Are you there, God? It's Me, Margaret discusses psychological studies arguing the effects of religion on children. In this novel, Judy Blume shows the trials and tribulations that a young girl goes through while trying to fit into religion. Margaret was raised by parents with two distinct religions, but practiced neither. After moving to a town where everyone conforms to one religion, she faces judgment from her new friends. Feeling different, she chooses to explore both of her parents' religions, while dealing with cliques and bullying from her friend group. Judy Blume is quoted as saying, “I felt like I had always known Margaret. When I was in sixth grade, I wanted to develop physically like my classmates. And like Margaret, I had a very personal relationship with God that had little to do with organized religion. God was my friend and my confidant. Judy Blume wrote this story to connect with young people struggling with social and religious cliques. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay on the positive effects of raising a child in an organized religion. Many parents assume that raising a child religious will cause their children to behave morally, and many studies support this belief. According to Regnerus, “the potential benefits associated with personal religiosity have been well documented. They may include less use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco; lower rates of depression and suicide; better quality of sleep; and greater hope and satisfaction in life.” Religion can help people make sense of a confusing world, encourage them, motivate them to show kindness, and bring communities together. Many scientific studies have confirmed these results, claiming that religion is something of a buffer system between stress and anxiety from the outside world. According to Michael, “a child who feels a sense of belonging or cohesion is a much healthier child, able to withstand stress. Belonging means more than relationships. Belonging is the feeling that our life matters to others.” Some sources show that children raised with religion are psychologically healthier than children raised without religion. These results show that children raised in religious homes and attending religious events respond better to discipline and control themselves more easily. Bartkowski said, “Religion emphasizes moral codes designed to instill values ​​such as self-control and social competence.” Religion is also known to help children with their identity, and for some children, religion provides an anchor, particularly in times when they are confused about their choices. According to Ungar Ph.D., “Religious activities give them the opportunity to make decisions, even if that decision is only whether or not to participate wholeheartedly in the practices of their faith.” The negative effects of organized religion on children. Organized religion is defined as a structured system of faith or worship, especially followed by a large number of people. For many years, people have used religion to justify horrible actions. Children learn from a young age that God saw His only innocent child murdered for wrongdoing in humanity, and that through this action, the sins of humanity are somehow forgiven. Moreover,grow up believing that if you don't behave properly or commit an act of "sin", when you die you will go to hell with an evil demon waiting for you ready to torture you for eternity. According to Revelation: “But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and the murderers, and the sexually immoral, and the sorcerers, and the idolaters, and all liars, shall have their portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second. death,"". Also, according to the Quran, "Allah has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing and there is a veil over their eyes, and there is a great punishment for them." Imagine growing up and believing that those who accept Jesus as their savior will earn their rightful place in heaven, while those who cannot or do not have these same beliefs are destined to rot in hell along with religious freedom. “the right to choose a religion (or no religion) without government interference.” Religious freedom, or freedom of conscience, is an important component of a diverse society. Studies show that children who are encouraged to explore their. own religion or lack thereof have a better sense of who they are and positive self-expression Religious freedom is a “fundamental right” for all American citizens, including children. simply believing what you want, but it is also the freedom to speak and practice your fundamental beliefs without anyone or the government intervening. Of course, there are exceptions to this right and there are cases where people try to abuse it. Although most people have good intentions in mind, some people have bad intentions. For example, the 9/11 radicals who orchestrated this attack attempted to use their right to religious freedom to justify their actions. While this event and many others are examples of people abusing their rights, this should not be a reason to infringe on children's right to express their religion. The effects of denying children their religious freedom. In most states, denying your child religious freedom and choice is a form of child abuse, like denying your child medical care because of a parent's beliefs. In 34 states (plus the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico), there are exemptions in civil child abuse laws when a child's medical treatment conflicts with the parents' religious beliefs. Aleksandra Sanstrom says: “In most cases, adults are free to make their own decisions about how or even if they want to treat an illness. But when the patient is a minor and still legally in the custody of his or her parents or guardians, from child protection and medical necessity to parental rights and religious freedom. An example of this occurred on May 9, 1989, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where juvenile diabetes was not medically treated. The boy's mother and stepfather were Christian Scientists and had their son treated by a church practitioner rather than a doctor. This went against the boy's cry for help, and the boy later died in a diabetic coma. According to MassKids, “On October 9, 1989, the parents and the Christian Science practitioner who cared for the child were indicted for involuntary manslaughter by a grand jury. However, in April 1990, a trial court judge dismissed all manslaughter charges, citing a Minnesota religious exemption law. A Minnesota appeals court upheld the lower court's decision to dismiss the charges, and in September 1990 the Minnesota Supreme Court 2019.