Religion Flashcards
Who is Richard Dawkins?
An supreme atheist, wrote “The God Delusion”, suggested atheists are oppressed
Define religion
A unified system of meaning for interpreting the world, typically has supernatural elements
Compare a religion and a cult
Cults may have a supernatural aspect, but they are typically tied to one person
Religions are more widespread, not tied to one person
Explain humanist perspectives
Human-centered and science-based belief systems, such as communism
Compare religion to humanist perspectives
Religion - “our existence has meaning”
Humanist - “life has no meaning so we give it meaning”
What does Reginald Bibby say of Canadian religiosity?
Alberta is not the “bible belt”, not many people turn to religion due to it not being the “right spirituality”
Outline Marx’s view on religion
It’s the “opium” of people, it is a human creation, it will eventually fade away
Outline Durkheim’s view on religion
It’s a human construction, it has function in society, believes people go to religion for immediate reason
Explain the functions of religion put forward by Durkheim
1) fosters cohesion, 2) offers support during crises, 3) addresses ultimate questions, 4) provides social service, 5) legitimizes political authority, and 6) influences social change
What 2 aspects of religion’s function are in contention?
Legitimizing authority and promoting social change; differs in conformity
Outline Weber’s view on religion
Examined it in terms of how religion affects peoples behaviour, it’s instrumental under capitalism, religiosity influenced the economy
What does Bibby say about personal religiosity?
Religion should be examined through 1) belief in god, 2) practice, 3) experiences with god, and 4) knowledge of text
What were Bibby’s findings?
A lot of people believe in god, the afterlife, and pray, but few view religion as “very important” in their life
Explain church-sect typology
Religion splintering from churches, specifically the loss of followers to other religions
Outline the organization approach
By Bibby; considers 1) source of members (within the family), 2) goals of the group (with the times or not), 3) norms and roles. 4) sanctions for conformity, and 5) the overall “success”
