...Abraham’s hair blew in the gentle breeze. Today was the day, he thought as he walked on the soft ground. Jews suffered for a big part of history, religion was a part of it. That event was called the Holocaust and it took place around World War II. A jew’s religion shows understanding and empathy for what took place during the Holocaust. For starters, most people don’t know a lot about jews and their religion. All Jewish religion is referred to as Judaism. An encyclopedia states that, “Jews believe in one god and the teachings of the Hebrew Bible” (“Judaism”). Some of their everyday language is spoken in Hebrew and some jews speak in other languages or live in different places. There are also some jews who are non-religious and who are called jews because of their ancestry. Also, they can study the Torah and the commandments. The Torah is the written law, it is also known as Pentateuch....
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...Religion and Social Structure In every society, social structure is the product of institutional constellations, which reflect the needs of individuals within that society. Social structures are created based off societal importance imposed on 6 main fundamental institutional constellations (McIntyre, 2011 p. 141). Institutions are in a sense the response to the needs a particular society may have. The six institutions are family, religion, economy, law, politics, and science. The designated emphasis on these institutions formulates social structures, which are unique to that society. An example of a social structure may be a company, law enforcement, political party, or church (McIntyre, 2011 p. 143). The needs of societies’ vary greatly depending on culture, geography, way of life, and history. Therefore, each society has a distinct and unique social structure created from the importance associated with the six institutions. To further elaborate on this point, this essay will address the institution of religion and its role in three different societies: the San of Nambia, Mexican, and German. Religion is highly variable from society to society with wide ranges in integration, importance, and type of belief. And, it is these variances that produce the distinctly different social structures that can be observed in all societies. For the San people of Nambia, religion is a vastly different from what is known as western religion. For the San, religion is not dependent...
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...age-old issue of what religion is, Emile Durkheim and Clifford Geertz offer two quite in-depth and distinct definitions that can be viewed as very similar, yet truly different on a number of levels. In this essay, I will examine the similarities and differences between the two authors’ definitions of religion and offer my own perspective on each. Both anthropologists provide definitions that share the emphasis on religion as specific to a people, and also share the acknowledgement of rituals or practices within religion. However, Durkheim and Geertz have different fundamental, explicit concepts of religion, and in turn emphasize different aspects of religion and its social function. Many critiques on both definitions have provided a number of pros and cons to each, which in turn have led to my preference of one over the other. In examining the similarities between Durkheim and Geertz’s definitions of religion, one must observe that both authors conceptualize religion as specific to the group of people that it is present in, with limited applications outside of the group. At the heart of Emile Durkheim’s definition of religion is the concept that religion is central to society and that “religion is an eminently social thing” (DURKHEIM 2008: 39). Embedded in this idea of religion as a social entity is the concept of religion as socially-specific; as applicable only to the specific group it exists in. He goes on to claim that beliefs and rites composing a religion are “always shared...
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...The complex belief system of greek mythology and it importance in the The Odyssey, and it cultural values are demonstrated throughout the text Ancient Greece: Everyday Life in the Birthplace of Western Civilization. Foremost, the importance of greek mythology is evident when “The strong god glittering left her as he spoke, and now her ladyship” (Homer 753). Displayed through the quote the greek gods were important to the sections, demonstrated through the god Hermes saving Odysseus by forcing Calypso to release him from her island. The cultural aspect of mythology was also presented when “[mythology] denoted an exemplary tale that revealed what was perceived to be a fundamental truth”(Garland 307). “Fundamental truth” conveys the importance of mythology to the Greek people, illustrating that it was something that everyone accepted....
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...Religion in Sparta supported the ideals of a militaristic society. The Spartan ideals of religion caused a change in the military soldiers and establishment of values such as loyalty, courage, skill, endurance and respect for country. The importance of religion was conveyed in different aspects of Sparta such as, the role of the gods, the impact of religion on the army, religious role of kings and religious festivals that were celebrated in Sparta. The gods were highly regarded and were important to the Spartan soldiers and society. The Spartan military and the gods were linked heavily and were very depending on each other. Gods like Apollo, Artemis, Athena, Discouri and Zeus. The more explicit gods were Apollo and Artemis Orthia which were...
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...Americans personify things in nature as spiritual. They believe that there is one Supreme God, just as those who practice African American religions. In Native American religions the High God is separate from the spirits of Earth. Very similar to African beliefs, Native Americans believe there are lesser deities called to on a regular basis and that the High God is only present in situations of great emergency. Most Native American religions practice this belief of the High God. (30-31) Some Native American religious groups think of the High God as a personal God. They call this a Great Spirit. They believe that the Great Spirit presents itself in the form of humans, items in nature, and things in the spiritual world. These personal Gods are of divine and sacred power. Some believe that anything that has an influence over life is a Great Spirit. (30-31) The role of ancestors is an element of religions that played a special importance. Our textbook explains ancestor veneration as the act of honoring ones’ ancestors. Both African and Native American religions practice ancestor veneration. In African religion ancestors are the most important and most recognized spirits. Africans believe that the deceased continue to live in the afterlife. Unlike the High God as mentioned before, ancestors take a great interest in everyday life of the humans left on Earth. Ancestor spirits watch over people’s lives and participate in affairs that take place...
