When watching Born Again: Life in a Fundamentalist Baptist Church, I was intrigued by the story of the youth in the Church. The pastor’s daughter, Valarie, was talking about wishing she was not the pastor’s daughter, and she wanted to experience what life outside of the church would be like. The kids in the school felt suffocated because they all know each other and they all know each other’s business. They were also talking about how they did things that their parents didn’t know about: they went on secret dates, they lied (very minor white lies), and they talked about things that would be considered “sinful” by their parents or other members of their community. I found it interesting to hear what the kids had to say when their parents were not around. They were able to say what they probably would not be able to say with their parents there. Do their parents know that their kids feel this way about their school and religious practice? It seemed as though the kids felt like their on a rather tight leash and would like some freedom.

I wish the film spent more time on exploring the lives of the youth. I want to know more about their own beliefs, and how much their parents have influenced them. Do they have the same religious views if they are born into it rather than being “born again” like their parents? If not now, will they develop them in their future? I also wish we could have heard what the parents have to say about their kids.

Considering “official” vs. “nonofficial” religion is a very interesting concept for me, especially when adding the third idea of occultism. I had never thought of the factors that would make a religion official or nonofficial or something that would be defined as a cult.  I don’t consider myself to be a religious person but I do have some religious practices in my everyday life. Thinking about official religions and nonofficial religions is interesting when considering what my life’s religious practices have involved.

After the class discussion this past week, I still have questions and thoughts regarding the difference between being a religious group and a cult. McGuire defines official religion as “a set of beliefs and practices prescribed, regulated, and socialized by organized, specifically religious groups” (page 104), and she defines occultism as “a worldview based on a set of claims that contradict established scientific or religious knowledge and that typically emphasize ‘hidden’ teachings” ( page 337). Would being an unofficial religion be considered a cult? Where is the line drawn? At what point does a cult become a religion and vice versa? I’m curious about this topic because I feel as though it isn’t discussed as much as maybe it should be. I find that cults can be seen as a negative thing, and they are looked down on my others. How does the negative stigma around occultism effect the way the groups are seen? How does it effect the way they interact with each other?

When reading chapter four of McGuire’s “Religion: The Social Context”, something that struck me straight away was how ethics and morality tie in with religion. I’m curious about the “ethical and moral norms” that “official religions” have. How are these norms and expectations established? How are they different within different religions?

When thinking about the film that we watched, I found it interesting to see how Glenn and Susie would be treated differently within their respective religious community if they were to go against the ethical and moral norms prescribed to them. If Susie were to wear something “inappropriate” or go against what is the norm for her gender and household role, she would probably be looked down upon by her community members. If Glenn were to go against his own preaching and go against his role in the church, he would not be accepted by his community. The rules and regulations set by “official religions” may seem restricting but it is a way to set boundaries within their community. How do the separate expectations for women and men within the church differ between religious groups, and how does it affect the dynamic in the space? Additionally, the moral norms within the church set different standards for men and women, creating a sort of inequality within the community.

After watching the film, reading the text, and participating in the class discussion, I want to continue exploring norms within religious groups. I find it interesting to see how different communities want their members to behave.