Deck 16: Religion

Question 1

Jeremy used to be religious,but after he spent a summer doing antipoverty advocacy work in New Orleans,he became an atheist.He says,"I agree with Karl Marx! Religion really is the opium of the masses." Which of the following statements reflects Jeremy's agreement with Marx?

A) Some people can become hooked on religion like others become addicted to drugs such as opium.
B) Some people sell religion to others like a commodity or a drug.
C) Religion entices people with promises of the afterlife; as a result,they are willing to sacrifice their present lives to bring about social change.
D) Religion pacifies people with promises of rewards in the afterlife; therefore,they do not challenge the subjugating,exploitative,and alienating social conditions in this life.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Maria and Steve are on summer vacation in Greece.They want to go into an old church to view the artwork inside,but before they are allowed to enter the church,a volunteer church worker asks them both to cover their bare legs and arms and provides them with coverings.This example illustrates how:

A) supernatural beliefs of one group can affect the lives of others.
B) the sacred and profane mix easily.
C) Greece has a higher degree of religiosity than most other nations.
D) places considered sacred are often protected and set apart from what is considered profane.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

As is the case within Christianity,denominational divisions exist within Islam.The main division is between which two groups?

A) Sunnis and Shiites
B) Islamists and Islamic fundamentalists
C) Muslims and Islamists
D) secularists and fundamentalists

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Max Weber likened the history of society to a train and ideas to the switchmen of the tracks.What does this mean?

A) Ideas can be powerful forces to create change and alter the course of history when enough people believe them at the right time.
B) Ideas control the actions of people and can stop the progress of society.
C) Ideas control the materialistic human urge to hoard wealth,much like a train will speed out of control if not slowed down.
D) Ideas control the basic human urge toward individualism by keeping people in the same society moving down the same track together.

Question 5

Which of the following contains evidence to support the conflict perspective of religion?

A) Buddhists adhere to ethical principles in order to live a moral life.
B) Christianity in Europe during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was used as a justification for imperialist expansion into non-Christian counties.
C) African American churches have been sources of social support,social networking,and political activism,providing congregants with a haven from their marginalized place in society.
D) Evangelical Christian men and women are more likely to encourage and achieve gender equality.

Question 6

In what way are the conclusions of Max Weber and Karl Marx similar?

A) To Weber,religion was central to the development of capitalism; to Marx,capitalism would crumble if people stopped believing in God.
B) To Weber,religion was a fundamental and permanent part of human societies; to Marx,religion was necessary to smash stratification.
C) To Weber,people in the modern world are trapped in the iron cage; to Marx,people in the modern world are alienated.
D) To Weber,the modern world is full of faithful people who are high on religion; to Marx,religion is like a drug.

Question 7

Ethicalism is the ________; examples of it are ________.

A) belief in a difference between the sacred and the profane; holy books and holy water
B) belief that spirits are present in the natural world; totemism and shamanism
C) adherence to ethical principles in order to live a moral life; Taoism and Buddhism
D) worship of a god or gods; Hinduism and Islam

Question 8

According to Karl Marx,one of the ways a factory owner (the owner of the means of production)would control his or her workers (the propertyless)would be through religion.This was done by:

A) teaching the workers that they would reap their rewards in the afterlife.
B) locking them in church unless they were on the assembly line.
C) keeping them so busy with church activities they didn't have time to form a rebellion.
D) teaching them that they were entirely worthy of earthly pleasures.

Question 9

Sacred things can include books,buildings,days,and places.From a sociological standpoint,the sacredness comes from the:

A) item itself.
B) symbolic meaning created from the collective investment of community.
C) degree to which the lower classes need religion as an opiate.
D) holy scriptures.

Question 10

According to Émile Durkheim,religion is created by ________,and religious expressions represent ________.

A) hardship; delusions
B) a higher being; the will of God
C) sacred power; individual desires
D) social interaction; collective realities

Question 11

According to Max Weber,in order to understand what drives social action,we must try to understand what meanings social realities have for others.This is called:

A) symbolic realism.
B) schadenfreude.
C) Verstehen.
D) gestalt.

