Question- Second Post

Do Congregations of religious groups serve different functions for new immigrants than for members whose families have been living in the society for several generations? Answer:The congregations in areas that are predominantly mono-religious very often open their arms to new immigrant’s families for a variety of reasons: to enhance the growth of the congregation as members of the congregation become literate and Americanized they tend to migrate to a more ethnically diverse setting. When ever possible new immigrants tend to use the religious school as the primary form of education, strengthening religious beliefs, customs, and social behavior, very often long-term relationships never stray far from the neighborhood. As long as the neighborhood tends to stay mono-ethnic little movements occurs. When new ethnic groups that has new values and customs migrate into the neighborhood opening it up to new experiences and cultures. The young tend to migrate out. The neighborhood hub tends to keep the traditions alive and the new members of the community tend to take on some of the flavor of the neighborhood. Religious institutions find that they have to accommodate for the new minority which in some cases becomes the majority. New houses of worship are built for the use of the new congregates. When the religion is the same religious services in the old house of worship accommodate the languages of the new immigrants sharing the same facility. In this case the religious customs meet to accommodate the new groups. When I came to the United States from Portugal, my parents moved into a primarily Portuguese neighborhood in Mount Vernon. Some years later, when my parents were financially able to move up we moved to and ethnically diverse neighborhood. My mother will sometimes go back to our old church for religious services. Though she finds it’s easier to go to the local church, I myself though not extremely religious prefer to use my local church. At the time of my marriage I chose to use a church of my own picking for its inner beauty.Even though, my mother would have preferred and requested our Old Portuguese Church.

Christianity

Christianity is a religion of about a billion people whose belief system centers on the person and teachings of Jesus Christ. To Christians, Jesus of Nazareth was and is the Messiah promised by God in the prophecies of the Old Testament. During his life, death, and resurrection he has freed those who believe in him from their sinful situation and made them receiver of God’s saving Grace. Many also await the Second Coming of Christ, which they believe will complete God design for salvation. Christianity quickly spread through the Mediterranean world and in the 4th century became the official religion of the Roman Empire. It also exists in all parts of the world but is most widespread in Europe, North and South America, and other areas occupied by Europeans or North Americans. According to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke each provide a different version of Jesus’ birth. Luke states that Mary, a young women “from a town in Galilee called Nazareth”, is engaged to a man named Joseph. There is no indication of where Joseph resides, except that he descends from “the house of David”, thus establishing Jesus messianic pedigree (Luke1:26-27). The Gospel of John, by contrast, explicitly refers to Joseph as originating “from Nazareth” (John 1:45). Luke describes how the archangel Gabriel appears to Mary to tell her that she would conceive, and bear a son, and that he would be named Jesus. Matthew describes that the angel appears to Joseph. Mary is found to be with child and Joseph, her engagement plans to dismiss her quietly without making a spectacle (Matthew 1:18-20). But the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, for the child is from the Holy Spirit. Christian tradition naturally places Jesus’ birth in the first year of the Common Era. It has been said that the birth of Jesus was attended by a bright star rising (Matthew2:2). Although the location of Jesus’ birth isn’t known for certain, we do know that he grew up in Nazareth. Tradition holds that Joseph was a carpenter. His firstborn (Jesus) would undoubtedly have been trained in his father’s craft. The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by John the Baptist appears in all four Gospels. They add that Jesus was about thirty years of age at the time. This fact suggests that the Baptism marked an influential point in Jesus’ life. Jesus abandoned his everyday pursuits and devoted himself to the search of God. Timeline: Ø 7- 4 B.C.E. - Jesus was born. Ø 26-28 C.E. - Jesus joins the movement of John the Baptist in Jordan River Valley. Ø 30-33 C.E. - Jesus is crucified at Golgotha on the orders of Pilate. Ø 62 C.E. - High Priest Ananus strikes against the Jesus Movement. Meaningful Days for Christians: All Saints’ Day: Is the celebration of all known and unknown Saints. It is observed on November 1st in the west. During the middle Ages, The feast was called All Hallows’ Day, giving its name to Halloween, the previous day. Christmas: Is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, which is celebrated on December 25th. Early Christianity translated the birth of Jesus, as a significant moment the church did not celebrate this event until the 4th century. This specific date is connected with the winter season. The traditional church calendar of Advent is one of quiet preparation and the celebration belonging to the Twelve Days (December25 – January 6). Ash Wednesday: In the western church, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and the Seventh Wednesday before Easter. Its name comes from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of worshipers to symbolize death and sorrow for our sins. In the Orthodox Church, Lent begins on a Monday rather than on Ash Wednesday. Palm Sunday: Is the Sunday before Easter Sunday. The traditions of Palm Sunday are the customs of blessing the palms and carrying the portions of the branches in a procession, to commemorate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. This custom can be traced back to the 4th century. Good Friday: It is known by Christians as the anniversary of Christ’s crucifixion. The name Good Friday is believed to be of God’s Friday. This day has been always cloudy and dedicated to prayer, atonement, and Fasting. Such Traditions as Good Friday would also consist of meditations, long and tedious talk, prayers focusing on the three-hour agony of Christ on the Cross, they were coming to an end in the Roman Catholic Church. Good Friday is observed as a legal holiday. Easter: Is the Christian festival that celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The spring festival gets its roots from the Jewish Passover. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon on or after March 21st. It also proceeds the period of preparation which is called Lent

