Belief Systems: How Do We Explain The Unexplainable

Question 1

What specific functions to believe system serve?

Answer 1

-Cohesion & Support

• Education & Discipline
• Ecology
• Explanation
• Revitalization & Euphoria

Question 2

Cohesion & Support

Answer 2

Functions of the supernaturalism apply to both individuals and groups
- people come together for ceremonies and rituals

Question 3

Revitalization & Euphoria

Answer 3

• involves regular/repetitious rituals and practices that result in a renewal of believe system
• serves to motivate and lift the mood of the individual and also the entire group

Example: the Molimo ceremony of the Mbuti pgymies

Question 4

Ecology

Answer 4

Involves any belief or ritual that contributes to the maintenance of the society of environment or resource management

Example: The Hindu and cattle
-taboo against killing cattle

Question 5

Explanation

Answer 5

Beliefs serves both individual and group

• reasons for life
• reasons for death

Question 6

Education and Discipline

Answer 6

Functions of supernaturalism are interwoven

Question 7

Gods

Answer 7

Are ancestral in nature. They are the source of the human beings

Question 8

Polyestic

Gods

Answer 8

Many gods or goddesses

Question 9

Mono

Gods

Answer 9

One powerful God

Question 10

Greek gods

Answer 10

Supernatural beings responsible for certain tasks

Question 11

Demons

Answer 11

Most systems that have gods and or goddesses also have demons

Question 12

What do demons try to steal?

Answer 12

The souls of people and force them to commit evil things

Question 13

What explanation do demons result in?

Answer 13

Provides culturally appropriate explanation for peoples inappropriate behavior

Question 14

Souls

Answer 14

Gods and or goddesses give humans their souls

Question 15

Ghosts

Answer 15

In many societies, souls are believed to turn into ghosts

Question 16

What’s the purpose behind funerals?

Answer 16

Could be to send off souls, now off to the next place as to not disturb the living

Question 17

Tricksters

Answer 17

Usually do not intend real harm but are bothersome

Question 18

Witches

Answer 18

Are supernatural and have great powers that can affect humans

– Real witches will not admit that they are witches

Question 19

Mana

Answer 19

And in personal supernatural force that flows in and out of people and object

-precursor to formal religion

Question 20

Magic

Answer 20

Not a supernatural force but refers to techniques used to manipulate supernatural forces

Question 21

Imitative magic

Answer 21

A type of magic based on the notion that working magic on an image of an animal or person will cause the same effect on the actual animal or person

Question 22

Contagious magic

Answer 22

Something that has contact with a person or animal contain some of the innocence of that animal or person

Question 23

Belief systems and practices explain the_____?

Answer 23

Unexplainable