Box 11

Joshua Saint Germain

October 11, 2018

Elizabeth von Uhl

English 21002

List of Privileges:

  1.      Being of a considerably young age.
  2.      Being born into the male sex.
  3.      Being raised by both parents.
  4.      Being born in first world country.
  5.      Worked in a hospital for an internship.
  6.      Currently living in a middle class suburban area.
  7.      High school graduate and pursuing a college education.

 

Because I have grown up receiving an education in a first world country such as America, I tend to side with more progressive and democratic views than other countries and cultures . So if I began observing the Haitian Pentecostal Church, I assume that I would despise it since biblical beliefs tend to be very conservative. My level and quality of education could also factor why I may not take religion as seriously as do the members of the Haitian Pentecostal Church. Most members within the Church don’t have American college degrees and are immigrants who moved to the United States for better working and living conditions, an experience I cannot relate to. What makes things worse is that I know most members within this predominantly Haitian speaking church are not fluent in English, which is has stopped be from learn most members on a more personal level.

My age and country of origin are two other privileges that may affect my observations. Growing up in America has stopped me from having much experience around Haitian Christian culture, which can affect my observations. There is a possibility that Christian culture in the country of Haiti is more or less strict about religious values. I would need to be aware about my lack of knowledge about Haitian social relations, which could cause me to mistake certain gestures of gender structures as wrong as well. Age could affect my observations through the fact that I may have not experienced the life as much as members of the Church would. The age of the majority of the members of my Church range from middle age to senior citizen, which implies that they’ve had a lot of time to stick with their beliefs.

Lastly, my existence as a male and a lack of knowledge of the religion is another major factors that may affect my observations. Being a male, I probably would not understand any female standpoints on the issue of Haitian culture and religion. Having gone to church so long, I have probably become unaware of any male dominance that is exerted on the female, Also, my lack of knowledge of the Pentecostal religion will definitely play a part in the quality of my observations. I may develop a couple questions while am I am observing, but what I need to do most of all I remember to forget my privilege and note things as they are.

 

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