Unit%203:%20Religion

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Unit 3 Religion

• History of Religion
• Mr. Young
• Sociology

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I CAN

1. Define the word religion
2. Explain how religion is used for good purposes in
   the world
3. Analyze why people twist religion and use it in
   bad ways

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Where to Begin?

• Religion can encompass a vast and broad spectrum
  that is hard to define
• Comes from Latin word religare (reback and
  ligare to bind), or being bound
• This can be by choice, or sometimes by being
  forced

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Why Study Religion

• Religion has always been with us
• It answers some of lifes most important
  questions
• It helps a person to define those things that are
  sacred in their lives
• It helps people explain those things in life that
  are unexplainable

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Religion and the Social

• Religion is the tie that binds a community
  together through various forms of beliefs and
  practice. It is an institution that contributes
  important ideas to society at large it also
  connects with specific aspects of non-religious
  social life, like economics and politics
• http//www.studyreligion.org/what/index.html

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Misconceptions of Religion

• You have to be religious to study religion
• Studying religion is impractical
• Religion is a good way to study the culture of a
  past society
• It also helps to gain great insight and knowledge
  into that culture
• Religion can teach good values and morals, even
  if you are not religious

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In the Name of Religion

• Abortion Clinic Bombings
• Holy Wars (Crusades)
• Terrorism and Suicide
• Mass Suicides
• Adulteries and Affairs
• Power, Money, Fame

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Abortion Clinic Bombings

• Some of these are done in the name of religion
• Army of God- anti-abortion group that promotes
  the use of violence against abortion clinics
• Key members- Eric Rudolph
• Pled guilty to bombing at least 4 places, killing
  of at least two people
• On FBIs Top Ten Most wanted list

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Army of God Manual

• "Beginning officially with the passage of the
  Freedom of Choice Act - we, the remnant of
  God-fearing men and women of the United States of
  Amerika (sic), do officially declare war on the
  entire child killing industry. After praying,
  fasting, and making continual supplication to God
  for your pagan, heathen, infidel souls, we then
  peacefully, passively presented our bodies in
  front of your death camps, begging you to stop
  the mass murdering of infants. Yet you hardened
  your already blackened, jaded hearts. We quietly
  accepted the resulting imprisonment and suffering
  of our passive resistance. Yet you mocked God and
  continued the Holocaust. No longer! All of the
  options have expired. Our Most Dread Sovereign
  Lord God requires that whosoever sheds man's
  blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Not out of
  hatred of you, but out of love for the persons
  you exterminate, we are forced to take arms
  against you. Our life for yours - a simple
  equation. Dreadful. Sad. Reality, nonetheless.
  You shall not be tortured at our hands. Vengeance
  belongs to God only. However, execution is rarely
  gentile."

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Army of God
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Army of God Videos

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vpcFjrSelcKY

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Crusade Videos

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vW8n0qAH7nzIfeature
  related

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Holy Wars (Crusades)

• Started around 1090 and lasted till around 1300
• Crusade literally means, Going to the Cross
• Idea was to free Jerusalem and the other holy
  places from the Muslims
• Only two successful crusades and also had two
  childrens crusades (useless)
• 3rd crusade between Saladin and Richard the
  Lion-heart

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Crusades
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Terrorism and Suicide

• This can be found in todays society with the
  Radical/Extreme religious groups
• Feel that killing themselves and other infidels
  are the only certain way of getting to heaven
• Usually brainwashed since a very early age
• Will be in the name of a religion, but most
  religions do not teach about killing one another

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Terrorism
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Religious Terrorists

• The individual believes that they are under
  attack
• Evil is going to destroy their world and they
  must act

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Cont.

• 2. Convinced that God wants the evil destroyed

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Cont.

• 3. Violence is the only way to resolve the
  situation, and it is good in this case

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Cont.

• 4. Become convinced that God has chosen them for
  this task
• Dont necessarily want to kill or die, but it is
  better to die doing what is right than live as a
  coward
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vNsU1yyGZENsfeature
  fvst
• Monty Python Part 3 (523)

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Cont.

• These perspectives are nurtured by a community
• The community supports them and people are more
  willing to do things in a community than by
  themselves

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Omar Hammami Video

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?veHVuvD4RsC0
• Documentary (45 minutes)
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?veG5f2eZXy64feature
  related
• Commentary on Doc above (5 min)

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Omar Hammami
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Mass Suicides

• Will sometimes occur in radical religious groups
  or in cult settings
• Feel that by doing this they can escape the
  present world and enter into a realm/afterlife
  that is better
• Usually has a charismatic group leader with
  charismatic beliefs

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Jim Jones and Jonestown

• Jim Jones and Jonestown- 918 members were killed
  by drinking red cool-aid or cyanide, largest mass
  suicide in history
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?vLuJpTO9YU4M

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Heavens Gate/Hale-Bopp

• Heavens Gate mass suicide- believed an alien
  space ship behind Comet Hale-Bopp and if they
  died they would be on it, 39 in all
• In 1996 bought 10,000 worth of alien abduction
  insurance
• http//www.5min.com/Video/The-Heavens-Gate-Mass-su
  icide-in-Rancho-Santa-Fe-California-120001572

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Heavens Gate Video

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vnh35j2S68DQ
• http//abcnews.go.com/Archives/video/march-26-1997
  -heavens-gate-cult-suicide-9702192
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vIzWpfq103q4
• CNN Remembers (5 min)