Ch 1 religious responses Religion o Multifaceted o 7 dimensions of religion ritual public private ceremonies narrative and mythic stories overall account of universe and its creatures experiential and emotional feelings of guilt dread awe devotion ecstasy peace etc social and institutional group dimensions involving shared beliefs identity membership ethical and legal rules concerning human behavior doctrinal and philosophical systematic belief structure and intellectual framework material things places representing or manifesting the sacred in many cultures religion is basic foundation of life Materialistic perspective 19th 20th centuries humans invented religion theory to explain the fact that religion can be found in some form in every culture around the world supernatural is imagined by humans only material world exists Ludwig Feuerbach deities are simply projections objectifications of human qualities such as power wisdom and love onto an imagined cosmic deity outside ourselves We see ourselves as weak and sinful Karl Marx Communist Manifesto Culture s relgion as well as other aspects of social structure springs from economic framework Religion s origins lie in the longings of the oppressed May have developed from the desire to revolutionize society and combat Religion pacifies people falsely and makes them tools of oppression 20th exploitation century atheism Functional perspective Religion helps us define ourselves and makes the world and life comprehensible to us Religion is useful Based on sociology humans can t live without organized structure and religions hold societies together Biology functional reasons for existence of religion o Religion serves as organized system that has essential biological purpose of bringing people together for their common survival o Protects gene replication and nurturing o Medical benefits of religion have also been proved ex meditating relieves stress o Psychology religion fulfills neurotic needs Collective fantasy universal obsessional neurosis god protects us from the terrors of life people need strength for dealing with personal Spirituality problems Inner dimensions of religion such as experiences beliefs and values Dogma systems of doctrines proclaimed as absolutely true and accepted as such even if they lie beyond the domain of one s personal beliefs Belief perspective o There is truly underlying reality that cannot readily be perceived o Ultimate reality exists o Human mind doesn t function in rational mode alone there are other forms of consciousness o To perceive truth directly beyond the senses beyond the human reason beyond blind belief mysticisim o Encounters with unseen reality enlightment awakening realization illumination satori self knowledge gnosis ecstatic communion coming home o Dualistic understanding mayb be transcended in a moment of enlightenment in which real and our awareness of it become one o Certain pattern of religion An experience of what is considered unseen reality Involves person s whole being It is the most shattering and intense of all ham experiences It motivates the person to action through worship ethical behavior service and sharing with others in a religious group Understandings of sacred reality o Comparitive religion discipline attempts to understand and compare religious patterns found around the world o Profane is the everyday world of seemingly random ordinary and o Sacred realm of extraordinary apparently purposeful but generally unimportant occurences imperceptible forces o Immanent experience it as present in the world o Transcendent believe it exists outside material universe o Religions based on one s relationship with a divine being theistic o if the being is worshiped as a singular form the religion is monotheistic o if many attributes and forms of the divine are emphasized the religion may be labeled polytheistic o religions that hold that beneath the multiplicity of apparent forms there is one underlying substance called monistic o unseen reality nontheistic o exclusivist religious authorities who claim that they worship the only true deity and label all others as pagans or nonbelievers o unknowable whole universalism atheism belief there is no diety agnosticism not the denial of the divine but the feeling I don t know whether it exists or not used to create a sacred atmosphere or state of consciousness necessary to convey the requests for help to bring some human control over things that are not ordinarily controllable rituals symbols images borrowed from the material world that are similar to ineffable spiritual experiences extended metaphors may be used as allegories narratives that use concrete symbols to convey abstract ideas symbols are woven together into myths symbolic stories that communities use to explain the universe and their place within it o 4 primary functions of myths Ritual symbol and myth mystical psychological cosmological sociological myths are not falsehoods or the works of primitive imaginations they can deeply meaningful and transformational forming sacred belief structure that supports laws and institutions of religion Absolutist and liberal interpretations within each faith people have different ways of interpreting their traditions orthodox stand by a historical form of their religion strictly following its established practices laws and creeds those who resist contemporary influences and affirm what they perceive as the historical core of their religion absolutionists fundamentalist often applied to this selective insistence on parts of a religious tradition and to violence against people of other religions liberals take a more flexible approach to religious tradition Women in religion most institutionalized religions are patriarchal women supporting roles making women s voices heard feminist movements Negative aspects of organized religions religions have often split rather than unified humanity oppressed rather than freed terrified rather than inspired problem institutionalization wars those who hold power control followers religions have potential for wreaking psychological havoc on their followers escapism political power used to oppress other religions in the country Pathetic fallacy o Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects feelings or ideas o Ex the Bible condemns violence o Ex Islam preaches love o Leads to theological conclusions assumptions about the validity of people s faith o Makes generalizations about traditions Insider vs outsider
View Full Document
Unlocking...