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...rule through their dominant religion. Christianity became the Byzantine Empire’s state religion as did Islam for the Islamic Caliphates. Both empires established their political leaders as their religious leaders so they would have more power over the citizens. They used religion to unite the people and to justify expansion for their government. However, these empires did not have similar legal systems. The laws of the Byzantine Empire were based off of Roman laws and the Islamic Caliphates centered their laws on the Quran. Neither empire failed to acknowledge the importance of religion in each society. Because of the importance, the leaders of both empires, the Emperor in the Byzantine and the Caliph in the Caliphates, were set as the head religious figures. This similarity between the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic Caliphates shows how they each empowered their leaders by relating them with the beliefs of the...
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...library was a common benefit to society. Although Franklin was educated as Presbyterian, he treated all religion with respect. He believed that even the worst of religions had some good. Franklin did not let his religion tie him down. He often did not attend public worship and thus received admonishment from his minister. Once Franklin heard his minister’s five points he became conflicted. As a result he withdrew from his church and wrote his own prayer entitled “Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion” Franklin’s most arduous project was his attempt at moral perfection. He established his thirteen virtues to guide himself onto the right path. By charting his journey for moral perfection, Franklin was able to examine himself and learn from his faults. However as time went by, Franklin realized that it was not possible for him to become perfect. He acknowledged his failure and pointed out that his journey toward moral perfection shaped him to become a happier man. Franklin concluded in his memoir that pride was a moral imperfection that was difficult to subdue. Franklin uses ethos to establish credibility as role model for the young men of America to become successful. By highlighting his own experience with family, education, morals, and religion, Franklin establishes his authority on success. The library that Franklin began from scratch served to emphasize the importance of contributing to society and education. Even todays’ libraries exist to provide books to people. Franklin’s...
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...and Westernization on their religion and culture. I argue that the intolerance of Christianity had a profound impact on the way Blackfoot Indians practice their religion. My findings found that Christianity has changed the way Blackfoot Indians practice their religion, but that there is a movement to convert back to the traditional ways of their ancestors. The purpose of this article is to provide a better understanding of the intrusiveness of a religion upon another and what long term affects it may have. Modern day Blackfoot Indian culture has struggled to survive for over 150 years since the first white settlers found their way to modern day Canada and the United States. The Blackfoot people have fought and struggled to preserve the traditions of the past and incorporate what were once their forefather’s beliefs with European influences and traditions. Today most of the Blackfoot people live on reservations in Alberta and Montana; there they find a unique balance that allows them to live modern day lives and preserve traditions of the past. Blackfoot Indians have developed into agricultural people, abandoning their seasonal nomadic ways. In this paper I will examine how the Blackfoot people function and live in the present day; focusing on how religion and culture intertwine to form contemporary life for the Blackfoot people. The intrusiveness of Christianity will be of particular importance; specifically it’s intolerance of the Blackfoot religion. The role that the buffalo...
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...Religion and Politics and the effect of religion in America For a virtuous instance of how religion affects politics in our current world we need not look very distant but rather look around you. The influence of Catholicism on Latin American politics, and the role religion plays on Middle Eastern politics have had a profound affect in those related societies. After examining the effects of religion into the above mentioned societies it is clear that the introduction of religion into politics has proven to be suppressive and counterproductive to most third world countries, and various subcultures in first world countries. A very well known writer and scholar on the history of Egypt, Budge, E. A. Wallis, "Egyptian Religion and Society: Egyptian Ideas of the Future Life (Library of the Mystic Arts)". Citadel Press. August 1, 1991. Wrote, “Most scholars have concluded that, in later times at least, there was no close personal tie between the individual Egyptian and the gods, that the gods remained aloof, that their relationship to humans was indirect, communicated to him by means of the king”. We must remember that there was no established book or set of teachings, as the Bible or the Qur'an, and few prescribed conditions of behavior or conduct. Humans were guided essentially by human wisdom and trusted in their belief in the goodness of the gods and of their divine son, the king. An important concept in Egyptian life was the idea of justice. Although the Egyptian was entirely...
