Common Practices in Religion Essay Example for Free

Common Practices in Religion Essay What is Religion? The term religion comes from the Latin word ‘religare’ which means to bind. In the world today, there are different forms of religious groups and followings that have unique beliefs and practices depending on their history. It is estimated that there are thousands of religions in the world, including the mainstream religious groups and others that are not known. One of the common characteristics of religious groups is that they all believe in the existence of a supreme being. However, there are those who don’t believe in religion. For such people, religion only assumes the existence of a supreme being while there is no substantive evidence to support the said belief. According to Norris Inglehart, through the practice of atheism, atheists believe that religion is just a fallacy that might have developed in the past and passed on from generation to generation through the various teachings in culture (2011). For enthusiasts, the reason people are afraid to question religious teachings is because of the fear of repercussions that are likely to occur due to such disbelief. Under this context, religion was assumed to be a creation of scholarly studies in the past with philosophers trying to establish how religion came into being. The major question is what religion is all about and what entails the aspects of it. For most people, there is a thin line between culture and religion. This explains why different cultures have their specific religion and beliefs. However, there are various contentious issues that have never been solved over the years. One thing that would totally shift the paradigm and, in extension, the balance of nature, is if it turned out that no supreme beings the religions are based upon exist. Such a situation would totally erode the gains made in the religious world today and also lead to mass confusion among the staunch religious followers. However, some of the religious beliefs are so strong  that they cannot be influenced by any emerging trend regarding their faith. â€Å"Most of the common definition of religion excludes some fundamental facts about religion and offering an adequate explanation of what religion is† (Hood et al., 2009). From a general perspective, religion is commonly defined as the belief in God. This belief, however, is considered as vague as it excludes some of the ideas that characterize some religious followings such as atheism. If religion was to be solely defined as the belief in God, what would the other religious groups that either believe in a different supreme being and those of atheism be referred to as? This tendency of generalization is what often causes some misconception that is associated with how religion is defined. Then what is the worldview of religion and how is it defined in different places around the world? There are arguments that religion is not hard to define, but rather it is the people themselves who often create the confusion regarding its definition. According to Heelas (2005), one of the greatest challenges is how to define religion without excluding any religious beliefs or followings in the word today. However, there is a conventional way of defining religion which incorporates the primary fundamentals of religion. The following are the fundamentals of religion; The belief in a supernatural being. A clear distinction of what is regarded as the moral way of doing things in accordance with the different religious beliefs and practices. Various rituals that are commonly attributed to the religious groups from different parts of the world. Religious groups have various rituals that characterize the specific religion and establish a code of conduct in which members are supposed to operate. A specific way of communicating with God is done through prayers. However, distinct religious groups have a specific way of praying and other practices that accompany prayers. Different religious feelings that are often experienced whenever the practice is taking place. In some religious groups, members engage in incarnations and a sense of adoration. In other groups, however, there is always the aspect of guilt and repentance during religious sermons. From this approach, the worldview related to religion and what religion entails becomes clear. In most cases, it is believed that religion and religious groups in extensions are very different. This explains why there is no single approach as to what entails  religious practices. However, there is a common characteristic of religion that can be used to generalize the practice from a worldview perspective. In the world today, religion continues to shape the life of the people, whereby the religious followings and teachings provide a guideline on how people are supposed to live and interact with each other and with God. The mainstream religious groups attract millions of followers, which is an indication of just how strong religious faith is. In addition, there are thousands of religious followings that are not captured in the mainstream studies of religion but continue to exist with their distinct religious practices. Religion can, therefore, be universally defined as a compilation of religious systems that share a common belief and focus on the unique characteristics of the members of religious faith. References Heelas, P., Woodhead, L., Seel, B., Tusting, K., Szerszynski, B. (2005). The Spiritual Revolution: Why Religion is Giving Way to Spirituality. Blackwell. Hood Jr, R. W., Hill, P. C., Spilka, B. (2009). Psychology of religion: An empirical approach. Guilford Press. Norris, P., Inglehart, R. (2011). Sacred and secular: Religion and politics worldwide. Cambridge University Press.

