Religious Perceptions Research Articles

Unsafe abortion and its complications: A silent and unprecedented catastrophe happening in our society

The term abortion often connotes criminal induced abortion in the context of our local setting. The socio-cultural and religious perceptions associated with having an abortion make the practice almost a taboo such that the procedure is often performed clandestinely with unimaginable and sometimes fatal consequences. The restrictive abortion laws in Nigeria, unmet needs for contraceptives, widening poverty and illiteracy, paved the way for unskilled personnel and quacks to dominate abortion services making the practice quite unsafe. In this editorial, we x-ray some reported abortion cases and how these challenges impact the health and reproductive careers of young women in Nigeria.

The ruling ideology or shared identity? The underlying causes of Iran’s influence in Iraq

ABSTRACT This article examines the role of both ideology and identity in Iran’s policy in Iraq. In each society, there are competing self-images such as ethnic, ideological, and religious perceptions that impact foreign policy. Which begs the question whether identity or ideology has more influence? I argue that shared religious identity in two different countries is more important than ideology in mobilizing segments within multi-confessional societies. In addition, these forces become operational after the collapse of the state. The existence of a formidable central state thwarts the mobilization of counter identity and ideology, but when it weakens the door opens for sub-identities. The Islamist ideology of the Iranian revolution, for example, galvanized Muslims from different sectarian backgrounds. However, these ideological precepts gave away to shared identity. The Iraqi Shia today do not believe in the precepts of velayat-e faqih as much as shared Shia identity with Iran.

The Importance of Social Media and Religious Perceptions in the Service of Politicians' Communication and Images

Technological determinism, a theory examining the role of technology in societal development, is a subject of extensive discourse in the internet era. This theory perceives technology as a pivotal force shaping societal progress. Within this framework, divergent perspectives emerge, ranging from utopian views depicting technology as a vehicle for salvation to dystopian views highlighting its disruptive potential. This duality is particularly evident in discussions regarding social media's influence on political communication. The hybridization of media systems, as proposed by Andrew Chadwick, further blurs the lines between traditional and new media, exemplified by Barack Obama's groundbreaking 2008 presidential campaign, which utilized social media alongside traditional platforms. Social media's and religion perception impact on political communication evokes both optimism and skepticism. While proponents laud its role in fostering citizen engagement and enhancing political participation, critics like Malcolm Gladwell argue that it amplifies expression without tangible impact. Moreover, the influence of social media on political campaigns underscores the evolving landscape of communication strategies, with leaders leveraging platforms like Facebook and Twitter to shape public perception. In navigating this terrain, understanding the complexities of image construction becomes paramount for political actors. The interplay between rhetoric, communication strategies, and public perception shapes the success of political campaigns. However, maintaining control over one's image amidst the fluid dynamics of political discourse remains a formidable challenge. In conclusion, the discourse surrounding technological determinism and social media's impact on political communication underscores the need for nuanced analysis. While social media offers unprecedented opportunities for engagement, its dual nature necessitates vigilance against manipulation and polarization. Ultimately, the compatibility between desired images and genuine personas remains central to effective political communication in the digital age.

Socio-Cultural and Religious Narratives and Practices Regarding Lunar Eclipse in Village Communities: A Study of Central Punjab, Pakistan

In the history of humankind, lunar eclipse has always captured attention and imaginationof human beings. This study is an anthropological attempt to describe prevailing perceptionsand myths about lunar eclipse and resultant religious and cultural practices in some of therural areas of Central Punjab, Pakistan. For this purpose, qualitative research techniques of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions have been used to understand and untanglethe strings of indigenous perpetuations about a celestial phenomenon. The research findingsshowed multiple sets of socio-cultural and religious beliefs and practices which have beenfollowed through generations that demonstrate the richness of culture and mythological value of local verbal tales. Perceptions include fear of God, remembering the dayof judgment, good or bad luck, and occurrence of disease. Practices include praying, charity, taking certain precautions to avoid the disease, and doing some religious and cultural rituals. Some unique folktales are also narrated by the respondents of the locale which have specificsocio-cultural meanings for them. The paper describes all these perceptions and practices intwo main parts: socio-cultural perceptions and practices and religious perceptions andpractices.