Articles-Jung at Heart by Jan Jarboe Russell and Freud, Religion, and the Presence of Projective Identification by Ryan LaMothe

Though both Freud and Jung started the field of Psychoanalysis together just like the branches of a tree they grew in opposite directions. Freud primarily focusing on the negativity of belief in God, and Jung focusing on belief in God as being a mirror of ones own inner self. Though Jung believed in God he also focused on the concept that God was a positive image of the inner self. Freud believed that one uses God in the Guise of a neurosis. Freud also claimed that God is a defense mechanism. As I stated before Sigmund Freud dwells upon the negativity of faith and that the only redeeming dogma of religion in general is the identity a person receives through the belonging of a specific religion. Carl Jung believes that religion in general helps a person look into their inner self and form a relationship between themselves and God. Faith can be measured by the amount of trust a person puts into their personal experience with God.

Second Post- Dimensions of Religiosity

The five dimensions of Religiosity are: 1. Experiential are physical reactions and feelings can be measured via brain scan. Parts of the brain will light up during the experience. 2. Ritualistic is participation in the various physical activities deemed sacred by the religion. 3. Ideological is the dogma of the religious beliefs and writings to which all members are expected to follow. 4. Intellectual are the participants knowledge about the history and scriptures study and thought of the meaning. 5. Consequential are by how the religious teachings affect the person during everyday life and how they relate to humanity as a whole in relationship to their personal religious teachings. In general, people react to society through various tenants taught to them by family and religious teachings. In conversation with some people no matter how logical or illogical a statement might sound such as “only God has the right to judge”. When a totally illogical comment is made by that person and example of this is “if you do not accept Jesus as your personal savor, you will not go to heaven”. Yet, they are aware that the person they are speaking to is not a Christian. When brought to task for this statement and mentally realizing the content of what they said their unable to recon the difference between religious brainwashing and reality.

