...Examining World Religions Religion, in many forms, has had the most profound influence on human society throughout history. Religion is the basis for many human traditions, value systems, and conflict throughout the history of human civilization. Most people would generally view religious traditions and moral belief systems to be positive, perhaps with some exceptions. However, conflict is a major part of religious history worldwide. Religious persecution of believers and also persecution of unbelievers by members of religions is still a part of human life worldwide. Some may dismiss this idea based on their ignorance of the subject or their own personal detachment from such situations; however, religion surrounds the American culture and other cultures worldwide. Understanding religious traditions, relationships, and foundational beliefs enables humans to understand their differences and better prepare themselves to make decisions regarding religious interactions in the appropriate context. Religious Foundations C.S. Lewis once said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else,” (C.S. Lewis Foundation, 2010). Lewis expresses the importance that his faith has in his life, just as so many others might view their faith as intrinsic to their lives. Although many religious people might view their faith in this way, religions vary in several ways. Some religions express faith in a singular...
Words: 993 - Pages: 4
...another culture or belief if it is truer than another’s. It’s a myth means that, something that people believe to be true but isn’t. Something that people will say when telling and explaining something to you wanting you to believe them and think that it is a true fact. A myth is sometimes used as an explanatory narrative to describe how things mysteriously happen in stories and religions. It somehow explains how the world is how it is. The word myth is used in the academic context in a variety of academic setting; its main purpose is to analyze different cultures and their ways of thinking. Within the academic setting, a myth is known as a true fact and over time has been changed within the society. A definition of myth in my own words would be made up stories that explain the existence of different cultures with different religious beliefs from people. Some myths can be legendary stories or just traditional about an event or super hero. I believe different cultures address similar themes as a way to explain a culture's origin and history. For decades myths have been passed on and have become an integral part of many cultures. It is much more likely that myths were perhaps important to us and used throughout the different societies to preserve history in a way and maybe even their values and culture. The strength in some myths lie in the capacity to fascinate and to access the deeper unconscious of the way people may think as an individual. Myths play a vital role in shaping...
Words: 818 - Pages: 4
...Religion is the cause of many good and bad things around the world. Many would say that religion separates and divides all humans and causes conflict. Our society today has developed far beyond what we had expected. Human civilization has evolved intellectually and also technologically. Humans have come so far on their own and they are only going to get farther. Humans have proven that they do not need much to advance but knowledge. Religion is still needed in our society, not for our civilization to advance but for humanity to maintain aspects of its roots. Religion differentiates all of the unique cultures we have around the world, teaches and emphasizes the role of morals and gives people hope and faith in themselves and the world. There are one hundred and ninety-six countries in the world as of today. We are all the same people but what separates us is our cultures and traditions. Every ethnic group of people in this world have unique traditions, languages, political and social ideologies, cultures and lifestyles. According to Professor Billikopf who teaches at the University of California in his article he says that knowing each other’s cultural differences brings the sense of unity and understanding to the human race. If all humans were the same there would be nothing to understand about our species and our similarities would make our race unbalanced. Unbalanced in the sense that humans would not be as significant as they are today. People would feel as if they are...
Words: 1067 - Pages: 5
... social, culture and religion demand strongly for defining and strengthening a global culture of values, morals, ethics, and humanity. Thus, a new role of humanity in the context of human belief system needs to be redefined. Extremism, fundamentalism, and terrorism in all aspects of human life (religious in particular) as well as hunger, poverty and misery, and economic disparity between rich and poor globally provide sufficient evidence for the necessity of redefining humanity. With no equilibrium system in world...
Words: 1317 - Pages: 6
...crucial characteristics of a devout Catholic would include the following; containing an excellent hold on sacramentality, committing oneself to the community, holding human life in high regard, a good understanding of the Bible scriptures, and possessing hope and faith in God. Women’s roles within the religion and church have altered throughout the progression of time and growth of the religion. Firstly, some associated characteristics of Catholicism have some unique similarities with many of the other World’s religions. Roman Catholic beliefs do not differ drastically from those of the other major branches of Christianity, Greek Orthodoxy and Protestantism. All three main branches hold to the doctrine of the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ, the inspiration of the Bible, and so on. But on other doctrinal points, there are clear Catholic distinctive in belief. Distinctive Roman Catholic beliefs include the special authority of the pope, the ability of saints to intercede on behalf of believers, the concept of purgatory, and the doctrine of transubstantiation - that is, that the bread used in the Eucharist becomes the true body of Christ when blessed by a priest. (Catholic Beliefs, 2015) So it is apparent that the Catholic religion has some common ties with other major religions. Secondly the Catholic religion rises to modern hurdles with direct and appropriate measures, this is what Mary Ann Glendon a professor of Law at Harvard had to say in relation to this matter....
