secularisation

Question 1

what ways does jose casanova define secularisation?

Answer 1

decline
seperation
privatisation

Question 2

what does secularisation mean?

Answer 2

the idea that since we have become so advanced in society through the development of science religion should be abandoned and be considered superstitious. It can even suggest that religious belief is infantile and primitive.

Question 3

what are the two branches of secularism?

Answer 3

programmatic
procedural

Question 4

what is programmatic secularism?

Answer 4

religion has no place in the public sphere and is not the concern of the government. Any person should keep their beliefs private.

Question 5

what is procedural secularism?

Answer 5

This acknowledges the complex mixture of faiths found within society and the unjustness of Christianity having a higher place. All views should be treated equally and we should not give any priority to one group.

Question 6

what did Auguste Comte think?

Answer 6

civilised societies develop from three things; theological, mystical and positive.

Religion should give way to secular positivism and science to remove all false beliefs of the world

Question 7

What was feurbachs theory?

Answer 7

Projection

Question 8

what is projection theory?

Answer 8

ideals of God are manmade through humans values that are projected into the cosmos

For example, society values power - God is powerful.

He believed religion will die out as our secular beliefs will stop the projection of God.

God changes overtime due to human change

Question 9

What did David Hume contribute to secularisation?

Answer 9

Our natural fear of our unknown existence gives way to belief in powerful deities that are a means of protection.

Question 10

Hume quote about religious belief

Answer 10

’ you will scarcely be persuaded that they are other than sick mens dreams’

Question 11

Stephen Frys stance on secularisation

Answer 11

The Christian God is nonsensical - it doesnt resemble human qualities in any form and would not make sense for us to bow down to him

Question 12

Karl marx view on religion

Answer 12

• it exists to oppress working classes
• it keeps them subdued and in line for the bourgeoise
• religion prevents social change through creating a false consciousness in which suffering is seen as virtouous

Question 13

how could projecting belief in the afterlife have a capitalist agenda?

Answer 13

encourages people to live with injustice because their suffering in this life is a ‘soul making process’ for the next life in which they will be rewarded. (summum bonnum sorry kant)

Question 14

what did marx think would set a decline in religious belief?

Answer 14

control by workers will lead to religious change

Question 15

what did marx compare religion to?

Answer 15

a drug - that keeps the proletariat subdued

Question 16

marx quote

Answer 16

religion is the opium of the people

Question 17

to freud, when do neuroses occur?

Answer 17

when natural human instincts are repressed by tradition and conformity. He though religion was a key element for the cause of psychological illness.

Question 18

How is religion an infantile neurosis?

Answer 18

• Belief in God = childish and people will grow out of it
• We will reject it in the developing positive age
• we should embrace the sophistication of science
• until we regard religion as a quaint superstition
• since it an illusion - should have no place in public decision making

Question 19

what is the main charectoristic of an illusion?

Answer 19

derived from human wishes

Question 20

explain Freuds concept of wish fullfilment

Answer 20

• illusion of God exists because he consists of what humans wish for
• they desire these so much they repress doubts of God

Question 21

What things did freud think we try to control in our lives through belif in God?

Answer 21

1) External forces of nature

2) Internal forces of nature

3) longing for a father

Question 22

explain ‘external forces of nature’

Answer 22

humans want to defend themselves against the power of nature by creating divine beings.

God can help people to deal with this need for power by saying he will be the protector and one to help them against nature.

Question 23

explain ‘ internal forces of nature’

Answer 23

Freud though humans have conflict between what they want and what society wants from them. Such as, incest.

God is watching over us and will reward us from this conflict and suffering. Through controlling these instincts we will be rewarded.

Question 24

explain ‘ longing for a father figure’

Answer 24

childhood = loneliness
childhood - protected by father figure
adulthood = we don’t have this protection
so we turn God into a father figure to deal with the new mass of freedom and lack of protection

Question 25

what does Dawkins compare belief in God to?

Answer 25

belief in a teapot randomly circiling the sun

Question 26

For Dawkins, how is religion harmful?

Answer 26

causes wars, misery and death.
for example, 911 terrorist attack on the twin towers.
It is also oppressive - burqa used to subdue women

Question 27

Who does dawkins have an issue with and why?

Answer 27

Creationists who interpret genesis as a real story since it goes against evolution

Question 28

What is Dawkins concerened about?

Answer 28

The rise of funamentalsists who cause problems towards scientific advancment because they question the origin of the universe from an unscientific perspective

Question 29

Dawkins view on raising children as religious

Answer 29

he was completely against it and saw it as indoctrinating, even a form of child abuse. Especially if the parent goes against modern science.

religions deluded beliefs effect children psyche. The threat of hell is damaging.

Question 30

Dawkins overalll …

Answer 30

1) wishful thinking and blind faith
2) contrary evidence - evil
3) dangerous
4) terrorism, women etc
5) evolution and science
6) indoctrination and abuse, evil

Question 31

name programmatic secularists

Answer 31

dawkins
freud

Question 32

what did heelas and woodhead argue

Answer 32

whilst institutionalised religion is on decline other spiritual disciplines are on the rise

Question 33

What did Ford illustrate?

Answer 33

They question the notion that society would be unequivocally advantaged through the abandonment of religion when other fascist and capitalist regimes have used brutal methods to eradicate religion.

Question 34

why does Christianity have a special place in the uk?

Answer 34

The UK is an established nation meaning it has an official religion, Christianity. Since, the 17th century the Church of England has been the established church. This establishment has a link to the state and subsequetnly has a higher status in public life.

Question 35

Give examples of the Christian advantages in scoeity..

Answer 35

1) bishops have automatic seat in the house of lords
2) the church operates aroune 1/4 state primary shools in England

Question 36

what is a secular humanist?

Answer 36

humans can live good and noble lives according to reason and without the need for religion

Question 37

what was the amsterdam declaration of 2022

Answer 37

a statement on the funamentals of modern day humanism

Question 38

give some examples of things in amsterdam decloration

Answer 38

• humanists reject all forms of racism and prejudice
• strive to be rational and that science is the solution to world problems

Question 39

reasons for christianity in public life..

Answer 39

• Christianity needs to be in public life for exclusivists since the great commision which teaches to proselytise the nations
• bonhoeffer thought christians should be salt and light within their communities by spreading the word of jesus. If christianity isnt in the spehere then it cant offer moral guidance
• ford and the problems atheist regimes have caused

Question 40

reasons against

Answer 40

dawkins
multifaith society
unfair]
freud etc etc

Question 41

branches of freud

Answer 41

1. religion is wish fulllfillment
2. longing for father figure
3. infntile neurosis