Religion

1
Religion

• Particularly difficult to define cross-culturally
• Religion as lived is fully part of everyday life

2
Elements of Religion

• Belief in supernatural beings and/or forces
• Myth
• Ritual

3
Supernatural beings

• Gods, goddesses, spirits, ancestors
• Generally anthropopsychic human-like in
  personality, have will and consciousness
• High God usually viewed as benevolent, powerful,
  just
• Lesser gods show a variety of personality traits

4

• Use interpersonal techniques to interact with
  personal beings
• request, praise, give thanks, promise gifts
• act politely, clean self beforehand, dress well
• possibility of more coercive techniques

5
Mana

• Force pervasive in universe (like spiritual
  electricity)
• Without will or consciousness
• Can be used for good or evil
• Concentrated in certain objects, people, places
  especially boundaries

6

• Ways to gain mana
• Be born with it Hawaii mana is
  dangerous so there are taboos
• Seek it from a spirit
• Native American Vision Quest
• Eat organ of person who had it

7
Myth

• Everyday English story that people falsely
  believe to be true
• Religious studies/Anthropology a meaningful
  story that explains reality
• Imaginative narrative that allows people to
  understand the world and relate to it emotionally

8
Religious ritual

• Formal stylized, repetitive
• Performed in special places at set times
• Include special speeches and objects
• Social acts done in earnest
• Has effects on participants (human and spiritual)

9
Rites of passage

• Mark change in status as move through life cycle
• Common structure
• Separation
• Transition Liminal phase
• Reincoporation

10
Liminal

• Betwixt and betweenno longer in old status, not
  yet in new
• Ambiguous and dangerous and powerful
• Often violation of usual rules e.g.
  transvestism, insult superiors

11
Religious acts

• Prayer fulfillment of request rests upon
  decision of spirits
• Sacrifice offer gift or change of behaviorhope
  to increase likelihood of fulfillmentanimal life
  can substitute for human life

12
Magic

• Acts and words bring about effect
• Imitative magic things that resemble each other
  influence each other
• Contagious magic things once in contact
  continue to affect
• each other

13

• Sorcery Bad magic
• Use of words or objects to bring about harm
• Can be observed

14

• Witchcraft
• Psychic substance, acts invisibley
• Person may not be conscious that has witchcraft
• May inherit or gain later
• Associated with night and nocturnal animals

15
Functions of Witchcraft

• Explains unfortunate events
• Blame misfortune on specific cause, simplify what
  is complex and abstract
• Reinforce social norms
• Dangerous to be accused of being a witch
• Dangerous to offend a witch

16
Religion as Revitalization

• All new religions are revolutionary, point to new
  way of life
• Revitalization movements are especially likely in
  period of rapid change or foreign domination as
  stress becomes great
• Prophet arises with new message