Module 1 - PEOPLE AND RELIGION

Question 1

What is Secularism?

Answer 1

Secularism: the principle of separation of the state from religious institutions. (political theory)

• relationships between religion and state are managed, and the idea that they should be independent of one another

Question 2

What is secularisation?

Answer 2

(sociology) secularization is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward nonreligious values and secular institutions
- the decrease prevalence and status of religion in a given society.
- The movement away from an organised spirituality/ religion (does not mean people are not being spiritual)
- The country is being/becoming less religious, more of society is being less religious

Question 3

What is ‘Separation of the church?

Answer 3

The principle that the government must maintain an attitude of neutrality towards religion.

• reinforces the legal right of free people to freely live their faith, even in public.
• Secures the rights and privileges of all citizens under a government and ensures that both government and church function according to their God-given roles.

Question 4

Why is there religion in society?

Answer 4

Religions offer a way of life that seeks to provide people with MEANING AND PURPOSE.

Question 5

How can an individual interact with religion?

Answer 5

RESPONSE AND INTERACTION with religion is a VARYING DYNAMIC AND COMPLEX PROCESS THROUGHOUT LIFE.

Due to CONTEXT OF LIFE of (age, gender, education), circumstances, experiences, and influences/ encounters from people, places, matters, religion generally in life and from the surrounding world.

Sometimes an Individual’s approach may be

(Unconscious approach) Sometimes religion does not register as an important part of life, other times it may be immersed in a culture or an individual’s life from a young age without and conscious effort of reflection about the merits of deeper meanings offered in religion.

(Conscience approach) acceptance or rejection may be a ‘huge deal’. The individual is actively aware of religion, shows interest in or reaction to religion. (Usually later in life)

Question 6

How might people RESPOND to a religion?

Answer 6

People respond in different ways to religion (accept or reject)

Question 7

HOW DO SOCIAL FACTORS IMPACT ON HOW PEOPLE INTERACT WITH RELIGION?

Answer 7

Social factors have the potential to either SUPPORT, HINDER OR OBSTRUCT an Individual’s interaction with religion.

Such factors create a climate in which ideas and/or actions have the potential to colour or influence how people and religion interact.

Question 8

What are the six different types of social factors impacting how people interact with religion?

Answer 8

1. Cultural Focus
2. Historical Issues
3. The presence of SOCIAL DISADVANTAGES OR HARDSHIPS
4. SOCIAL ATTITUDES AND PHILOSOPHIES that promote, marginalise, or reject religion and/or religious matters
5. POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES and administrations
6. PEOPLE that inspire/motivate/direct how people should act or think IN RELATION TO A RELIGION

Question 9

Explain Cultural focus (examples)

Answer 9

individualism, consumerism, materialism, religion, tradition

Question 10

Explain historical issues (examples)

Answer 10

immigration, religious extremist activities, past wars, journeys, events, and activities

• Historical issues such as events, problems, and particular situations in the economic and social world
• Such circumstances inform people about religion and even forms particular ideation or perspective of a religion/s.

Question 11

Explain The presence of SOCIAL DISADVANTAGES OR HARDSHIPS (examples)

Answer 11

inequality, poverty, wars

Question 12

Explain SOCIAL ATTITUDES AND PHILOSOPHIES that promote, marginalize, or reject religion and/or religious matters (examples)

Answer 12

Forms of secularism, militant atheism, Christian humanism

Question 13

Explain POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES and administrations (examples)

Answer 13

Theocracy, communist society

Political ideology and administrations refer to a certain set of ethical ideals, principles, doctrines, myths or symbols of a social movement, institution, class or large group that explains how society should work and offers some political and cultural blueprint for a certain social order.

Question 14

Explain PEOPLE that inspire/motivate/direct how people should act or think IN RELATION TO A RELIGION (examples)

Answer 14

Leadership (collectively/ individually - un/conscious)

Question 15

How does CULTURAL FOCUS impact how a person interacts with religion?

Answer 15

Negative:

• Consumerism, - where individuals are more concerned with the acquisition of goods.
• Previously Sunday was regarded as a ‘rest day’.
• This meant that normal consumer business, shopping, sporting games, and other activities were often set aside for religious observance and family mass.
• However, since the beginning of contemporary Australia this practice of ‘keeping the sabbath day holy’ is often rejected and many non-essential activities and businesses of consumption are exercised throughout the whole of Sunday.
• This hinders and distorts spiritual expression, through materialism being a distraction to the way in which people perceive spirituality or happiness as something to be consumed.
• Australians now are chasing possessions to provide them with a moment of ‘happiness’ while depleting and threatening their happiness and satisfaction with their relationships, self, and their spiritual soul.
• cultural focus of materialism in Australia, religion does not register as an important part of life, thus hindering and possibly obstructing an individual from experiencing and interacting with a religion such as Christianity.

Question 16

How do HISTORICAL ISSUES impact how a person interacts with religion?

Answer 16

NEGATIVE EXAMPLE: Religious extremist activity such as the; ‘Twin Tower terrorist attack’ in New York known as 9/11,

• can cause people to move away from religion because see it is an immoral, dangerous, and fear-oriented theology, particularly in countries like England, Australia, and America.
• Many people after this event of terrorism throughout the world were influenced to become Islamophobic and had a prejudice against the religion of Islam.

