Life of Pi Pre-Read Socratic Seminar Essay Example
Pi reflects on religion constantly, but he does mention that he always goes back to his Hindu customs and rituals that he grew up with. Do you believe that religious or people with strong belief systems growing up always have that religion as their bases for many decisions in their life? Does that religious belief ever change?
I feel as though the religion will always be the base for decisions. Even if the person may stray away from that religion, the foundation that was put into their mind by that religion will stay. I know that for me, I grew up in a Christian environment. I went to all the Sunday school classes, VBS activities, volunteered at church, but I remember soon getting very agitated with the very people who I knew to be Christian. My family were leaders within the Christian community: pastors, musicians, teachers, wives of pastors, so it didn’t quite make sense that I saw them in acts of betrayal, dishonesty, and anger toward one another. Despite my becoming Atheist at that point in my life, I couldn’t relinquish the morals that I had grown up with: unconditional love for others, forgiveness, non-violence and conservation of the body and mind. I may not have sensed God’s presence then and there, but the religion was still there. In all instances of my life, I still find myself trying my best to follow the morals I grew up with no matter what I come to believe. I see that today in society it is important to raise our children in a well-mannered household. If a parent wants them to grow up well, they must teach them first the morals they want their family to uphold. But they must also place a certain amount of importance on it and let the child understand that it IS important and MUST be followed or it won’t stick with them.
I don’t think that the religion or morals change, however meld themselves to fit the new beliefs of the person. If they believe so strongly toward something, they WILL keep it and honor it.
Pi states that the
I feel as though the religion will always be the base for decisions. Even if the person may stray away from that religion, the foundation that was put into their mind by that religion will stay. I know that for me, I grew up in a Christian environment. I went to all the Sunday school classes, VBS activities, volunteered at church, but I remember soon getting very agitated with the very people who I knew to be Christian. My family were leaders within the Christian community: pastors, musicians, teachers, wives of pastors, so it didn’t quite make sense that I saw them in acts of betrayal, dishonesty, and anger toward one another. Despite my becoming Atheist at that point in my life, I couldn’t relinquish the morals that I had grown up with: unconditional love for others, forgiveness, non-violence and conservation of the body and mind. I may not have sensed God’s presence then and there, but the religion was still there. In all instances of my life, I still find myself trying my best to follow the morals I grew up with no matter what I come to believe. I see that today in society it is important to raise our children in a well-mannered household. If a parent wants them to grow up well, they must teach them first the morals they want their family to uphold. But they must also place a certain amount of importance on it and let the child understand that it IS important and MUST be followed or it won’t stick with them.
I don’t think that the religion or morals change, however meld themselves to fit the new beliefs of the person. If they believe so strongly toward something, they WILL keep it and honor it.
Pi states that the