‘Culture, Tradition and Religion’ Archives
Cultural Transmission
Cultural Transmission Regardless of the amount of knowledge and its value, a core of knowledge, for example the shared language, is required to maintain the cohesiveness of the society, and the rules of participation need to be passed on to future members. This cultural transmission occurs through a process of enculturation, including [...]
Prayer and Meditation
Prayer and Meditation Every major faith tradition supports prayer. There are a variety of types of prayer, ranging from petitionary prayer (asking for something) to meditative prayer in which one seeks to be aware of the presence of God. Each form of prayer provides a different experience. Those who engage in petitionary prayer are acutely [...]
Cultural Dissonance
Cultural Dissonance If we take the discussion of subcultures located in dominant cultures to heart, we can see how every classroom is multicultural. Because of students’ locations in these subcultures—whether gender, rural, urban, class, ethnic, or some other—each student brings a unique amalgam of cultural knowledge to science learning. [...]
Origins of Metaphysics and Myth
Origins of Metaphysics and Myth Metaphysical concepts were clearly developed by the middle of the second millennium BCE in western South America. Numerous archaeological sites exhibit art that almost certainly depicts religious concepts involving mythic animals, powerful individuals, and other themes. The architecture of the public buildings in [...]
Scientific Culture
Scientific Culture In all cultures, knowledge about nature and the environment is highly valued. To be able to anticipate the weather or other aspects of nature, such as the behavior of fauna or deciding which flora are beneficial and which are noxious, is important for the survival of the community. All cultures have some process of acquiring [...]
Aya
Aya Aya is the Arabic word for a verse in the Quran or more generally a “sign” or “wonder.” In both senses, Muslims believe that an aya contains a message from God for human beings to heed. The verses, or phrases and sentences of different lengths and styles, are grouped into chapters in the Quran, called suras. Of the more than 6,000 [...]
Asceticism
Asceticism Asceticism involves a variety of religious practices that seek to control or manipulate the body and bodily desires in order to perfect one’s mental or spiritual condition. The word comes from Greek askesis, which means “training” or “exercise.” Although it has often been used in connection with the monastic practices of [...]
Psychedelics or Entheogens
Psychedelics or Entheogens One of the more controversial forms of religious experience is experience facilitated by the use of drugs. It has long been recognized that many religions have incorporated various naturally occurring substances in their religious rituals. However, until the discovery of psychedelic drugs, it was widely assumed that [...]
Judgment Day
Judgment Day After belief in one god (allah) the belief in a final judgment, or Judgment Day, is a fundamental tenet of islam. On that day, which marks the end of the present world, all human beings will be resurrected and judged on an individual basis according to their righteousness or sinfulness. The righteous will be rewarded with a [...]
Native American Ethos
Native American Ethos Traditional Native American cultures are varied. North American communities, for example, range across deserts, river valleys, mountains, plains, subtropical swamps, and arctic tundra. Prior to alienation from traditional patterns, lifestyles included large-scale agriculture, gathering of natural plants and smallgame [...]
