RELI 1000Exam # 1 Study Guide Lectures: 1 - 5Lecture 1-2- Insidero A participant, one with first hand experienceo Positively biased in describing their religion- Outsidero Detached, lacks experience, usually very critical & prejudice-Both contribute to the understanding of religion- Religiono A system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive & long lasting motivations in peopleo Why are humans religious? Humans are religious animals Humans possess the ability to reflect upon existential questions Humans are in search of meaningo Why study religion To understand ourselves To overcome ignorance To comprehend our culture To achieve global perspectiveLecture 3- Edward Tayloro Influenced by Christian theories & Charles Darwin’s theory of evolutiono Studied customs & beliefs of the “primitive”o Work: Primitive Cultureo Influence: the idea that all societies & cultures evolved from primitive to civilized societieso Origin of religion: came from the need to explain puzzling & threatening aspects of human existence (death, dreams & vision)o Religion is the belief in “spiritual beings” that think, act & feel like human beingso Evolution of religion Nature spirits progressed towards belief in polytheism then monotheism Soul/spirit= Animism/primal Deities/many gods = Polytheism Single god = Monotheism- Animismo Emerged from being unable to distinguish between “waking & sleeping” & “the living & the dead”o Belief that everything has a soul or spirito “Nature spirits”; plants, animals, mountains, ecto “Primal” form of religion- James Frazero Influenced by Tayloro Work: The Golden Bougho Magic is the origin of religion with 3 stages Magical Religious Scientifico Humans want to have control over the world & their destinieso Need for the control led to magico Magic=lowest form of religion Lecture 4- Karl Marxo Jew who’s father made them convert to Christianity to avoid the Naziso Communist advocateo Work: communist manifestoo Argument Reality is primary- Force that drives all history/super structure- Ideas are developed or shaped by what’s happening in society History & social conflict between rich & poor- Rich owning means of production while the poor struggle Private property & dehumanization- Fuels conflicts, social class & violence Communism is the only solution- End class divisiono Religion Idea/illusion with evil consequences- Used to defend status quo & justifies oppression of the poor- “The opium of the people”- Should be abolished/ illusion of happinesso Influence Marxism was admired & embraced- Russia & China: introduced communism & banned religion- Communism collapsed & capitalism triumphed Latin American embraced ideas to develop “liberation theology”- Protest economic injustices in churches Ideas linked religion to social-economic life- Economic decisions are influenced by religious valueso Criticism Ideas are limited to Christianity Reduced religion to economics & class strangle; assumes that the poor think the same- Sigmund Freudo Jewish during the Nazi erao Studied the human brain & developed psychoanalysiso The unconscious mind Conscious effected by the unconscious which harbors ideaso Dreams Mechanism that releases repressed feelingso Personality conflict Id, ego, super egoo Oedipus complex Process that around the age of 9 we go through an argue to kill/be in competition with our same sex parent and the desire to marry the opposite sex parentLecture 5- Tabooo Incest & killing or eating of a totemo Origin is the sons rebelling/killing fathers- Totemo Special animalo After sons killed fathers, they felt guilty and they made the father into a god to worship- Sacredo Mysterious power that evokes a mixed response which is repulsive & attractive atthe same timeo Sacred Objects = “the arc of convent” which disclose sacred powero Sacred space = “set apart” for experiencing the holy; for example churches and temples- Axis Mundio The center of the world, where sacred & profane