POSITIVE EXAMPLE: Immigration in Australia was also an event that had the most profound effect on how Australians interact with religion.

• Post-1945 there has been a steep decline in the total number of people identifying with the three largest Christian denominations (Catholic, Anglican, and Uniting Church) due to people now having the opportunity to migrate.
• Since 1971, the number of Australians associated with a religion other than Christianity has risen from just 0.1 million to 1.5 million.
• Australia is increasingly a story of religious diversity, with Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam, and Buddhism all increasingly common religious beliefs.
• This means that immigration in this country had a positive influence on religious affiliation because it introduced many religions, cultures, beliefs, and perspectives, to many oblivious Australians.

Question 17

How does The presence of SOCIAL DISADVANTAGES OR HARDSHIPS impact how a person interacts with religion?

Answer 17

• Being ‘socio-economically disadvantaged’ means living in less favourable social and economic circumstances than others in the same society.
  EG. low income and living in a deprived area. In the world’s poorest countries; many which are located in Asia and Africa, which experience such disadvantages

POSITIVE INFLUENCE: religion plays a more functional role due to the hardships people encounter such as war, poverty and terrible health conditions.

• This is because religion itself is the most powerful and available ‘structure’ helping many residents cope with a daily struggle to provide for themselves and their families.
• For example, it is the religious institutions such as ‘Vinnies’ which often provide essential services such as education and health care, and the social networks that faith communities provide can be crucial in times of crisis.
• This relationship between people and religiosity provides them with hope and makes their emotional well-being much stronger among poor countries than among those in the developed world and therefore people are support religion and approach it positively.

Negatively impact:
the opposite is seen in many developed countries in Europe and now in Australia because in the richer countries, people are less likely to face existential threats, so they have more opportunity for fulfilment outside of religion.

• This is a reason why the growing percentage of Australia’s population reporting no religion has been a trend for decades and is accelerating because the ‘glamorousness’ and ‘materialism’ acts as a distraction which hinders people’s relationship and approach to religion.

Question 18

How do PEOPLE that inspire/motivate/direct how people should act or think IN RELATION TO A RELIGION impact how a person interacts with religion?

Answer 18

POSITIVE EXAMPLE:
- motivates people around them are considered as positive influences for religion, because a large number of people will tend to idealise, he/she.

• For example, Australian born evangelist Nick Vujicic, who has done much to make people take him as an example and start thinking about others, and how people suffer when assistance is not provided through his motivational speeches.
• He is a role model for many because he showed a good example to others, he helps and inspires people to find their true purpose and meaning through the religion of Christianity.

NEGATIVE EXAMPLE:
Australian Catholic Cardinal George Pell.
- After hearing the news of the immoral actions committed by this Catholic authority, many people questioned leadership in the Catholic church and how some orders of ministry can misuse this power of teaching and governing.
- This individual, therefore, has had the ability to inhibit people from Christianity, because his actions have ‘clouded’ the view on whether the religion is positive, safe and honourable.

Question 19

How do POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES and administrations impact how a person interacts with religion?

Answer 19

• affects because society and community are governed and expected to work in a particular order and idea.

NEGATIVE EXAMPLE:
Communism has the greatest influence of distancing people from faith
- To unite the country, religion/s under this political ideology is not allowed, because it differentiates people in the masses
- therefore the population is often obstructed from religious observance because they are oblivious to the potentials, beliefs, and teachings of many faiths.
- because the communist government obstructs any influence of religion.

POSITIVE EXAMPLE:
Theocracy is another political ideology, however, it immerses people into religion and affects religious affiliation in a country positively.
- A theocracy is a form of government in which a deity of some type is recognized as the supreme ruling authority, giving divine guidance to human intermediaries that manage the day-to-day affairs of the government.

• The Vatican City is the only country in the world with an absolute theocratic elective monarchy that is guided by the principles of Christianity.
• The Pope is the supreme power in the country, of the Vatican government.
• As a society in its own original right, has the right to live its own domestic religious life in freedom, in particular the freedom to choose religious education, however, since the government and ruling are Christian, many people are influenced to become more affiliated into the Christian religion.

Question 20

How do SOCIAL ATTITUDES AND PHILOSOPHIES that promote, marginalise, or reject religion and/or religious matters impact how a person interacts with religion?

Answer 20

Negative:
- a secular nation that believes in the principle of separation of the state from religious institutions, will be more diverse and accepting of religions and beliefs.

• The increase in secularisation in Australia means more people are separating themselves from religion.
• This is partly a result of people who are products of a more individualistic society who lack in social solidarity more than their parents.
• In the last census showed statistically that the growing percentage of Australia’s population reporting no religion has been a trend for decades, and is accelerating.
• Those reporting no religion increased noticeably from 19 percent in 2006 to 30 percent in 2016 and were influenced to do so because of Australia being an increased secularised nation.
• This means that secularisation has a negative influence on religious affiliation in the nation.

Question 21

What are the 4 views on religion?

