a fundamental spiritual, moral, and social principle (137). Today, Bahais see marriage as the spiritual union of a man and a woman who foster love, harmony, and respect for each other. Unlike the Muslims believe, there is no subordination between partners, and parents cannot influence the decisions. The Bahais share humanistic values, such as the worthiness of each human being, social justice, or equal access to education. Their world-embracing vision is reflected in the symbolism they use in their temples. The nine-pointed star is the global symbol of the Bahai faith, emphasizing the meaning of completeness assigned to this number. However, they also use other images of different world religions, such as a cross or the Star of David.

Religious Practices of Bahai Faith

The Bahai practices do not include sermons or rituals, unlike most of the religions, and people mostly gather in the temples to hear the Scripture or sing. Such practices as daily prayer, meditation, reading from Scripture are encouraged but not required from each adult individual. Moreover, they are expected to reflect on the ways of how to implement the teaching in action and service. The Bahais pursue the dual goal that implies the adherence to individual spiritual growth and service to other people (What Baháís Do). According to Fozdar, the Bahais demonstrate a solid work ethic, believing that all forms of work are worship (276). The leading religious practice of the Bahais faith is service to others and the transformation of society. That is why they support many global initiatives and engage in different UN projects that aspire to transform and improve the world.

The structure of the Bahais faith differs from other religions because of the absence of priesthood or clergy, making each individual be in charge of their spiritual growth and relationship with God. The governing responsibility lies on the United House of Justice  a global institution that is ruled by nine leaders from global religions, re-elected every five years. However, even these representatives do not have the ultimate power, as their influence and obligations are assigned by the constitution of JHU. According to the document, they are responsible for the protection of the Scripture, the promotion of the faith, and the application of laws and principles (JHU). Each follower of the Bab is therefore expected to adhere to these rules and become a valuable representative of the church through the service to society.

Bahai Religion and its Place in the World

Although the Bahais are not so numerous as other religions, they claim to be a worldwide faith that embraces globalization. Currently, they are the second geographically diverse religion after Christianity and intend to become the vanguard of a global community which will ultimately encompass the entire population (Fozdar 275). The Bahais have their temples in many of the worlds large urban areas, where they strive to make an impact in their communities and try to spread their beliefs appealing to different cultures and peoples. Today, the Bahai faith connects people who come from different religious and cultural backgrounds motivating them to unite and serve the global community.

Many religions in world history have tried to become global, and their ambitions led to wars and human tragedies. However, the approach of the Bahais faith is unique as it offers an entirely different way of globalization. Unlike many other religions, they do not aim to impose their rules and conquer the people, but rather accept the diversity of the cultures. The ways the Bahais address contemporary social problems suggest that they aspire to become a modern religion that answers the needs of the people. Modern Bahais cooperate with charity programs and NGOs to fight for universal education, global justice, and the elimination of extremes of wealth and poverty (Fozdar 276). That is why the Bahai faith offers an exceptional perspective of the world that does not hold onto traditionalism but embraces transformation for the better future of all people on Earth.

Conclusion

Although the Bahai religion is relatively new, it grows fast in different countries, becoming a diverse and inclusive spiritual movement. Its followers adhere to the idea of the oneness of God and believe that there is the universal creator of the whole world represented by divine prophets. The Bahais values emphasize practical service in addressing the worlds most pressing problems. Their unique vision of cultural and religious pluralism is unprecedented as it equally embraces all people and their beliefs and aims at achieving global unity.

Works Cited

Fozdar, Farida. The Bahai Faith: A Case Study in Globalization, Mobility band the Routinization of Charisma. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, vol. 28, no. 3, 2015, pp. 274292. Web.

Momen, Moojan. The Bahai Community of Iran: Cultural Genocide and Resilience. Cultural Genocide: Law, Politics, and Global Manifestations, edited by Jeffrey S. Bachman, Routledge, 2019.

. The Reading of Scripture: A Bahai Approach. Reading the Sacred Scriptures: from Oral Tradition to Written Documents and Their Reception, edited by Fiachra Long and Siobhan Dowling Long, Routledge, 2018, pp. 137-153.

UHJ. The Constitution of the Universal House of Justice, 2020. Web.

What Baháís Believe. The Bahai Faith, 2020. Web.

What Baháís Do: Response to the Call of Baháulláh. The Bahai Faith, 2020. Web.

Zabihi-Moghaddam, Siyamak. Spousal Equality in Bahai Law: The Emergence of Provisions on the Dissolution of Marriage in Iran, 18731954. Journal of Womens History, vol. 29, no. 3, 2017, pp. 137-160. Web.

