Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach 7/e James M. Henslin Chapter Eighteen: Religion This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; any rental, lease, or lending of the program. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

What is Religion? Emile Durkheim said, “A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things.” Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

Three Elements of Religion Beliefs that Some Things are Sacred Practices Centering on Things Considered Sacred A Moral Community Resulting from a Group’s Beliefs and Practices Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The Functionalist Perspective Questions about Ultimate Meaning Emotional Comfort Social Solidarity Guidelines for Everyday Life Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The Functionalist Perspective Social Control Adaptation Support for the Government Social Change Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

Functional Equivalents of Religion Organizations Like Alcoholics Anonymous Psychotherapy Humanism Transcendental Meditation Political Parties Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

Dysfunctions of Religion Religion as Justification for Persecution War and Terrorism Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

Symbolic Interactionist Perspective Religious Symbols Rituals, Ceremonies, Repetitive Practices Beliefs—Cosmology Religious Experience—Contact with God Community Shared Through Symbols, Rituals, and Beliefs Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

Conflict Perspective Marx’s Opium of the People Legitimization of Social Inequalities Social Arrangements Represent God’s Desires Divine Rights of Kings Pharaoh as God Hindu Caste System Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

Religion and the Spirit of Capitalism Weber—Religion Held the Key to Modernization Protestant Ethic Personal Duty to Make and Invest Money A Move away from Traditional Thrift Spend Only on Necessities, Reinvest the Rest Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The World’s Major Religions Judaism Originated 4,000 Years Ago Originated in Mesopotamia God’s Chosen People Through Covenant with Abraham Fundamental Change in Religion to Monotheism Contemporary—Orthodox, Reform, Conservative Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The World’s Major Religions Christianity Also Monotheistic Believe Jesus Christ is Messiah Born in Poverty to a Virgin At about 30 Jesus Began Teaching Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The World’s Major Religions Christianity 12 Main Followers—Apostles Belief in Christ’s Resurrection Split to Greek Orthodoxy in 11th Century, Reformation in 16th Century Currently about 2 Billion Adherents Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The World’s Major Religions Islam World’s Third Monotheistic Religion Founded by Muhammad (Born in Mecca) About Age 40 had Visions from God Visions and Teachings Written in Koran Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The World’s Major Religions Islam Muhammad Founded a Theocracy in Median Two Main Branches—Sunni and Shiite Shiites More Conservative and Fundamentalist Consider Bible Sacred but Koran Final Word Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The World’s Major Religions Hinduism No Specific Founder Chief Religion in India for 4,000 Years No Canonical Scripture Brahmanas, Bhagavad-Gita, and Upanishads Expound Moral Virtues Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The World’s Major Religions Hinduism People Make Sacrifices to gods Polytheistic—Many gods Central Belief is Karma—Spiritual Progress No Final Judgment—Reincarnation Spiritual Perfection Results in Nirvana Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The World’s Major Religions Buddhism Siddhartha Gautama Founded in about 600 B.C. Four Noble Truths Existence is Suffering Origin of Suffering is Desire Suffering Ceases when Desire Ceases Follow “Noble Eightfold Path” to End Desire Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The World’s Major Religions Buddhism—Eightfold Path Right Belief Right Resolve Right Speech Right Conduct Right Occupation or Living Right Effort Right-Mindedness Right Ecstasy Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The World’s Major Religions Confucianism K’ung Fu-tsu Born in China 551 B.C. Public Official Distressed by Corruption in Government Urged Social Reform Developed System of Morality Based on Peace, Justice, Universal Order Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The World’s Major Religions Confucianism Teaching Written in the Analects Basic Moral Principle—Jen Loyalty and Morality above Self-Interest Confucian Golden Rule Taught the “Middle Way” Originally Atheistic, Gods Added along the Way Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

Types of Religious Groups Cults Begin with Charismatic Leader Most Popular Religions Started this Way Most Cults Fail Sects Loosely Organized and Fairly Small Emphasize Personal Salvation Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

Types of Religious Groups Churches Highly Bureaucratized National and International Relationship with God Less Intense Ecclesia State Religions Part of Cultural Identification Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

When Religion and Culture Conflict Members Reject Dominant Culture Members Reject Specific Elements of a Culture Society Rejects Religious Group Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

Religion in the U.S. Characteristics of Members Social Class Race and Ethnicity Age Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

Religion in the U.S. Characteristics of Religious Groups Diversity Pluralism and Freedom Competition and Recruitment Commitment Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

Religion in the U.S. Characteristics of Religious Groups Toleration Fundamentalist Revival The Electronic Church The Internet and Religion Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

Secularization of Religion and Culture The Secularization of Religion The Secularization of Culture Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005

The Future of Religion Religion Thrives People Will Always Ponder Purpose Science Cannot Tell Us About… The Existence of God The Purpose of Life An Afterlife Morality Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2005