Question 1

Nearly all the ancient societies in the Middle East and the Mediterranean were monotheistic.

Accepted Answer

Most ancient societies in the Middle East and the Mediterranean were polytheistic, worshipping multiple gods and goddesses. Monotheism was relatively rare, with notable exceptions like Judaism.

Question 2

Buddhism is neither monotheistic nor polytheistic.

Accepted Answer

Buddhism does not focus on the worship of gods and is more concerned with personal spiritual development and the attainment of enlightenment.

Question 3

Secular rituals that celebrate the state or nation, particular occupations, or other identities may achieve many of the same ends as religious rituals.

Accepted Answer

Secular rituals can foster a sense of community, shared identity, and continuity, similar to religious rituals, by providing structure and meaning to social practices.

Question 4

Interpretive perspectives on religion and religious symbolism such as those of anthropologist Clifford Geertz are applicable to which of the following religious settings?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Interpretive perspectives on religion and religious symbolism...

Question 5

Religious ideas are typically associated with beliefs about the supernatural, but what argument can be used to explain the beliefs and worldviews of physicists or geneticists, who may consider themselves nonbelievers?

Accepted Answer

Religious ideas can be seen as a particular worldview, and similarly, scientists may have their own worldviews based on their understanding of the universe, even if they don't involve supernatural beliefs.

Question 6

Which of the theories of totemism discussed in the text could help us understand the importance of mascots in American sports?

Accepted Answer

Mascots serve as symbols that represent and celebrate the identity and spirit of a sports team, similar to how totems symbolize and represent the identity of a group or clan.

Question 7

If you wanted to understand how state rituals reinforce support for the nation and its government, what method would you use to study state funerals?

Accepted Answer

To fully understand how state rituals like funerals reinforce national support, a comprehensive approach using all methods would provide insights from different perspectives, including planning, public perception, content, and visual representation.

Question 8

Symbolic analysis is applicable and an appropriate analytical strategy for which of the following activities that are not, strictly speaking, religious?

Accepted Answer

Symbolic analysis can be applied to all the activities listed as it involves interpreting symbols and meanings in human behavior, which can be relevant to understanding community attachments, protests, and belief systems.

Question 9

Why do fundamentalists often use the language of "returning" to "traditional values" in their ideologies and rituals?

Accepted Answer

Fundamentalists often view the past as a time of purity and divine intent (A), associate traditional values with respected figures (B), and see traditions as stable symbols in a changing world (C).

Question 10

Does Anthony F.C. Wallace's definition of religion as beliefs and behaviors with respect to the supernatural cause us to abandon E.B. Tylor's notion that the core of religion is the belief in spirits?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Does Anthony F.C. Wallace's definition of religion...

Question 11

Why would baseball players be particularly prone to using various kinds of personal magic, while football players tend not to do so?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why would baseball players be particularly prone...

Question 12

Senator John McCain made elaborate plans for his state funeral shortly before he died. What do you think he was trying to accomplish with the rituals and symbols he included in the ceremony and accompanying events?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Senator John McCain made elaborate plans for...

Question 13

Religious rituals are powerful ways of creating a sense of belonging and being part of a special group. How are rituals changed or enhanced by making them frequent events (such as a daily ritual), and how can the meaning of these rituals be made more powerful by having them be almost unique events (such as the pope's visit to Brazil)?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Religious rituals are powerful ways of creating...

Question 14

Why do you think religious institutions have been historically associated with the arts? Why are the arts something that is good to "think" with?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why do you think religious institutions have...

Question 15

If you were working with administrators at your school to encourage college students to feel more connected to the academic goals of your college or university, what kind of ritual would you propose that might enhance the feeling of belonging?

Accepted Answer

The answer of If you were working with administrators at...

Question 16

Is symbolic analysis restricted to analysis of religious behavior, or can it also be used to explain most human phenomena? Explain your answer and give one example.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Is symbolic analysis restricted to analysis of...

Question 17

What ideas and theories discussed in this chapter can help us understand why people feel so strongly about their views on abortion, same-sex marriage, and the death penalty in America over the past forty years?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What ideas and theories discussed in this...

Question 18

If religious beliefs and practices are as diverse as they have been presented in this chapter, what is the justification for calling all of them religious beliefs and practices?

Accepted Answer

The answer of If religious beliefs and practices are as...

Question 19

How can we explain the rise of fundamentalism both in the Middle East and in the United States over the past four decades? In your answer identify the factors that are economic, political, and religious.

Accepted Answer

The answer of How can we explain the rise of...

Quiz 17: Religion: Ritual and Belief