Download or read book A Hint of Saffron A Buddhist s thoughts on religious belief in the twenty first century written by Roger Dale and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2014-12-02 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Whether you are an atheist or a fundamentalist Christian, this book offers an entirely novel approach to the science-versus-religion divide. At times provocative but understanding, with seriousness interwoven with touches of humour, the author shows how opinions and inflexible presuppositions can develop into becoming absolute 'truths'. Not only of sober relevance for the teaching of comparative religion, there is food for thought at a time when the positive contribution of religious belief to individuals and society is being undermined.
Download or read book Religion in the Twenty first century and beyond A Social sciences perspective written by Sujay Rao Mandavilli and published by Sujay Rao Mandavilli. This book was released on 2024-04-19 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The term "Religion" refers to a wide range of social-cultural systems, which include beliefs, morals, ethics, religious practices, thought worlds, worldviews, holy texts and scriptures, sanctified holy places, and institutions that typically relate to the general belief in a God or a supernatural entity. Religion has been known in a wide variety of geographical contexts and situations, and attested since very early times; as a matter of fact, even before the dawn of human civilization. As a matter of fact, there have been very few known human societies without some form of an organized or an informal religion. In the past few centuries, technology has progressed at a rapid pace, and at a rate that would have been unimaginable just two centuries ago. Many pundits predicted that the role played by religion in society would invariably and inevitably diminish; alas, such prophecies have not come to pass. Religion, and the role played by it in society, remains as deeply entrenched as ever before. As a matter of fact, globalization has unleashed a clash of civilizations, and has brought different and widely differing ideologies into direct contact with each other, often unleashing waves of terror. In the wide array and assortment of papers that we have been publishing over the years, we have introduced many different concepts that we believe can greatly help in understanding the role religion plays in relation to society. Readers can easily reference these papers. In this paper, we attempt to take our endeavours to a much higher level, to analyse how the beneficial aspects of religion can be magnified and amplified, and the negative implications of religion curtailed. We also lay out the contours of social science research that can effectively tackle the menace of religious fanaticism and hatred, and draw out a road map and a course of action other researchers and scholars can easily relate to. This is far from an easy task, but sociologists and anthropologists have a major role to play here. Hence, this oeuvre. Other researchers and scholars must contribute in no small measure, and those belonging to different parts of the world, and hailing from different backgrounds and cultures. There are fundamental schisms in today’s scholarship, and interdisciplinary and cross-cultural enterprise is still sparse. The Author once had a Muslim friend (highly educated) who was more interested in Greek civilization than in Islam. The Author had another Muslim friend (less educated) who was a devout Muslim: He did not even know how old Islam was, and neither had he read the Qu’ran fully. Therefore, we must avoid stereotypes and accept the fact that we are living in a multicultural world and in a multispeed civilization. The clash of civilizations is also a fact, though it must be eventually mitigated. Halloween parties in Saudi Arabia, and anti-Mullah rhetoric in Iran may be reactionary belligerent displays of wrath; meaningful and permanent change must be brought about only through the realm of social sciences. Many eminent sociologists of yore studied different forms of religion studiously and diligently, even with some kind of an implicit or a feverish reverence or veneration, yet many other scholars today are of an atheistic disposition, tending to write of the utility of religion in the modern world. Why this disconnect? These are all issues we need to ruminate and ponder over, if we are to solve social problems, and build a meaningful and a deep-rooted edifice of research. We also need original thinkers, not legions of camp followers of the west, to use an aphorism by Sir CV Raman, who was the first Indian to bring home the Nobel prize in science. Intellectuals and thinkers must be aligned to social requirements, and must be sensitive to cultural factors. Otherwise, the words of Carl Jung will come into play, ”The deep critical thinker has become the misfit of the world, this is not a coincidence. To maintain order and control, you must isolate the intellectual, the sage, the philosopher, the savant before their ideas awaken people,” or as CS Lewis states, The greatest evils in the world are not carried out by men with guns, but by men in suits sitting behind desks.” Esoterism and nerdism appear to be the bane in various academic disciplines. As Daniel Dennett put it, many philosophers pursue isolated paths, and dedicate their intellect purely to age-old ideas without considering the advancements of modern science. Scholars also do not think through issues deeply and comprehensively enough. However, change must be brought about slowly, and in a graduated fashion. It must be brought about tactfully and diplomatically, without trampling on people’s sensitivities. As William Shakespeare put it, “Go wisely and slowly. Those who rush stumble and fall.” We also need “objectivity in mindset”, otherwise all attempts at scientific progress will fail. Even the best or the most advanced and uptodate software cannot date the Ramayana or the Mahabharata accurately if objectivity in mindset does not exist. Change can however be brought about. As Jose Andres once famously stated, "The modernity of yesterday is the tradition of today, and the modernity of today will be tradition tomorrow."
