Effects of Religion on Children, Positive or Negative?
Running head: EFFECTS OF RELIGION 1
Effects of Religion on Children,
Positive or Negative?
Anthony C. Antonelli
Everglades University
EFFECTS OF RELIGION 2
Abstract
This work will discuss the positive as well as negative effects of religion on children. The factors of depression expressed through many published studies include: participation in religious practice, willingness to participate in illegal activities for children who go to church regularly in contrast to those who do not, children who have agnosticism parents that do not believe in gods versus those wherein parents are theistic, and the negative effects on children in more taboo religious practices. Points also articulated are: the increased pros or cons of parent involvement within the church and at home, as well as conflicting religious beliefs between parents in the household. Keywords: theism, agnosticism, children, morality
EFFECTS OF RELIGION 3
Effects of Religion
On Children and Adolescents Could religion be a bad thing for children; would dismissing religion be a better approach? Rich Deem (2010) found that studies at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill scrutinized the point made by Richard Hawkins in his work, “The God Delusion.” In his work, it states that religion can be bad for children. The study was completed over a pool of 2500 children, and the results clearly stated that children without religion in their regular routine were more likely to commit more of their time involving themselves in illicit activities versus that of children that regularly study doctrine from their church. In concurrence, Melinda Wenner (2008) found that John Bartkowski, a sociologist at Mississippi State University, surveyed parents and teachers of roughly 16,000 children, most of them within 5 to 7 years of age. He surveyed them in order to
Effects of Religion on Children,
Positive or Negative?
Anthony C. Antonelli
Everglades University
EFFECTS OF RELIGION 2
Abstract
This work will discuss the positive as well as negative effects of religion on children. The factors of depression expressed through many published studies include: participation in religious practice, willingness to participate in illegal activities for children who go to church regularly in contrast to those who do not, children who have agnosticism parents that do not believe in gods versus those wherein parents are theistic, and the negative effects on children in more taboo religious practices. Points also articulated are: the increased pros or cons of parent involvement within the church and at home, as well as conflicting religious beliefs between parents in the household. Keywords: theism, agnosticism, children, morality
EFFECTS OF RELIGION 3
Effects of Religion
On Children and Adolescents Could religion be a bad thing for children; would dismissing religion be a better approach? Rich Deem (2010) found that studies at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill scrutinized the point made by Richard Hawkins in his work, “The God Delusion.” In his work, it states that religion can be bad for children. The study was completed over a pool of 2500 children, and the results clearly stated that children without religion in their regular routine were more likely to commit more of their time involving themselves in illicit activities versus that of children that regularly study doctrine from their church. In concurrence, Melinda Wenner (2008) found that John Bartkowski, a sociologist at Mississippi State University, surveyed parents and teachers of roughly 16,000 children, most of them within 5 to 7 years of age. He surveyed them in order to