Theories of Religion Is there such a thing?

Five Theories of Religion Animism and Magic - Tylor and Frazer Religion and Personality - Sigmund Freud Society as Sacred - Emile Durkheim Religion as Alienation - Karl Marx A Source of Social Action – Max Weber

Animism and Magic Do You Believe in Magic?

EB Tylor Animism Edward B Tylor Self educated Primitive Culture Ethnological and Ethnographic Approach Stress on scientific analysis of human development Did not appeal to Bible or supernatural Adopted Muller’s idea on human thought patterns

Animism Attempted to show the “science of culture” Argued for “psychic unity of humanity” The use of magic is an example of this unity Magic logical development of cause and effect Definition of Religion Belief in Spiritual beings Therefore As souls animate persons, so spirits must animate the world

JG Frazer Shy scholar Golden Bough Convert of Tylor Atheist/Agnostic despite family Christian orientation Sympathetic Magic Imitative Contagious

Magic Magic involves ritual Tribal people everywhere see the cause and effect Magic declines religion fills its place Real power is supernatural personalities Connection of Gods makes things happen Religion is progress over magic Better explanation Prayers implore the gods and rituals help the gods.

Examples Pawnee Indians believed because the tools which touched the blood of a sacrificed maiden that the life giving influences of the tools would be transferred to the plants through the tools. Magic confers power on those who use it. The magician becomes the king. Kings are those who wield much power through magic.

Sigmund Freud Personally speaking

Religion as Personality Religion is a “universal obsessional neurosis, a clash of opposing desires.” Healthy people do not need religion. Religion is for weak people who cannot face life’s problems and so rely on religion to help them with life’s difficulties.

Immature Dependency "religion [is] a symptom of an incomplete or pathological development within a personality." One depends on religion because one does not have mature attitude toward oneself or toward one's environment. Religious ideas are childhood imaginations of father, magic and so on which one uses to "actualize" adult behavior.

Oedipus Complex Religion is a way that individuals act or live out the Oedipus complex. It is the unconscious desire to have sex with the parent of the opposite sex usually between the mother and son. The son replaces his father.

Society as Sacred The Totemic Principle

Biography Some Background Born in Epinal, France 1858 – 1917 Educated Elemental Forms of Religious Life Built on the work of other French Scholars Early Sociologist

Importance of Society The Clan makes a deep impact on the individual Morality, etc inseparable from religion Everything depends on social context

Sacred vs. Profane Sacred Items set apart Profane is ordinary, has everyday use Sacred objects pertain to the community Profane things pertain to the individual. /derivatives/landscape_300/ jpg

Society as Sacred The individual is deeply affected by the clan. When people are worshipping a god or gods they are really worshipping their clan. "The god of the clan, the totemic principle, can therefore be nothing else than the clan itself, personified and represented to the imagination under the visible form of the animal or vegetable which serves as totem.” excerpt 8 Theories of Religion.

Religion in use Thus religion is used to control and modify behavior of the clan. It determines appropriate behavior and consequences for aberration. The clan uses religion to embody its principles and values.

Karl Marx “Religion is the opium of the people.”

Religion as Alienation Religion is an illusion with evil consequences. It is used by the oppressors to keep things as they are. Religion is determined by economics and therefore has to be considered along with economics. Man makes religion and it alienates.

Religion is used for control The specific form religion takes depends on "the shape of social life as determined by the material forces in control of it any given place and time. Marx asserts that belief in a god or gods is an unhappy by product of the class struggle, something that should not only be dismissed, but dismissed with scorn.” 7 Theories of Religion

Sources Slide web/images/tylor_edward.jpg; Slide f1.htm f1.htm Slide Slide The Seven Theories of Religion by Daniel Pals