October 18, 2007
Briefs: Does L.A. matter to N.Y. Jews? Is ‘The Secret’ kosher? Why can’t we all get along?
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The researchers found that while "mixed" marriages do lead to more marital conflict and less religious participation, it had no impact on children's self-esteem, grades and life satisfaction."I suspect that part of the reason that we did not find negative effects [in those areas] is that being raised in a religiously heterogamous [dissimilar] family may actually be beneficial to youth in some ways" Richard Petts told Christianity Today, an Evangelical magazine. "If interfaith parents teach their children that it is important to find a religion that best suits them [as individuals] and accept religious differences in others, then youth may actually develop a strong sense of identity and have an opportunity to find out which religious beliefs are important to them," he said.
Also, being raised in a diverse family will increase tolerance and acceptance of others, he said.
However, the study found that use of underage drinking and marijuana increased in heterogamous households. Petts attributed this to lower religious participation.
"Youth raised in religiously heterogamous marriages may be less exposed to the social control that religion provides, increasing the likelihood that they become involved with drugs and alcohol," he told the magazine.
Why Can't Everyone Just Get Along?
How can you decode the Christian right? Are there really two Irans? How should Israel deal with its Arab neighbors? What makes a Mormon?
These "Flashpoints" -- religious conflicts in the world today -- will be lecture topics at the Center for Religious Inquiry, Wilshire Boulevard Temple's adult education arm that hopes to build bridges between all faiths, now in its second year. Also offered is a three-night course, "The Ten Commandments: Fact, Faith, or Fiction?" "Buddhism for Beginners" and "Introduction to Judaism."
For more information, call (213) 388-2401, or visit http://www.wbtla.org
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