Religious Freedom and Discrimination

         Inspiration for Elevation

        Today, it seems like there is a rise in discrimination against different groups and cliques of people. I want to focus with religious discrimination and how we may help lower discrimination against each other. I would like to focus my efforts on the younger generations of people, because they are the future. They are the people that need to change so that we can be able to have a more peaceful and brighter future for the human race.

The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” (“The First Amendment”) This means that religious discrimination should not be used in any situation including school and work. Could religions be experiencing more discrimination than they have in the past? People feel as if they have been discriminated at school and work because of what they believe in. This happens because of different beliefs, culture, and opinions. They sometimes contradict each other and force hatred and confusion to be brought up. How could we help prevent this discrimination from spreading? One way that could prevent discrimination from spreading is to gather all faiths together and discuss and clear up what we all believe. On Facebook we are able to gather many people together and discuss many things. So, Facebook groups could help promote these discussions and help each other understand one another. Creating a survey about how people personally feel about religious discrimination and showing the results in a public place such as Facebook could help give a realization to the general public of how we need to become less discriminating could help as well.

            The United States of America allows the people to have the right to believe whatever religion they choose, through the First Amendment. This means that people should be able to practice their religion in any environment. Two places that have been controversial with how and if religion should be practiced are in the school and work place.

            In the article, “Parents say La. Public School Discriminated against Buddhist Student,” written by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, it gives an example of how people can be discriminated at school: The son of Sharon and Scott Lane, who are Buddhist, complained about having religious discrimination at school because of his Non-Christian background. Their son was marked down on test scores, called “stupid”, and was given tests about Christianity for his grade. The Lanes tried to negotiate with the school, but they responded by telling the Lanes that they are on the “Bible Belt” and that they should look for a school with more students that fit in with him. With that response, the Lanes took the school to court, and won. Because of the choices the school made, the consequences given to them were to stop using religious teachings in school, stop discriminating against other peoples beliefs, getting rid of religious books in the school curriculum, and to stop sharing personal beliefs to the students. We can see that there can be intense situations in school where people can become religiously discriminated. This needs to stop so that everyone came feel welcome and safe no matter where they are.

            The consequences given to the school was a good example of what should have been done before the situation became a problem. The problem was that school leaders and other students were going against another person and bringing up religion in a government sponsored institution. We should help make everyone feel welcome, no matter their background. It is okay that we share our beliefs in the right manor and environment, but to share it to bring someone down is not how it should be done.

            In another article called, “Abercrombie Religious Discrimination Case Less Than Cool For Supreme Court, Sikh Americans” written by Gurjot Kaur, explains how religious discrimination is happening in the work place. Samantha Elauf, a Sikh, applied for a job at Abercrombie and Fitch but was not hired because she wears a hijab. Although Abercrombie and Fitch have a “no headwear policy” (Kaur), Samantha had collaborated with a current employee and friend about wearing a hijab to the interview and was told it would not be a problem.  She had no idea of the rule when she walked into her interview. Kaur compares this problem with another situation that happened in 2008. Another “Sikh Applicant” (Kaur), who applied for a car dealership, was denied because he had a beard for religious purposes. Later the car dealership made a policy of allowing beards for religious purposes. This is how we should be taking these situations at work places. We should not deny people to work because of things that they religiously believe. What difference does it make that people will wear a hijab at a clothing store or another person having a beard at a car dealership? Companies and businesses would not have these problems if they would allow peoples religious beliefs not be something that would stand in the way of a person being jobless or not.

            On the other hand, there are things that are rising up that dismiss the idea of why we should not care about religious discrimination. One big one is that people are starting to dismiss the idea of religion. The writer of the website “A Good Life without Religion” writes about how things would be better if religion was not involved in our lives. In the introduction to the website it says, “… you're fed up with the way that religion is creeping into all aspects of public life – into politics, education (faith schools, for example), welfare services, and so on.” (Suffolk Humanists and Secularists) People are getting sick of how religion is getting pushed into all areas of our lives. They feel as if everything will become better if we all came together and believed that there is no God. If this were to happen, we would not have as many problems in schools or at work.

            Though the idea of no religion may attract to some people, it is unrealistic at this time. So how could we help religious discrimination come to an end? One way that could help is to make people aware of the situation. One way to do that is on social media, especially on Facebook. A survey of could be made of how people feel about religious discrimination and share the results on Facebook so people can become more aware of religious discrimination.

