In the beginning

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#1: Genesis 1:1–2:4a 1:1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 1:2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 1:4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 1:5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. 1:6 And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 1:7 So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 1:8 God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. 1:9 And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 1:10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 1:11 Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. 1:12 The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 1:13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. 1:14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 1:15 and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 1:16 God made the two great lights–the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night–and the stars. 

Discuss the importance of the circle as a symbol for indigenous religions, using at least one specific example.

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Write a 1,100-word answer to one of those questions.

1. Give two examples of scientific materialist explanations of religion. To what extent are such explanations useful in understanding religion? What aspects of religion might they miss?
2. In trying to understand the negative side of organized religion, some people have argued that religious violence is carried out when people misuse or misinterpret their religion. Others, however, argue that the widespread nature of religious violence suggests that religion itself may be the problem. Which view do you find more convincing? Why?
3. What is an indigenous religion? What are some major obstacles to understanding these religions?
4. Discuss the importance of the circle as a symbol for indigenous religions, using at least one specific example.
5. Why is Hinduism such a difficult term to define? Use examples from the text to illustrate the diversity of Hinduism.
6. What views of women are engendered by Hinduism? Explain.
7. Explain the concept of dukkha and its role in Buddhist teaching.
8. Compare and contrast some of the basic ideas of Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism.

Develop an essay to examine the similarities, and the differences, between violence perpetrated against, and by, Native Americans and African Americans in their experience across American history

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Write a four to six (4-6) page paper on the following question:

Develop an essay to examine the similarities, and the differences, between violence perpetrated against, and by, Native Americans and African Americans in their experience across American history.Are the differences and similarities important?If so, why, if not, why not?How have both groups of people dealt with the violence and argue whether or not these responses have been successful.

Be sure to apply properChicago Manual of Stylenotations in your paper, utilizing footnotes and a full bibliography at the end of the paper with all of your sources listed. Papers should be double-spaced, with standard 1-inch margins and a 12 point standard font.

What are the dysfunctions of religion?

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Religious Institution: Chapter 13

1. Functionalist Perspective: Briefly describe the functions of religion.

2. What are the dysfunctions of religion?

3. Define the following terms using the Symbolic Interaction Perspective:

Religious Symbols

Rituals

Beliefs

Religious Experience

4. Using the Conflict Perspective discuss how religion supports and maintains social inequalities.

5. What did Marx mean when he wrote “religion is the opium of the people”?

6. Define the four types of religious groups.

Cult

Sect

Church

Ecclesia

7. Examine Figure 13.6 titled Social Class and Religious Affiliation and discuss what is meant by “religion in the United States is stratified by social class.” (Pages 375-376).

8. Read the section regarding Race and Ethnicity (page 376). Fill in the following sentence: “…Sunday morning between 10 and 11am has been called:

What does this mean?

9. Summarize the study titled Religion and Health What we know and don’t know (page 368).