Chapter 7 Religion pages 177-216 Field Note: Dying and Resurrecting:
How is religion seen in the cultural landscape?! pg 196! How is religion seen in the cultural landscape?! with houses of worship churches, mosques, synagogues! cemeteries dotted with religious symbols and icons! stores designated to sales of religious goods! services provided to religious adherents who travel to sacred sites! pilgrimage the act of travel to a religious site to pay respects or participate in a ritual! sacred sites places people infuse with religious meaning
How is religion seen in the cultural landscape?! (pg 197) Sacred site of Jerusalem! the city is sacred to the 3 major religions! most sacred site:! Jews Western Wall (Wailing) and the edge of the Temple-Mount! Temple Mount was the sight of the two great temples of the Jews! Western Wall is all that remains of the 2 nd temple! (pg 198) Christians Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Jesus was buried and later arose! Muslims Dome of the Rock next to the Wailing Wall! the site where Muhammad arrived from Mecca, and ascended into heaven! Temple Mount (Jewish name) is called al-haram al-sharif (Noble Sanctuary)
How is religion seen in the cultural landscape?! the desire of all 3 to protect their holy sites has led to conflict! pg 199! Landscapes of Hinduism and Buddhism! Hinduism! is a way of life sot eh cultural landscape is dotted with shrines! the building of shrines bestows merit on the builder! location of shrines is important! should be in a comfortable position like a shady tree! should be near water! should face the village from a prominent position
How is religion seen in the cultural landscape?! Buddhism Landscape! pg 201! Bodhi tree is revered and protected because where Buddha received enlightenment! Buddhist stupas bell shaped structures do Buddhist architecture! temples which depict the Buddha in cross-legged pose! Pagodas! Landscapes of Christianity! most obvious cathedral or church or monastery! Vatican City and other sites! cemetaries
How is religion seen in the cultural landscape?! pg 202! Religious Landscapes in the U.S.! reflect different denominations! Northeast is Catholic; South Baptist; Midwest Lutheran; Southwest Spanish Catholic (note map on pg 203)! Landscapes of Islam! mosques! minarets towers in the mosque where the faithful are called to prayer! Alhamda Palace in Granada Spain! Great Mosque in Cordoba! a lot of geometric design and calligraphy because Islam prohibits depicting the human form
How is religion seen in the cultural landscape?! hajj Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca! they encircle the holy Kaaba in the Grand Mosque
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! What role does religion play in political conflicts?! religion can divide people from different faiths but also from the same.! and a few religious conflicts are about more than just religion! ex. Ireland Protestant vs. Catholic/ India Sikhs vs Hindus! interfaith boundaries the boundaries between the world s major faiths! intrafaith boundaries the boundaries within a single faith! Israel and Palestine! interfaith bound conflict (read pg 206 208 it explains everything)
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! pg 208! The Horn of Africa! Ehiopia home to Amharic (Coptic) Christians in the mountains! Islam comes in and surrounds Amharic! still a conflict! Eritrea gains independence Muslim! pg 210! The Former Yugoslavia! dividing line is right through the middle of the Balkan Peninsula! Slovenians and Croats in the west are Catholic! Serbians and Montengrans in east and south Eastern Orthodox
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! pg 211! 1300s Ottoman Turks Muslims converted Serbians to Islam! pockets of Muslims in middle and south of the peninsula! during WWII! Croats (Catholic) supported the Nazis and fought the anti-nazi Serbs! Croats committed genocide against the Serbs! tensions continued after WWII with Tito in charge but hidden! Tito dies in 1980! Serbian leader Milosevic ruled during Soviet break-up and republic seeking independence! he tried to keep republics in Yugoslavia and war broke out between Croats and Serbs (see maps on pg 212-213)
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! ethnic cleansing term used to describe the ouster and murder on Bosnian Muslims! Croats and Muslims joined together to fight Serbs (Orthodox)! 2.5 million Bosnians driven from their homes 100s of thousands killed! International community became involved and partition plan put in place.! New countries were born:! Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Macedonia, Bosnia- Herzegovina! Bosnia-Herzegovina divided into 2 republics one for Croats-Muslim; one for Serbs (E. Orthodox)
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! during the 2 nd half of the 1990s! Albanian Muslims in Kosovo (in southern Serbia) demanded autonomy! Serbs crushed them and a lot of ethnic cleansing! eventually NATO forces bombed Serbia and ended hostilities! Northern Ireland! U.K. made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland! wasn t always like that:! Ireland used to be its own entity! 1300s English came in taking control of the agricultural economy and by 1700 took over entire island! 1800s the Irish colony produced industrial wealth in the North
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! add all this together:! Protestants start going to Ireland! some control farms! some control political and economic power! some for jobs and opportunities especially in northeast! British treated Irish Catholics harshly! took away their lands, not let participate in government, regarded them as 2 nd class citizens! 1900s Irish began to rebel! 1922 Brits partitioned Ireland to protect Protestants in the north! 26 counties formed the Republic of Ireland! 6 counties formed Northern Ireland which became part of the U.K.
