In this case, the parable of the prodigal son can very well relate to Kierkegaard's three stages. The first comes aesthetics; it must have been very emotional for the father to lose his youngest son. He didn't know where he was going or when he would return. When the son finally returned, the father could have considered the situation beautiful or ugly. He decided that his son being home and healthy was more important than the material things he had lost. The prodigal son didn't make the most ethical decisions with his money. He took half of the family's property and spent it selfishly. The religious scene is quite obvious since it is a parable; the religious aspect is that the father loved his son no matter what. He even let his son make the decision to leave home, which I'm sure was very difficult to do. It took this journey alone for his son to find and realize who he really was.