Scientific Worldview, Faith, and Reason Comparison

Introduction

There is a group of people who argue that science is just a myth and, like other religious doctrines, it is based on faith. For example, Paul claims that It [science] is one of the many forms of thought that have been developed by man and not necessarily the best (315). However, if the most accepted definitions of faith and science are used, and the two fields are critically analyzed, it can be strongly argued that the scientific Worldview is not in any manner influenced by faith. Faith has been defined as the strong belief in something or someone without any proof and is based solely on trust. On the contrary, scientific worldviews are defined as ideas a person or group of persons hold on a particular subject matter and can be tested by empirical observations and consist of falsifiable components. While scientific worldviews cannot be fully empirically tested, they do not rely on traditional religious themes, faith, or taboos. Therefore, for a person to accept a certain worldview, they do not need to have faith but rather have to sum up all they know about the world and evaluate if it matches a particular concept and opinions.

Faith is Not Based on Evidence

Faith in Christianity is not based on verifiable evidence but a belief in what a person has not seen, as mentioned in the bible. In other religious beliefs, such as Islam and Hinduism, faith is also based on blindly believing what you have not seen, such as the afterlife. The scientific revolution in the 17th century conflicted with most religious doctrines that were based on faith, and ever since, science has always conflicted with theology. This argument is supported by the conflict theory proposed by John William Draper, who first proposed the theory. The theory proposes that religious doctrines and scientific worldviews conflict because one is based on faith while the other is based on observable evidence and reason.

The success of science is a result of actions that are based on reason and logic. For a particular field to qualify as a science, it must be based on observations and logic from those observations. A scientific Worldview that comes from this school of thought does not have to be backed by faith to be acceptable. This is because the evidence provided would mean that the observation is true, and therefore no faith would be needed. Faith, on the other hand, assumes that humans are capable of having a deeper understanding that is beyond reason and logic. Faith is most applicable while dealing with non-scientific Worldviews. Some people argue that a person needs to have faith to believe in particular scientific theories, such as evolution. However, if a person takes time to read evolution theories and observes animals and trees, it can be concluded that it is a correct argument.

Scientific Worldviews Do Not Have Virtues

Acceptance of a particular worldview does not require a person to believe in certain religious doctrines, such as the virtue of being morally good. Moral and ethical behaviors can be linked to faith as most people who subscribe to them believe that the world or God has a way of punishing those who do not do what is virtuous. Virtuous behaviors involve people demonstrating high moral standards and are more common in people who believe in a religious doctrine. Moral excellence can also be observed in people who follow unscientific worldviews and believe in a certain superpower that could punish them if they act in a manner that is not good for society. People who subscribe to scientific worldviews do not have to consider if they align with moral principles, although the conditioning of society may still influence them. For instance, a scientist could argue against dressing in a particular manner but still be guided by social conditions while choosing what to wear. Therefore, people who subscribe to true scientific worldviews will subconsciously be influenced by faith, but faith has no relevance when arguing or acting logically.

Scientific Worldviews Do Not Offer Consolations

Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and many other religious beliefs offer consolations to people that good things will happen to those who believe when they die. The beliefs also largely involve believing there is a punishment for those who do not believe in the doctrines and those that treat other people unfairly. For these consolations to work, the believer has to have faith in existence in some aspects of life, such as life after death, the existence of God, and Karma, among others. Unscientific worldviews not interlinked to religious doctrines also offer consolations by having a person believe in something without evidence of its existence. It is impossible to offer consolations using scientific worldviews since they are based on testable empirical evidence meaning that a person can only be consoled by what is true and factual.

Scientific Worldviews Lack Moral Relevance

A true scientific worldview does not have to be morally right, but it has to be verifiable by evidence. On the other hand, faith mainly relies on moral principles and is not based on any form of evidence. Rather it is the principle of vice in any religion (Richard 318). This is because scientific worldviews are not exact truths despite a huge push by scientific scholars to prove to people that science is backed by evidence. Studies show that acceptance or rejection of scientific philosophy is largely influenced by the dominant science in the region a person lives in. For example, Paul claims that It [science] is one of the many forms of thought that have been developed by man and not necessarily the best (315). Morality is closely associated with faith since people need to convince themselves of what is right and wrong without using any tool to measure it.

Scientific Worldviews Are Unforced

Unlike faith which requires believers to follow religious doctrines set by divine creatures world views that are scientifically based encourage individuals to examine and access the truth in a particular belief. Therefore, scholars have agreed that since one is voluntary and the other forced, faith and scientific worldview can not be possessed by one person (Launonen 5). Faith is usually fixed and cannot be changed, unlike the scientific world views which change as a person gains more information on a particular subject matter. Religious people who seek to communicate and convince others to adopt their faith normally require believers to accept the revealed truth without questioning it. Accepting a particular scientific worldview from a person resonates occurs naturally, and nobody persuades others to subscribe to their worldview.

