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oa Taking into Account the Psychological Health of Children in the Religious Discourse
- Publisher: Hamad bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press)
- Source: Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum Proceedings, Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum Volume 2011 Issue 1, Nov 2011, Volume 2011, AHO10
Abstract
Renouncing what some psychological studies call for regarding abandoning extending the memorization culture to children (memorization and indoctrination), and taking care of pursuing their talents and refining their creativity assuming it a basis for cognitive configuration in their future life – since the religious discourse is private in its own way of educating children. The way children are addressed requires a high degree of clarity and simplicity keeping in mind the level of their mental ability especially when dealing with religious aspects, in that it contains metaphysical matters and particular terminology. The proliferation of religious awareness as a result of the knowledge revolution through the internet and satellite TV convinced educational institutions, to a certain extent, with the importance of this dimension in modifying the behaviour and instilling values in children.
Here comes the role of preachers and religious leaders - and even those others who use the religious dimension in their discourse - in delivering religious messages to children through various means, including lectures, workshops, print, video or audio releases, and through both the traditional and new communications media.
Religious teachings have always had clear principles regarding the provision of care for children, whose right to education and access to basic needs are guaranteed. Such needs include all that fall under how they are treated and nature of messages targeting them.
This research was carried out to deal with the psychological aspects a religious spokesman needs to observe while directing a religious speech to children in the following areas:
* The carrot and stick
* Training and assignment ages
* Individual differences among children
* Comprehension & perception of speech by children
* Humanitarian needs as per Maslow's hierarchy of needs
* Communication methods and effects according to the theory of psychoanalysis