Question 12

Which of the following statements about religion is most likely to be made by a sociologist?

A) Religion is the best method of social organization for any society.
B) Religion is a powerful mechanism of social organization and social control.
C) Only monotheistic religions are real religions.
D) Religion is always a powerful force that helps groups of people defy social organization and social control.

Question 13

A Christian missionary goes to a tribal society and shares the Christian faith.The missionary teaches that there is one God who exists in heaven,apart from the natural world.The tribal people insist that the sacred is everywhere,an essence in trees,wind,and animals.The missionary is expressing a(n)________ view of religion; the tribal people are expressing a(n)________ view.

A) atheistic; theistic
B) traditionalist; ethicalistic
C) monotheistic; pluralistic
D) theistic; animistic

Question 14

Which of the following is a paradox about religion? Religions that are:

A) more demanding of their followers grow faster than less strict religions,but as a religion grows larger,it tends to become less strict.
B) more demanding grow very slowly,yet their members are more strongly attached to the religion,so they are a more powerful social force.
C) less demanding grow quickly,but their members are less committed,so they are not a powerful social force.
D) less demanding grow very slowly,but because their membership changes quite quickly,it seems as if they have many followers.

Question 15

Animism is the ________; examples of it are ________.

A) belief in a difference between the sacred and the profane; holy books and holy water
B) belief that spirits are present in the natural world; totemism and shamanism
C) adherence to ethical principles in order to live a moral life; Taoism and Buddhism
D) worship of a god or gods; Hinduism and Islam

Question 16

A branch of Christianity believed that their souls were selected for salvation before birth.This is known as:

A) rationality.
B) self-sacrifice.
C) predestination.
D) faith.

Question 17

Theism is the ________; examples of it include ________.

A) belief in a difference between the sacred and the profane; holy books and holy water
B) belief that spirits are present in the natural world; totemism and shamanism
C) adherence to ethical principles; Taoism and Buddhism
D) worship of a god or gods; Hinduism and Islam

Question 18

Max Weber wondered how ________ entered the modern world when the premodern worldview was governed by ________.

A) tradition; irrationality
B) faith; reason
C) capitalism; feudalism
D) rationality; tradition

Question 19

Which question is a sociologist of religion most likely to ask?

A) Which religion offers the most access to universal truths?
B) How are religious beliefs patterned by social forces?
C) What is divine in humanity?
D) Does God exist?

Question 20

A ________ is a group of people who get together for worship.

A) denomination
B) religion
C) church
D) congregation

Question 21

Research has shown that religious attendance and affiliation are inversely correlated with alcohol,tobacco,and drug use.Which of the following is a valid conclusion of this?

A) Religion causes people to have positive behavioral outcomes.
B) People who are less likely to smoke,drink alcohol,and use drugs are more drawn to religion.
C) Healthy lifestyles are closer to the will of God.
D) We cannot determine if religion causes healthy lifestyles or if some other factor predisposes people to both healthy behavior and religion.

Question 22

In the 1960s,Peter Berger wrote that pluralism would cause a ________ in which religion would lose its legitimacy as the ________ came apart.The result would be psychological malaise and a loss of meaning to life.

A) secularization of society; tenets of faith
B) diversity of belief structures; society
C) resurgence of faith; tenets of faith
D) crisis of credibility; sacred canopy

Question 23

Roberto has read Richard Dawkins's books for many years and decides to devote his life to advancing Dawkins's vision of humanism.Which of the following is Roberto likely to do?