Religion and public administration at the micro level: The lens of street‐level bureaucracy theory in democracies

AbstractThe dynamics between religion and state in public administration implementation theories has garnered scholarly interest over the past decade. However, these two realms of study are rarely combined. In this research note, I explore religion and, more specifically, the implementation of religion‐based policies by street‐level bureaucrats, as a public service like any other. I point to the more commonly studied aspect of this realm, namely the influence of personal religious tendencies on the exercise of discretion by the individual street‐level bureaucrat. Further, I discuss the supply of religion‐based services by street‐level bureaucrats in democracies, and the actions they are willing to take (such as promote co‐production or policy entrepreneurship) when religion constraints them from supplying certain public services.Points for practitioners Street‐level bureaucrats are influenced by their religious perceptions during policy implementation. These workers may also be constrained by religion‐based policies during implementation, hence provide inadequate public services or not supplying them at all. Citizens may be dissatisfied with the inadequate services and the burdens it imposes on their lives. Street‐level bureaucrats who cannot supply certain services due to religion‐based constraints may take on co‐production or policy entrepreneurship strategies outside the standard scope of their job description in order to supply them.

An Assessment of The Effect of Generation Y And Z Executives' Perceptions of Religion on Narcissistic Personality Traits and Reflections Thereof on Business Life

Management, defined as doing business through others, plays the most important role among the functions in a metaphorical analogy as the heart of the business. The importance of the decisions taken within management and the vision, experience, personality traits and behaviors of managers in the realization of the main and subsidiary objectives of the business is self-evident. Thus, the personality structure of individuals at management levels affects their styles and the decisions they make in management processes. Religion is a socio-cultural value that regulates the individual’s life with others in society by conveying the rules, regulations, orders, and prohibitions regarding the life of human are in the social order, including the orders and prohibitions of Allah. Religion, as an element of culture, contains values that vary for everyone. It is associated with belief as a concept. The beliefs that occupy an important place in religion have deeply affected individuals in giving meaning to the world, existence, and life. An individual's religious perceptions permeate every aspect of their life. Religious perceptions transform into virtuous behaviors in the individual with faith in Allah or should do so. Hence, it is a necessity for a person with high religious perceptions to strive to establish a lifestyle per the commandments of Allah. Religion is the values that lead people to good, truth, beauty, virtuous behavior, selflessness, to help, to empathize, namely, to be a good servant and human being. Thus, we can say that religious orientations, which make the individual a good person who is beneficial to society, play a crucial role in the formation of personality traits and their development for the better. Since personality is a encompasses an individual's entire lifestyle, narcissistic personality traits encompass all the behaviors that affect a person's life. Narcissistic personality structure has a state where the person sees themselves as better and superior. In terms of religious perceptions, the formation of narcissistic personality traits is related to it. The stronger the religious values that direct the person toward the good and true, the more the self-centered structure is polished, and reveals a personality structure that treats others thoughtfully, doesn’t despise, distances from arrogance, cares for society, and is far from prioritizing oneself. We know from the verses and hadiths that the arrogant behavior of a person is considered one of the most disliked characteristics of Allah. Arrogance and humiliating others are among the characteristics of the narcissistic personality that religion won’t tolerate. This study aims to determine the effect of religious perceptions of generation Y and Z managers on narcissistic personality and evaluate their reflections on business life.
 In the study, a scale consisting of 24 statements was used to measure the perception of religion, and one consisting of 18 statements from nine admiration dimensions and nine competition dimensions for narcissism. Validity and reliability analyses were conducted to ensure the construct validity. After entering the data into the SPSS-25 program, confidence analysis and exploratory factor analysis were performed, and structural equation modeling was performed in the AMOS-19 program to determine the effects of it on each other.
 The study results have also shown that religious perceptions have effective results on narcissism. We see that religious values command a person to be humble, modest, respectful, loving and respectful, caring, helpful, and avoiding arrogant behavior through their wealth, titles, and children, in short, with what they own, both in their life and society. It is clear that these rules and regulations of religion don’t tolerate narcissism, which are defined as pathological. When narcissistic traits appear in business life, it legitimizes a thought and behavioral mechanism that makes it appropriate to engage in unethical behavior for one's interests without regard. After examining the analysis results, we see that religious perceptions play a role in narcissistic behaviors.

От религии птиц к Церкви Летающего Макаронного Монстра: религиозная сатира и пародийные религии в истории европейской культуры

The paper treats the phenomenon of religious satire and invented parody religions as an important part of Eu-ropean folk and popular culture in various historical epochs, from Antiquity to the XXI century. Using the exam-ple of the most famous works, social movements and associations, the author examines the various forms that religious parody took depending on the era, cultural and religious perceptions, and analyzes the role of laugh-ter culture in shaping the image of fictional parody religions. Both common characteristics characteristic of reli-gious satire from Aristophanes to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and distinctive features that dif-ferentiate modern parodic tendencies in this sphere from the satire of the past are highlighted. Particular atten-tion is paid to terminological difficulties arising in the study of fictional religiosity, primarily related to the very notion of “parody religion”.

