Religion Handout : Its all about interpretations…….


United States diversity: (about 24 different denominations)

-         90% of the US Population believe in God

-         25% of Americans attend church or synagogue weekly

-         90% regularly pray

-         70% believe in life after death and heaven

 

87% of population are Christians (Catholics, Protestants)

Largest denomination is Roman Catholic Church 36% of total membership 57 million members

 

Protestants have divided into hundreds of denominations such as

Southern Baptist Convention- 15 million members followed

United Methodist Church – 9 million

Judaism- 6 million members

Buddhism- 100,000 members

Islam- 2.5 million (non-Christian)

 

Guaranteed religious freedom by the Constitution- encouraged to be religiously tolerant and its promoted diversity


Social Variables of religion:

-         Jews have the highest annual income among all religious denominations

-         Followed by several Catholic ethnic groups

-         Only Hispanics who are mostly Catholic and recent immigrants have low incomes

 

Age and political affiliation:

-         Surveys reveal that married or widowed people age 50 and over attend church at higher levels than single people 18-24

-         Protestants are more likely to be Republicans- more conservative

-         Jews and Catholics more likely to be Democratic

 

African American Religious Organizations:

1816- the African Methodist-Episcopal Church (A.M.E.) was organized in Philadelphia as the first black national church organization

After the Civil War, the church was fundamental in advancing blacks from slavery to freedom. Today- still remains a vital force of African American life and culture

 

Blacks have a higher level of religious commitment than other groups

- Church continues to provide help and support for families and communities and advance the cause of social justice.

Women- Discrimination continues for women in religion- challenge the patriarchal belief that only men could be ministers kept in subordinate positions such lay ministers, deaconess, paid thousands less  than men.

-         Roman Catholic Church, Islamic, Orthodox Jews, some Fundamentalist Christians resist women’s full participation in churches and synagogues.

-         High demand for clergies placed women in opportunity spots (1980’s) Limited to small congregations or in hospitals or rural churches

-         50% of students were women at liberal and conservative seminaries

 

Sociologist have divided the core religions beliefs in 4 types:

  1. animatism- system of beliefs in the supernatural forces rather than beings (gods or spirits) are the dominant power in the universe.

Believe in supernatural power that affects events, objects, place and people.  (rabbits feet, pyramid and crystal power are modern versions)

  1. Animism- belief in spirit beings that inhabit the same world as humans but on another plane of existence. Spirits include ghosts, guardian angels, ancestral spirits, fairies, demons.  Many rituals are done in their honor. (Native American cultures)

 

  1. Theism- belief in one or more supreme beings or gods who deserve to be worshipped.

Monotheism- religions that acknowledge the existence of one supreme God.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam- three of the largest and most influential religions in the world today.

Muslims- there is no god but Allah and Mohammed is its prophet

  1. Ethical religions- philosophical ideals that show how people may achieve enlightenment, peace, and harmony in the world

      Buddhism- 4th largest religion in the world- people who were disenchanted with traditional Gods and were on a quest for spiritual discovery.

-         strong emphasis on self-discipline

-         meditation

-         living a moral and virtuous life as a true path to happiness

-         Zen is another form of Buddhist meditation and rituals

     Taoism- spiritual wisdom is established by relinquishing through disciples all   

     desire and withdrawing from the world.

 

Every religion has fanatic groups or extremists who threaten society with extreme views:

Christians- abortions, homosexuality

Muslims vs. Jews- terrorism, suicide bombers

Cults- suicide, sacrifice

 

White Supremacist hate Jews because the ambiguity of Jewish racial identity is not clear

-         threatened by the fact that Jews blur the boundaries between whites and people of color. KEEP IT SEPARATE, NOT BLENDED.

-         Biggest issue is not just HATRED, but Fear that they cannot identify your true identity.

-         They like hierarchy, established POWER and boundaries.

 

Being Jewish is more than a religion.

-         reflects the larger historical picture of Jews in many different context.

 

Orthodox Jews-  Don’t like the ambiguity either-

-         speak against intermarriages between Jews and non-Jews

-         fear assault on the community and its boundaries

-         intermarriage is often considered similar to genocide

 

Islam-

The line between religion, politics and law is often blurred as each Muslim countries has practices its own unique traditions, cultural beliefs and interpretations to the Koran

 

Largest population- middle East, North Africa, India, Pakistan- traditionally reject western values

India- second largest population of Muslim in the world

Michigan- highest concentration of Muslim in USA

-         influx of immigrants after the Gulf War

 

Allah, one true God- Mohammed was his messenger (prophet) 

-         He was a warrior who returned to Mecca (Saudi Arabia) with his army and was victorious.

