World Religions Exam 1

The word religion probably means to...

What common goal do all religions share?

Those who claim they worship the only true Diety are known as as

The intuitive ability to perceive spiritual truths directly beyond the senses is typically called

the discipline, which seeks to understand and compare religious patterns from around the world, is known as

Personal, institutionalized patterns of prayer meditation or direct experience of an inexplicable presence may be referred to as

Religions that worship the deity in a singular form are known as

Like religion, ________ searches for universal principles that explain the facts of nature.

A narrative that uses concrete symbols in order to convey abstract ideas is known as a(n)

What theory holds that scientific discoveries of the complexities of life are proof of existence of a creator?

Symbolic stories which communities use to explain the universe and their place within it are known as

Describe at least changes feminist are seeking to make within patriarchal religions.

The rare quality of personal magnetism often ascribed to founders of religion is

What are the seven dimensions of religion?

the dichotomy between sacred and profane is applicable to all religions.

Religions that worship the divine in many forms are known as polytheistic.

Agnosticism is an intense, personal experience of sacred reality.

Numinous is non-rational, non-sensory experience of indescribable things totally outside the world.

Researchers have identified many similarities in the use of symbols across different cultures

Orthodox followers of a religion believe that practices must change with the times.

The term "fundamentalism" was first used in reference to Muslims from the Middle East

Historical-critical studies of scriptures assert that scriptures are a mixture of many elements, including myths, cultural influences, ethical instructions, copying mistakes, actual history, and genuine spiritual inspiration.

Creationism is a belief in the divine creation of all life forms.

Encounters with ultimate reality may be called a. ecstatic communion c. self-knowledge b. gnosis d. all of the above

The belief that sacred reality is one underlying substance is known as a. monotheism c. nontheism b. monism d. immanence

Scientific materialism asserts that a. monotheism c. only the material world exists b. the supernatural is real d. Mysticism is a means of gaining knowledge of the material world.

Religious rituals may involve a. patterned performance c. purposefulness b. repetition d. all of the above

The psychologist Carl Jung proposed that the reason there are similarities among symbols in different cultures is because a. symbols involve logical association with the natural world b. cultures have borrowed the symbols from one another c. there are a limited number of symbols available d. humanity has collective unconscious from which it draws symbols

The psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud argued that religion is a. psychologically healthy b. the opium of the people c. a universal obsessional c. all of the above neurosis

Which of these terms is the closest opposite to the term transcendent? a. theistic c. agnostic b. transpersonal d. immanent

The appearance of sacred reality in human form is called a. incarnation c. functionalism b. humanism d. gnosis

Which of these terms is the closest opposite to the term Monotheistic a. incarnations c. polytheistic b. monistic d. transcendent

Dogma is a. a system of doctrine proclaimed as absolutely true b. the belief that religion is psychologically harmful c. the belief that religion is like a virus d. spiritual bypassing

The Gaia Theory propses a. The earth was made by a creator b. The earth is a complex, self-regulating organism c. The earth was created by God, who is now absent d. the earth is a spiritual gateway

The religious term that means a model of the origins of the universe is

The Dahomey tradition from West Africa was carried to Haiti by thousands of African slaves and called

In contrast to the industrial world's attempts to use and dominate the earth, native people now consider themselves ________________ of their mother, the earth.

Indigenous spirituality may be seen as an approach to all of life known as

The ritual, often performed around the time of puberty, in which one seeks to open oneself for contact with the spirit world is called a

Approximately how old are shamanic methods estimated to be?

Shamans should not be confused with _______________ , those who practice black magic to hurt others.

The contemporary African-¬American celebration based on traditional African "first fruits" harvest festivals is known as

Indigenous people comprise at least 17% of the world's population

Globalization has helped indigenous sacred ways grow and thrive

Indigenous religious practices are often interwoven with the practices of a global religion

Indigenous religions are practiced only on certain days of the week.

Rites of passage commemorate the transport of slaves from Africa to North America.

Some indigenous religious leaders believe that their understanding of humans and their place in the world provide a better approach to the environment than that of industrialized societies.

Despite their geographical diversity, indigenous religions all operate within the same social context.

In traditional Africa, it is considered important to maintain relationships with one's ancestors.

Shamans focus only on healing physical illness.

In some indigenous cultures, women are thought to have certain natural powers that men must work harder to attain.

The spirits sacred to indigenous religions may be worshiped only at specially constructed temples.

The number of Americans who state that they are at least partly Native American is quickly decreasing.

"New Age" movements have been criticized for exploiting or misconstruing indigenous sacred ways.

