World Religions Final Flashcards

Reality as Symbolically Mediated

Is reality mediated by culture? Yes every culture is a prism to experience reality

Paradigm

A conceptual model; way we think same as tabula rasa

Cosmology

How we envision the universe; our place in the universe

Aesthetics

Study of beauty

Religions as vehicles of logic

Every religion is a system of logic that only has to make sense to that group mountain metaphor

Creed

Outlines dogma, flights heresy, "I believe"

Heresy

"Puzzle piece that doesn't fit"

A priori

Prior thought, all we assume

Pluralism (philosophical)

Everything is made of multiple (not monism or dualism)

Zeitgeist

the spirit of a time

Best way to judge an ideology

is the ability to self-critique

Sacred

Things set apart

Profane

Everything

Eclecticism

Pieces of religions (parts of ideas)

Syncretism

Blending of religions to form a new one

Emotivism

Things we do because we feel like it

Solipsism

You are your world; you created world

Monism

All things are created of a single substance; ie "God particle"

Interdependence

Everything that is connected

Science as a faith

Science requires faith

The saint of the enlightenment and formula

Newton, f=ma

Metaphysics

Behind physics; stuff we believe that is not empirical ex: healing crystals

Aristotle

First Western empiricist

Empiricism

Knowledge must come from what we study (science, senses, etc.)

Science means

to know

There is no faith without

doubt

Dogma

Conformity

Doctrine

Teachings; supporting logic

East v. West

East: Undomagtic, get rid of the individual. Experience oriented. West: Dogmatic, idea of soul (Plato), free will

Part of Life v. Way of Life

Religion for East is a way of life, western is part of life

Omniscience

All knowing

Immutable

Unchangeable

Omnipotent

All powerful. Hurts the idea of free will

Omnipresent

always there

Sentient

Consciousness, perception of being

Myth

The finger point to truth; points to deeper truths

Deism

"Clock maker god"; universe meant to be based on pure reason. Most transcendent of all religions. I need to talk about immanence (near) and transcendence (far away). Popular during the enlightenment, newton was saint of b/c f=ma

Fatalism

There is a destined conclusion. The idea that there is something in your life that has to happen

Agnosticism

Nothing can be known about God's existence, how could we know

Atheism

No god

Pantheism

Everything is God

Panentheism

God is in everything (Christianity)

Polytheism

belief in multiple gods

Monolatry

Many gods, but there is one god of gods. Ex: Judaism

Monotheism

Belief in one god

Mysticism

Some type of personal connection with the divine. Based on experiences

Theism

any belief in god

Humanism

Agnostic viewpoint, "Man is the measure of all things" ←Motto

Asceticism

Any kind of self-denial

Revelation

To disclose or uncover

Secular

Separate; separate from religion

Theodicy and Alienation

The causes of suffering/evil. In African religions: 1) Ancestors 2) Magic 3) Trickster gods (teach a lesson)

Science & Faith

Must draw for 10 pts.

Cultic Characteristics: blue sheet

Isolation, Charismatic leader, Exploitation

Mana

Impersonal force connecting all nature

Taboo

Prohibited by culture; kapu/tapu = don't go

Animism

Ancestors are still here and accessible

Totemism

Could be for a person or group.

Contagious Magic

An object, image, or item (DNA/hair) used in magic

Sympathetic Magic

Trying to ritually copy an action to make something happen

Dreaming/Dreamtime

Time period of the Ancestors in Australian Aboriginal religion, created the world

At least two definitions of Religion

know for completion points, see worldview sheet on canvas

White Man's Burden

The "white man" has the "burden" of bringing civilization to other groups

Noble Savage v. Savage

Noble savage: The idea that life is more true as a "simple" indigenous life. Savage: The idea that native people live inferior to Europeans.

Age of Expansion

18th-19th centuries

Genocide

In Australia, first 100 years 96% genocide. Eradicating language is a way to commit genocide

Anthropic principal

idea that the universe was created for us. Ex: Adam and Eve story, being made in the image of God. In Hinduism, human beings are special because we can become enlightened from this place

Anthropology definition of gender

The division of labor within a culture

Dilemma of prosyletizing

If you are a good person and can help people, shouldn't you? BUT they don't need help...

Literate v. oral trads

In oral, memory is life and technology. Stories are never exaggerated and told as they are. This is why eradicating a language of an oral culture is commiting genocide.

Ancestors in African religions

animism

Shaman

3 Jobs: interpreting existence, healing, leading rituals/rite of passage

Sorcerer

Using an object embedded with power

Witch

Using language in formula to use power

Oral Traditions

In nonliterate cultures, memory is more important and better. Stories are not embellished

Diversity

Most cultural and genetic diversity

Islam

Increasing in countries in Africa

Trickster God

Teach a lesson

Lakota

"the human beings"

Wakan Tanka

God as totality

Tobtob (not Great Spirit)

4x4

Eagle

Symbol

Everything is sacred

idea

Sun Dance

sacred dance that was outlawed, preformed by piercing skin and tying themselves by piercing to pole and dancing around pole then rip away

Ghost Dance

walking in groups and way of mourning

Berdaches

Anthropologically is a man to receives, out of fashion term, used to describe third gender person

Wochangi

Humility to be quiet and watch the world around you

Axis mundi

sacred center, ex. The Kaaba for muslims. Most sacred space, the great axis, where the divine and earth align

Pan-tribal

across many tribes. Ex. ghost dance was a pan-tribal movement

Wounded knee

december 29, 1890

Samsara (Hinduism)

Cycle of birth, death, rebirth

Moksha

Release from the cycle of Samsara

Dharma

Means "teaching" or "duty" also means ethical duty; teaching for life; purpose you are here. All Karma from past lives leads you here. If you want to be born up/path to enlightenment you must pay attention to your Dharma. Your Karma predicts your Dharma.

Karma

"Action"; the moral law of cause and effect of actions; determines rebirth. Only present when intention or volition is present.

Castes

Caste means "color": Brahmin-priestly cast, sanskrit; Kshatriya-warrior caste; Vaishya-working class; Shudra-lower class; Untouchables-worst jobs, leather, etc.

Four stages in life

Student (supposed to come up with life questions, learn), home (put aside Q, family life, working), forest (starts at birth of first grandkid, supposed to return to question stage of life), Ashram (guru)

Four yogas

Raja: what we think of yogo, has to do with body , Karma: path through altruistic service, Bhakti: path of devotion, has to do with gods/goddesses, Jnana: path of knowledge, destroying mind with mind

Caste age gender determine

Dharma

Dharma in hinduism vs Buddhism

picks up on ideas of ineffable truth for buddhism while Hinduism is your moral role

How many gods (Hinduism)

330 million