Relationship between Religious Viewpoint and Reason

For centuries reason has been considered to play a pivotal role in justifying religious viewpoints. Since religious doctrines are based on faith, there has been much interest from religious philosophers and scholars on how the two are related. It has been discovered that different religious beliefs cohere with different reasoning patterns and rationales. Most religions are based on faith which is the belief in a certain doctrine and submission to a powerful creature. As such, faith only occurs in circumstances where human knowledge is limited, meaning that religious viewpoints rely on reason until a situation where it gets limited. For people with great reasoning capacity, it has been established that the human brain can establish the existence of a supernatural creature without any supernatural help (Launonen 3). It is also true that people who cannot use strenuous reasoning in religious matters rely on faith, leading to the creation of two different but correct worldviews.

From a Christian point of view, the existence of God can be established through reason and observing natural phenomena. Explanation of religious concepts using religion is observed in the bible, where St. Paul explained that the presence of God could be confirmed by observing nature. The relationship between religious viewpoint and reason can either be evidence-sensitive or evidence-insensitive. Sensitive evidence involves reason that is explained by truths that the entire population can observe. An example of an evidence-sensitive case is the example mentioned above, where St. Paul convinced people of the presence of God using nature. Evidence-insensitive reasons are those that involve a single individual. These include personal victories and revelations that a believer may claim.

The relationship between people who take a religious stand and those who believe in reason and logic is often contradictory. The two parties are known to be continuously conflicting ideologies although they also agree in various aspects. Religious people say that even though science is just a form of religion, it has been given priority over other religions. It is suggested that children or the parents of the children need to be given the autonomy to choose what science their children will take. This reasoning needs to be revised since schools in the American system systematically teach science; hence hard to make it optional for young children. People who support the cognitive science side of the argument say that belief-forming processes that underline the belief in God are unreliable (Launonen 3). For example, Karl Marx, a socialist and a popular non-believer, argued that religion was a limiting factor and obstacle to a scientific revolution. This is because, for a long-time, religion has tried to answer questions that are best left to science (Dawkins 319). However, despite the many differences, there are areas where scientific worldviews align with religious viewpoints.

Conclusion

For a person to accept a certain worldview, they do not need to have faith but rather sum up all they know about the world and evaluate if it matches a particular concept. Therefore, a person relies more on reason, logic, previous experiences, verified sources, and scientific experiments to decide on the worldview to adopt and the ones they disagree with. For instance, a person guided by reality would have never encountered anything spiritual, making it a worldview that can be proved by science. Moreover, all scientific worldviews do not focus on morality, virtues, or offering consolation.

Works Cited

Dawkins, Richard. Is Science a Religion? Humanist in Canada, vol. 31, no. 4, 1998.

Feyerabend, Paul. Science in a Free Society. Verso Books, 2018.

Launonen, Lari. Debunking arguments Gain Little from Cognitive Science of Religion. Zygon®, 2021, Web.

Explaining Jamess Statement Faith Without Works Is Dead

The Book of James and the epistle to the Galatians are two writings that represent the New Testament Law. In the first one, James wrote: Faith Without Works is Dead, claiming that believers need to support their faith with good actions made as a result of changed lives. In the second one, Paul argues that a person can be justified by faith apart from the works of the Law, meaning that it is sufficient for a believer to profess the faith and no actions should be taken. Without diving into details, it seems that two statements contradict each other; however, it is not true. On the contrary, Pauls and James works complement each other.

It is thought that James (or Just) is a brother to Jesus Christ. Initially, he was not a believer, but after the resurrection, he became so. Thus, he describes the faith walk through genuine religion, faith, and genuine in his book. The Book of James is the writing in the New Testament, written approximately in AD 45. In his paper, James critiques rich people who collect their treasures and those who rely only on themselves. At the end of the book, Just encourages believers to be patient while suffering, pray, take care of each other, and make a common faith stronger through communication.

Jamess statement faith without works is dead means that it is not sufficient to just talk the talk and repeat or distribute Jesus Crists Word for believers to salve. Christians also need to walk the walk and act in accordance with Jesuss taught. Just emphasizes that a person can continue living in sin even after he becomes Christian. In other words, lack of actions and walks may be the signal of an unchanged mind and life. In this way, becoming a Christian cannot save a person or result in salvation. Therefore, mere faith cannot lead a believer to righteousness: works are necessary to verify the faith. Moreover, salvation is not the result of works, made following Jesus Christs Word, but is their cause. Thus, changing the mind, transforming life and behavior already means salvation, resulting in good works and actions. The way people live demonstrates what they believe in and whether their faith is a living, true faith.