Organization :: essays papers

Organization Initializing a classroom is the hardest part in teaching. It is a new beginning with the students, parents, and teachers. There is no possible way to start off a classroom by jumping into a lesson plan and expecting the students to learn. Students must be familiar with their surroundings and their classmates in order to establish a comfort level. "An educator must be well-organized and planned. The students must be able to trust the teacher and their peers that the classroom will be a safe place. It is very difficult to establish the right atmosphere with a group of students if it is not there from the first day of school" (Matthews A19). The first six week time period is usually set aside for establishing a climate with the students. There is a method known as, â€Å"morning meeting.† This is a daily scheduled routine. Every morning in the beginning of class the students are taught to sit in a circle and talk. They are first told to shake hands with the children nex t to them and become friendly with one another. Next they go around the circle giving everyone a brief introduction of themselves. For the most part, students are asked their name, age, and their hobbies. This activity not only gets the children acquainted with each other, but it also produces certain learning skills which need to be present. This teaches social skills, eye contact, self confidence, comfort, etc. The children become focused in others and interested in making friends. Without â€Å"ice breaker† events, students often have a hard time interacting with their peers. â€Å"A survey was conducted that asked children ‘How much do you like to play with this person in school?’ The lowest three females and males were then focused on for improvement of their social skills. Would you want this to be your child?† (Ladd 172). Student social skills play a large role in initializing an effective classroom setting. Now, since the students are acquainted with one another and their attention is captured, a beneficial prelude to begin teaching is established. Initializing A Classroom Teachers have a harder role than what is presumed. â€Å"†¦As ever, the discussion is couched in terms of contrasting the relative strengths and limitations of a whole class and group

Filipino Psychology: on Spirituality, Homosexuality, Psychopathology Essay

Psychopathology is said to be the deviation of an individual’s behavior as compared to the norms of the society. It is classified into two—neurosis and psychosis. In a third world country like ours, it is a fact that poor people outnumber the rich ones, that’s why most Filipinos are prone to having problems, especially economic/financial ones. For some, these problems lead to emotional and psychological disturbances. But the question lies on which extent does these disturbances lead to, whether the individual is still intact with reality or not anymore. This is where the study of psychopathology comes in, focusing on the different dynamics of mental disorders in the Philippines, like on what reasons why the Filipinos lose their sanity or on what standards do the society perceive these insane people. More often that not, when a Filipino encounters a neurotic, one who manifests emotional conflict but still is able to be in touch with reality, he would usually do all things to help that person out. This is due to the notion of the Filipino’s intrinsic pakikipagkapwa. He is naturally concerned with the problematic person’s emotional and psychological well-being. Whether he may be the person’s relative, friend, or even just a co-worker, he would provide aid so as to ease the person’s burden. He wouldn’t want him to become a baliw. But what happens if the person becomes a baliw? There are different trends on how the Pinoys treat the baliw. If the person has a coherent family system and his family has money, then he probably would be treated with some kind of psychotherapy, psychopharmacology or be sent in a special school (as for the case of special people). If in case he indeed has supportive relatives but don’t have the money for therapy, then he would just be kept inside the house, treated by the other family members as normally as possible and without any intervention. But if his family is very poor or very unsupportive of him because of his mental illness, then that person would be seen wandering in the streets, and people would be scared of him probably because he is shouting and untidy or lost and walking naked. Through this we could infer that the Filipino society in general has attributed a negative implication on the baliws. Since the Filipinos as a whole have close family systems, it is important to note that the concept of family is a significant aspect on the individual’s mental illness. The Filipino psychopathology indeed adheres somehow to the family systemic model, believing that a person’s pathology is attributed to his family systems. In a society that expects everyone to have not only smooth interpersonal relationships but also smooth family relationships, a person might find it hard to cope up with his problems when his family has defective communication or is shattered in structure. Sure, he could seek aid/comfort