Reflection Paper On Fundamentalism

Fundamentalism, which in religion is taking literal the text of a holy book, affects childhood in various negatives (and positive) ways. It leaves critical thinking skills underdeveloped and causes many children to be afraid of punishment or judgment if they detract from the religion. In addition, many children are kept isolated and have to learn social skills, and how to enjoy things their peers have already discovered. In the few positive ways it affects people in the religion, fundamentalism can teach discipline and regard for rules.

Fundamentalism leaves little room for questions, which are regarded as heretical or a sign of disbelief. For example, if you were to ask why did Jesus have to die to save the world, you would not get a

Many times I myself was tempted to question something, before I would remind myself that I could not incorporate earthly logic into the high meanings of Scripture. So for most of my childhood, I avoiding asking myself penetrating questions about what I had been taught, and about

There are passages on fasting, on sex and marriage, Communion, church services, speaking in tongues, parents and children. Most of these passages reflect first century AD mores and not modern sentiments, but because fundamentalists see everything in black and white, they cannot separate concept from practice. Today 's culture is very different from the way anyone in Paul 's time would have lived, and there is little to salvage except basic moralities like honesty, kindness, and resourcefulness. But fundamentalists teach that any sort of detraction from these rules is heresy. Children are told they if they sin, they must go and repent for that specific sin immediately or else they are not in God 's favor. And if they died at the very moment? They would go to hell. Because it 's easy to scare children, these children in fundamentalist households come up very conscientious of anything they