Does Religion Influence A Person's Identity?
Mrs. Sauter
November 17, 2001
Psychology
Identity What is it that influences a person's identity? Is it their parents, where they live, religion, or their homes? When is it that they get one? Does it just magically appear when they are able to comprehend what is right and what is not, when they learn to write their name, or are they born with it? A person's identity is their own. Though people can influence their identity, nobody directly put it there and nobody could take it away. Everyone's identity is different because it is made up of factors and experiences throughout the course of their life. There is no one thing that would give a person their identity. How would one describe someone's identity? Is it the way they look, or …show more content…
People who grow up belonging to a religion would be a lot more likely to continue on with it when they grow older than someone who never believed in one, to start. Religion can have a rather large effect on a person forming an identity. If a person learns to treat others with respect and kindness as they were young, they may keep it with them as they turn into adults. On the other hand a religion could have negative effects on a person's identity. For instance, belonging to a cult that believes in sacrificing animals or even humans would not give a person a very nice identity. Especially when compared to a person who grew up as a practicing Roman Catholic. A person's beliefs can easily lead a person into making a decision, especially regarding ethics or kindness. The person growing up not caring about anything but themselves could easily make a different choice than a person that was taught to be respectful to other people. However this is not always the case, religion can only work if the person decides to follow it and adhere to it. A person who goes to church every Sunday with their parents and does not care about it will probably not have a large religious effect on their identity, it may even cause the person to think "who needs religion, it is useless." A person's identity is his own, they make it and develop it however they choose to. Religion may play a part, or not, it may be bad or good, but the individual has the final
November 17, 2001
Psychology
Identity What is it that influences a person's identity? Is it their parents, where they live, religion, or their homes? When is it that they get one? Does it just magically appear when they are able to comprehend what is right and what is not, when they learn to write their name, or are they born with it? A person's identity is their own. Though people can influence their identity, nobody directly put it there and nobody could take it away. Everyone's identity is different because it is made up of factors and experiences throughout the course of their life. There is no one thing that would give a person their identity. How would one describe someone's identity? Is it the way they look, or …show more content…
People who grow up belonging to a religion would be a lot more likely to continue on with it when they grow older than someone who never believed in one, to start. Religion can have a rather large effect on a person forming an identity. If a person learns to treat others with respect and kindness as they were young, they may keep it with them as they turn into adults. On the other hand a religion could have negative effects on a person's identity. For instance, belonging to a cult that believes in sacrificing animals or even humans would not give a person a very nice identity. Especially when compared to a person who grew up as a practicing Roman Catholic. A person's beliefs can easily lead a person into making a decision, especially regarding ethics or kindness. The person growing up not caring about anything but themselves could easily make a different choice than a person that was taught to be respectful to other people. However this is not always the case, religion can only work if the person decides to follow it and adhere to it. A person who goes to church every Sunday with their parents and does not care about it will probably not have a large religious effect on their identity, it may even cause the person to think "who needs religion, it is useless." A person's identity is his own, they make it and develop it however they choose to. Religion may play a part, or not, it may be bad or good, but the individual has the final