Western Religion Final Exam

Question 1

Comes from the arabic root “salema”. Means peace, purity and obedience.

Answer 1

Islam

Question 2

One who surrenders and submits to the laws of God

Answer 2

Muslim

Question 3

Name 2 things wrong with Mohammedan?

Answer 3

1. Not allowed to portray a prophet
2. Gives the impression muslims follow a man-mande teaching of Muhammed, rather than divine

Question 4

Name the imbalances in the battle of Badr

Answer 4

• Muhammed believers had 313 soldiers
• Quarash had 1300 soldiers

Question 5

What was the result of the Battle of Badr?

Answer 5

• Muhammed believers won
  
  • attributed to Allah
• Strengthened Muhammed’s position in Medina

Question 6

Nam 3 sources for interpreting Quran?

Answer 6

1. Quran itself
2. Prophetic Hadith
3. Opinions of prophetic companions and successors

Question 7

What is commemorated on Ashura by Shi’a?

Answer 7

Mourn for the grandson of Muhammed @ Battle of Karbala

Question 8

What is commemorated on Ashura for Sunni?

Answer 8

• day of atonement
• israelites freed from pharoah of egypt

Question 9

What happened in the 8th century?

Answer 9

• Umayyad Dynasty conquered Southern Spain

Question 10

Desribe the Golden Age

Answer 10

• Arab Spain produced renaissands
• worlds grestest minds
• spread of science, mysticism, and propserity
• Pluralism- Muslim-Christians-Jews lived in mutual tolerance

Question 11

What did the Wahhabi movement destroy x4?

Answer 11

1. Prophet’s tomb in Medina
2. Shrines of Ali and Son of Husayn
3. Attacked Shi’i
4. Tombs of Sufi Saints

Question 12

What extremist movements of today were influenced by Wahhabi movement?

Answer 12

Taliban & Al Qaeda

Question 13

For indigenous religions- what is the problem with the term “primitive”?

Answer 13

• the culture did not begin until encountered by modern civilized cultures

Question 14

What were biases of indigenous religions? x4

Answer 14

1. Non literate
2. no distinction between religious and non relgious
3. stories are labeled “myth”, while buddhist sutras- “sacred literature”
4. Not historical

Question 15

What is the problem with words/language and religion?

Answer 15

• Jews didn’t say we belong to this religion
• Via Negative= can only describe God based on what he/she is NOT
• Difficult to describe God, language may be meaningless

Question 16

Define Dhikr in Sufism

Answer 16

remembrence of god

Question 17

How is Dhikr Practiced?

Answer 17

1. Repetition of the name of God, Allah
2. Special body movements or elaborate breathing
3. Sometimes practiced in silence

Question 18

Name 3 Areas where Genocide occured in indigenous religions?

Answer 18

1. America
2. New Zealand
3. Africa

Question 19

How did Genocide occur in Africa

Answer 19

• Millions of Africans were taken from their homes and sent to the Americas as slaves
• 11 million survived

Question 20

How many indigenous people died in 1600 in the Americas?

Answer 20

• 90% of the original population died as result of European arrival

Question 21

Define Progressive Revelation according to Baha’u’llah?

Answer 21

• truth is revealed by God progressively over time through a series of divine Messengers

Question 22

Who was Baha’u’llah

Answer 22

• a new prophet thrown in prison
• muslims believed that there can never be another prophet besides Muhammed
• recognition of unity

Question 23

Name the 3 teaching of Bahai according to social equality?

Answer 23

1. Unity of God- (one, source of all)
2. Unity of Religion-(all from the same source)
3. Unity of Humanity

Question 24

What is the Kabbalah

Answer 24

• Jewish mysticism based on the journey to the self

Question 25

What was the Kabbalah movement critcized for?

Answer 25

1. Used for escapism 2. People believe if they plug into the system they will have all the answers 3. Went door to door, prostelizing

Question 26

Define Thetan in Scientology

Answer 26

* soul * each is billions of years old * reincarnated

Question 27

Define Auditing in Scientology

Answer 27

* asking a person a question and acknowledging him/her for that answer * Auditing= listener * person being asked the questions is called *preclear*

Question 28

Define e-meter in scientology

Answer 28

* electrical measuring instrument used during auditing * measures mental blocks

Question 29

How did Freud view religion?

Answer 29

* A neurosis * unwilling to face the fact that life is mortal

Question 30

How did Carl Jung view religion?

Answer 30

* Man is naturally religious * religiousness comes from the unconscious

Question 31

How did New Age movement contrast with organized faith, in terms of gender?

Answer 31

* gave women opportunity for expression and leadership * Established religions are relativiely male dominated

Question 32

Give some examples of New Age movements

Answer 32

* Hinduism, Buddhism, Sufism, IChing * fascination with the depths of awareness * Eastern experiences offered something that the west did not

Question 33

What term sums up the New Age Movement?

Answer 33

holistic-a quest for the wholeness

Question 34

Conflict with meditation

Answer 34

* too passivist * not taking political action for social change

Question 35

Ramadan x4

Answer 35

* fasting * one of the five pillars of islam * a time of spiritual reflection * cleanse the soul

Question 36

Describe the symbolic nature of a burqa

Answer 36

symbol of modesty, honesty, morality

Question 37

Why are burquas a conflict with Quran

Answer 37

* Quran has no requirement that women cover their faces * BOTH men and women are said to behave modestly in public

Question 38

What is the cause of the sunni and Shia split

Answer 38

* Argument on the caliphate selection * could not come to an agreement on who would succeed the prophet Muhammed

Question 39

What is the authority structure for Sunni?

Answer 39

tradition goes back to Muhammed

Question 40

What is the authority structure for Shia

Answer 40

believe in the physical succession appointed by Ali and Hussein

Question 41

What does Falun Gong mean

Answer 41

* Dharma wheel * Meditation combined with slow moving Qigong exercises

Question 42

Falun gong for your health

Answer 42

intended to balance yin and yang

Question 43

Falun Gong for religious practice

Answer 43

* what your practice exudes in you goes out into th world * allows the world to be peaceful and harmonious

Question 44

Describe issues with modern fundamentalism today

Answer 44

* homosexuality comes in conflict * science in conflict with creationism * Good and Evil struggly * Evil- are the advocates for same sex marriage and abortion rights

Question 45

Define pluralism

Answer 45

coexistance

Question 46

Why is pluralism not like diversity?

Answer 46

* Different religions/ethnic backgrounds may be present in one place, but NOT engaged.

Question 47

Why is pluralism not like relativism?

Answer 47

Relativism can lead us to ignore profound differences.

Question 48

# Define relativism

Answer 48

* No objective standards that apply to all people at all time in all places. * Everthing is relative

Question 49

How did Judaism change from its original form

Answer 49

* Historical persecution throughout * Developed Reform * Modernity may change the interfaith dialogue & attitudes towards universalism

Question 50

Examples of Fetish in Western Religion

Answer 50

* lighting candles * statues * priest * ministers

Question 51

# Define Naive Realism

Answer 51

The world is as I see it (ego centric). Our graps of the world is limited, can't even see full spectrum of colors.