ANTH 1003 Chapter : Religion
Document Summary
Include rituals and specific means of addressing the supernatural. Animism: the belief that all objects living and non-living are imbued with spirit. Sacred narratives (myths) are stories of historical events, heroes, gods, spirits, and creation that members of a religious tradition hold to be holy and true. The use of symbolism connects the realism of religion and art. Symbolic representation allows people to grasp the complex, abstract ideas of religion without much knowledge of its underlying theory. Because they carry so many meanings, religious symbols often have great emotional and intellectual power and are used in leadership. All religions also propose supernatural states: nirvana, enlightenment, saintliness. Mana is religious power or energy that is concentrated in individuals or objects powerful, but dangerous, thus leading to elaborate systems of taboos and prohibitions. People enact their religion through ritual, a ceremonial act or repeated stylized gesture used for specific occasion involving the use of religious symbols.