Book- Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Viktor Frankl spent the next three years at Auschwitz and three other camps. He would be the only member of his family that survived. In the first section of his book “Man’s Search for Meaning”, he describes the atrocities and inhumane suffering that he and his fellow prisoners were subject to. In those three years Frankl lost everything that mattered to him most, his wife, his family members, his home and all his earthly possessions including his medical practice. He writes that one day while he was waiting for the shower suddenly he became aware of how truly naked he was. “We really had nothing now except our bare bodies- even minus hair. All we possessed literally was our naked existence. The Nazis had taken virtually everything away from him and his fellow inmates, many of whom would eventually lose the will to live. But as Frankl discovered he and others who drew upon their inner resources managed to survive. Two of those inner resources were imagination and hope. Frankl and others survived by envisioning their futures they believed they would someday be freed and would go on to live happy and creative lives. The more specific their plans for the future are the more hope they had. They realized that no matter what the Nazis did to them they could not take away their right to think, their own hopes for the future, and their own attitudes, no matter how atrocious their immediate circumstances are. This is why Frankl called it the last of human freedoms. The fact that we as human beings have the ability to choose our own thoughts and attitudes makes a difference for the future. Even though things look bad, the idea of such a simple profound concept is ridiculed. Being able to understand this concept can be life changing, yet many people are completely unaware of it. Having meaning in life is similar to having goals. Goals will give a sense of purpose. Life has more meaning when we’re clear on what we want our life to be. Instead of merely existing from one day to the next, our goals give us reasons to start really living. Frankl watched several of his friends get killed in the camps. He also saw many men commit suicide while others simply lost the will to live and decided to give up. Frankl later wrote that throughout all the brutality and suffering, what bothered him most was to see his fellow prisoners decide that there was nothing to live for and then give up on life. We are free to choose our own purpose, we can wander aimlessly or we can search for a meaning in life, and then live according to it. We can live to please only ourselves or we can find a cause that is a greater one that helps us understand and appreciate life more fully. As Dr. Frankl stated in his book, the observations and experiences of many prisoners come in three phases: First the period following his entrance to the camp, Second the period where the prisoner is comfortable with his daily duties, third the time after his or her release and their liberation. The first psychological reaction that develops is shock. Under certain circumstances shock may even pass the prisoners cognitive ability. The next section begins by revisiting the psychological reaction of apathy and discussing the severe under nourishment of prisoners. Survival was difficult based on the amount of food they were receiving. A typical daily meal consisted of 10 oz piece of bread and 1 pint of water. Apathy is considered to be the main system because of its necessity as a defense mechanism. The main objective to one’s self is to save one’s life and that of a friend. The last section follows in psychological reactions of inspired experiences disillusioned. As Frankl had clear vivid images of his life, he saw the truth; the truth is love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which a man can aspire. He then grasped the meaning of the greatest secret of human thought and belief has to impart: the salvation of man is through love and in love. He understood how a man who has nothing left in his world may still know bliss. It can be only for a brief moment, in focusing on spiritual things as a form of private devotion to his wife.

Religious Experiences

There are many key features and religious experiences in which we can relate our own experiences to:

1. Numinous- a sense of awe and wonder that a person can feel from an experience.
2. Miracles-when God acts in the spiritual way through healing and/or prayer.
3. Mystical Experiences-being in the presence of God or becoming one with God.

Examples:

In the Bible, an Angel appeared to the Shepherd's to announce the birth of Jesus. They claimed That "the Angel of the Lord appeared to them". This type of religious experiences can be that of a mystical one. The shepherd's claimed that an Angel came to them and they were in the presence of God.

In Italy, a couple was given a statue of Madonna as a present after they were married. The women was experiencing pain from the pregnancy and knelt in front of the statue to pray for healing. This woman then noticed that the statue began to weep. This was a "brought upon" experience for this woman. It can be considered a numinous experience. Many people did not believe that this happened and went to see the statue. Most of the people did receive healing. One woman who had polio, was able to walk without braces after seeing the statue. This is a miraclous experience. Many other people claimed to have been healed by this staue.

Article- "Skeptics and Critically Thinking People of Faith Share Common Ground" by Micheal Shermer

Shermer's Explanation on the belief in God is part cognitive and biological. This is not true because of a belief from a parent doesn't mean you are going to be born to follow it. The cognitive part is a way of thinking that "people believe in God to control anxiety and enables one to blame bad outcomes on evil spirits or God's will". In the article it discusses how the leading skeptics are males. The leading publishers of skeptics books are males 110 male authors and only 4 females authors this may be because females are more open-minded and males beliefs are base mainly on facts. In my opinion, I believe that you can be influenced by society/friends on religion and not necessarily follow what your parents believe in. Also believe that you should be able to make a choice on what you believe in if you choose to believe in anything at all. It should always be a choice that you want to make in life. I also believe that people believe in a certain religion because of the sense of comfort and relief that is provided by that religion, so whatever the belief is of a certain individual is mainly because of the sense of brotherhood that they get from that religion and the comfort level that they get from it.