World Religions

Introduction to World Religions Study Guide

©2018 Achieve Page 10 of 96 Durkheim (1858-1917) was the founder of the study of sociology. He believed that religion helps to create a unified system of beliefs for the group. Religion is the practice of sacred things. This single morality, belief, and practice unites individuals into a group, often called a “church”. Individuals are given a set of moral behaviors to abide by and immorality is defined for them. They are expected to conform to the group beliefs – to be religious was to be part of the community. 1.6 Religious Orientations Religious orientations involve a person’s connection to the belief in the nature and existence of a god or gods. It also involves the individual’s willingness to adopt the prescriptions set in motion by the religion as it applies to morality, community, and spirituality. • Intrinsic orientation is when an individual feels a personal connection to their chosen religion or god. The individual adopts religion as part of their daily life. • Extrinsic orientation is when a person views religion as only one part of their life, but they do not engage in a steady, daily practice of the chosen religion. • Prophetic orientation is when the individual is connected to the sacred world in such a way that they receive personal revelations from the deity. • Sacramental or priestly orientation is a connection to the deity or divine by carrying out the rituals of that religion. • Mystical orientation is a connection and feeling of oneness with the universe. James Frazier and the Magic Theory James Frazier (1854-1941) was a Scottish social anthropologist who authored The Golden Bough (1890), which detailed the similarities of magical and religious beliefs around the world. He posited that humans start their religious journey by moving through three stages: primitive magic, religion, and science. Karl Marx Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a German philosopher, economist, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. He is best known for his writing of The Communist Manifesto . He believed that religion was a way for the wealthy to control the poor. He noted that the working class was poor and opposed, and religion gave them hope, making them easier to be managed by the wealthy. Marx stated, “Religion is the sign of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people.” Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), an Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalytic theory, was born into a Jewish household; however, he was an atheist. He viewed religion as a myth held by people who needed a powerful father figure to take care of them. He often talked about religion as something to overcome and noted that the God illusion was something to be set aside in favor of modern science and reason. Emile Durkheim