STUDIES OF RELIGION
What is Religion ?
We must be careful when trying to define religion that we do not limit ourselves to a definition that fits our own beliefs and practices. Sociologists try to define religion in a way which embraces all past and present systems of beliefs and practices. All religions have in common the belief in existence of something supernatural in trying to:
* explain the meaning of existence
* answer questions about the origins of life
* help with acceptance of death
In trying to give meaning and order to life, religions influence moral ideas and behaviour, and establish rules. They are major influences in shaping societies. Religions have many things in common if we accept very broad meanings of the following terms:
* belief
* worship
* organisation
Belief suggests an acceptance of the supernatural - a god or gods, supernatural beings or spiritual forces. Worship involves the methods of invoking the power, wisdom or help of the supernatural. Organisation is the social structures and rules of behaviour established as part of the religion.
Activities
1) Define the following terms and place them in a glossary at the back your book:
celibate, ethics, incarnation, incorporeal, meditation, moral dilemma, multifaith, patriarchal, resurrection, rite of passage, ritual, sacred, secular, supernatural, temporal, theology, tradition, transcendent, venerate
2) Write a definition in your own words for religion.
3) What function does religion have in society ?
4) �A deeply held belief in something beyond the individual is necessary for human happiness�. To what extent human religious experience support this view ?
5) Discuss the good and bad things you can see in religion. Should people be careful before taking up a religion ? Why ?/Why not ?
6) Choose a religion that has not survived. Briefly describe its beliefs and possible reasons for its failure to survive.