Communication barriers exist in this world because of different languages, values, belief systems, or for deaf people, a lack of awareness of Sign Language. One of the ways for communication to improve is for people to come together through a belief system.
Religion can create that bond, especially for the deaf community, who have been on the outside looking in for so long.
Let’s explore how faith is changing the way deaf people communicate and connect.
How Communications Connects Us
Communication is a part of being human. We’d be lost without any communication. The language we use links us to one another and helps us to understand the world that we live in.
Language also binds us together and keeps us active in a social sense. As humans, we are social creatures. We form tribes, and language allows that tribe to stick together. Without the tribes and proper communication, we wouldn’t survive in this ever-changing world.
Sign Language and Communication
We know spoken language is dominant in society because being deaf is considered a minority culture. But Sign Language serves the same purpose as spoken language for this community. There are many forms of Sign Language used worldwide by deaf people, depending on the country.
Sign Language is also at the forefront of deaf culture. It represents their identity. They use Sign Language to form their social circles, unwritten social rules, and structures. And even though Sign Language is such a force in the deaf community and the cement that holds its foundation. As with any culture, some aspects complement the language that allows people to share ideas and concepts. That is religion.
Faith in the Deaf Community
Religion means the same thing to the deaf community that it does to hearing people. It’s a way to form a micro-community within an already big community. It is also where people come together based on a common interest. Faith can bring a sense of belonging and impact a person’s purpose in life.
Faith in the deaf community, like in many areas, continues to be a work in progress. There wasn’t much access before the practice with hearing people because Sign Language wasn’t well incorporated into the service. Today, it still isn’t where it should be but much better than several years ago.
For a long time, the inability to access worship was a barrier for deaf people until they started to form communities of faith. There still aren’t many deaf churches, but increased awareness contributes to the percentage of churches across North America. That is helping strengthen the connection that faith gives to this community.
Faith can help deaf people realize what they have isn’t their fault. The Bible teaches that God makes everyone the way they are. Therefore, deaf people feel part of their unique community and celebrate their diversity.
The Sign Language Interpretation of Religious Script
You learned that there is a lack of Sign Language in the church. Sign Language cannot be defined or encapsulated as a signed version of spoken language. It has its grammar, mechanics, and an entirely new way of explaining certain concepts.
Most holy books like the Koran, Torah, or the Bible don’t have this translation. It can be challenging for the deaf community who want to connect with themselves and the people around them through the word of God(s). The book gets lost in meaning, especially if they prefer not to read it or can’t understand what they have read.
Lost in Translation
There are a few deaf churches and small services open to this issue of not being able to attend hearing churches. For many deaf people, having a deaf religious institution that serves them has a meaningful impact. Understanding the message of a religious leader is part of the experience.
The message is how worshippers connect with a spiritual being. These words convey something so powerful that they become a binding force. Participating in a religious ritual brings the people of a minority group closer because of their communal origins.
Deaf people want to feel like they belong through this spiritual connection with others. That’s why it’s important to have more awareness about putting more Sign Language into hearing religious services. Connection is the reason for practicing religion. Worshipping in Sign Language connects all deaf people and can make them feel more at home. They can express their thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and perceptions through religion in their most comfortable tongue.
Collectivist Culture in Deaf Worship
There are individual and collectivist cultures. The deaf community falls under the collectivist culture. Most deaf people consider themselves part of the larger deaf community. Even if they don’t necessarily use sign language or because they became deaf later in life. The sense of togetherness and living for one’s community is strong.
In a way, the religious culture within the deaf community can be seen in the same light. Worshipping a spiritual entity is usually done in a group, small or large. Even further than that are the teachings. The teachings promote being there for your neighbors and living your life for the greater good of the community.
Religion as an Open and Friendly Environment
Though many hearing churches make their church accessible to deaf people, they still find their way to create that environment. For deaf people, religion bolsters bonds and smaller communities that unite them for one purpose. There’s a sense of belonging and a more willingness to open up in a religious setting.
Communication isn’t only about the common religion for the deaf community. In a way, coming together to practice faith also allows deaf people to understand themselves better. That directly contributes to their connection with the deaf community as a greater entity.
For more on how faith is improving the experience of the deaf community, visit, https://www.unspokenasl.com/aslblogs/
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