Princess Gayle Barrera

BSA 4C
Relgion

Religion is a very large subject. It crosses many different boundaries in human experience that

is why it is extremely difficult to define. Many attempts have been made and while every theory has its

own limitations, each perspective contributes to our understanding of this complex phenomenon. One

of the persons who talk about with regards to this matter is Dr. Scott Peck, an American psychiatrist

who used his studies and lectures to share his insights into the urgent questions of personal spiritual

growth.

According to Dr. Peck, there is no single, monolithic religion. There are many religions, and

perhaps many levels of belief. Some religions may be unhealthy for some people; others may be

healthy. Everyone has a religion no matter how limited or inaccurate their world views are because we

all have different understanding about it mainly influenced by our culture and environment. Some think

that they possess a certain kind of religion but in reality, they are possessed by a far different kind. Say

for example a man who claims to be an atheist yet deep within him lies a strange faith; an assumption

that there is a force who controls everything in the world. This is according to him, already a religion.

It is also but important to define belief in God for it has always been attached to religion. Belief

in God is recognizing a higher being who is superior and powerful among all other beings. It is more

than a hand-me-down variety of belief where you are ought to believe because that is what your parents

taught you or what you have learned in school. It must come within. Belief in God is not to throw the

baby out with the bath water, that is not to reject an entire idea or concept or practice if only part of it is

good. It means not to judge Him by reason of the dirty things that were associated to Him like the holy

wars, superstition and the like. In order to fully grasp our belief in God we must be skeptical, become

scientist of our own, but not to the extent that we become bias. We should balance and weigh things,

only then we know the essence of God in our life.

 Indeed the problem falls on to the issue on dogmatism, defined as unfounded positiveness in

matters of opinion and the arrogant assertion of opinions as truths . dogmatist is "a person who asserts

his or her opinions in an arrogant manner . A dogmatic person may have mistaken moral principles

inculcated from childhood, along with hatred to questioning them. Such a person lacks the cognitive

capacity required for choice. Thus a choice for morality goes wrong. Just like the cases of Kathy,

Marcia and Ted, a person will continuously suffer the pain in the thoughts of having unchangeable

views with regards to God, that somehow obliges him to reject other ideas and information no matter

how they've hurt them, if and only if he open himself to the truth and reality of his moral sense ans

exercise his reasons.