-         After the death of his first wife, he took new wives, 11 total.

 

Allah was the God of kindness Mohammed wrote the Koran-

Five pillars of faith: to regulate a Muslim’s religious life- a need for constant reminding of faith

  1. There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet: repeat those phrases many times a day
  2. Prayer- 5 times a day, at rising, noon, mid-afternoon, after sunset and before retiring- the routine is flexible and subject to adjustment if necessary- spread a rug facing Mecca.
  3. A month long fast- Ramadan- strict fast from sun-up to sunset- no food, drinks, tobacco or sexual intercourse is allowed- large sacrifice due to the arid conditions (hot, dry)- At the end of Ramadan- 3 day celebration for good health, good crops, forgiveness of sins and safety from bad luck.
  4. Almsgiving- distribute 2 ½ percent of your entire income to the poor. Those who are poor can give their labor
  5. Pilgrimage to Mecca- at least once in a lifetime- men shave their heads before they enter Mecca, women cover their heads- No fasting is necessary but sexual intercourse and perfume are forbidden. Seen as a sign of fidelity to the will of Allah.

 

Four fundamental beliefs in the Koran:

  1. the world was created by Allah
  2. man is absolutely subject to the will of Allah in all things
  3. man must perform the tasks Allah assigns to him
  4. Allah will reward good and punish evil after this life

 

Social Doctrine:

Koran approves of divorce and polygamy and encourages the use of military power to achieve its goals. The combination of the law and militarism has often led to violence in the name of Allah.

 

Economics: Mohammed taught that wealth should be widely distributed and shared with the less fortunate

 

Jihad- means “Holly war” and anything that is an effort or struggle- Reform society- start with yourself, and the constant struggle (jihad) to improve yourself, to control your ego and your desires.

 

race relations: he insisted on complete equality among the races- he encouraged and praised intermarriage as the greatest sign of interracial love and harmony. One of his wives was black and his daughter married a black man.

 

Two sects of Islam are the Sunnites and the Shiites- different attitude towards the Koran.

Shiites- branch of Islam formed by the Shia

Sunni- orthodox tradition acknowledges the 1st 4 caliphs as successors of Mohammed.

 

1999- 75% of women inmates in Pakistan were charged with Zina (sex outside marriage) resulting from rape. To prove Rape, you need 4 good Muslim to witness the crime.

 

Hindu rape victims have been burned alive to purify them.

In some cultures, sex with a young virgin is believed to bring mystical powers or cure AIDS.

In others, men allow their daughters to be raped for cash or compensation for family debt.

 

SUTTEE- the custom of burning widows alive on their husband’s funeral is justified by the mythic goddess Sita- she walked through fire to prove her chastity to her husband Rama-

-         its illegal, but widows feel cultural pressure to demonstrate their loyalty.

 

Lots of interpretation in regards to gender roles:

 

Women-different opinions about Mohammed’s view of women

-         rejected the idea that women were property

-         forbade infanticide and demanded equal inheritance for children

-         equality of women and men in education

-         voting and professional life

-         forbade sexual promiscuity outside of marriage

-         taught men not to abuse women

-         sanctified marriage and raised women to a level of dignity

 

LATIN AMERICA- Diversity in terms of ecology, politics, and culture but women share common

Rigid class structure, Mainly catholic, Colonial heritage from Spain and Portugal

 

Socialization of men and women is based on two concepts:

1. machismo- (Spanish word for macho) ideals associated with physical control of women. Emphasize sexual aggression, courage, competition between men, sexual prowess, and arrogance.

-         allows for male dominance in the household- restricts women’s socioeconomic, sexual and lifestyle choices

-         associated with legitimacy of violence against women

2. marianismo- female spiritual superiority that suggest that women are morally stronger than men

-         related to the glorification of motherhood-

-         moral superiority of women maintains that hardship is suffered in silence

-         universal model of behavior for Latin American women

(mixed Indian and Spanish descent)

 

Before the Spanish conquest- apparently more egalitarianism between men and women

The conquistadors brought views of women from the Old World and those became the New World’s ideology – still relevant today

-         survival strategy- female economic, political, and social dependence of men

 

Economic factors are very important in explaining the inferior position of women in Latin American cultures.

Not passive women- research shows they are involved in political activities and in organizing social and economic change and exert considerable influence in their households.

Main issues are birth control and family planning-

Culturally linked to Catholic church- Peru fertility rate is averaging 6.2 among women with little or no education- population has doubled since 1960.

-         women in political power are implementing state-supported family planning efforts

-         Nicaragua condemns abortion but recognizes a woman’s right to decide when and how frequently she will have children. (grave sin)