from his friends, but certainly on the back of his mind and in the depths of his heart, he is utterly concerned that his family is not like the other happy Filipino families he has known. It is also vital to note that culture is a big part on the study of Filipino psychopathology. We have to be aware that there are some beliefs that for us may be normal but for other cultures may be aberrant. One profound example of this is the people’s belief on the faith healers. Some of these individuals would claim that they are able to talk to some famous hero or saint, or they had encountered apparitions, and this was the cause why they were endowed with such gift of healing. Faith healers are indeed part of our culture, but are we to believe such convictions, or would we think that those are just the distorted thinking of the faith healer? Surely with such behaviors, the DSM IV would categorize these faith healers as individuals manifesting the symptoms of the schizophrenics. But among all, what is most essential to take notice on is the present situation on the interventions that is available to the mentally ill individuals. A person does not need to go into the public mental institution to see the repugnant condition of the patients there. Just a whole day’s stay in the streets of Cubao or Quiapo would enable him to see a number of psychopathologic individuals either naked or begging for alms. It is just disappointing to know that these individuals are least prioritized, and the fact that the society has lost hope in them. I think that this should not be the case, because these mentally ill individuals in fact still has the chance of getting well. I believe that curative status of the psychologically imbalanced individuals should be improved and actually be well funded by the government. These people would just remain discriminated and a burden to the society unless the society understands, takes notice, and prioritizes their well-being. But I wonder, when would this actually happen? I fervently hope that it would be sooner than later, or else, the people whom we know as baliws (crazy people) would just live miserably for the rest of their lives. ******************************************************************************************** On Filipino Religiosity and Spirituality Our country is composed of a hodgepodge of different religions, although it is a fact that this is a predominantly Christian country. But whatever religion that a Filipino may adhere to, it is part of his culture to go to church or to do whatever deed that his dogma tells him to do. Indeed, most Filipinos are perceived to be religious, especially if they belong to the Catholic community. It is evident though, by the way churches always fill up on Sundays, how streets and plazas are filled up by devout crowds during fiestas of some saint, or by the number of saints that are displayed on their altars. So we say that we Filipinos are in fact religious, but can we say that we are spiritual? There is a big difference between religiosity and spirituality. In the discussion we had in class, there have been different insights that the class has imparted. It has been said that religion is more of an external concept whereas spirituality is an internal one. It was also pointed out that religion is one’s system of beliefs or creed and that spirituality is the personal relationship with whoever god one believes in. I think the whole class agreed that religion is indeed a system of beliefs in which he bases his principle as well as his lifestyle in. It is an institution in which an individual belongs to (in the case that he is not an agnostic), and the teachings embedded therein would direct him to his purpose in life. As the discussion went on, the class was able to probe deeper upon the subject of spirituality. There were notions that what if one does not believe in spirits, then there is a probability that he would not possess spirituality of any kind. There was even an idea that spirituality is just a concept which was produced out of the people’s attachment to groups and their will to put order in the inevitable chaos that they will encounter. I guess spirituality is harder to define, because this concept not only encompasses the issues related with religion but on science, ethics, and morality as well. There was a social psychologist (Diarmuid O’Murchu) that said, â€Å"Spirituality concerns an ancient and primal search for meaning that is as old as humanity itself, and belongs–as an inherent energy–to the evolutionary unfolding of creation itself. There is set in motion in all aspect of creation a spirit that holds everything in place and directs everything to its end, gives each a place of rest in this vast universe, a home, a meaning, and a relevance. All life responds to life, and all life is drawn to what is life-giving. We follow the spirit that is in our nature, the spirit that is our nature. † I have pondered on this quote and had thought that every individual should search for his own spirituality so as to get meaning and relevance in his life. Moreover, spirituality is inherent within us, and to ignore this spirituality would mean one would also disregard the inherent energy that he