With Facebook, people can come together easier and make a group so that they would be able to receive news feed and information about different religions so that people can become more connected and understanding about each other. To allow people to be updated on how the world needs to change to let everyone come together. As well as to share each other’s beliefs so that discrimination on false accusations on different beliefs will be understood. To inform others of these things will help stop confusion and ridicule of different religions because they will be able to understand more of each other. Another way is to set up a survey people can take to let each other know how we feel about religious discrimination. People do not like being falsely accused and bullied of their beliefs and religion. If the survey’s statistics were to be shared, people will be able to know that all people want to be treated equally even though we are all different. I will count the efforts successful by how much involvement people have in the group on Facebook. People will get involved by asking and answering questions about each other’s faiths, commenting on quotes, and sharing them on their “Walls”.

            In conclusion, people are being discriminated because of their religious beliefs. This kind of discrimination is happening everywhere, such as: school and work. Because of the culture we live in, the opinions we have, and contradicting beliefs that exist; we look down on each other. We need to help stop others from allowing religious discrimination to spread. This is possible if we are able to help understand each other. We can do this by sharing how we feel and sharing our beliefs on a community social media site and doing a survey on religious discrimination. By doing this, it would stop court cases and hatred for one another.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Works Cited

“First Amendment”. Legal Information Institute. Cornell University Law School, n.d. Web. 29

March 2015.

“Hello”. A Good Life without Religion. Suffolk Humanists and Secularists, 2010.Web. 29 March                     2015.

Kaur, Gurjot. “Abercrombie Religious Discrimination Case Less Than Cool for Supreme Court,

Skih Americans”. Huffington Post. N.p. 2 March 2015. Web. 13 March 2015

“Parents say LA. Public School Discriminated Against Buddhist Student”. Church and State.

Americans United For Separation of Church and State, April 2014. Web. 29 March 2015.   “Religious Discrimination.” U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. n.p., n.d.       

             Web. 12 March 2015

The Importance of a Paradigm Shift

            Is it important to change our perspective on the world to understand how others see it? Stephen R. Covey, the author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, has a sub-section in his book that explains the “power of paradigms”. A paradigm, “is how we ‘see’ the world - not in terms of our visual sense of sight, but in terms of perceiving, understanding, (and) interpreting” (31). Covey effectively uses personal experiences and other examples to appeal to the audience of those that want to improve themselves to become more interdependent such as parents, business owners, or those trying to lose weight. He does this by appealing to us with emotion, credibility, and logic in order to inform us about how to change the way we see the world around us for the better.

            During the time Covey expands on the power of a paradigm, he uses a well written personal experience he had many times during his life. It starts out in his class at Harvard University, when the teacher gave two pictures of two different women to each side of the class. The teacher then showed a picture that looked like both of the pictures. The class had to explain to each other their view of the picture, which caused an argument. Eventually, the classmates showed each other their paradigms of the picture, and the conflict was resolved.

This affects us emotionally because this experience gives us the opportunity to see how we, and those around us, feel about different points of view. People have these kinds of experiences all the time. Certain things come up, and people will have different opinions of what should be done and how things should be. When the students were debating if the picture was an old woman or a young woman, there were indifferent feelings towards each side of the class. Maybe anger, frustration, and irritation. How many times in history has the conflict of blindness of each other’s paradigms caused conflict in the world? Misunderstood points of views have started wars and broken relationships.

Once people understand one another’s paradigm, things can become so much better. Just like the students at Harvard, they eventually took the time to explain and show how each side of the class was right. It made them feel less frustrated. They could feel more accepting to the other’s view points. Anyone can relate to this story emotionally. Everyday people will go through experiences where two opinions will conflict with each other. They will just need to decide to either take no effort to see where the other is coming from or to try to see each other’s paradigm.

              Covey explains that a “map” (31) is our paradigm. It is the way we perceive what is going on around us. He uses an example of having a map of Chicago. Using this example he says, “Suppose you wanted to arrive at a specific location in central Chicago” (31). He explains that having a map of Chicago would be of great use to getting to that specific place.  But, if you had a map that was not of Chicago and you were trying to get to that place, it would not be effective.

            If someone were to try and improve different attributes such as their “behavior” (31) or “attitude” (31). Without the right tools and maps, they would not be able to improve their attributes. Covey explains, “… You’d be lost. The fundamental problem has nothing to do with your behavior or your attitude. It has everything to do with having the wrong map” (31). Through these examples of having maps, Covey explains the logic of the power of paradigms.

