Intro to Religion Mid-Term Chapter One

Which of the following statements is true of religion in general? a. It answers existential questions that humans have. b. It has not undergone any changes since its perception. c. It has a universally accepted definition. d. It came into existence only after the Neanderthal age.

a. It answers existential questions that humans have.

Which of the following statements about the history of religions school is true? a. It began the formal study of religion as a social and cultural phenomenon. b. It began in France. c. It focused on Christianity and ignored the existence of all other religions. d. It was established in the sixteenth century.

a. It began the formal study of religion as a social and cultural phenomenon.

Which of the following statements is true of religious violence? a. It can be carried out by individuals or groups. b. It refers to the direct attacks on religious groups but excludes all kinds of indirect attacks. c. All kinds of religious violence have invariably similar triggers. d. Religious violence is a relatively new phenomenon.

a. It can be carried out by individuals or groups.

Which of the following statements is true of preunderstanding? a. It changes as one alters one's knowledge, beliefs, and convictions over time. b. One is born with a preunderstanding of the basic workings of the world. c. New experiences are always compatible with one's preunderstanding. d. It remains static in most people.

a. It changes as one alters one's knowledge, beliefs, and convictions over time.

What historian argued in 1967 that Western Christianity, with its view of nature as under human control and direction, bears a substantial responsibility for the modern environmental crisis? a. Lynn White Jr. b. Charles Glock c. Prince Philip d. Seyyed Nasr

a. Lynn White Jr.

Reggie, a physicist, does not believe in any God and openly speaks against organized religion in public forums. To which of the following categories does Reggie belong? a. New Atheists b. Agnostics c. Autotheists d. Deists

a. New Atheists

What dimension of religion is the sensory element? a. aesthetic dimension b. ethical dimension c. institutional dimension d. cognitive dimension

a. aesthetic dimension

Which dimension of religion teaches followers what is necessary to know? a. cognitive dimensions b. ethical dimensions c. institutional dimensions d. aesthetic dimensions

a. cognitive dimensions

Kiolo, a particular religion, does not approve of pre-marital sexual intercourse. This moral dictate is an example of what dimension of religion? a. ethical b. cognitive c. aesthetic d. institutional

a. ethical

Why is the Church of Scientology under government pressure in Germany? a. It consists of atheists. b. Authorities suspect that it is a totalitarian movement. c. Its members claim that the gene VMAT2 is the "God gene." d. It is suspected of supporting certain extremist groups.

b. Authorities suspect that it is a totalitarian movement.

Why did Dean Hamer's The God Gene: How Faith Is Hardwired into Our Genes enter into a controversy? a. It claimed that religion causes healthier brains. b. It claimed that religion is made possible by a genetic adaptation. c. It claimed that God made genes from clouds. d. It claimed that Darwin's theory of genetic mutation was void.

b. It claimed that religion is made possible by a genetic adaptation.

Which of the following statements is true of the secularization hypothesis? a. It discards all forms of scientific research that challenged religion. b. It states that science and education would diminish or end religion in the modern world. c. It states that reports of the death of religion were false. d. It states that religion would eventually merge with science.

b. It states that science and education would diminish or end religion in the modern world.

Which of the following was a key difference between the views of Freud and Jung? a. Jung regarded religion as a neurotic condition that needed therapy when it persisted into adulthood, but Freud regarded religion as an important part of life. b. Jung was appreciative of religion, but Freud had a negative opinion of religion. c. Freud analyzed religion objectively, but Jung was more personal in his outlook. d. Freud was of the opinion that certain religious practices had a scientific basis, but Jung completely disregarded religion

b. Jung was appreciative of religion, but Freud had a negative opinion of religion.

Harris, a religion professor, and Dean, a student representative, get into a constructive argument about the importance of studying religion. Harris is of the opinion that students of every stream should study religion as part of their curriculum, but Dean believes that it would be a waste of time to promote the study of religion. Which of the following statements supports Harris's stand? a. The percentage of atheists have increased as science and reason have become more widespread. b. More than three-quarters of the world's people identify with one or more religions. c. The secularization hypothesis, widely held in the twentieth century, continues to grow stronger in the twenty-first century. d. The number of people practicing private religion has increased over the years.

b. More than three-quarters of the world's people identify with one or more religions.

Recognition of religious differences and the effort to deal with them constructively involves: a. Deism b. Pluralism c. Agnosticism d. Atheism

b. Pluralism

What was the main objective of the "Many Heavens, One Earth" conference? a. To discuss the religious practices of Asian religions and the religions of indigenous peoples such as Native Americans who offer a more environmentally responsible worldview than Christianity b. To seek commitments from religious organizations and the countries in which they predominate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curtail human damage to nature c. To collect funds to be used during natural disasters d. To lay down a rough plan to clean the rivers of Asia

b. To seek commitments from religious organizations and the countries in which they predominate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curtail human damage to nature

What term has been used to describe many smaller, nontraditional religious groups? a. peripheral group b. cult c. shaman d. subculture

b. cult

The ability to understand and deal with cultures other than one's own is referred to as: a. cultural appropriation. b. cultural intelligence. c. cultural duality. d. cultural relativism.

b. cultural intelligence.

Values, norms, and patterns of behavior in religions are internalized with the help of: a. myths. b. moral rules. c. rituals. d. spiritual orientations.

b. moral rules.

Religious violence against others committed by groups: a. is acceptable under certain conditions. b. must be understood in its cultural context. c. is a new phenomenon. d. must be answered with violence.

b. must be understood in its cultural context.

What are symbolic actions in worship, meditation, or other religious ceremonies? a. myths b. rituals c. movements d. standards

b. rituals

Putting up with the views and actions of others that are opposed to one's own, usually for the common good, is called: a. ethnocentrism. b. tolerance. c. resilience. d. agnosticism.

b. tolerance.