By defining the true living faith that reveals the believers changed mind and good actions, James contrasts it to the false belief that is dead without actions. Jesus claims: Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven (Matthew 7:16-23). In this citation, the contrast between the two types of faith is also visible. In his book, James contrasts believers actions: either good or bad. Therefore, a person who just talks the talk and recalls the Lord without making good actions will be thrown into the fire. At the same time, a person who tries to do good works or walk the walk will enter heaven. In other words, James emphasizes that Christians should live according to the new Christian faith, trying to follow a righteous way of life in order to support their faith by good works.

In his statement justified by faith apart from the works of the Law, Paul tries to ensure Judaizers stop being tied with the frame of Mosaic Law. Paul is the author of the epistle to the Galatians that was written before the Book of James, approximately in AD 49. This work was composed because the churches in Galatia believed that the actual truth of justification could be achieved by actions taken in accordance with the Mosaic Law. Paul writes: For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law (Galatians 5:17-18). Here he addresses Judaizers that are continuing to insist on circumcision to be eligible to become a Christian. Thus, he rejects the Old Testament Law, emphasizing the essential role of the New Testament. By this, Paul claims that believers should profess the gospel of grace, which does not require any actions made with flesh (for instance, circumcision), as suggested by the Mosaic Law.

From the first glance, in the discussion written above, it can be claimed that Jamess book contests Pauls work; however, it is not true. Paul emphasizes the justification with God apart from the works of Law, whereas James argues that believers actions and good works should support the true living faith. There is no conflict between the books of Galatians and James because they are dealing with two supplementary features of Christianity: the gospel of grace and righteous living. Jamess writing encourages Christians to live according to the new Christian faith; therefore, a righteous way of life supports the faith. Paul emphasizes the gospel of grace or a living belief that causes transformed mind and behavior.

Is Religious Belief Anti-Scientific

Religious belief and science have always been on opposite sides. This conflict had its roots in the Middle Ages when the Catholic Church persecuted Galileo for his claims that the earth revolved around the sun. The conflict between religion and science is still relevant, two areas of human knowledge answer the questions of the universe in different ways. However, despite the controversy, it is indisputable that science and religion are inseparable along the entire way of human development.

Science and religion are two types of worldviews that interact. For a long time, the understanding of the relationship between science and religion was reduced because they were interpreted as diametrically opposite phenomena. However, scientific knowledge and religion are closely interconnected, penetrate each other.. Religious systems are not only sets of statements calling for faith but also some generalizations based on argumentation and evidence. Religion laid the foundation for research in the study of the universe, gave impetus to the development of different theories for the origin of life on earth. Religious treatises began to form the first national literatures; without them the formation of philology and linguistics as a science would have been impossible. Science and religion are not opposites; they help each other achieve their goals.

Science deals with facts, while religion deals with faith, although today, many argue that there are areas in which the interests of religion and science overlap. These include, for example, the question of who or what caused the universe to exist. Scientists are usually of the opinion that religion is anti-scientific. The main argument is that religion implies the existence of impossible things in a conceivable universe. The adherents of the theory that religion has negatively influenced the development of science do not consider that these two concepts have been closely related for centuries. In fact, science and religion have constantly posed questions that had a beneficial effect on the development of human minds. Scientists are now beginning to agree that the long-standing idea of a war between science and religion is an outdated and incorrect concept, although they do not see science and religion as natural allies.

The complement and dialogue model between science and religion is especially popular among Catholic Christianity and Protestantism representatives. According to this model, religion and science study reality from different angles and look for answers to different questions. However, the combination of answers to these various questions helps us create a holistic view of reality. Moreover, the ratio and the absence of contradictions between these different views of reality can serve good criteria of truth. In this way, dialogue between science and religion can be seen as a way to resolve issues both sides of the problem while maintaining their independence. For the dialogue to be fruitful, it is necessary that each of its parties is open to the other sides issues and recognize the problematic nature of its own tradition. Interaction between science and religion becomes possible because religion, like science, like all humanity, is constantly changing (Schellenberg, 2019). A model of complementarity, or critical constructive interaction, in which both sides retain their own sphere, reject absolutization, and mutually enrich each other, trying to understand reality as a whole in all its dimensions.

The synthesis and integration model emphasizes the kinship and interpenetration of religion and science and, accordingly, on the possibility of merging religious and scientific knowledge into a single picture of the world. First of all, it points to the unity of religion and science subject and their solution to the same problems, for example, the origin of the world and man or the prospects for the development of human civilization. However, the interpenetration of religious and scientific knowledge is not easy and not evident at first glance. The main obstacles to this are terminological differences and the consequent lack of communication between the scientific community and religious denominations. The difference between the languages of science and religion, complicated by the variety of terms used in different religious traditions, greatly complicates communication between believers and scientists and sometimes makes it simply impossible. That is why supporters of the possibility of integrating religion and science talk about the need to participate in this process as a mediator, the role of which philosophy can play. Complete adequate comprehension of reality is possible only with the condition of the integration of religious and scientific knowledge.

