Term
| Durkheim's Definition of religion |
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Definition
| "A unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden – beliefs and practices unite into one single moral community called a Church, all these who adhere to them” |
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| What does the totem represent? |
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Definition
The totem represents the clan itself, the principle is the clan projected onto something else (essentially an object that compels your allegiance and attention and represents you as a member of the clan)
• The totem awakens the sense that there are forces that dominate and sustain members of the clan |
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| Rituals of denial and celebration |
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Definition
b. Suffering and pain is required, no religion goes without having interdictions – but it is this that gives you the connection
c. Rituals of denial – fall under the profane – include ordinary things you must forbid yourself from doing and taboo
• He must prevent mixing the sacred and the profane through taboo (forbidden acts/items) or asceticism (a way of self-denial)
d. Rituals of affirmation/celebration – if you can get through the pain and suffering, then you experience this |
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| Religious ideas are illusions whose purpose is the fulfillment of urges for security, for escape from feelings of helplessness, for a return to the simplicity of childhood. |
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| An interpretation of reality that is likely incorrect, whose purpose is to serve the individual to allow him or her to believe that a wish has been fulfilled. Illusions are derived from wishes. Illusions are similar to but different from delusions, which are nontrivial and in contradiction with reality. |
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Term
| Universal Obsessional neuroses |
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Definition
• Religion, as a fulfillment of our wish, takes away the invisible wound of not having someone to protect us (as a god does)
a. Neurosis is essentially an invisible wound and anxiety without cause. Religion is like this in a sense because it is believing in something without having proof of its actual existence. |
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Term
| Geertz's Definition of Religion |
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Definition
| "A (1) system of symbols which acts to (2) establish powerful, persuasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by (3) formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and (4) clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that (5) the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic” |
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Term
| Geertz's Understanding as a cultural system |
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Definition
a. The extent of human life determined by DNA is general and fairly limited, there are actually many ways we can do things regardless of our hardwiring. Culture fills in the gap and many human behaviors are shaped and determined by it.
we depend on symbols and symbol systems in culture so greatly that if they don’t provide us with answers, we panic and enter a state of chaos
• So far as culture patterns, that is, systems or complexes of symbols, are concerned, the Generic trait which is of first importance for us here is that they are extrinsic sources of information” – lie outside of the individual |
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• Basic problem: Perhaps there is no order in the world, things are not accounted for
• Religious response: To affirm that there is an order by creating a religion – This is not an answer, it is a solution
• Religion reassures order in the world through symbols, and shape the way we see the world
• As long as you have a way of handling events to reassure the world has meaning, there will be no problem of meaning |
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| a particular group that defines itself in contrast to a main group |
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| a ceremonial act of washing parts of the body or sacred containers |
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| a god or transcendent (non-human) being |
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| A journey to a sacred place or shrine |
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| The Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca that takes place in the last month of the year, expected once of all Muslims |
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| a solemn commitment of your life or your time to some cherished purpose |
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| Durkheim) things that are set apart as holy vs. everyday things |
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| (Geertz) shapes who we are, fills the gaps that DNA can not |
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something used as a representation of something else, give us a certain mood and become so powerful and engrained in us that they shape how we look at the world
- “Intangible formulations of notions, abstractions from experience fixed in perceptible forms, concrete embodiments of ideas, attitudes, judgments, longings, or beliefs” - Geertz |
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