A Still Small Voice: Psalms and Correlation as Media of Communication in Hermann Cohen’s Philosophy

Abstract This article examines communication between a human being and God in the Jewish philosophy of Hermann Cohen (1842–1918). The article focuses on two distinct forms of biblical communication: lyrical psalms and a godly revelation in a still small voice. It investigates Cohen’s Jewish philosophy in light of communication theories to deepen the philosophical and theoretical discussion. The article examines previously unexplored ideas in Cohen’s writings, analyzes his religious perceptions in terms of communication, and at the same time expands the concept of communication. This new perspective sheds new light on Cohen’s Jewish philosophy and offers a new philosophic perception of divine-human communication.

Change of Identities and Religiosities of Muslim Young People across Time and Space: Resilient Youth

Modern people have cut themselves off from the sacred and imaginative realties and live in secular and measurable time. They live in a world described by Max Weber in terms of disenchantment. In Muslim society, many Muslims are not detached from reality; rather, they live in an enchanted world, a world of spirits and forces. This creates tensions between secular liberal and traditional views of life. In this sense, the young people strives to take a certain place and role in that society; they try to know themselves in society, to determine their personalities’ limits, to find out ‘who they are, what they believe, what they value and connect, what their aim should be, in short, what their place in society is’. In this research, the identity, religious life and behavior of Muslim young people, religious resilience, and accordingly religious changes and transformations have been examined along with religious potential. To be resilient, a person must be able to change, and to adapt to new circumstances. Thus, the paper explores that the Turkish youth may have new religious perceptions and different identity structures depending on the color of the time. The effect of different cultures and social changes and the new social manifestations that develop depending on this situation can be effective on the way to the transformation of religious identities. İn the first step, this paper is exploring the questions: ‘how does religion affect young people's recognition and evaluation of themselves and life? The next step is to research how Muslim youth can help people experiencing resilience to be strengthened, and how they can be strengthened as they exercise a religiosity and their identity. The paper could help to find out how religious faith can have in enabling people to overcome difficulty by giving them faith to hold on to life and find meaning and purpose, as well as by providing a supportive network of people. The data were obtained from semi-structured interviews which were conducted with 30 students of Şırnak University in Turkey. İt includes participants’ accounts of their process of making meaning of the world, their evolving understanding, perceptions, experiences and identity situations. Nevertheless, literature survey method has chosen to support and enhance the quality of the research. The qualitative research method was adopted as an interpretative paradigm. The data shows that; the relationship between the individual and religious belief and identity motivation is related to inhomogeneous results and factors. Young people create their own identity, which is mixed, and bricolage. Each individual has different conceptions and different motivations regarding religious identity. In this sense, religiosity and identity is fed by different social and psychological dynamics; in general, it seems to be related to time, space and socialization processes.

Educate the child according to his own way: a Jewish ultra-orthodox version of independent self-construal

ABSTRACT The concept of Thirdspace was employed to explore the interface of Haredi religious perception and contemporary psychological notions, focusing on male Haredi (Jewish ultra-Orthodox) kindergarten teachers’ perceptions of self. A two years ethnographic study was conducted, based on interactions with 90 male kindergarten teachers and 13 in-depth interviews in a Haredi Enrichment Centre for kindergarten children in Israel. The findings reveal a local notion of self-construal, including several features of contemporary Western independent self-construal along with Haredi religious perceptions. Together, these encouraged the development of an autonomous individual, capable of independently conducting his life as an adult. Children were perceived as distinct individuals with unique personal attributes whose expression would engender personal success, increase self-esteem, and encourage self-expression – all this in a religious framework that sought to enhance the joy produced by experiencing the religious way of life. This paper additionally discusses limitations and implications for other multicultural educational settings.