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...than a religion and it focuses on connecting the follower with his ancestry through certain forms of worship dedicated to one’s ancestors. The word Shinto means “Way of the Gods”. Shintoism also teaches its followers that every aspect of nature is sacred. This includes an ardent love and appreciation for mountains, seas, plants, and animals [ (Video: Shintoism: Mystical Spirit of the East) ]. This notion can be applied to my life by allowing me to have a greater appreciation for nature and all living creatures. Shintoism connects the follower with his past and using this notion could help me to understand the importance of my own background and forefathers. Zoroastrianism is another religious practice which highlights the importance of gods and ancestry. It is an ancient Iranian religion which is also known as Mazdayansnian. The creed by which Zoroastrianism operates encourages one to put down their “weapons” and appreciate the beauty in nature. This religious practice is very similar to Shintoism in its spiritual aspect. Both practices celebrate nature and the spiritual aspects of life. Both religions also have many deities or gods that are followed [ (Article: The Zoroastrian Creed) ]. Zoroastrianism offers concepts valuable in my own life such as the importance of nature and spirituality. References Article: The Zoroastrian Creed. (n.d.). Retrieved July 26, 2013, from media.pearsoncmg.com: media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/hss/SSA_SHARED_MEDIA_1/religion/library/Zoroastrian_ ...
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...developed and successful countries are well aware of the importance of education. Under the success and growth of all the developed countries, there are the strong pillars of education. Keeping in view this importance of education all the successful countries develop their education policies with high concentration. While in Pakistan education policies are not given that much importance, because of which Pakistan is still considered as one of the under-developed countries. The major reason behind this backwardness of Pakistan is the dual educational system. Until today, we can not even decide that what kind of education is better for our children. The question is either we should go under religious educational policies or the abstract educational policies (including the knowledge about science and arts)? If we adopt religious education system then we have to face the different educational limitations by different religions. While if we go for the side of the river mean to say if we adopt abstract education still there is a confusion of choosing between English or Urdu medium schooling for our children. In our country 90% people belong to the Islam, a religion which was arisen by giving education and knowledge to Adam. At every step of our religious and social lives, Islam tells or you can say orders us to realize the importance of education. In the very first versus taught to Muhammad (P.B.U.H) in Quran was related to the importance of education stated as “read in the name of the Lord...
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...Morchid SSK1202 Spring 2008 Instructor’s Name: Mrs.Monica Sturgess Abstract The main objective of this research study is to find out the level of commitment of AUI students toward their religion. It had been revealed after going through the literature review that the main reasons that push students to ignore their religion can be related to the political regime that the government is approaching which combines religion with modernity, parents that don’t want to put pressure on their children, and the lack of connecting religion with the public schools curriculum. In order to get a relevant research, we have used both qualitative and quantitative methods. We have formed a survey and handed 70 copies to AUI students, Moroccan and exchange ones. Moreover, we have accomplished a meeting with the Imam of the mosque in order to use his experience to enhance our research. The result section showed that students at AUI have interest in their faith; however, since they are strained by studies, they don’t give much time to religion pursuits. These results have helped us to comprise a clear comprehension of the main aspects of this topic, as well as to correct some of the wrong images that we used to have toward AUI students like the lack of praying and interest to religion. Introduction Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane is a Moroccan University that is based on the American educational model. It has an excellent reputation among all the North African Universities...
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...involved with the New-Age Movements were mainly middle-aged or older; again supporting the recent trend. Some reasons for why younger generations are less religious are because of the increase in religious diversity and scientific explanations in which young people seek more rational answers for things rather then turning for God for answers. It may also be because of the changes in attitudes surrounding religion such that there is less stigma and pressure attached to attending church than there was previously. However nowadays people can just practice religion at home. The privatised religion of believing without belonging (Davie) does show a reason for why young people participate in religious activity less than older generations but it is because of the fact they can practice privately with the help of media which is needed because of their changing patterns of employment and leisure (Sunday not seen as a ‘holy day’ – businesses can still stay open on this day, meaning people still need to work on this day so do not have time for church) and not because science is taking over religion with rational answers – religious activity is just harder to measure because of privatisation. Crockett argues that there are two explanations for age differences in religious participation. The first is the ‘ageing effect’, in which...
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...2014 How religion and spirituality facilitate and or frustrate our search for meaning Introduction It is through encountering different facets of life through direct involvement, service rendering, and emersion into different programs that finally result into religion. Having the conscience to call on the idea why we hold into these values, the central question of faith creeps in, that sets out different denominations. All this are directed to the search of God with the foundation based on faith, furthermore in the realm of this, the dignity to hold on faith is decremented by the confusion and emotional burden (Bryant 1). Faith and Spirituality To find true meaning in life, religion and spirituality both facilitate and frustrate the efforts to establish this basis of concerned life. They can however, promote a firm foundation for one to stand on but leave the anomaly whether one can stand firm on belief. To solve such a dynamic, this echoes the aspects of spirituality. Ancient people come out with ideologies that created Gods and Goddesses in order expandiate on the things that seemed hard for them to understand. Storms, catastrophes, death, and art are found to be unknown. Through learning, this has been pushed these deities far away in the abyss. Despite the extensive research for all these meanings, still there exist uncertainties such as death, suffering, and the meaning of life. When this falls in to be void, people run for solace on religion and spirituality...
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