A COMPARISON OF TRADITIONAL RELIGION AND CHILDREN=S ENTERTAINMENT

BY

LORI SHUFORD

587 WORDS

Fall 2001

Although one may not immediately grasp the similarities that exist between traditional religion and children=s entertainment, when one starts exploring their functions it becomes obvious that their purposes are very similar.

Just as a child uses play to escape from the pain and reality of the world, so can adults escape to the comfort of their religion. The soft stillness of a sanctuary enables the adult worshiper to tune out the strident rumblings of the outside world. When he enters the world of contemplation and prayer, he is much like the child who is immersed in a video game or television program who tunes out his mother calling him to dinner.

In a child=s game the rules are defined. Within the confines of traditional religion, one can be confident that if one does not break the Ten Commandments heaven is guaranteed. Peers, ever watchful, will not hesitate to point out indiscretions, whether one steps on a hopscotch line or covets ones neighbor=s wife. Granted, the stakes are higher when dealing with the Almighty, but the zeal is not any less spirited.

The knowledge that one is participating with a group operating under the same set of rules makes one comfortable. There are no surprises. If cheating ensues then it is understood that the price will be paid, either in marbles or in one=s eternal soul. There is no ambiguity in such a system. Black and white is the standard. Gray areas do not exist. God is the umpire, and a strikeout can be called nothing more or less.

Coming together either as children of the world or as children of God, a feeling of comradery is paramount. A frame of reference is already established, and whether children are choosing sides for a baseball game or adults are going to Sunday school class, all participants know what is expected. They=re reasonably certain that they=ll enter the encounter as an accepted member of the group. Outsiders who are interested in joining in are usually greeted with enthusiasm, however, because whether one is playing a game or worshiping in a church, the more people participating the more satisfying the activity can be. A rousing backyard game of football can only be enhanced by the addition of members, as can a revival meeting.

The boisterousness of children at play resembles the old fashioned revival. There is shouting and singing, clapping of hands, and an uninhibited joy. The songs are sung with enthusiasm and the words don=t really matter. What matters is the expending of energy and the group dynamics that ensue.

So although it initially appears that one is comparing apples and oranges, the exploration of these two activities shows one that humanity craves the comfort, companionship, and familiarity that both traditional religion and children=s entertainment provide. Traditional religion is a tool used by the adult population to celebrate life, cope with unhappiness, bond with peers, and escape mentally from what can be a distressing world. Children use entertainment for the same reasons, because the world can be just as distressing to them as it is to their adult counterparts.

Karl Marx called religion the Aopiate of the people.@ He probably was making a point that was meant to be derogatory, but perhaps in this world a legal opiate is something that is not only desired, but necessary for peace of mind, much as playing is necessary for a child to develop into a integrated adult member of society.