RLST-2316EL Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Gautama Buddha, Apocalyptic Literature, Eastern Religions
23 Feb 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Lecture 2: contextualizing new religions: church, sects ,cults: sociological terminology. Analyzing cults: media- problem= just wanted it to sell and prevent full truth. Churches: people are born and baptized as infants into churches; they don"t choose to be baptized because they are young- church membership is inclusive and heterogeneous (catholicism, around 70-75% of canadians) Church membership is inclusive and heterogeneous (catholicism, around 70-75% of. Sects: people voluntarily convert; emotional experience ex: being born again. Beliefs are stricter, perhaps more radical; more commitment demandedapocalypticism. Major world religions began as cults (nrm"s) ex. Jesus: spoke as jew (was a small, charismatic leader) Methods: history, anthropology, sociology, theology, philosophy, ethics. Colonialism + globalization in 19th-20th century; north american, eastern. Nrms modify + synthesize ideas from various world religions. Combine eastern + western religions, often use science and technology. Basic problem: samsara (cycle of birth and rebirth) Atman (soul), essence of individual, exists in samsara and reincarnates.