possesses. ******************************************************************* On Filipino Homosexuality Pagkababae and Pagkalalaki The differences between men and women are attributed by what society dictates them to be. Here in the Philippines, society, especially the family, plays a vital role in the lives of the people. As what was discussed in class about pagkababae and pagkalalaki, there are specific roles and actions that a man and a woman should do. It is expected that for one to be a Filipina, she should be refined, modest, loyal, and be a perfect mother and wife. The Filipino, on the other hand, is expected to be brave, decisive, and be the family’s provider and disciplinarian. With this set-up, I think that indeed, there exists gender inequality in this society. For the longest time, the Filipinas are regarded as weak, quiet, and feeble individuals. During the Spanish time, they were only made to stay inside the house and do the household chores and are only allowed to go out when it is time to go to church. They were even not allowed to go to school, for they are also regarded as unintelligent individuals. There were very little opportunities for women. In these contemporary times, they say that there has been a change in the society’s view of the Filipinas. But changed as it is, stereotypes still remain. There are a lot who do not trust and look down on the skills and abilities of women. Because for them, the men are still the better, stronger, and more powerful sex. There are only a few women who stand as the head of their family, and at most times, it is the husband who decides for the whole family. This is because of the ascription that men should be decisive and women should be submissive. Or else, the Filipino would be regarded as under de saya. That designation would be a batter for the Filipino’s ego. One of the Filipinas’ disadvantageous qualities is that they are always sensitive and emotional. They are easy to fall in love and tend to cry easily—maybe this is the disadvantage of it. But what is advantageous of it tough, is that since they are emotional, they are likely able to let out their sentiments and hurt feelings. On the other hand, if the Filipinos would cry his heart out over a problem or heartache, there is a possibility that he would be thought of as corny or even bakla. Thus, he has to keep things by himself and cry alone. This is also probably the reason why women complain that men are very insensitive. With the women’s characteristics that tend to be more family-oriented than the men, would we say that women are better spouses and parents? When it comes to the strength and decisiveness of men, is it safe to say that men are indeed stronger, thus they are better workers than women? In my opinion, a Filipino and a Filipina have characteristics of their own. People should not waste time on determining if such sex is better than the other. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and we should learn how to respect the weaknesses of each other. I think that in assessing people, we must look at a person’s characteristics first, not on the gender that he or she has. Although sexuality has a great bearing on person’s identity as a whole, their sex and gender performance is generally a deeper core identity and is not necessarily influenced by their sexuality. Bakla Sward, Bading, Jokla, Transvestite, Closet queen, Bi- these are among the usual labeling of Filipino gay men. On the other hand, terms like tibo, lesbo, butch, t-bird, tomboy are entitled to Filipina lesbians. For years, gays and lesbians have been a marginalized group in our society, and it was only about three decades ago that they had started to come out into the open. But even though they are already increasing in number and revealing their true identities to the public, one question still remains. Has the society fully accepted the gays and lesbians? All over the world sex and gender diverse people are being legally and socially disadvantaged, discriminated against, excommunicated from their religions, attacked, beaten up, raped, sexually assaulted, murdered both in public and covertly. Nothing perhaps can be more frustrating than to be denied a fair chance at self-improvement and be deprived of basic services because of sexual orientation. For many years gays and lesbians have had to contend with this reality, and whether much has changed for them through the years is still an unanswered question. Here in our country, gays and lesbians are also given a hard time because of their sexual orientation. A gay child would receive tremendous mockery upon his friends’ realization that he is gay. A lesbian adolescent would more or less gain a few friends because she is sexually deviant. A gay worker could even be accused of stealing money from the company, in order to finance his lover (or papa). These are some of the hardships that gay and lesbians undergo in our society. Due to these adversities, gays and lesbians strived to succeed in the workplace (especially gays). Many gays and lesbians are now holding reputable positions in companies. Slowly, they are able to go up the ladder of the people’s approval that they are actually an integral part of the society.