Time to Consider the Introduction of Mandatory Continuous Assessment of Factors Affecting Mothers’ Perception of Caesarean Delivery in State Hospital Ijebu-Ode

This study is aimed at assessing the perceptions and attitudes towards caesarean section (CS) among women attending maternity care at the State Hospital, Ijebu-ode Community. This is a descriptive study which involved all pregnant mothers using State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode. They were interviewed with a structured questionnaire containing socio-demographic characteristics, previous pregnancy and delivery history as well as knowledge, perceptions and attitudes towards CS. The results were analyzed with statistical package for social science (SPSS) software and presented as frequency and percentages. This was further analyzed using chi-square and t-test. The women had good knowledge of CS; however, only 39% had a fair perception of CS as a method of delivery, while 60% of Christian mothers would accept CS if needed to save their lives and that of their babies. Up to 13.3% of women from the Islamic religion would not accept CS under any circumstance. The positive perception of CS among mothers can be closely related to the study area (university community) where everybody has a pre-knowledge of CS. Logistic regression showed that women's low level of education, and past successful vaginal and instrumental deliveries, were most likely to be associated with women's non-acceptance of indicated CS. Further analysis showed that this was mainly due to inaccurate cultural and religious perceptions of labour and CS in the cohort of women. There is a need for programs to increase women's and community’s perceptions of CS as a method of delivery in Nigeria.

The Changing of African Traditional Celebration of the Living Dead and the Effects of Cremation in Kenya

This paper investigates the effects of cremation on African traditional celebrations of the living dead in Kenya. The study examines bereavement and mourning practices in communities, with a particular focus on traditional modes of mourning, grieving, and remembering the living dead. According to the study, African traditions, the spread of Christianity, the influence of the Hindu culture, and Islamic beliefs all conflict with the changing culture that is slowly embracing cremation. The methodology for this study involved secondary data. The conclusion drawn from the study is that even as the scarcity of land pushes societies to consider the option of cremation, cultural and religious perceptions have painted the practice unethical and term it “un-African.” In Kenya, the majority of the population still opts to bury their dead in their ancestral homes in order to perform ritual and religious burial rites.

Храмовая архитектура и религиозная антропология

This article substantiates the possibility of using the material of temple architecture in studies of religious perceptions of man. In studying the religious teachings of man, we rely on the religious anthropology of K. I. Nikonov. We also used the methodology of L. Jones's "hermeneutics of sacred architecture" and A. Corben's temenology to study temple structures and sacred spaces. Our approach allowed us to explore believers' understanding of temple architecture as a self-understanding. It has been shown that temple architecture can be used to reconstruct the history of religious teachings on man, as well as to deepen philosophical knowledge of the essence, structure, and basic aspects of believers' understanding of themselves.

Review: The Masjid in Contemporary Islamic Africa

Review: <i>The Masjid in Contemporary Islamic Africa</i>

Examining the gender imbalance in the National Community Health Assistant Programme in Liberia: a qualitative analysis of policy and Programme implementation.

The Revised National Community Health Services Policy (2016-2021) (RNCHSP) and its programme implementation, the Liberian National Community Health Assistant Programme (NCHAP), exhibit a critical gender imbalance among the Community Health Assistants (CHAs) as only 17% are women. This study was designed to assess the gender responsiveness of the RNCHSP and its programme implementation in five counties across Liberia to identify opportunities to improve gender equity in the programme. Using qualitative methods, 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with policymakers and 32 with CHAs, other members of the community health workforce and community members. The study found that despite the Government of Liberia's intention to prioritize women in the recruitment and selection of CHAs, the planning and implementation of the RNCHSP were not gender responsive. While the role of community structures, such as Community Health Committees, in the nomination and selection of CHAs is central to community ownership of the programme, unfavourable gender norms influenced women's nomination to become CHAs. Cultural, social and religious perceptions and practices of gender created inequitable expectations that negatively influenced the recruitment of women CHAs. In particular, the education requirement for CHAs posed a significant barrier to women's nomination and selection as CHAs, due to disparities in access to education for girls in Liberia. The inequitable gender balance of CHAs has impacted the accessibility, acceptability and affordability of community healthcare services, particularly among women. Strengthening the gender responsiveness within the RNCHSP and its programme implementation is key to fostering gender equity among the health workforce and strengthening a key pillar of the health system. Employing gender responsive policies and programme will likely increase the effectiveness of community healthcare services.

Architecture Stages and Features of Compositional Formations of Khachkars

The article touches upon the origin of khachkar art, symbolism, stages of compositional development, as well as characteristics of artistic means. Since the 9th century, khachkar art has become a means of expressing the spiritual aspirations, religious perceptions and ideas of the Armenian nation. Thousands of khachkars, being one of a kind, are scattered not only throughout the Republic of Armenia and Arcakh, but also in the territory of Historical Armenia, including Turkey and Nakhichevan, as well as the Armenian colonies. Unfortunately, thousands of khachkars have been destroyed by vandals, who have tried and are trying to erase the Armenian trace outside the territory of present-day Armenia. The study aims at systematical presentation of the sequence of the phased development of khachkars, the compositionl, ornamental and national features typical of each period. We think that any research devoted to those purely Armenian monuments is still up-to-date and can enrich the list of scientific works dedicated to Armenian culture.

