Exam 17: Religion

The Christian ritual of communion not only commemorates a historical event but also allows followers to participate in the unity of themselves with other believers.From a functionalist perspective,this ritual serves the function of:

Horticultural societies were among the first to practice monotheism,a belief in a single,supreme being or god who is responsible for significant events such as the creation of the world.Three of the major world religions-Christianity,Judaism,and Islam-are monotheistic.

According to the symbolic interactionist approach,members of a religious group expect each member to perform certain normative religious beliefs.A______________is expected of members of a religious group,and this contributes to religion becoming a master status for some people.

Mahayana Hinduism is centered in Japan,China,and Korea and primarily focuses on meditation and the Four Noble Truths.One of the Four Noble Truths professes that overcoming desire can be accomplished through the Eightfold Path to Nirvana-this path is a way of living that avoids extremes of indulgence.

______________ was the official religion of China until the Communist takeover and the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

Distinguish between the different types of religious organizations.

Describe the basic beliefs of Judaism.

Describe the functionalist perspective on religion and discuss its major functions in societies.

Discuss the relationship between religion and questions about the meaning of life.

______________ is a nontheistic religion-a religion based on a belief in divine spiritual forces such as sacred principles of thought and conduct,rather than a god or gods.

Both religion and spirituality require that persons engage in______________,which is a confident belief that cannot be proven or disproven but is accepted as true.

Trace the development of Judaism.

Trace the development of Islam.

Anthropologists have concluded that all known groups over the past hundred thousand years have had some form of religion one of which is______________.

Whereas Judaism is basically an inherited religion and most adherents are born into the community,Christianity has cosmopolitan criteria for membership,meaning that it does not have ethnic or tribal qualifications based on acceptance of a set of beliefs.

______________ founder,Siddhartha Gautama of the Sakyas,was born into the privileged class.He was referred to as Buddha,meaning "the Enlightened One," and spent his life teaching others how to reach nirvana.

______________ is based on the belief that Heaven and Earth are not separated places but rather a continuum in which both realms are constantly in touch with each other.

Which of the following sociological perspectives analyzes the microlevel aspects of religion?

Religious beliefs and rituals are______________representations,which are group-held meanings that express something important about the group itself.

According to______________,those who inhabit Heaven are ruled over by a supreme ancestor and are the ancestors of those persons who are on Earth.These forefathers are eventually joined by those who are currently on Earth;therefore,death is nothing more than the promotion to a more honorable estate.