After identifying the similarities and differences between science and religion, it becomes impossible to say that they are diametrically opposed. Science and religion place the same problems from different points of view and answer the same questions in differently. Religious belief cannot be anti-scientific; the situation is precisely the opposite: only synthesis and interaction of religion and science can help answer the main questions of humankind.

Reference

Schellenberg, J.L. (2019). Religion after science. Cambridge University Press.

Selflessness in Islamic Belief and Practice

The Five Pillars of Islam are faith, prayer, alms, fasting, and pilgrimage. The selected pillar for exemplifying the selflessness of the given religion is alms or zakat. All Muslims are obliged to allocate some of their wealth to charity to improve the community and support the people in need. It is a direct form of selflessness because Islam insists on putting God or Allah before oneself and ones self-interests. To express it financially, a Muslim commits some of his or her wealth to help the poor and unfortunate. Depending on a particular school of thought or madhab, the mandatory amount of zakat can vary. However, it is in itself a selfless act, where Muslims abandon their selfishness and unity to improve their communities and the livelihood of their surrounding people.

Zakat is also a way to connect with God because the given act is an expression of love and submission to Allah since it shows that a Muslim values his or her faith more than material possessions. It is stated: Zakat is also a spiritual connection to ones maker  to purify your wealth for the will of Allah is to acknowledge that everything we own belongs to Him, and it is for Him that we strive to end poverty and help our brothers and sisters (Zakat, par. 4). Therefore, it is clear that although all pillars of Islam promote some form of selflessness, self-denial is the most evident and direct in the case of mandatory alms, since it does not rely on ones willingness or wants, but rather forces it by making it obligatory and putting it among the Five Pillars.

Work Cited

Zakat. Islamic Relief Worldwide, 2019.

A Belief System From Personal Point of View

All human beings believe in some sets of values, which influence their actions and thoughts. These beliefs, though vary with individuals, are inevitable in everybodys lives. The set of beliefs followed by each person is called his belief system. Every action and thought of an individual is judged right or wrong by him, according to his belief system. For example, it is the social belief system of an individual, that influences his ideas about how to behave in public and speak to others in society. This paper deals with various topics like, how my beliefs make up a religious belief system, how I acquired it, the benefits and disadvantages of having my particular religious belief system, the role of tradition in it, the role of tradition in religion in general, and the importance of being knowledgeable about other peoples beliefs and attitudes towards religion.

In order to discuss how beliefs make up a religious belief system, it is important to know what a religious belief system is. Almost every individual follows a set of religious beliefs, which influences his decisions. This set of religious beliefs is from his religious belief system. Every set of religious beliefs form a belief system, but every belief system does not necessarily be formed from religious beliefs. Following a particular religious belief system, makes an individual decide what is right and wrong. &religious belief is an extremely powerful motivator of human behavior. (Stevens, 2002). Religious beliefs change with different religions. An action or thought that seems right to an individual may not seem right to another who follows a different set of religious beliefs, though it is found the basic beliefs of all religions are the same. The fear of God is generally seen in every religious belief system, only it is developed through different religious beliefs.

The next topic is about how I acquired my religious belief system. An individual can acquire a particular religious belief system in many ways. It can be through education, from the environment in which he grows and through parents. Schools influence childrens thoughts to a great extent. If the school follows a particular set of religious beliefs or a particular religion, there are chances that the students develop an interest in it and begin to follow those beliefs. It can be from the society in which an individual lives. Socializing and interacting with people of other religions, might influence ones religious beliefs. (Beit-Hallahmi, & Argyle, 1997, p.97).

Also, religious classes and talks can develop a certain set of beliefs that the children will tend to follow later. It can be developed from the parents too, by following their religious beliefs. As children are first introduced to the religious belief system of their parents, following them is the most common trend seen in society, though other influences are not rare. I acquired my religious belief system from my parents. I have accepted and followed their beliefs, since childhood, though I do believe in other religions and their religious values too. Listening to different religious classes and talks, and interacting with others have helped me in having a better understanding of other religious beliefs.

There are many benefits and disadvantages of having a particular religious belief system. The belief in certain religious principles helps people judge what is right and wrong based on the beliefs. Most religions believe that people who do good deeds will go to heaven after death and the ones who do sins will go to hell. The fear that this belief creates pulls most people back from doing bad deeds. Each belief system directs its followers on how to live the right way, with certain rules and restrictions. Religious beliefs also help their followers psychologically, in cases of any kind of suffering. The belief that the supreme power will bring happiness, boosts the confidence of the followers. But, there are also disadvantages when followers rely too much on their particular religious belief systems. They refuse to accept other religions and their beliefs which leads to religious fights and crimes. Another disadvantage of having too many religious beliefs is that it is not possible for people to completely follow the rules at all times. I have benefited from my religious belief system. I dont have the courage to do harm to anyone purposefully. The fear of God stops me from deviating from the right way. The disadvantages are minor compared to the benefits.