A) conduct a microsociological study of religion so he can better understand those who are different from him
B) criticize religion in general rather than investing more time in trying to understand it sociologically
C) study religion more intensively,but with a theory compatible with his views,such as Marxist theory
D) eventually convert to religious fundamentalism,as many extreme antireligionists do

Question 24

When asked if they attend church services at least once a month,about 60 percent of Americans say they do.But when daily diaries of people's activities are examined,rates of church attendance are much lower.This problem of self-reporting of positive behaviors is known within sociology as:

A) guilt avoidance.
B) social desirability bias.
C) embarrassment avoidance.
D) normative adherence.

Question 25

If Peter Berger read this data about belief in God by country,he would conclude that:

A) in Japan,religion is the opiate of the masses.
B) the Philippines has the strongest sacred canopy.
C) Israeli and U.S.theists are most likely evangelicals.
D) because they are few in number,East German Christians are probably fundamentalists.

Question 26

Which of the following is an example of secularization?

A) Mark and Tessa seek premarital counseling from a member of the clergy instead of a therapist.
B) The government announces a number of faith-based initiatives for the provision of social services.
C) Crosses are used for decoration and worn as fashion accessories.
D) Muslim students are forbidden from wearing religious items while at school,but Christian students are encouraged to wear religious items.

Question 27

What percentage of Americans claim a religious affiliation?

A) 11 percent
B) 24 percent
C) 65 percent
D) 77 percent

Question 28

Some sociologists of religion,such as Kelly Besecke,study how people reconcile scientific knowledge with religious beliefs.Besecke found that American Christians practice "reflexive spirituality." This means that people:

A) automatically believe the central tenets of their religion,even if they are at odds with science.
B) begin to see the spirit world as involved in making human life possible.
C) look to religion to provide meaning,wisdom,and profound thought rather than absolute truths about the way the world works.
D) experience cognitive dissonance when it comes to science and belief.

Question 29

For some followers of religion,________ such as dancing can make the religious experience feel more authentic and real.

A) secularized activities
B) forbidden practices
C) beliefs
D) embodied practices

Question 30

Which of the following statements reflects Durkheim's thoughts about religion?

A) Because of tension between different religious groups in pluralistic societies,religion undermines social unity.
B) Sacred objects have power and meaning because individuals collectively invest the power and meaning in the symbols.
C) When people conform to the rules of their religion,they must rebel against the moral authority of their society.
D) We need to look at the truths that some religions profess in order to understand which religions are accurate.

Question 31

Which of the following is one of the ways that sociologists study religion?

A) evaluating which religion is best for society
B) determining which religions possess and profess absolute truths
C) proving that some religions harm society while others benefit society
D) identifying the purposes religion serves for individuals and societies

Question 32

Émile Durkheim felt that one of the major functions of religion was that it perpetuates:

A) sexism.
B) racism.
C) solidarity.
D) inequality.

Question 33

Which of the following is a central belief of evangelical Protestants?

A) Conversion is not required to be saved.
B) Salvation comes only through belief in one of the monotheistic world religions.
C) Others must be converted to the faith.
D) The New Testament is without error,but the Old Testament has many.

Question 34

Jamie is using secularization theory to study changes in a European society.She first studies education and notices that the public school curriculum began referring to God less and less and stopped using theistic explanations of historical and geological processes.She then turns to economy and politics,expecting to see:

A) more rapid secularization in education than in economy or politics.
B) evidence of secularization across all social institutions.
C) opposing trends of secularization in economy and intensified religion in politics.
D) religious fundamentalists fighting for ground in education and family,long after they give up on exerting influence in politics and economy.

Question 35

To understand the role of religion in people's lives and how individuals value and experience their faiths,which type of sociological approach should we adopt?

A) microsociology
B) mesosociology
C) macrosociology
D) ecosociology

Question 36

Today,sociologists tend to study religion from a ________ perspective.This allows them to look at everyday human interactions,practices,and beliefs on a small scale.

A) microsociology
B) macrosociology
C) middle-range theory
D) neo-Marxist

Question 37

Which of the following is an example of how social solidarity and collective conscience function?

