Deck 14: Religion Outside the God Box

Question 1

One religious denomination is claiming that the web and the internet are part of their religious heritage-since their founder was such a n innovator with technology.That group is the

A)Catholics.
B)Lutherans.
C)Episcopalians.
D)Methodists
E)Baptists.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a conclusion of critics regarding the way marketing of religion affects the message itself?

A)Marketing itself is a neutral medium that allows preachers to expand their audiences but has no effect on the message.
B)The message of in some huge religious corporations is driven by the financial demands of the organization, so preachers must preach that which "sells" well if they are to gain contributions and keep the organization viable.
C)Modern society seems to require a simple, fast-paced, and entertaining message, so the preacher who wishes to market Christianity must avoid complex issues.
D)Most televangelists learn that the message of "looking out for oneself is all right" is one that sells well-bringing in substantial financial contributions.
E)Institutions, once created, take on a life of their own-with goals, motivations, and measures of success that may be very different from those originally conceived by the founders.Marketing then can come to focus on institutional growth rather than the original message.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of religion online?

A)Lutheran.org
B)"Light a Candle"
C)The Wallcam at the Western Wall
D)The virtual Hajj in Second Life
E)All of the above

Answer 3

A

Question 4

If Heidi goes on-line to light a virtual candle for her grandfather and then prays for him while contemplating this "burning" candle, or if Joseph visited the Kotel--Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem-to pray, he is engaged in a form of religious behavior that some scholars call

A)super-web religion
B)media-manipulated faith.
C)pseudo-religion.
D)religion on-line.
E)on-line religion.

Question 5

"New media" like congregational websites is similar to "old media" like satellite and cable television in what way?

A)They democratize the ability to produce and consume information
B)They reinforce existing ideas about what constitutes "real" religion
C)They raise barriers to accessing the electronic marketplace for religion
D)None of the above

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a finding of scholars investigating televangelism?

A)Televangelists tend to exaggerate the size of their audience while their detractors tend to underestimate.
B)In sharp contrast to the U.S., very few people in Canada watch religious television.
C)Research evidence confirms that those who watch religious television attend local church services less.
D)Viewership of televangelist programming is quite homogeneous, with most viewers being evangelical protestant Christians.

Question 7

The printing press had several impacts on Christianity in Europe.Which of these was NOT among those discussed by your textbook authors?

A)It accelerated secularization by spreading scientific literacy.
B)It contributed to the spread literacy.
C)It allowed for alternative interpretations of the Bible and reduced the authority of priests.
D)It enhanced the spread of Protestantism as Luther and Calvin could spread their thinking to others.
E)It helped to establish scripture as the final authority in many religious and moral issues rather than the church hierarchy.

Question 8

Radio broadcasting benefitted several different types of religious groups, but one type of faith community had trouble getting access to radio and (in the early years) to television broadcast time.This group was

A)Jews.
B)Mainline Protestants.
C)Roman Catholics.
D)Evangelical Protestants.

Question 9

Consider the following two statements in relation to the course material: (A) Secularism is a key characteristic that distinguishes modern sport from ancient athletic events; and (B) Organizations like the YMCA show the increasing significance of religion in the world of modern sport.Which of the following is correct?

A)Only A is an accurate statement
B)Only B is an accurate statement
C)Both A and B are accurate statements
D)Neither A nor B are accurate statements

Question 10

When faith communities use the internet to communicate with members, mobilize prayer chains for people in accidents or with health problems, or communicate spiritual messages, this is called

A)super-web religion
B)media-manipulated faith.
C)pseudo-religion.
D)religion on-line.
E)on-line religion.

Question 11

Your textbook argues that, religiously speaking, probably the most important technological innovation of the second millennium-an invention by Johannes Gutenberg--was

A)radio broadcasting.
B)the automobile.
C)movable type that allowed for the printing press.
D)the airplane.
E)the computer

Question 12

Individuals who were born into and have come of age in a social environment in which "new media" are prevalent are called:

A)New Media generation
B)YouTubers
C)Internet generation
D)Digital natives

Question 13

The authors of your text conclude that in the United States

A)sport and religion have very little connection.
B)sport and religion are one and the same thing.
C)Christianity was originally used to bring people to sport, but now sport is more prominent in the culture and is used to bring people to Christianity.
D)sport was originally used to bring people to Christianity, but now Christianity is used to bring people to sports.
E)religion is becoming secularized but sport has not done so.

Question 14

Which televangelist showman first introduced a variety of entertainment formats and discovered that a key to televangelistic fundraising is to build buildings and establish spin-off institutions (universities, hospitals, etc.)?

A)Billy Sunday
B)Oral Roberts
C)Dwight Moody
D)Rex Humbard
E)Billy Graham

Question 15

According to your textbook, astrology, Transcendental Meditation and Scientology are examples of

A)mind control organizations.
B)invisible religions.
C)mainline religious groups.
D)quasi-religious movements.
E)cult movements.

Question 16

A key theme of the early YMCA was

A)"muscular Christianity."
B)secularized sport.
C)playing basketball to reduce the sex drive.
D)feminization of Christianity.
E)the establishment of Christian fundamentalism.

Question 17

According to the authors of your textbook, the study of televangelism makes it clear that

A)liberal Christians are the only ones who adapt their religion to the culture.
B)televangelists have been known to accommodate their religion to aspects of the culture in order to "sell" or "market" their version of the Christian faith in order to bring in money.
C)all true religion is incompatible with modern mass media.
D)sociologists find it impossible to study the social implications of religious services that are broadcast and viewed in the privacy of people's homes.

Question 18

Each individual developing a personalized meaning system or philosophy of life is called

A)civil religion.
B)prophetic religion.
C)a quasi-religious movement.
D)privatization of religion.
E)secularism.

Question 19

Which of the following statements about the connection between sport and faith have been empirically documented by sociologists?

A)College athletes are less religious than college students in general
B)College athletes are more spiritual than college students in general
C)Evangelical college athletes are no more religious than other athletes
D)All of the above

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT among the criticisms leveled at privatized religion?

A)Religious leaders begin to "market religion" like any other commodity.
B)Religious conviction comes to be replaced with the more noncommittal notion of "religious preference" or individual opinion.
C)Privatized religion, because it lacks the sanction and plausibility structures of a group, is likely to be vulnerable to crisis and disconfirmation.
D)Individuals holding to an individualized faith may be less willing to make sacrifices on behalf of the larger society.
E)The meaning system will have less meaning for the individual.

Question 21

Why do some scholars think privatization of religion is unhealthy for a nation?

A)The meaning system in privatized religion often ignores the larger social structure, causing individuals to make fewer sacrifices on behalf of the larger society.
B)It takes away the common value system that organized religion provides and creates conflict instead.
C)The government will no longer know how to enforce separation of church and state because "church" would take on so many different meanings
D)References to "one nation under God" or "God bless America" will no longer have meaning.

Question 22

An unorganized contemporary religious movement with an eclectic philosophy, a strong emphasis on supernatural spirituality, and very humanistic values, but which is very process oriented (denying that there are any absolute answers in life) is

A)the charismatic movement.
B)the New Age movement.
C)the Reformed Judaism movement.
D)the Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship.
E)the Pentecostal movement.