The role of tradition in my belief system is of primary importance. Traditions are part of every religion. In my religion too, there are hundreds of traditions, which are being followed blindly by every generation. Traditions are followed every day in various matters. It has so much a part of life, that many of them are no more conscious actions. It is traditional to pray in the evenings as most other religious belief systems teach. Prayer before every new endeavor is also a part of the system. The tradition includes festivals that are celebrated every year with complete sincerity. Most of the traditional dresses are worn only during festival times. These festivals are the only occasions when the whole family comes together, leaving aside everyones busy schedules and tensions. Most of the traditions of the religion are still followed and doing it the right way, gives satisfaction. It is not possible to follow all the traditions always because there are a lot of them, but it is followed as far as possible. Some traditions have undergone certain changes in order to suit the improvements and advancements that have come about in lifestyles.

In fact, every religion follows a lot of traditions that cannot be ignored after any generation, since without them the religions or the religious belief systems are not complete. The terms religion and tradition are, as earlier stated, used not only as cognates but also as synonyms. (Religion and tradition. (n.d)).

Usually, people follow their own traditions, because traditions are important in an individuals and a communitys identity. A person with no tradition is not very highly thought of in society. Traditions are what all religions are proud to hold on to even after generations. Traditions influence the followers actions to a great extent, though many people dont realize the reasons behind following them. However, there are also traditions, which no longer exist due to various reasons. They can be only read about in books. The changes in lifestyles, the lack of awareness about the right ways to follow them, and the fear of the consequences of practicing them the wrong way, are some of the reasons for it.

It is very important to have knowledge about other religions, their attitudes towards them, and their religious belief systems. Global migration has made the world come closer and every land consists of people of varying religions and beliefs. Interactions with people of other religious beliefs cannot be avoided in any field. Only a proper understanding of other religions will help in accepting their tradition and beliefs as equal to ones own. It is important to know that no religion and religious belief system is superior to or inferior to any other. This understanding must be developed from an early age so that any kind of discrimination or prejudice against any particular community can be avoided.

To conclude, religious belief systems and traditions are part of every religion and almost all individuals. Belief systems, in general, which need not necessarily be religious, motivate people to make the right decisions and lead a good, righteous life of values. Only knowledge about other religious belief systems will develop mutual love and compassion among everyone.

Reference

Beit-Hallahmi, Benjamin., & Argyle, Michael. (1997). Chapter 6: Acquiring religious beliefs socialization and continuity. Routledge. 97. Web.

Religion and tradition: Inherited practice. (n.d). Vohuman.org. Web.

Stevens, Jr. Philips. (2002). Dealing with religious beliefs: Some suggestions from anthropology. Questia. Web.

James Fowlers Six Stages of Faith

Introduction

James Fowler is involved in the study of the development of faith. Faith as Fowler states is that holistic point of reference which concerns the relation of man to the universe. He, therefore, identifies six stages through which he believes all faithful travel in their lives (Berger, 2000, Notes, Poll, and Smith). He believes that no matter the religion that one is in, one has to go through these stages. Fowlers six stages try to explain the stages of faith in his Stages of Faith profile. An overview of these stages is shown below (Fowler, 1996).

  1. Primal-Undifferentiated faith
  2. Intuitive-Projective faith
  3. Mythical Literal faith
  4. Synthetic- Conventional faith
  5. SIndividuative- Reflective faith
  6. Conjunctive faith
  7. Universalizing faith

The stages of faith as identified by James Fowler

The 0 stage is the stage from birth to the age of two years. It is the stage of Primal or Undifferentiated faith. During this period, the toddler is involved in early learning and orientation to the safety of the environment in which they are. This environment is basically warm, secure, and very secure. On the other hand, it can be full of neglect, hurt, and a feeling of abuse. The biggest attention is paid to mammals (Fowler, 1996).

The first stage is between the ages of three to seven years as Fowler illustrates (1996). It is called the Intuitive-projective stage. At this stage, the psych is unprotected exposure to the unconscious. At this stage, the imagination of the person is not tamed. It is not subdued by logical thinking. It is the initial stage in the awareness of the self and at this point, an individual takes in the strong taboos in their culture. One advantage that individuals enjoy at this stage is the beginning of an imaginative nature and an ability to understand and relate the insight one has on reality.

