Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Spirituality, Religion,and the Supernatural

Chapter Outline

What is religion? What are religion’s identifying features? What functions does religion serve?

Religion

Organized belief in the supernatural. Fulfill numerous social and

psychological needs. No known group of people anywhere on

the face of the earth, at any time over the past 100,000 years, have been without religion.

Supernatural Beings

Major deities (gods and goddesses) Ancestral spirits Other sorts of spirit beings

Animism

A belief in spirit beings, other than ancestors, who are believed to animate all of nature.

These spirit beings are closer to humans than gods and goddesses and are concerned with human activities.

Animism is typical of peoples who see themselves as a part of nature rather than superior to it.

How A Belief in Supernatural Beings Is Perpetuated

Through what are interpreted as manifestations of power.

Supernatural beings possess attributes familiar to people.

Myths serve to rationalize religious beliefs and practices.

Shamans

Skilled at contacting and manipulating supernatural beings and powers through altered states of consciousness.

Provides a focal point of attention for society and can help maintain social control.

Benefits for the shaman are prestige, wealth, and an outlet for artistic self-expression.

The Shamanic Complex

Rites of Passage

Arnold Van Gennep rites of passage into the following:

– Rites of separation– Rites of transition– Rites of incorporation

Rites of Intensification

Rituals to mark occasions of crisis in the life of the group.

Functions:

– Unite people.– Allay fear of the crisis.– Prompt collective action.

Functions of Witchcraft

Effective way for people to explain away personal misfortune without having to shoulder any of the blame themselves.

Provides an outlet for feelings of hostility and frustration without disturbing the norms of the larger group.

Functions of Religion

Sanctions a wide range of conduct by providing notions of right and wrong.

Sets standards for acceptable behavior and helps perpetuate an existing social order.

Lifts burden of decision making from individuals and places responsibility with god.

Plays a role in maintaining social solidarity.