Words: 1032 - Pages: 5
...Culture & religion for a sustainable future Introduction Culture shapes the way we see the world. It therefore has the capacity to bring about the change of attitudes needed to ensure peace and sustainable development which, we know, form the only possible way forward for life on planet Earth. Today, that goal is still a long way off. A global crisis faces humanity at the dawn of the 21st century, marked by increasing poverty in our asymmetrical world, environmental degradation and short-sightedness in policy-making. Culture is a crucial key to solving this crisis. Source: Preface, World Culture Report, UNESCO Publishing, Paris, 1999. Our cultural values, which often include particular religious beliefs, shape our way of living and acting in the world. Module 11 on Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability explores the importance of indigenous values and spirituality in providing guidance for sustainable living. Such principles and values encourage a spirit of harmony between people, their natural environments and their spiritual identities. The principles for living sustainably that flow from these and other cultural and religious beliefs vary between groups and countries. They have also changed over time as circumstances demand. Despite this diversity, many principles for living sustainably are shared, not only among indigenous peoples, but also between different religious traditions. This module explores the role of culture and religion in providing guidance on ways...
Words: 3397 - Pages: 14
... Abstract Within this paper I will be discuss three religions that have similar characteristic of Christianity. I choose Candomble an Afro-Brazilian that has over a million followers. Candomble is a syncretic religion, meaning it has a combination of beliefs. The core of the religion is the traditional African beliefs of Yoruba, Fon and Bantu. Candomble has elements of Christianity, particularly Catholicism. Candomble means “dance in honor of the gods.” Dancing and music play an important role in the Candomble rituals. The center of Candomble religion is God (Oludumare) and the deities are called Orixas which serves Oludumare. Candomble does not have any holy scriptures. Shinto is an all-pervading indefinable way which is quite universal. Shinto or Kaminomichi is the name of the religion observed by the Japanese from time immemorial. ‘Kami’ means God or deity. Shinto implies the following ‘Way of the Gods’. Shinto is not really an ‘ism’ but only a teaching. Confucianism is a religion found by Confucius influential Chinese philosophers. His idea of social and political harmony is through better governance, a proper human relationship and individual development to shape Chinese though out many centuries. Candomble Candomble is an Afro-Brazilian religion that was brought to Brazil by the African slaves. The majority of the slaves were from West Central Africa (Yoruba, Aja-Fon, and Banhu). The religion was influenced by the chattel slavery and merchantilistic...
Words: 1414 - Pages: 6
...“Religion poisons everything” Religion can be defined as the human need for meaning and purpose of life which is concerned with the supernatural power of the creator, the inevitable forces of the natural and spiritual world and how we interact with mysterious forces. It is a society or community based on similar beliefs, friendship, companionship and support network. Religion has made significant contributions to the lives of individuals as well as society as a whole. Religion proposals an individual’s answers to life’s philosophical questions. It explains the story of creation, human nature and the purpose of life. Also, it gives the individual an identity within a certain religion. It gives the person a logic of belonging which helps for them to understand what their role in life is and the nature around them. Religion has made significant contributions to the life of a person in areas such as the personal search of meaning, ethical guidance, sense of belonging and ritual meaning. These areas have specifically impacted on individuals. The primarily contribution would be the personal search for meaning. A person examines for a better understanding of key questions in life. These questions of life include a human’s origin, purpose and destiny. People will look at religions at times of many diverse situations where they want to discover the answers to their questions particularly during times of personal trauma or crisis. E.g. someone who might be struggling with family problems...
Words: 811 - Pages: 4
...No-one on earth has been able to answer these questions with utmost certainty. Though everybody believes that they are correct. Myths are just made up, humans create myths. The implementation of a myth or legend into these questions is a much better alternative than simply saying nothing. Myths also can set standards for society to follow. That is to say myths can be placed as set or...
Words: 545 - Pages: 3
...enlightens on how religion and family is affected by the functionalist perspective. The functionalist perspective, also called functionalism, is one of the major theoretical perspectives in sociology. It has its origins in the works of Emile Durkheim, who was especially interested in how social order is possible or how society remains relatively stable. The functionalist perspective emphasizes the interconnectedness of society by focusing on how each part influences and is influenced by other parts. Each of the social institutions contributes important functions for society: Family provides a context for reproducing, nurturing, and socializing children; education offers a way to transmit a society’s skills, knowledge, and culture to its youth; politics provides a means of governing members of society; economics provides for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services and religion provides moral guidance and an outlet for worship of a higher power. Functionalism has received criticism for neglecting the negative functions of an event. Critics also claim that the perspective justifies the status quo and complacency on the part of society's members. Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment, even when such change may benefit them. Instead, functionalism sees active social change as undesirable because the various parts of society will compensate naturally for any problems that may arise. Religion from a Functionalist...