Answer 21

1. religion as a BELIEF SYSTEM
2. religion as a HUMAN INVENTION
3. religion as a FUNCTIONAL AGENCY
4. religion as a POLITICAL ENTITY

Question 22

Explain Religion as a belief system

Answer 22

(religious role)

Religion is a system and a group of people which ultimately exists due to the basis of particular beliefs

Question 23

Is religion as a belief system POSITIVE or NEGATIVE view?

Answer 23

Positive:

1. Religions offer a way of life that seeks to provide people with MEANING AND PURPOSE.
   - It establishes morals and a moral compass that allows the community to be safe, fair, and just.
   - meets SPIRITUAL NEEDS and can bring transformative change in people and communities.

Therefore, it gives people Comfort

• in times of crisis, provides answers, assistance, and interpretation of the situation.
• religious events act as recreational and positive times - something to look forward to
• provides hope in bad times

Brings a community of people together

• can build strong relationships
• a strong congregation of people that are not affected by crisis ( always help available)

Negative:
Teachings, Customs, Traditions, Rules, and Explanations may be inaccurate, unfair, and outdated.
eg. Can segregate people into communities and expectations.
- cast systems, gendered jobs, and abuse of power

Question 24

Explain Religion as a human invention

Answer 24

Religion is a collection of untrue ‘made up’/ created ideas and beliefs, which is now is a quaint but harmless leftover from a bygone era.

Question 25

Is religion as a human invention a NEGATIVE view?

Answer 25

Negative view:
from a MARXIST lens, religion is an organization acting as an opioid to comfort the position and situation of life.

• A system that can manipulate, subjugate so the order can be present in the community.
• used as a position of power
• can lead people to be oblivious of potential, facts and oppressions experinced
• outdated, inaccurate teachings and beliefs which can taint progression and advancement of people and society

Question 26

Explain religion as a functional agency

Answer 26

(social role)

Religion is an organization in society with a beneficial and useful purpose in the economy and society.

Question 27

Is religion as a FUNCTIONAL AGENCY a POSITIVE view?

Answer 27

Positive:

• An organized system/s that promotes stability in society,
• promotes good health and wellbeing,
• fulfills the need for a stable frame of reference.

The actions and works of particular religions through their organizational works are very ‘good’ and beneficial to the economy and society as a community.

An active transformative agency

1. PLAYS A STRONG SOCIAL ROLE:
   - decrease poverty, injustice, exclusion, and disadvantages
   - advocating for the welfare and human dignity
   - via charity works and organizations
   - vinnies and salvation army
   - helps the governement with education
   - monitors and ensure thier is suffient education in australia (1-12 school levels and universities)
   - over 100s of schools with 700000 + students enrolled

Question 28

Explain religion as a political entity

Answer 28

Since religions are a collective group of people with common beliefs, traditions, and values they can have a significant political role and influence in a democracy.

Has powerful people representing them and speaking out for the teachings and beliefs of the collective group. Many politicians/ parties listen to this group in order to get votes.

Question 29

Is religion as a POLITICAL ENTITY a NEGATIVE view?

Answer 29

In DEMOCRACY everyone should have their own say
Therefore religions can influence political decisions and laws.
The MINORITY can be heard via the collective groups’ representatives and their common views and values can be implemented in society.

However, Since Australia is a SECULAR SOCIETY under the constitution paragraph 116.

‘Section 116 of the Constitution of Australia precludes the Commonwealth of Australia from making laws for establishing any religion, imposing any religious observance, or prohibiting the free exercise of any religion.’

Therefore, religion must stay out of politics because it can influence the parties and government politics.

If religion is present in politics it goes against secularism where there should be the upkeep of the principle ‘SEPARATION OF THE CHURCH’ meaning the government and religions should stay as separate institutions, without influencing each other.

Instead, religion should be a personal spirituality of comfort, ‘a get away from life and its busyness’ and its particular moral encompasses and ideas should not be imposed onto the diverse and collective society of the country.

60% of people preferred that people keep their religious views to themselves.

Question 30

EXPLAIN PEOPLE AND RELIGION IN AUSTRALIA

Answer 30

Australia was a very religious country with high Christian affiliation (almost 90%) from the first settlement to the very late 1900s.

But since Australia is also a secular society under the constitution paragraph 116, which addresses the principle of the separation of the church
- IT PROVIDED PEOPLE WITH FREEDOM AND OPTION TO BE RELIGIOUS OR NOT.

DUE to many SOCIAL FACTORS AND VIEWS ON RELIGION WHICH AFFECTED AND INFLUENCED PEOPLES LIVES AUSTRALIAN BEGAN TO SECULARISE and become less religious.

Since the relationship of religion and people is very dynamic and complex throughout their life because of the effect of views and social factors people began to explore morals, beliefs, and lifestyles outside of religion.

• many still today turn to religion because it provides them meaning and purpose.

however, it is an ACCELERATING TREND TO TURN AWAY FROM RELIGION and be ‘no religion’ in current society,
- (particularly young adults and children from the ages of 12-mid 30s)
because explore and discover their meaning and purpose outside of religion due to certain social factors and views of people.