            This is another experience we all face. We all want to improve ourselves, but we sometimes do not want to use the tools given to us to achieve what is wanted. This example explains what is needed before we are able to use our paradigms and help others see what we believe and see in the world. We all need preparation to understand what we perceive in the world. As we continue to find the correct map for our lives, it prepares us to encounter other peoples’ maps.  

            With all this insight, Covey relates to explain the power of paradigms. He does not expand on factual evidence. The only times he uses such things is when he explains the definition of a paradigm.

            Stephen R. Covey uses pathos and logos strongly to explain the power of paradigms, but he chooses to not use ethos too much. He chooses to uses a personal experience and other examples of how paradigms are important and how influential they are in our lives to help us understand how to become interdependent.

Works Cited

Covey, Stephen R.. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective people. New York: Simon & Schuster,

1989, 2004. Print.

"Be The Change"

After moving in 2009, I had the worst attitude about everything. I left my home in beautiful green Washington to the dry desolate wasteland of Utah. I went day by day wishing I were back home. Then, I was recommended to go to an activity called, “Be the Change,” in my high school. “Be the Change” was taken from a quote from Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see in the world”. (Edburg) We discussed how people have different situations and believe in different things. We helped each other understand one another and figured out how to personally have a positive effect on the world. Ever since that time, I have been trying to make a more influential change in the world.

            “Be the Change” opened my eyes to thinking of others rather than just myself. I remember one person there. I don’t remember her name, but her beliefs were different than those of the majority. She said that she felt alone and judged because of her beliefs. I reflected on how I was a minority when I lived in Washington and had to stand up for myself a lot of the time, just like this girl had to. That experience helped me realize that I shouldn’t be thinking for myself. That wouldn’t change the world, but taking action to help others would.

            To “be the change,” means to takes action. I believe that as action is taken, faith is being exercised. Some ways that I have been able to take action is speaking up for what I think is right, serving others even when I do not feel the desire to, or having the patience and love for others that are frustrating me. That is why Gandhi has been an influence in my life. In his life time he stood up for what he believed, was vocal about it, served those that hated him, and loved them too. In the book “Gandhi an Autobiography the Story of my Experiments with Truth,” forwarded by Sissela Bok, Gandhi says, “I… believed that the British Empire existed for the welfare of the world. A genuine sense of loyalty prevented me from even wishing ill to the Empire”. (313) He strived to master the art of charity. He wanted change in the world and took action to help the change move forward.

            In the seventh grade, I joined the track team. I became friends with a few people that had a different range of beliefs than me. One friend in particular, Daniel, enjoyed to challenge my beliefs. There were times that I had to be blunt and vocal about certain things, which frustrated me at times. But I never thought “ill” of him because he was my friend. I wanted the best for him.

            Another way I have found opportunities to “be the change” is learning to forgive. There have been many who have offended and hurt me, but that was all in the past. I lived in New York for a couple years and lost contact with some important people in my life during that time. Just this last year, I have moved back and have tried to reconnect with some of these friends. When I visited with them, I felt like something was wrong. They were not the same people I left when I first moved to New York. They had started down a dark path and I could not get past that. How could I forgive them of their betrayal towards me? They stopped believing in what I thought was best for everyone. Because of that, we all stopped being friends. For weeks it bothered me, and I started to feel awful. I hated them for it. Because of this I did not want to forgive them and that stopped my faith and action. I could not “be the change [I] wanted to see in the world.”

            I then realized my error. I needed to forgive them and myself for the situation. I needed to let it go. I could not change them; I can only change myself. So, I asked for their forgiveness and have learned to move past it all. Now I try to be their friend and hope and pray for the day when all is well between each of us.

            As I said before, the only person I can change is me. I am the only one who can change the way I view the world and help to make a change. In order to make that change, I need to have hope for a better future and set goals to help guide me to that future. This allows me to grow and have a better influence on those around me.

            Since I first heard the quote, “Be the change you want to see in the world”, (Edburg) I have been trying to apply it to my life. I try to be an influence of good to others and change the world for the better little by little. I believe that by following Gandhi’s words we can become one as people and live in peace together. This is why “Be the change” is my belief.

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Works Cited

Edburg, Henrick.”Gandhi’s 10 Rules for Changing the World.

Daily Good. N.P. 28 June 2013. Web. 30 January 2015.

<http://www.dailygood.org/story/466/gandhi-s-10-rules-for-changing-the-world-henrik-edberg/>.

Bok, Sissela. Gandhi an Autobiography the Story of my Experiments with Truth

Boston: Beacon, 1957. Print.