Download or read book Saffron Republic written by Thomas Blom Hansen and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2022-08-31 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume examines the phenomenon of contemporary Hindu nationalism or 'new Hindutva' that is presently the dominant ideological and political-electoral formation in India. There is a rich body of work on Hindu nationalism, but its main focus is on an earlier moment of insurgent movement politics in the 1980s and 1990s. In contrast, new Hindutva is a governmental formation that converges with wider global currents and enjoys mainstream acceptance. To understand these new political forms and their implications for democratic futures, a fresh set of reflections is in order. This book approaches contemporary Hindutva as an example of a democratic authoritarianism or an authoritarian populism, a politics that simultaneously advances and violates ideas and practices of popular and constitutional democracy.
Download or read book Religious Violence Today 2 volumes written by Michael Jerryson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2020-07-15 with total page 630 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Through sections containing overview essays and reference entries related to particular religions, this resource explores the rise of religious violence, hate crime, and persecution around the world. Religious violence and persecution have been growing steadily both within the United States and around the world. Drawing on the expertise of a wide range of scholars, this current and comprehensive reference helps readers understand the persecution of members of particular faiths as well as violence committed by members of those faiths. In doing so, it promotes a greater understanding of the role of religion in global politics, domestic and international terrorism, and religious bigotry. The book contains sections on particular religious traditions from around the world. Each section begins with an overview essay surveying violence related to that particular religion, whether committed by or against members of that faith. Reference entries in each section then provide objective, fundamental information about particular topics related to violence and the religion discussed. The entries provide cross-references and suggestions for further reading, and the work closes with a bibliography of resources for further study.
Download or read book The Twenty first Century Confronts Its Gods written by David J. Hawkin and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2012-02-01 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book penetrates the assumptions of Western technological society and exposes the powers that govern it. The contributors argue that it is a mistake to think that religion and belief have been relegated to the private sphere and are no longer important in the public and political domains. They assert that the twenty-first century has a set of new godsthe powers of globalization, technology, the market, and military mightthat reign alongside those of traditional religions. These are the forces to which the modern era has granted ultimacy. This book looks at how major religions such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism play an important role in politics and society on both the global and local levels. The new gods of technology, globalization, and war are shown to exacerbate the existing cultural divisions and religious strife that mark our time. By understanding the importance of that which is held sacred, whether traditional belief or modern practice not acknowledged as belief, the contributors help us to comprehend our present situation and challenges.
Download or read book Introducing Religion written by Robert S. Ellwood and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-10-08 with total page 411 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introducing Religion explores different ways of looking at religion in the twenty-first century. Providing a broad overview to the discipline of religious studies, this textbook introduces students to engaging and contemporary topics such as: sociology of religion psychology of religion history of religion religion and art religious ethics popular religion religion and violence Thoroughly updated throughout, this fifth edition includes images, further reading, a detailed glossary, case studies, and key terms for revision. This is the essential textbook for students approaching this subject area for the first time.
