Bender's
article presents us with the argument "that this work demands of
sociologists more than a 'descriptive' definition of religious experience. It
further requires that sociologists move religious experience closer to the
center of the study of religion[1].
Slightly deeper into the article we have James define what is meant by
religious experience. "Religious experience is the feelings, acts, and
experiences of individual men in their solitude, so far as they apprehend
themselves to stand in relation to whatever they may consider the divine[2].
In many ways this is similar to the liberal movements that took place in the
Untied States. Romanticism emphasized feeling, the body and more feelings of
absolute dependence. Another broader concept these feelings of religious
experience can be attributed to is New Thought. Under New Thought falls a
practice called affirmative prayer meaning whatever you believe to be possible
or ask for believing, it is yours. The public has very much shaped this
tradition in the popularity of its advertisement. The book and the documentary
"The Secret" is well known among Americans. It builds further on this
concept that the world responds to the positive or negative energy you put out.
Bender's article mentions how the realness of the event depends on your own
personal belief or skepticisms taking us back to the concept of religious
experience[3].
Religious experience emphasizes that experiences are felt which is similar to
the ideas along with New Thought and also the individual is the person who
validates their own personal experience.
Davidman's
article shows us how traditions have been defined by outsiders and how Jewish
people have tried to reclaim authority over their traditions.
"Unsynagogued Jews provide an interesting challenge to this conceptual
distinction because they indeed consider themselves to be Jewish (which they
see as an ascribed, ethnic characteristic), but they also make choices about
how they construct (achieve) a Jewish identity, including the choice not to
join a synagogue."[4]
Individuals in general do not always grasp this concept of a Jewish person
being Jewish because they solely tie it to this idea of religion when in fact
to be Jewish has a religious and ethnic connotation. From an outsiders point of
view, to see a Jewish person not attending synagogue, not participating in some
of their cultuses or abiding by their codes, it becomes more likely they will
view this person to not be Jewish. Conversely from an insider's perspective
(someone born Jewish), they view themselves to be Jewish regardless of their
participation in certain creeds. "In the Jewish tradition, what is more
important is not swearing allegiance to a specific creed but rather fulfilling
particular ritual obligations, such as observing and celebrating some of the
other annual holidays."[5]
Therefore their validation of being Jewish is also left up to themselves
regardless of outside opinion. "Unsynagogued Jews suggest that questions
about everyday religion should pay attention to practice as well as belief and
to the complicated intermingling of ethnicity and religion that is increasingly
common among immigrant Americans."[6]
That is the way Jewish people feel they should be viewed but American
religiosity has already divided achievement and ascription into two separate
categories that shape their views. Religion is viewed as a set of rules and
practices, not paying as much mind to ethnicity.
Raboteau
discussed the minority group of African Americans. Slavery was one of the
driving forces forming their religious views. African Americans thought
themselves to be suffering peoples in the same way Jesus had suffered for us.[7]
Unlike the other traditions, African Americans were not able to validate their
religious tradition. Their slave masters were the one who controlled what they
were and were not able to do. This was reason for the later formation of the
"Invisible Institution." Through this religion African Americans were
able to create an unofficial church to come together and share time in the word
and praising. By creating this institution, African Americans were able to
reclaim authority over their traditions. They did not have ordained pastors or
approved ceremonies but it was their own personal way of shaping some type of
structured religion in their life. African Americans are huge believers in
praise and worship. This dates back to the days of slaving because music and
hymns played a huge role in keeping their spirits up while enduring the sorrows
of slavery.
Iwamura's
article broke down the stereotypes of how American's view the oriental monk.
"The Oriental Monk has enjoyed a long and prominent sojourn in the realm
of American popular culture. We have encountered him under different names and
guises: as Mahatma Gandhi and as D. T. Suzuki; as the Vietnamese Buddhist monk
consumed in flames; as the Beatles' guru, the Maharishi Mahesh; as Kung Fu's
Kwai Chang Caine and as Mr. Miyagi in the Karate Kid; as Deepak Chopra
and, as well, as the Dalai Lama."[8]
America has already defined the way this culture/religion is viewed. I would
argue that America has more control over the validity of this religious figure
solely because of the portrayal of the oriental monk in all these different
forms. Most Americans probably do not have any knowledge of its actual origins;
all they know is what is being advertised through their media outlets. However,
this particular religious figure has shaped American culture in the sense that
the stereotyped oriental monk is portrayed in many popular films and television
series. Practitioners response to Americas view is this: "Although these
figures half-signify the dominant culture in racial terms, they have an
ambivalent relationship with that culture; this allows each to make a break
with the Western tradition radical enough to embrace their marginalized half."[9]
Rather than trying to completely reconstruct popular opinion, it is recognized
that Western society is partially correct in their views and hopes Americans
can recognize the figures "hope of saving the West from capitalist greed,
brute force, totalitarian rule, and spiritless technology."[10]
[1] Courtney J. Bender. Everyday Religion.
"Touching the Transcendent: Rethinking Religious Experience in the
Sociological Study of Religion." Nancy T. Ammerman. Oxford. University
Press 2007. Pp 201-215. Web. Page 203.
[2]
Bender 204.
[3]
Bender 209.
[4] Lynn Davidman. "The New Voluntarism
and the Case of Unsynagogued Jews." Pp. 51-65. Page 52-53.
[5]
Davidman 57.
[6]
Davidman 65.
[7] Albert J. Raboteau. Reflections on
African-American Religious History. "A Fire in the Bones."
Boston, Massachusetts. Beacon Press 1995. Pp 183-196. Web.
[8] Jane Naomi Iwamura. Religion and
Popular Culture in America. "The Oriental Monk In American Popular
Culture." Bruce David Forbes, Jeffery H. Mahan. California. UC Press 2000.
Pp 25-43. Web. Page 26.
[9]
Iwamura 31-32.
[10]
Iwamura 32.
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