A) Jake attends school in a racially and ethnically diverse city.It is difficult to find many social norms that all of the students share,but most say they believe in God.
B) Zara is a Jewish girl who attends a Catholic school,not for religious reasons but for the quality of the education.Despite this difference,she feels accepted by most of her peers.
C) Max attends a church youth group regularly.Because he is active in group-sponsored activities and has been socialized to the norms of this group,he is less likely to spend time with peers who may engage in deviant activities.
D) Moira's religion teaches that it is wrong to have premarital sex,so when she becomes sexually active,she hides it from her friends and family.

Question 38

The trend in industrial nations toward a separation between church and state,a belief in rationality and science,and the movement away from religiosity and spiritual belief is known as:

A) rationality.
B) modernity.
C) blasphemy.
D) secularism.

Question 39

The difference between evangelical Protestants and fundamentalist Christians is that fundamentalists:

A) believe that the Bible should be taken literally; evangelicals do not.
B) believe that we should engage with the world; evangelicals separate themselves from society.
C) separate themselves from the world; evangelicals try to win converts by engaging with the world.
D) are conservative Protestants; evangelicals are more liberal.

Question 40

During the 1960s,some social scientists touted the secularization theory.This theory predicted:

A) an increase in the number of people calling themselves religious.
B) that the influence of religion would be diminished in the coming years.
C) the United States moving toward one mono-religion.
D) a decrease in people attending services but an increase in the number of people believing in God.

Question 41

Protestantism is split into many different ________,or groups that share the same faith and are governed by the same administration.Examples are Baptists,Lutherans,and Methodists.

A) denominations
B) congregations
C) sects
D) churches

Question 42

The faith of Americans tends to be more broad than deep.This is evidenced by which of the following results from research?

A) People from 65 countries were asked to rate,on a scale of 1 to 10,the importance of God in their lives; 50 percent of Americans responded with a 10.
B) Of those Americans who agree that the Bible is the inspired word of God,only half can name the first book of the Bible.
C) Fifty-eight percent of Americans believe in the devil and 77 percent believe in heaven.
D) A little more than 26 percent of Americans are white evangelical Protestants.

Question 43

What are some criticisms of Karl Marx's view of religion? Which one do you find most persuasive,and why?

Question 44

Which of the following is a negative social function of religion? Religion can:

A) be a means of creating political momentum for change.
B) strengthen social cohesion.
C) justify unequal and unfair differences between groups in society.
D) be a means of expressing group identity and culture.

Question 45

A pastor is founding a community church with a core belief in gender equality.Sociological research predicts that the pastor is likely to see:

A) women having more power in church because they are more numerous.
B) more women engaged in church activities than men.
C) gender equality in church engagement,because theology drives behavior.
D) men more engaged than these data would show,because women's greater involvement in religion applies only to conservative movements.

Question 46

Why do megachurches use sales techniques such as formatting the Bible like a magazine,with photographs of attractive teens and advice about fashion and friendship?

A) Sociologists have found no reason.This seems like a random occurrence.
B) Megachurches use sales and marketing techniques that are effective in the broader culture.
C) Teens rarely read the Bible,and this increases the odds that they will at least skim it.
D) Substituting religious items for secular ones is an effective supernatural compensator.

Question 47

To what does the so-called drive-through church refer?

A) the handing out of religious leaflets at fast-food restaurants
B) church sermons on the radio
C) short,frank church services that last 50 minutes or less
D) churches that focus on consumerism

Question 48

Give an example of how the sacred is separated from the profane.What social functions are served by this separation?

Question 49

Which of the following defines a church?

A) a religious body that has a high degree of tension with civil society
B) a religious body that coexists with its surroundings with little tension
C) a religious body that offers an alternative to secular engagement
D) a religious movement that makes new claims about the supernatural

Question 50

Which of the following reflects the growing trend of "buy and return" activity,or "religious shopping," in reference to faith?