Download or read book A History of East Asia written by Charles Holcombe and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-01-11 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Charles Holcombe begins by asking the question 'what is East Asia?' In the modern age, many of the features that made the region - now defined as including China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam - distinct have been submerged by the effects of revolution, politics or globalization. Yet, as an ancient civilization, the region had both an historical and cultural coherence. This shared past is at the heart of this ambitious book, which traces the story of East Asia from the dawn of history to the twenty-first century. The second edition has been imaginatively revised and expanded to place emphasis on cross-cultural interactions and connections, both within East Asia and beyond, with new material on Vietnam and modern pop culture. The second edition also features a Chinese character list, additional maps and new illustrations.
Download or read book Power Piety and People written by Michael Dumper and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2020-07-14 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conflicts in cities that have particular religious significance often become intense, protracted, and violent. Why are holy cities so frequently contested, and how can these conflicts be mediated and resolved? In Power, Piety, and People, Michael Dumper explores the causes and consequences of contemporary conflicts in holy cities. He explains how common features of holy cities, such as powerful and autonomous religious hierarchies, income from religious endowments, the presence of sacred sites, and the performance of ritual activities that affect other communities, can combine to create tension. Power, Piety, and People offers five case studies of important disputes, beginning with Jerusalem, often seen as the paradigmatic example of a holy city in conflict. Dumper also discusses Córdoba, where the Islamic history of its Mosque-Cathedral poses challenges to the control exercised by the Roman Catholic Church; Banaras, where competing Muslim and Hindu claims to sacred sites threaten the fragile equilibrium that exists in the city; Lhasa, where the Communist Party of China severely restricts the ancient practice of Tibetan Buddhism; and George Town in Malaysia, a rare example of a city with many different religious communities whose leaders have successfully managed intergroup conflicts. Applying the lessons drawn from these cities to a broader global urban landscape, this book offers scholars and policy makers new insights into a pervasive category of conflict that often appears intractable.
Download or read book Introducing Religion written by Robert Ellwood and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-10-14 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introducing Religion, 4/e explores the different ways of looking at religion in the twenty-first century. A broad overview to religious studies as a discipline introduces students to the various subjects of religion. Introducing Religion teaches readers how to think in academic religious studies and its main areas, including: sociology of religion, psychology of religion, history of religion, religion and art, ethics, and more. The fourth edition has been expanded with new chapters exploring topics of contemporary interest: myth, spiritual paths, religion and popular culture, religion in the computer age, religion and war. Contemporary topics engage today’s students, relating the topics to the changing world around them.
Download or read book Warrior Queens Quiet Revolutionaries written by Kate Mosse and published by Pan Macmillan. This book was released on 2022-10-13 with total page 474 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries is a celebration of unheard and under-heard women’s history. 'Excellent . . . bursting with extraordinary women' – Anita Anand 'Brilliant' – Daisy Buchanan “My hope is that this book will inspire as I have been inspired. It’s a love letter to the importance of history and about how, without knowing where we come from - truthfully and entirely - we cannot know who we are.” Within these pages you’ll meet nearly 1000 women whose names deserve to be better known: from the Mothers of Invention and the trailblazing women at the Bar; warrior queens and pirate commanders; the women who dedicated their lives to the natural world or to medicine; those women of courage who resisted and fought for what they believed; to the unsung heroes of stage, screen and stadium. It is global, travelling the world and spanning all periods of time. It is also an intensely moving detective story of the author’s own family history as Kate Mosse pieces together the forgotten life of her great-grandmother, Lily Watson, a famous and highly-successful novelist in her day who has all but disappeared from the record . . . Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries is accessible and fascinating in its detail. A beautifully illustrated dictionary of women, it is a love letter to family history and a personal memoir about the nature of women’s struggles to be heard and their achievements acknowledged. Joyous, celebratory and engaging, it is a book for everyone who has ever wondered how history is made. 'A must have for history lovers and feminists' – Glamour
Download or read book If You Meet the Buddha on the Road written by Michael Jerryson and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2018-03-27 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is said that the famous ninth century Chinese Buddhist monk Linji Yixuan told his disciples, "If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him." The deliberately confounding statement is meant to shock people out of complacent ways of thinking. But beyond the purposeful jolt from complacency there is another intention. This axiom suggests that, for liberation, one should seek the Buddha nature that resides within, rather than a mere Buddha exterior. The metaphor of killing the Buddha dislodges a person from the illusion that enlightenment lies outside the body. The proclamation also highlights the power of violence, even on a symbolic level. Violence abounds in Buddhist thoughts, doctrine, and actions, however unacknowledged or misunderstood. If You Meet the Buddha on the Road addresses an important absence in the study of religion and violence: the religious treatment of violence. In order to pursue an understanding of the relationship between Buddhism and violence, it is important to first consider how Buddhist scriptures and followers understand violence. Drawing on Buddhist treatments of violence, Michael Jerryson explores the ways in which Buddhists invoke, support, or justify war, conflict, state violence, and gender discrimination. In addition, the book examines the ways in which Buddhists address violence as military chaplains, cope with violence in a conflict zone, and serve as witnesses of blasphemy to Buddhist doctrine and Buddha images.
