“Do Kids Need Religion”

2 Pages 538 Words

There are numerous reasons why people turn to religion. Religion is a theory that helps answer the mystery and confusion of our existence. It is a topic that many have trouble understanding. For this reason, Anthony Brandt concludes in his essay “Do Kids Need Religion” that we as humans have a burning desire to search for a purpose in order to cope with the mysteries of life. When humans are unknowing and confused they make up theories, such as religion, to explain the unknown. For example, as parents we use religion to show children their meaning and purpose in life. Brandt suggests that as parents we should not help our children find their meaning but that it should be a job left to them. Though I agree with Brandt’s view about humans and their desire for meaning, I disagree with his idea that parents should not help children find their meaning in life.
Whether there’s a God or not, humans need answers to the mysterious questions that are part of our everyday life. Why must we die and where do we go after death are some of these mysterious questions that are unknown. The theory of religion helps answer these questions and give us meaning. As humans we need somewhere to run to with our fears, confusions, and problems. As Brandt states “there’s no living without illusions of some sort, that we need to find or generate some kind of meaning for are lives if life is not to become unbearable” (192). Here, Brandt emphasizes the idea of needing some kind of theory, such as religion, to represent and help explain where we came from and why we’re here. If not for some kind of theory the mystery of life can became confusing.
Children need structure and feed back when developing values such as trusting others and knowing right from wrong. Religion is that structure that many choose because it can answer many of the unexplained questions of life. Brandt states “the longing for meaning is something we all share, pa...