Why We Should Be Discussing Religions! – Vicky Garlock

Many people claim that we should never talk about religion – especially religions that are not our own. I totally disagree!” In fact, future generations will need to be more globally-competent, culturally-aware, and religiously-literate than any cohort in history. That means, we need to start with our kids.

Humans are coming together in ways we never dreamed possible. Nowadays, we are significantly more likely to encounter people different from ourselves – ethnically, culturally, and religiously – and that’s a good thing! Research has shown that such interactions reduce cross-group fear and prejudice and increase trust and empathy.

Some of these interactions even lead to marriage. About 10% of U.S. adults were raised in multifaith families where parents were affiliated with two different religions. Another 12% were raised in families where one parent was religiously affiliated (usually Christian) while the other parent was religiously unaffiliated (“none”). As you might expect, both numbers are on the rise. In fact, almost 40% of Americans who married since 2010 have a spouse with a different religious affiliation.

Unfortunately, not all interactions are positive. Religiously motivated harassment is reported in over 90% of the world’s countries, and the majority of religiously motivated hate crimes in the U.S. are targeted against Jews. Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim students across the U.S. are also bullied in school.

Among Hindu-American teens, one in three reports being bullied. One survey of Muslim students showed over half had been made fun of, verbally insulted, or abused because of their religion. And similar numbers are also reported by Sikh children, especially if a turban is worn. This absolutely has to stop. Immediately.

Talking about the world’s religions may force us outside of our traditional comfort zones, but that’s no excuse. Our kids need some baseline knowledge about the major world religions, and it’s perfectly acceptable to learn along with them. We also need to recognize that our strength, as a species, stems from our diversity. Actually, our survival may very well depend on the extent to which we can acknowledge, appreciate, and embrace that fact.

Vicki Garlock is the founder of World Religions for Kids, a company dedicated to improving religious literacy in children and their adults. Her kids’ books, geared to kids aged 4-10, include the award-winning We All Have Sacred Spaces. Vicki received her Sc.B. in Psychology from Brown University before attending the Univ. of AL – Birmingham for her Ph.D. with dual specialties in neuroscience and cognitive development. After that, she served as a Nurture Coordinator and Curriculum Specialist where she developed a multifaith curriculum for kids aged 4 through 8th grade and was ordained as their Minister of Education. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok (@learnreligions).