Religion and spiritual development can be viewed as being synonymous. However, religion is a selection of foundational beliefs that someone applies to the centering of an object, figure, or godhead. Spiritual development is more than focusing on a religion. Spiritual development is more than the focus on religion but the overall development of a student and the focuses the student wants to take in their life and aligning their actions, behaviors, and ideologies to fit the path in which they are focused. In doing all of these, a student will have an internal peace that will allow them to focus on these goals, in which are primarily associated with religious focused paths.
The most controversial events are when evangelists come to campus and purposely rial the students. I actually spoke to one of these campus speakers and asked him why he would be so controversial in his approach at sharing his religious beliefs with others. His explanation was that if he could just get students to second guess their actions or even cause students to think about prior actions they have committed and cause the students to change their behavior, his mission would have been successful. Some people are not as blatant about their attempt to be spiritual and share their religious affiliations, but are still questioned on their religious convictions. An example of someone who was not purposely trying to confront or conform and student to a Christian based lifestyle, but in turn of being himself, caused much controversy without the intent of doing so, is Tim Tebow.
Tim Tebow, whose parents are missionaries and he himself plans to minister to people in his own way, was able to encourage many Christians to stand up for their beliefs and religious affiliations. On the other hand, this display of religious affirmation was heavily criticized by many spectators. According to wikipedia, Tebows' "unorthodox NFL quarterback skills, frequent demonstrations of his religious devotion, and his team's success, Tebow has attracted unprecedented praise, criticism, and attention from the sporting media and beyond."
There are people who view religious groups as cults. According to Webster's Dictionary, a cult is "a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange" or " system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object." Many of the religious groups that are associated with the university are relatively small groups of people who have common religious beliefs and people outside of those beliefs do consider the beliefs or practices to be strange. Even personally, ritualistic actions that are taken in services at many of the religious groups assemblies can be strange to outsiders.
The part to focus on in one of the definitions above is the "system of religious veneration" or "fear: a feeling of profound respect for someone or something; 'the fear of God' ". The system should be to fear God. Some religious fraternities and sororities may lose focus of this goal and cause new members to have other fears in place of attempting to assimilate the group under the basis of "the fear of God" as the main purpose. How do these forms of fear help the groups in the true focus the groups were formed. These groups need to focus on their primary focus, a religious focus and the opportunity to promote a spiritual growth of student to guide students in the path of following God in the way they wish to follow. Any other fears or focuses of the organizations detract from the purpose they were formed.
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