Religion Matters - Stephen Prothero (Hinduism) Flashcards
What is substantive definition in relation to religion?
leaving out religions that do not have that category that you say all religions have
What is functional definition in relation to religion?
lose sight of distinguishing religion to other things of the world
(ex. “religion gives people hope” other things besides religion can give you hope)
Genealogy of religion
…
Dalits
the “untouchables”
Hindu gods number…
an estimated 330 million
Moksha
release from rebirth and suffering
Essence of the human being (Hinduism)
a self or soul cycling through multiple bodies in multiple lifetimes
Ashes (Hinduism)
not collected, no gathering, no ceremony; pushed into the GANGES
Vedas (“knowledge”)
the oldest and most sacred Sanskrit scriptures; unauthored revelations that offer one common source of a shared Hindu identity
- binds Hindus together is a shared reverence for the Vedas.
Shiva’s lingam…
miraculously appeared as a “shaft of light” in 12 places in India
- often understood to represent the male and
female sex organs
Conversion in Hinduism?
Traditionally, Hindus have not attempted to attract converts
Ethnic Religion
A religion of a people rather than the religion of all people
Ascribed identity
externally opposed; born into
Achieved identity
“you come to” (ex. born-again Christian)
Hinduism in Bali
no images of god, have shrines depicting the high god of Balinese Hindus in the form of an empty chair.
Majority of Hindus live in…
India
Is Hinduism the 3rd largest religion in the world?
Yes (13.6% of the world’s population)
Hindu Tradition absorbs many OUTSIDE influences
(ex. Buddha was adopted into the Hindu family—as one divine “descent” of Vishnu)
Why is Hinduism able to have an absorptive strategy?
because of how decentralized the religion is (no founder, no creed, no single living religious “leader”)
Decentralized
lack of a single unified authority structure
(no one can declare ex. who is/is not a Hindu…right/wrong belief/practice”; not unified/cohesive)
Orthodoxy
right doctrine, the correct thing to practice/adhere to
Orthopraxy
right practice
Mughal Empire (1526-1857)
any non-Muslim was considered a Hindu
EIC/British Raj
Western critiques of polytheism, idol worship, and child marriage; Protestants had employed against Roman Catholics, by praising ancient scripture and denouncing devotions to “idols;” viewed Hinduism as morally depraved and fallen faith, overly ritualized, insufficiently intellectualized, and hypersexualized; these colonists had a sense of cultural and theological superiority.
Before Hart-Cellar Act
limited immigration to the U.S. due to these quotas from the censuses data; WHY? To keep USA consistent through racial lines
Hart-Cellar Act
Shift of bringing families back together; shift towards employment who was able to fill jobs; shifts towards refugees; huge influx of people (w/ different ideas etc.) from Asia (South, East, Central/South America) that were underrepresented; huge change in the demographic (and religious) makeup
Counter-cultural revolution/movement
“hippies;” a whole host of new-age movements being created that were influenced by religions coming into America (like Hinduism)
Practice of Puja
offering some kind of sacrifice (flowers, food etc.) to a god; coming face to face with your god (god is SEEING YOU); do it on their own or at home/sacred space set up
Practice of pilgrimage (“yatra”)
“special religious journey”
- go to sites where religious powers, knowledge, or experience are deemed especially accessible
- way of showing devotion to the gods of their choosing