However, this stage can also be hazardous. This is so because the child cannot restrain the mind from what it absorbs. The mind can then be invaded by images of horror and devastation that are got from the unconscious. That imagination can also be exploited by imposed taboos from the traditions surrounding the child and be programmed in that way (Notts).

The second level is the stage of faith that is in existence in school-going children. It is also referred to as the mythical or literal stage of faith. People at this stage believe strongly in the impartiality and the reciprocity of the world (Fowler, 2000). Their divine beings are often anthropomorphic. Symbols and rituals start to find their way into the imagination of the child. The setback is that these symbols only take one dimension. It is called literal because the only possible dimensions of the symbols are literal. Objective insight into the myths is not likely. Fowler says that any person at this stage is ensnared in their sequence of events in life.

Like the previous stage, there is some danger in this stage too. Belief in the universe reciprocity makes one attached to a severe state of perfectionism that seems to control the individual beyond normal levels. The child sets their system of religion in such a way that in the event of abuse, that child thinks of themselves as beyond redemption (Notts).

Fowler calls the third stage the synthetic or conventional stage of faith. It begins and ends with adolescence which the age between thirteen and twenty. Its main characteristic is traditionalism. Most of the people of the earth are in this particular stage. The demands of this stage are an intricate model of socialization and integration. The ordering of the universe in the individuals belonging to this stage is dictated by faith. People discover their identity by making parallels with a particular point of view. They then live through this point of view that they have created for themselves and do not stop to reflect on it. Despite the possibility of having principles, the individual might not be aware of their existence within them. Anyone that dares to disagree with one of his beliefs is categorized as the other kind of person.

The risk that exists at this stage is the internalization of symbols and the systems they run by. This makes it impossible for objective thinking. One can develop an intimate relationship with the being they hold divine at this level. However, it is also possible to sink into desperation because of the situations that the person faces. One of the situations could be disagreeing with authority, a discovery that a certain authority is hypocritical and occurrences that are not in line with the beliefs one has had all along (Notts).

The fourth stage lasts from the period between the ages of mid-twenty the to late thirties. It is a stage of torment and effort in the faith of a person. It is also called the individuative or reflective faith. At this stage, every individual has personal responsibility for the beliefs they have and their feelings (Fowler 1996). At this stage, it is inevitable to encounter questions that concern a persons identity. This is also so for the beliefs one has. The person becomes aware of themselves as individuals and is therefore obliged to be responsible for all the beliefs and the feelings that they have. From others, one is now bound to encounter serious inspection. It is a stage full of disillusionment and the person is irresistibly aware of their existence. The stage is capable of lasting for a long time.

People at this stage are at risk of becoming bitter with life and not trusting anything or anyone. They also learn on reaching this stage that the world is more complex than they thought (Notts).

At the fifth stage, persons recognize absurdity and transcendence. They try to make out the relationship between realities that are the source of symbols of systems that have been inherited. It is the mid-life crisis period. Fowler calls it the conjunctive faith. He individual also recognizes the symbols of other systems. At this stage, things might appear mysterious in the unconscious. They are however frightened of the power of mystery even though they seem to be awestruck by it at the same time (Fowler, 2000). The world seems to be made sacred again and full of vision. It also possesses some kind of justice that is the same as the justice as perceived by the culture and tradition of the society one belongs to. One begins to get out of the cocoon they have built around themselves and see the universe in a new light. The mind is therefore challenged to work faster than before in taking in the new world and the new culture. It becomes a world of possibility and speculation (Notts).

The last stage which is the sixth is the universalizing faith. It is a stage of enlightenment and an erosion of apprehension. One turns into a campaigner for the vision of unity. The individual in stage six does not conform to the worlds criteria of what is normal. They are often consumed by the need for self-preservation which makes them appear extraordinary and unpredictable. Our discernment of religion and prudence is put on the scale. They often tend to be very preservative of humankind and hold a lot of respect for humans, avoiding anything that would result in suffering.

Insight into Fowlers work and relation to other peoples works

The stages that Fowler has come up with are a result of observation of mans thoughts and behavior. Somehow, a persons ego is put into play. In the third stage, it dominates. All the stages are however liked in one smooth process where one stage makes way for the next. They tend to be interdependent (Fowler, 2000, Poll and Smith).

Fowler, like Erik Erickson, uses study on psychology to develop the stages of faith. Erickson on his part does it no differently. He defines the eight stages of psychosocial development as he understands them. Progression through these stages reveals different characteristics and behavior which are achieved in each of the eight stages. Like Fowler, these stages are divided into levels of growth (Berger, 2000).

From birth to the first year of life, Erik gets the first psychosocial stage. It is at this stage that babies learn to trust or mistrust the fact that other people will take care of their needs which include cleanliness and feeding. This is so much like the first stage in Fowlers stages of faith. The child is in the undifferentiated faith where life can either be full of warmth and security or turn out neglectful and abusive. The child depends on those around it for survival and has no control over what might happen to it. It is the first stage of learning in both cases (Berger, 2000).