De Bijbel, de homo en de klas

The intervention ‘Gay in the class’ and religious pupils – an effect? We investigate the effect of the teaching method Homo in de klas (‘Gay in the class’) among pupils in Reformed secondary education on their religious perceptions of sexual diversity. The quantitative survey shows a limited increase in pupils’ knowledge of the distinction that ‘according to the Bible someone may be gay, but should not act on it.’ The in-depth interviews with pupils and teachers suggest that the teaching method makes pupils more aware of their own convictions about sexual diversity and those are more tolerant than their religious environment. What seems to play a role in this is that pupils are outraged by biblical texts that reject sexual diversity, and that they experience contradictions between different biblical texts and churches in dealing with their LHBT-members.

Examining the relationship between religious perception and psychological well-being levels of university football players

Background and Study Aim. The relationship between sport and religion is one of the most important research topics of sport psychology recently. In the relevant literature, this relationship mostly focused on sports and Christianity. The present study examines the psychological well-being levels of athletes of the Islamic religion. This study aims to examine the relationship between the religious perception of university football players and their psychological well-being levels.&#x0D; Material and Methods. For this purpose, 288 university students attending different universities in Turkey, completed the Religious Orientation Scale and Psychological Well-Being Scale. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between variables. Path analysis was applied to test the hypotheses developed in the study. The hypotheses created were tested by the path analysis method using Amos software. Moderator regression analysis was performed. Statistical analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 23 program (SPSS Inc. Chicago. II. USA). P-value was set at p&lt;0.05.&#x0D; &#x0D; Results. According to the findings obtained from the study data, positive and significant relationships were determined between the religious perceptions of the university football players and their psychological well-being (p&lt;0,01).&#x0D; Conclusions. In conclusion, it was concluded that the religious perception of the university football players was a significant predictor of their psychological well-being (p&lt;0.01). It can be stated that in Turkish-Islamic culture, similar results to the relationship between Sports and Christianity have been achieved. Since religion is a universal phenomenon, it can be stated that the institution of religion has a special meaning for football players.

Absent dead, and abstract signs for absence: on the semiotic affordance of religion

ABSTRACT I argue that the capacity of the human mind to understand and use signs with arbitrary relations between signifier and signified emerged with abstract signs that signify an irreversibly ‘absent’ (used as a noun here), or the absence of an earlier presence. The cognitive capacity, relevant for religiously relevant perceptions, could probably have emerged in the Early Upper Paleolithic era (c. 50.000–40.000 BP). signs allowed humans to refer to a dead human, a permanent ‘absentee,’ or simply, an ‘absent’ – a certain former member of the group. Thus, they signify absence of a formerly present individual, and allow to externalize complex emotions. These abstract sings for absence, possibly rocks and stones, and respective emotions such as collective mourning became on their part, it is argued, the basis for religious perceptions such as memorial practices.

Relationship between religion and redress relief among Japanese American World War II incarceration survivors.

Soon after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States entered World War II, more than 110,000 Japanese Americans (two-thirds U.S. citizens) were rounded up and ordered into desolate incarceration (internment) camps based only on their ethnic heritage. More than 40 years later, the U.S. government acknowledged that the Japanese American incarceration was unjustified and provided a formal apology and monetary award to surviving incarcerees. The present study investigates the relationship between religious affiliation (Buddhist and Christian) and subsequent perceptions of relief associated with the government's belated redress. Based on a national sample of U.S.-born Japanese American former incarcerees (N = 454), Buddhist incarcerees reported greater relief from receiving redress than Christians. Across religious affiliations, older incarcerees and those with lower income reported more relief. Both Buddhist and Christian respondents who perceived more Japanese American incarceration-related physical suffering, and those who believed in a just world, experienced greater relief. In addition, Buddhists who more strongly believed their lives are controlled by unpredictable fate/fortune, and Christians who more strongly believed their lives were controlled by powerful others experienced greater redress relief. Findings suggest the role of religious frameworks in shaping the restorative capacity of belated reparative acts following historical racial trauma. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).