Understanding Religion: Some Approaches and Attitudes
Understanding Religion: Some Approaches and Attitudes

Author: Bosudha Bandyopadhyay

Publisher: Blue Rose Publishers

Published: 2023-03-29

Total Pages: 263

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The term religion lends itself to various meanings and interpretations depending upon the nature, education and the level of consciousness and conscience of a particular human being who actually harbors the idea or practices of his faith. It is evident therefore, that the concept of religion in human life and society appears to be most controversial and a complex thing which has variable meanings and significance to various human minds. It is indeed pitiful to observe that in the mountain maelstrom of materialism, man develops the tendency to ignore or undermine the edifying and enriching experience of religions and prefers to stay away from the path of the nourishment of his soul without which, both human existence and progress are seriously endangered. The practice of spiritual uplift is therefore, an indispensable condition of human progress and civilization, for a life conditioned by, and dependent on, mere material development is deemed to be fraught with utter futility. The essays chosen in this volume by and large have been written by scholars with a view, to unfolding either the virtues or shortcomings of many of the principles and practices of different religions. Some of the essays have sought to examine the causes and reasons behind the unhealthy views and superstitions and also to reveal a good and elevating virtues the cultivation of which may enlighten us for the realization of the noble ideas and ideals of life. The writers have made an honest attempt to look at the grim reality of some religious superstitions in order to find out the hidden light that rise beyond the boundary of blind beliefs and faiths. Such a quest is always worthwhile for a sincere seeker in quest of truth and light. The authors of the essays have taken pains to diagnose the deep-seated malady of blind belief, fanaticism and dogmatisms.

Religion, Culture & Society
Religion, Culture & Society

Author: Andrew Singleton

Publisher: SAGE

Published: 2014-03-10

Total Pages: 273

ISBN-13: 147390448X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"The reader is taken on a global exploration of the forms and diversities of religions and their social and cultural contexts... It is up to the minute in research and theory, and comfortably grounded in the traditions of the social explanation of things religious and spiritual." - Gary Bouma AM, Monash University "Tells how sociology of religion originated in the work of key nineteenth and twentieth century theorists and then brings the story into the present era of globalization, hybrid spirituality, and the Internet. Students of religion will find this an engaging and informative survey of the field." - Robert Wuthnow, Princeton University "It considers the ‘big questions’ - What is religion? How is religion changing in a modern world? What is the future of religion? – and addresses them through tangible case studies and observations of contemporary life. Its global perspective reflects the breadth, diversity and vibrancy of this field." - Sylvia Collins-Mayo, Kingston University This is a rich and dynamic introduction to the varieties of religious life and the central issues in the sociology of religion today. It leads the reader through the key ideas and main debates within the field as well as offering in-depth descriptions and analysis of topics such as secularization, fundamentalism, Pentecostal Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, atheism, ‘The spiritual marketplace’, digital religion and new religions like Wicca. Emphasising religion as a global phenomenon, examining especially the ways in which globalization has had an impact on everyday religious life, Singleton has created an illuminating text suitable for students in a wide range of courses looking at religion as a social and cultural phenomenon.

Religion without God
Religion without God

Author: Ronald Dworkin

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2013-10-01

Total Pages: 71

ISBN-13: 0674728041

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In his last book, Ronald Dworkin addresses questions that men and women have asked through the ages: What is religion and what is God’s place in it? What is death and what is immortality? Based on the 2011 Einstein Lectures, Religion without God is inspired by remarks Einstein made that if religion consists of awe toward mysteries which “manifest themselves in the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty, and which our dull faculties can comprehend only in the most primitive forms,” then, he, Einstein, was a religious person. Dworkin joins Einstein’s sense of cosmic mystery and beauty to the claim that value is objective, independent of mind, and immanent in the world. He rejects the metaphysics of naturalism—that nothing is real except what can be studied by the natural sciences. Belief in God is one manifestation of this deeper worldview, but not the only one. The conviction that God underwrites value presupposes a prior commitment to the independent reality of that value—a commitment that is available to nonbelievers as well. So theists share a commitment with some atheists that is more fundamental than what divides them. Freedom of religion should flow not from a respect for belief in God but from the right to ethical independence. Dworkin hoped that this short book would contribute to rational conversation and the softening of religious fear and hatred. Religion without God is the work of a humanist who recognized both the possibilities and limitations of humanity.