A) the fast-growing market for Christian-themed products
B) a tendency among teens to participate in multiple congregations in order to explore the market
C) an unwillingness of most Christians to change religious affiliations
D) the decline in annual income for megachurches

Question 51

Which of the following features was part of the social context of early-nineteenth-century America,a time when religious faiths were becoming networks for social change?

A) strong,centralized national institutions
B) reduced communications infrastructure
C) rapid population growth
D) market reduction

Question 52

Explain what Karl Marx meant by the statement that religion is "the opium of the masses." Explain how Marx linked faith and social stratification.

Question 53

The linking of social movements with religion demonstrates the:

A) popularity of religion.
B) recognition of morality only within a religious framework.
C) powerful capacity of religion to shape the social world.
D) lack of efficiency of political action to create social change.

Question 54

In a battle between church and state,what did the French government ban in 2004?

A) the wearing of head scarves in Paris
B) prayers in school,the courtroom,and other public buildings
C) marijuana smoking as a religious activity
D) the wearing of religious garb or conspicuous symbols in public schools

Question 55

Rather than trying to discover the truth in religion,as theologians do,sociologists tend to study religion as a dimension of social life.Briefly describe the approach sociologists use to study religion.Offer several reasons why sociologists study religion in the way they do.

Question 56

A religious movement that makes some new claims about the supernatural and does not easily fit within the sect-church cycle is called:

A) a denomination.
B) a cult.
C) animism.
D) a civil religion.

Question 57

With regard to gender and religion,which of the following statements is supported by research?

A) Women tend to take on powerful leadership positions in most religions.
B) Women's organizations in churches have maintained their numbers even as women have entered the workforce in greater numbers since the 1970s.
C) Women tend to be more religious than men.
D) Traditional religious beliefs tend to be correlated with questioning and going against traditional gender roles.

Question 58

College faculty members in the ________ are much more likely to belong to churches and express religious commitment than are faculty in the ________.

A) natural,physical,and engineering sciences; social sciences,law,and humanities
B) South; North
C) social sciences,law,and humanities; natural,physical,and engineering sciences
D) disciplines with more female students; disciplines with more male students

Question 59

Tammy is a student who does fieldwork in a low-income neighborhood near her college.She interviews women who say they are very religious but don't go to church.She interprets these data after reading Susan Crawford Sullivan's research,which explains that low-income religious women often don't go to church both because of logistics and because of stigma.Because of this,their religion is:

A) disingenuous,because religious people must participate in religious organizations.
B) still important as a source of resilience and meaning.
C) tenuous,making it impossible to understand whether or not they are likely to remain religious.
D) more like the religious practice of men in general,having weaker belief.

Question 60

Marissa is a Catholic of Mexican descent and has recently immigrated to the United States.She studies the civil rights movement wanting to apply her findings to her immigrant community as they seek upward mobility and inclusion in the United States.She is most likely to:

A) find a single charismatic leader and encourage the community to follow this person as a prophet.
B) become a senator and represent her community in the existing political system.
C) work to strengthen the organizational and symbolic resources of the community,such as building social networks and coalitions.
D) reject religion as a source of social change and work in a different way.

Question 61

List and describe two ways in which black churches have played a stronger role in the secular lives of their congregations than white churches.What impact does this have on African American everyday life?

Question 62

Discuss the similarities between Christianity and Islam.How can understanding those similarities help reduce bigotry,profiling,and harassment?

Question 63

Max Weber argued that Protestantism was central to the development of modern capitalism.How does the advice given by Benjamin Franklin in Poor Richard's Almanac illustrate Max Weber's theory?

Question 64

Explain the concept supernatural compensators and provide a modern-day example of the phenomenon.

Question 65

Secularization theory posited that pluralism would undermine the credibility of faith.This theory does not explain the case of the United States.Despite pluralism,why have Americans maintained high levels of religiosity?

Question 66

How is the profane being used to sell the sacred? How is this dynamic apparent in megachurches?

Question 67

How could Peter Berger's idea of the sacred canopy explain why religious people tend to live longer and experience fewer symptoms of depression?