Belief (2.3)

Growing up a Protestant Christian, belief was always entwined with my personal concept of religion. I grew up believing at the core of my faith, belief in God came above everything. After this lesson I understand this way of thought now, and the issues it can bring when automatically turning to belief in the study of religion. Using the concept of belief to frame all religions can be disasterious. This view came from a Christian view of history and influence and can ‘simplify’ and very much leave out a variaty of people and their cultures.

By labeling a certain religion as a having a belief in a higher power, way of life or any other aspect is very generalizing. For example saying all Jewish people believe in God when some signifigant percentages don’t. Other instances could be in trying to compare say christianity to the practices of Native Americans, as mentioned in the Religion Bites Podcast. Colonists trying to pick out simularites in a culture so different was a set up for failure. By trying to classify with their beliefs they looked down on and shunned a rich culture and practice.