Which of the following statements is true of religious studies? a. It is the first field in the academic study of religion. b. It was started by Roman Catholic scholars in Europe. c. It aims to understand all religious traditions objectively. d. It asks students to make religious commitments

c. It aims to understand all religious traditions objectively.

Which of the following statements is true of feminism? a. It is flourishing in Europe and in other parts of the world. b. It refers to the exclusive study of social pressures, expectations, and opportunities of women. c. It has both a descriptive and a prescriptive aspect. d. It came to full bloom in the United States in the 1940s.

c. It has both a descriptive and a prescriptive aspect.

Graham and Leena are engaged in a discussion on religion. Leena contradicts Graham's view that the secularization hypothesis, popular in the twentieth century, holds true in the twenty-first century too. Which of following statements would support Leena's claim? a. In the present age, most people claim to be spiritual rather than religious. b. The percentage of atheists have increased over the years. c. Religion is found everywhere in the 21st century. d. The number of people practicing private religion has increased over the years.

c. Religion is found everywhere in the 21st century.

Religion has continued to remain popular among people because: a. religious leaders have ensured that religious traditions do not change with time. b. secularism is on the rise across the world. c. it provides meaning, strength, and joy to many. d. the number of religions in the world has decreased, allowing a few main religions to flourish

c. it provides meaning, strength, and joy to many.

Karen belongs to a community that worships one God and believes that He is the One who grants life to people in the world. Karen's community practices: a. atheism. b. polytheism. c. monotheism. d. agnosticism.

c. monotheism.

Nexu, a student of a particular religion, enrolls himself in a university in America. He is assigned to a dormitory room with a student who belongs to another religion. However, Nexu refuses to share the room with him as he believes that most people belonging to that religion are terrorists or support terrorist activities. In this case, what has most likely influenced Nexu's behavior? a. extroverted nature b. personal conflict with the people from the other religion in question c. preunderstanding of the other religion in question d. inability to judge people

c. preunderstanding of the other religion in question

Mark Twain defined religion as: a. "the key to the ultimate truth about life." b. "the feeling of absolute dependence." c. "the daughter of Hope and Fear, explaining to Ignorance the nature of the Unknowable." d. "a set of things which the average man thinks he believes and wishes he was certain of."

d. "a set of things which the average man thinks he believes and wishes he was certain of."

Arna, a student of feminist literature, disagrees with her friend Clara's view that, in general, religion has always supported women's rights. Which of the following statements best supports Arna's stand? a. Women of many religions have made varying responses to the pressure of patriarchy. b. Women's roles as professional religious specialists have not been exposed to the "stained-glass ceiling" effect. c. Most ancient religions were pagan in nature. d. All religions stem from patriarchy and most uphold it to some extent even today

d. All religions stem from patriarchy and most uphold it to some extent even today

Patriarchy does NOT entail which of the following? a. Men exercise more power in society than women. b. Religious organizations often have a "stained-glass ceiling" that prevents women from rising to positions of significant power. c. Men are generally seen as more important than women. d. In marriage, men and women have equal power and responsibility.

d. In marriage, men and women have equal power and responsibility.

Which of the following is one of the founders of religious studies? a. Friedrich Schleiermacher b. William James c. Sigmund Freud d. Max Mülle

d. Max Mülle

Identify a true statement about new religious movements. a. Most new religious movements started in the eighteenth century. b. Groups under the new religious movements lack longevity. c. None of the groups under new religious movements are considered totalitarian in nature. d. New religious movements are a widely accepted subject of research in the field of religious studies.

d. New religious movements are a widely accepted subject of research in the field of religious studies.

In the context of religion in the twenty-first century, which of the following statements is true? a. The number of religions in the world is decreasing. b. Religious traditions have remained static and have not changed over the years. c. The secularization hypothesis related to religion has been proven to be correct. d. Religion is emerging as one of the main markers of human identity.

d. Religion is emerging as one of the main markers of human identity.

Which of the following is a shortcoming of religious tolerance in American life that religious pluralism has effectively ameliorated? a. Tolerance failed to end financial burdens on religious minorities. b. Tolerance failed to end physical punishments that were meted out to religious minorities. c. Tolerance failed to give recognition to religious minorities. d. Tolerance failed to end prejudice and the exclusion of religious minorities.

d. Tolerance failed to end prejudice and the exclusion of religious minorities.

What is another common term for "cultural intelligence"? a. cultural diversity b. cultural knowledge c. cross-cultural diversity d. cross-cultural competence

d. cross-cultural competence

Some scholars consider the religious belief held by only one person as which of the following? a. indigenous religion b. agnosticism c. atheism d. private religion

d. private religion

What is a pattern of beliefs and practices that expresses and enacts what a community regards as sacred and/or ultimate about life? a. culture b. custom c. philosophy d. religion

d. religion

Sociologists studying religion are primarily concerned with: a. qualitative research to present the practices of religions in different societies. b. upholding religious teachings over scientific facts. c. proving the dominance of a particular religion over society. d. the mutual relationship between religion and society.

d. the mutual relationship between religion and society.

Preunderstanding is, by way of definition: a. the assumption that new experiences will be compatible with one's prior understanding. b. the understanding of the world that one is born with, which helps in survival. c. the understanding of one's surroundings that remains static throughout one's life. d. the state of one's understanding of reality, in terms of which one makes sense of one's new experiences.

d. the state of one's understanding of reality, in terms of which one makes sense of one's new experiences

Carl has taken up the study of Christianity. On being asked by a friend about the reasons for his choice, he says that he has always appreciated the teachings of Christianity and wants to promote them worldwide, and his study reflects this. In this scenario, Carl is a student of: a. synecology. b. religious studies. c. philology. d. theology.

d. theology.