Download or read book Sounding the Indian Ocean written by Jim Sykes and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2023-09-26 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Providing numerous case studies ranging across the Indian Ocean--across disparate time periods and historical and ethnographic approaches--Sounding the Indian Ocean: Musical Circulations in the Afro-Asiatic Seascape brings together the disciplines of Indian Ocean and music studies. As glimpsed above in the Sufi and Catholic networks connecting South and Southeast Asia, the chapters in this volume explore how music helps materialize networks of connection across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and in several of its distinct locales. Our focus is not simply the well-worn tropes of Indian Ocean cosmopolitanism, however, nor a definition of the IOR as a site for the harmonious mixing of populations (though some of our chapters do one or both of these). Rather, we show how music contributes to placemaking in distinct 'Indian Ocean worlds' (Srinivas et al. 2020). Instead of defining music's value in its ability to provide either narratives of identity formation or the celebration of mixture, Sounding the Indian Ocean explores the role music plays in both boundary-formation and boundary-crossing in Indian Ocean contexts, past and present"--
Download or read book Constructing Religious Martyrdom written by John Soboslai and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2024-06-27 with total page 459 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Martyrdom is a phenomenon common to many of the world's religious traditions. But why? In this study, John Soboslai offers insights into the practices of self-sacrifice within specific sociopolitical contexts. Providing a new understanding of martyrdom through the lens of political theology, he analyzes discourses and performances in four religious traditions during social and political crises, beginning with second-century Christianity in Asia Minor, where the term 'martyr' first took its meaning. He also analyzes Shi'a Islam in the 1980s, when 'suicide bombing' first appeared as a strategy in West Asia; global Sikhism during World War I, where martyrs stood for and against the British Raj; and twenty-first-century Tibetan Buddhism, where self-immolators used their bodies in opposition to the programs of the People's Republic of China. Presenting a new theory of martyrdom linked to constructions of sovereign authority, Soboslai reveals common features of self-sacrifice and demonstrates how bodily performances buttress conceptions of authority.
Download or read book Community Violence and Peace written by A. L. Herman and published by SUNY Press. This book was released on 1999-01-01 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Replaces communal altruism with communal egoism as a way of solving problems of too much violence and too little peace in the twenty-first century.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Monasticism written by William M. Johnston and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-12-04 with total page 2000 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Download or read book Khalsa and the Twentyfirst Century written by Kharak Singh and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Papers presented at a two-day seminar organized by Institute of Sikh Studies, on 24-25 October, 1998.
Download or read book A Natural Fortress written by J. Raimund Pfarrkirchner and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2012 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nepal is a captivating enigma with more than one hundred indigenous languages, most of the world's highest mountains and cultural diversity to match. From partaking in a traditional Hindu wedding to climbing with locals and befriending Sherpas, while living and working in Kathmandu, Pfarrkirchner attempts to unravel the cultural and philosophical mysteries of Nepal, its people and what it means to be a Westerner.