The Social Impact of AIDS in the United States
The Social Impact of AIDS in the United States

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1993-02-01

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 0309046289

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Europe's "Black Death" contributed to the rise of nation states, mercantile economies, and even the Reformation. Will the AIDS epidemic have similar dramatic effects on the social and political landscape of the twenty-first century? This readable volume looks at the impact of AIDS since its emergence and suggests its effects in the next decade, when a million or more Americans will likely die of the disease. The Social Impact of AIDS in the United States addresses some of the most sensitive and controversial issues in the public debate over AIDS. This landmark book explores how AIDS has affected fundamental policies and practices in our major institutions, examining: How America's major religious organizations have dealt with sometimes conflicting values: the imperative of care for the sick versus traditional views of homosexuality and drug use. Hotly debated public health measures, such as HIV antibody testing and screening, tracing of sexual contacts, and quarantine. The potential risk of HIV infection to and from health care workers. How AIDS activists have brought about major change in the way new drugs are brought to the marketplace. The impact of AIDS on community-based organizations, from volunteers caring for individuals to the highly political ACT-UP organization. Coping with HIV infection in prisons. Two case studies shed light on HIV and the family relationship. One reports on some efforts to gain legal recognition for nonmarital relationships, and the other examines foster care programs for newborns with the HIV virus. A case study of New York City details how selected institutions interact to give what may be a picture of AIDS in the future. This clear and comprehensive presentation will be of interest to anyone concerned about AIDS and its impact on the country: health professionals, sociologists, psychologists, advocates for at-risk populations, and interested individuals.

Young People’s Attitudes to Religious Diversity
Young People’s Attitudes to Religious Diversity

Author: Elisabeth Arweck

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-07-01

Total Pages: 316

ISBN-13: 1134790392

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Investigating the hitherto unexplored topic of how young people understand and relate to religious diversity in the social context in which they are growing up, this book makes a significant contribution to the existing body of literature on religious diversity and multiculturalism. It closes a gap in knowledge about young people’s attitudes to religious diversity, and reports data gathered across the whole of the UK as well as comparative chapters on Canada, USA and continental Europe. Reporting findings from both qualitative and quantitative research which reveal, for example, the importance of the particular social and geographical context within which young people are embedded, the volume addresses young people’s attitudes towards the range of 'world religions’ as well as non-religious stances and offers an interdisciplinary approach through the different analytical perspectives of the contributors.

Why Tolerate Religion?
Why Tolerate Religion?

Author: Brian Leiter

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2014-08-24

Total Pages: 214

ISBN-13: 0691163545

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Why it's wrong to single out religious liberty for special legal protections This provocative book addresses one of the most enduring puzzles in political philosophy and constitutional theory—why is religion singled out for preferential treatment in both law and public discourse? Why are religious obligations that conflict with the law accorded special toleration while other obligations of conscience are not? In Why Tolerate Religion?, Brian Leiter shows why our reasons for tolerating religion are not specific to religion but apply to all claims of conscience, and why a government committed to liberty of conscience is not required by the principle of toleration to grant exemptions to laws that promote the general welfare.

Introduction to Sociology 2e
Introduction to Sociology 2e

Author: Nathan J. Keirns

Publisher:

Published: 2015-03-17

Total Pages: 513

ISBN-13: 9781938168413

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"This text is intended for a one-semester introductory course."--Page 1.

Religion, Pacifism, and Nonviolence
Religion, Pacifism, and Nonviolence

Author: James Kellenberger

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2018-08-27

Total Pages: 163

ISBN-13: 331995010X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This book is about religion, pacifism, and the nonviolence that informs pacifism in its most coherent form. Pacifism is one religious approach to war and violence. Another is embodied in just war theories, and both pacifism and just war thinking are critically examined. Although moral support for pacifism is presented, a main focus of the book is on religious support for pacifism, found in various religious traditions. A crucial distinction for pacifism is that between force and violence. Pacifism informed by nonviolence excludes violence, but, the book argues, allows forms of force. Peacekeeping is an activity that on the face of it seems compatible with pacifism, and several different forms of peacekeeping are examined. The implications of nonviolence for the treatment of nonhuman animals are also examined. Two models for attaining the conditions required for a world without war have been proposed. Both are treated and one, the model of a biological human family, is developed. The book concludes with reflections on the role of pacifism in each of five possible futurescapes.