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act - 787 Words

Sebrena Pierce CD 115 Jones 4/1/16 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act The law or act that I chose to do my research paper on was the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. As a student with a disability this act helped out tremendously throughout my educational journey. There are 6.5 million individuals who receive some type of special education services. The IDEA act created a positive stigmatism on individuals with disabilities. IDEA should be able to continue to create a positive impact on the lives of students with disabilities. The IDEA was placed because many students with disabilities did not receive any educational services that they needed to help them in school. It was an unfortunate situation because a majority†¦show more content†¦This is basically early intervention for both infants and toddlers. Lastly, is part D which is National Activities to Improve Education of Children with Disabilities. For a child to fall under IDEA and have special educational services they must have an IE P (Individualized Educational Plan). AN IEP helps a student and guide them on their educational goals and objectives. All the goals and objectives must be long term with objectives in order for them to be met. The reason being that if there is a change in performance of a student they will be able to find a suitable solution to reach that goal. For IDEA, it affects families and children in a positive way. Families have a right to know what type of services will be provided for the child. In order for the to happen a family are required to have an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). It is just like the IEP, but it is instead for the family. This is supposed to highlight the concerns and resources that can be made available to both the families and the child. The families should be involved when creating the IFSP to make sure all their concerns and questions are answered. A family also have a right to file a complaint if the services or evaluations aren’t being met for t he child. As for the effects of the child under the IDEA they should have these rights or principles that accompanies them. The first one is that they can be excluded from a free or appropriate education. There should be as manyShow MoreRelatedIndividuals With Disabilities Education Act930 Words   |  4 PagesIndividuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 went into effect July 01, 2005. IDEA Part C covers children through the age of two, Part B covers children from the age of three to twenty-one. Children with disabilities are guaranteed special education services, and a fair and impartial education regardless of what or severity of their disability, from the time they are born to the time they graduate high school. The families of the children with disabilities cannot be asked to pay for specialRead MoreThe Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Essay1666 Words   |  7 PagesThe Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which originally began as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (EHA), was created to ensure a free and appropriate public education to children with disabilities. This policy was implemented in an effort to provide equal access to education for all. Prior to 1975, the needs of children with disabilities were highly overlooked. According to the Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Serv ices (2010)Read MoreThe Individuals With Disabilities Education Act1711 Words   |  7 Pages The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Meaning of â€Å"Free Appropriate Public Education† for Students with Disabilities is detailed below: Congress passed the IDEA in 1975 to ensure that children with disabilities had the opportunity to receive an appropriate education. To qualify for federal funding under the Act, a state must demonstrate that it has a policy in effect that â€Å"assures all handicapped children the right to a free appropriate education.†6 IDEA requires school districtsRead MoreThe Individuals With Disabilities Education Act1535 Words   |  7 PagesTHE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA) IDEA is the main law addressing the education of children and adolescents with disabilities. 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InfantsRead MoreThe Individuals With Disabilities Education Act2065 Words   |  9 PagesThe Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, also known as IDEA was originally created in 1975 to ensure that children with disabilities were given the opportunity to receive a free and adequate education. IDEA has been revised and many times since 1975, the most recent being in 2004. IDEA consists of parts A, B, C, and D. Part A outlines the basic foundation, and defines terms used throughout the act. Part B outlines the responsibilities of schools to educate students aged 3-21. The IndividualsRead MoreIndividuals With Disabilities Education Act1688 Words   |  7 Pages INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT IDEA - - - - A law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. http://idea.ed.gov/ IDEA -Was originally enacted by Congress in 1975 to ensure that children with disabilities have the opportunity to receive a free appropriateRead MoreThe Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Essay2262 Words   |  10 Pages The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a four-part piece of American legislation that ensures students with disabilities will receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that meets their individual needs. From 1975 to 1990, IDEA was known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA). In 1990, the United States Congress reauthorized EHA and changed the title to IDEA (Public Law No. 94-142). This law had a dramatic, yet positive impact on millions of childrenRead More Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Essay1626 Words   |  7 Pagesprinciple behind IDEA was to ensure an equal opportunity for all children. In order to affect that idea, we have to find a balance between all children’s needs. In 1975, came the passage of the federal Education of All Handicapped Children Act, now revised as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 1990). For handicapped children, the law was long overdue. The designers of IDEA saw the mselves as progressive reformers, designing fairer, more responsive schools. The lawmakers were attemptingRead MoreThe Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Orders1729 Words   |  7 PagesThe Individuals With Disabilities Education Act orders all states to give disabled students a free and appropriate education. Many schools in the United States mainstream disabled students and have succeeded in properly educating them, along with creating a safe environment where they are socially comfortable and accepted. However, there are too many incidents where teachers improperly handle these students and administrators do not give enough money to fund adequate supplies for these students.