Words: 3236 - Pages: 13
...Foundations of Mythology Evee Perry HUM 105 August 4th, 2014 Meggie Fitz-Randolph Foundations of Mythology Introduction Mythology has been used in popular literature, popular television, and throughout many different cultures worldwide. Each time questions are answered understanding is gained. This essay will strive to answer some important, though provoking questions. With each question answered the goal is more knowledge and understanding of the topic and more understanding of thyself. By answering these questions the foundations of mythology can be better understood. Basics of Myth First, let’s consider how the word myth is used popularly. In popular literature, popular television, and throughout human interactions the word myth is uses to address or categorize what is really and what is not real. Throughout society myths are used in stories and legends told. Overtime these stories become part of everyday life. This embedment into everyday lives happens through watching science fiction movies, reading fiction books, and other types of literature whether verbal, text, or movies that are about mystical characters. Some more popular legendary and traditional stories told throughout time include that of St. Nicholas, Santa Claus, the Easter bunny, the tooth fairy, and even the stork. These type of myths were created for young children but there are some that are geared towards adults. According to Leonard (2004), "Official myths like the Illiad and Odyssey...
Words: 1116 - Pages: 5
...develop close ties with local people Know ethnology and ethnography Ethnography may generalize from a limited time experience or contact with a small number of people Ethnographer cannot see or experience everything or every perspective - Subjectivity of data Ethnography is frequently rife with ethical dilemma LANGUAGE - is a human biological adaption - We are hardwired to acquire language, but it can only be activated through society - There may be basic principle and rules which are foundation of all languages (Chomsky – “universal grammar”) - Words are SYMBOLS – something that stands for something else - Since the relationship between sound and meaning is symbolic: humans can combine worlds and sounds into new, meaningful utterances that have never been heard before - Symbols enable humans to transmit and store information (including abstract concepts) - This allows us to create and transmit culture What is Boroditsky’s main point in “How languages shape thought?” - Anthropologists have long been interested in the relationship between language and culture - Does language merely label or describe Sapir-whorf hypothesis - The claim that the culture and thought patterns of people are strongly influenced by the language they speak - Perception and understandings of time, space and matter are conditioned by the structure of a language - Nell – people are adapted through language is the main point Whorf: - Hopi v. English - English – time divided into 3+ verb tenses (past...
Words: 968 - Pages: 4
...and it is easy to see how they are successful to create an impressive image. United Kingdom, Germany and United States can be three examples to see success and power of cultural diplomacy. Turkey has been trying to attempt to European Union since so many years. All of attempts were not successful. What can be the reason for that? , Culture? , Impression of Turkey? , Politics? , Population? , Economics? , Religion? Or another question can be asked is, what is Turkey’s image at European Countries? What is Culture? The origin of the word “culture” in Latin “cultura” is a modern concept based on a term first used in classical antiquity by the Roman orator, Cicero: “cultura animi.” The term “culture” appeared first in its current sense in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, to connote a process of cultivation or improvement, as in agriculture or horticulture. In the 19th century, the term developed to refer first to the betterment or refinement of the individual, especially through education, and then to the fulfillment of national aspirations or ideals. In the mid-19th century, some scientists used the term "culture" to refer to a universal human capacity. (1) There are...
Words: 2574 - Pages: 11
...course material and textbook, and from the information on how the myth is used in today’s society, I think that the definition I had in my head of what the word myth means stays pretty much the same. I think that a myth is just a story that is continuously passed on from generation to generation that can’t be proven. The loch ness monster is a good example. Plenty of stories about seeing the mythological icon, but no proof. • Why do myths from different cultures around the world address such similar or universal themes? Think about how myths explain the unknown and the tribulations of mankind. 2. I think that different cultures address similar themes because of the way the myths have been told. Each culture may have the same myths in their history, but just a different way of telling it. For instance, the way that the creation of man came about. A lot of the myths on how we were created are very similar in content, but have different characters in a sense. I do have a theory on how this works (different cultures having similarly themed myths). The first civilization was stated to had existed in the Middle East. Now if you look at the Middle East on a flattened world map, it is pretty...
Words: 754 - Pages: 4
...or pepper over their shoulder to avoid bad luck, and they called that act as myth. However, the word myth in the academic context is defined to study of fundamental question for human history. For example, how did the universe and the world come to be? How did we come to be here? Who are we? What are our proper, necessary, or inescapable roles as we relate to one another and to world at large? In my own definition of word myth is that it is study of who the human being had been evolved from the certain kind of situations or events and became how we are today. Also, by studying myth, we can be ready for the future events. For instance, when studying society, people often say ancient Rome, which is good model of success, and failure. Why do myths from different cultures around the world address such similar or universal themes? Think about how myths explain the unknown and the tribulations of mankind. I think people shared somewhat similar myths because even with different cultures and different way of their life, people still have similar problem or similar way of communicate with others. Most of the myth is came from the war, which makes people fight, or communicate with one another. The war makes tribulations of a culture, and from the tribulation, there are always a hero, which every culture have one like Alexander. As the time goes, people would talk about their hero as how they want their hero to be, which every people think...
Words: 722 - Pages: 3