Indigenous sacred ways are not static but change with time.

Multinational companies have disrupted indigenous sacred ways by exploiting the local people's natural resources.

When indigenous ways were threatened with repression, many of the traditions were practiced a. in temples b. throughout the agricultural year c. in secret d. by colonialists

In most native cultures, spiritual ways are shared through a. weekly meetings b. sacred texts c. rituals of altered consciousness d. communication with sacred animals

A symbol of the unity that many indigenous cultures use is that of the a. arrow c. triangle b. circle d. dove

The Supreme Being for most indigenous peoples is a god who is a a. Matchmaker c. Waver b. Destroyer d. creator

Some West African groups recognize a great pantheon of deities known as the a. manna c. oya b. orisa d. ifa

"Dream Time" is a. the primordial time when ancestors appeared from beneath the earth's surface b. the ritual preceding a vision quest c. the shaman's technique for making contact with spirits d. the ritual that establishes kinship with all creation

In indigenous religions, everything in nature is experienced as a. preordained c. anathema b. terror d. family

In many indigenous religions, if one must cut down a tree or kill an animal, one must first a. send for a medicine man b. purify one's hands with water c. explain one's intentions and ask forgiveness d. leave the tribe for forty days

In the eternal "Dream Time" there is no a. male-female differentiation b. child-adult differentiation c. present-past differentiation d. day-night differentiation

The term shaman means a. a sacred clown b. mystical intermediary between physical and nonphysical world c. priest d. leave the tribe for forty days

The phrase "Stolen Generation" refers to a. the founder of the American boarding school system b. slave practices during the 1880s c. the policy between 1880 - 1960 which attempted to acculturate Australian aboriginal children d. none of the above

The Hindu word for religion, which also refers to duty, natural law, social welfare, ethics, health, and transcendental realization, is

The Hindu term for action and the consequences of action is

Spiritual disciplines designed to clear the mind and increase sattvic qualities are known as

The power of the feminine aspect of the divine is known as

Visual contact with the divine is known as

List the four caste groups and the male occupations associated with them

The nineteenth century spiritual leader who recognized the Divine Mother in everything, including a cat, was named

Controversy swirls in India around the town of Ayodhya, known in Hindu mythology as the birthplace of

Historians of Hinduism agree that "Aryans" invaded and influenced the Indus Valley

Hindu tradition teaches that the Vedas are not the work of humans.

Hindu philosophical systems include both dualistic and monistic viewpoints.

The most popular form of yoga is Bhakti yoga

The god Vishnu periodically appears in earthly incarnations

Humankind is understood to be currently in the first of the four yugas or ages.

Hindus bury their dead so that the soul may return to mother earth.

Hindu worship may be carried out both in the home and in temples

The Indian Supreme Court has refused to rule on what beliefs define Hinduism

Mahatma Gandhi taught that it was wrong for Hindus to study other religions

The festival of Kumbh Mela celebrates Rama's defeat of the demon Ravana.

The festival of Janmashtami celebrates Krishna's birthday

Home puja is a practice that is rarely used by modern Hindus

The religious texts often considered to be the foundations of Hinduism are called the a. Dravidians c. Siva b. Vedas d. Agni

The Hindu god of fire is a. Agni c. Kali b. Ishtar d. Atman

The belief that the soul leaves the dead body and enters a new one is called a. devapuja c. reincarnation b. atman d. ensoulment

The cycle of death and rebirth is known as a. karma c. moksha b. samsara d. bhakti

The Hindu festival of Holi may be understood as celebrating a. the end of winter and return of spring b. Prahlad's surviving the fire in which the demoness Holika burned c. Radha's love for Krishna d. all of the above

What is the name for a Hindu spiritual teacher? a. Ashram c. Rishis b. Guru d. Soma

Samkhya and Advaita are a. two major Hindu philosophical systems b. two major Hindu deities c. two major Hindu castes d. two major parts of the Vedas

Shiva is a. the lord of the yogis b. the spouse of Parvati c. the destroyer d. all of the above

The Bhagavad-Gita is a. the story of Rama's incarnation on earth b. a manual for performing sacrificial rituals c. an account of Krishna's childhood deeds d. Krishna's instruction to Arjuna on the art of self-transcendence

Food that has been sanctified by being offered to a deity is known as a. prasad b. puja c. prana d. Parvati

Lakshmi is the goddess of a. wealth and beauty b. war and vengeance c. mothers and children d. aging and death

The goddess often used generically to refer to the Divine Mother or the goddess in all her forms is a. Kali b. Devi c. Durga d. Lakshmi