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! there are both Catholic and Protestant in Northern Ireland with Protestants in the majority! Protestants (2/3 of the population) had most of the economic and political advantages! discrimination and repression of Catholics led to IRA acts! Catholics and Protestants segregated their lives and homes! pg 214! the troubles in Northern Ireland are more than religions:! economic, oppression, access to opportunities, terror, civil rights, and politics
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! Religious Fundamentalism and Extremism! religious fundamentalism a push to return to the basics of the faith! What causes religious fundamentalism?! perceived breakdown of society s mores and values! lack of religious authority! failure to achieve economic goals! loss of sense of local control! or, a sense of violation of a religion s core territory! a fundamentalist group holds its religious beliefs as non-negotiable and uncompromisable
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! religious extremism is fundamentalism carried to the point of violence! not all fundamentalist extremists and extremists can be found in any religion! Christianity! Roman Catholic Church has most resisted innovations seen as incompatible with fundamentals of the faith like kind?! birth control! family planning! role of women in religious bureaucracy
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! some Catholic churches hold mass in Latin and are part of the Roman Catholic Church! other sects have separated themselves from the Roman Catholic Church! do not recognize the pope! and the Vatican does not recognize them! Mel Gibson, for example, belongs to the Holy Family Church! his associated with the Traditionalist Catholic Movement! which believes mass should be conducted in Latin! modern popes and clergy are not following traditional theology and practices
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! pg 215! Protestant Fundamentalism! preach strict adherence to literal precepts of the Bible! want all of society to come into alignment with biblical principles! they are active in political and social areas:! want prayer in public school! teaching creationism in science classes! strict ban on abortion! laws outlawing homosexual marriage
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! Judaism fundamentalism! Orthodox is the most fundamental sect! extremist groups are banned and denounced in Israel! Islamic fundamentalism! the laws of Islam, which are very strict, are not applied equally throughout the Muslim world! such inconsistency, plus concerns about influences, provides a reaction! Shari a laws are one sign of the growth of fundamentalism! very harsh amputation for theft! Northern Nigeria and northern Sudan have these laws
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! Iran imposed Shari a laws after Shah was deposed! Afghanistan under Taliban rule another example but more extreme! Taliban harbored extremists who sought to promote a jihad or holy war! Osama Bin Laden-extremists whose beliefs are traced back to a form of Islam know as Wahhabi Islam, which developed in opposition to what was seen as sacrilegious practices of the Ottomans
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! pg 216! What has fueled the path of the extremist movement?! the widely held view that infidels have invaded the Holy Land! the presence of American military and business on the Arabian Peninsula! the establishment of the county of Israel! the support Israel receives from US and Europe! the goal to bring an end to improper territorial incursions! the diffusion of modern culture and technology and its impact on traditional lifestyles and spiritual practices
What role does religion play in political conflicts?! critical issue to Islamic extremism is the extent to which they can attract support! its greatest among those who feel they are losers in the global economic order and who feel their cultures are being threatened! key to avoiding extremism is to make sure those feeling do not become widespread! non-islamic cultures have to convey an understanding of the difference between the cultures! and have to support democratic forces in Islamic countries