The second of Eriks stages is between the age of one to three years. Self-sufficiency is the subject of learning at this stage. The child begins to be active in the events around it, taking in some of the cultural symbols it can (Berger, 2000). At the intuitive projective faith stage by Fowler, the child begins to become aware of the self and can therefore take in the symbols of the society.

The third stage in Eriks psychosocial stages is the stage where children begin to be interested in the activities that adults are involved in. It coincides and overlaps with the stage of development that Fowler calls intuitive as it is still the stage where the child is barely aware of themselves. They are not yet able to discern the symbols and mythologies of culture (Berger, 2000).

The age between six and eleven is the period when children are learning to be competent and industrious. All the levels have something in common with the stages of faith as illustrated by Fowler and Erickson. For both, the transition from one level to the other is characterized by some kind of confusion. The reason is that there is a reorganization of the perception the individual has of the self and the world and the priorities they had in the previous stage. Coherence is disrupted and there is a need to reorganize it (Berger, 2000).

In a book by James Fowler (Fowler, 2000), the author tries to relate the works of other writers who include Kohler, Erickson, Piaget, and Gilligan. It is from these works that the model of the seven stages of faith is fashioned. The stages of development in faith begin with the basic growth of trust, then move on to a point when the person becomes conscious of the self. This is liberally followed by the mythical foundation for faith and then the switch from the self to looking at other peoples perception of faith.

In the stage of adolescence, people start to become consciously aware of the perception of other people (Fowler, 2000). This is what influences peer pressure to a big extent. According to Fowler, Personality, both as style and substance becomes a conscious issue. During this stage, youths develop an attachment to beliefs, values, and elements of personal style that link them in conforming relations with the most significant among their peers& (Fowler, 2000).

Fowler further explores his stages by explaining the conjunctive stage. He says that this is a stage that makes attempts at capturing the dialectical structure that is characterized by perspectives from different points of view of knowledge and value (James Fowlers stages of faith in profile). By recognizing the several dimensions of the symbols and myths, people in this stage can enter realities based on symbols. It permits them to exercise their enlightenment and power of mediation. They can read and enlighten them on the realities of their situations which can be offered by the traditions. People at this stage show a willingness to join the wealthy abodes of meaning which are offered by myths and rituals. What is displayed is a moral honesty to the realities of other traditions and religious values (Fowler, 2000).

The last stage that is the universalizing faith is not manifest. It is mostly a characteristic of loyalty extended to the homeland, race, or political principles for the exhibit of love and the caring ability for the general good (Fowler, 2000).

Fowler mentions that people can reach chronological or even biological adulthood while at the same time a distinction is made of them through structural stages of faith. These stages might be commonly associated with childhood or adolescence (Fowler, 2000). He believes that some adults are detained in this way in some areas of their lives. The response to stress in areas that the stresses are extreme might be much similar to the response they would have in earlier stages of development.

According to Fowler (2000), some men are capable of apprehending the development in interpersonal relations at a much early stage. This they are not able to do when it comes to relationships to do with careers and their professions. This is not however explained by his stages of development in faith and might therefore need more investigation to prove what stages are involved (James Fowlers stages of faith in profile).

Conclusion

The self is emphasized in the stages of the development of faith. Every stage is an advancement from the last. Each stage is a mark of a stable expansion of the social perspective. Also in the words of Fowler, young adulthood is a stage for the integration of logical identity and system of responsibilities. This is enhanced by the commitment that the young adult has to their spouse, jobs, and even parenthood. Perception is stretched to the third person. The ability is in turn the result of a conflict of authority. The perception from a third-person point of view gives one a position for judging conflicting views.

James Fowler in the book entitled Faithful Change (2000) looks at the function of his seven stages of faith development as a tool for assisting in understanding and projecting the changes which are might take place in the modern structures of reality in the process of entering the postmodern period. He investigates and tries to explain the common characteristics between the adolescent period when a person goes through a crisis as they advance from one stage of development to the other, alterations in the establishment of reality as a civilization shifts from one period in time to the other.

References

Berger, Kathleen. (2000). The developing person through the lifespan. New York: New York University Press.

Fowler, James. (2000). Faithful change: The personal and public challenges of postmodern life. Oklahoma: Abiding Press.

Fowler, James. (1996). Stages of faith: The psychology of human development. New Jersey.

Nottess, Charlie. Responses to uncertainty in a complex, changing postmodern world. 2009. Web.

Poll, Justin and Smith, Timothy. The spiritual self: Toward a conceptualization of spiritual identity development.

James Fowlers stages of faith in profile. Web.