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Religion Questions and Definitions
Week One

REL/334: Religious Studies II


Religion Question and Definitions

1) Where do you see religion playing a role in today’s world?
Some would say the world today is crazy, out of control, fast-paced, and scary. However, although I would agree that any of the above adjectives could be used to describe today’s world, any of them could be used to describe many eras in our society. World War I, World War II, and Global terrorism, to name a few, all mark eras in our world history. The difference today is that exposure to events, local and worldwide, is much easier. Technology has advanced to a point where information and knowledge is at our fingertips, anytime of day and night. This knowledge gives people much more information to work with, and as such, makes them more open-minded or, in some cases, more narrow-minded individuals.
As a result of a more acute awareness of world events, religion’s role in today’s world, I believe, is hazy. For some, I realize, it gives a sense of security and completeness and injects a sense of calm into one’s lives. It does provide answers. However, with the world stage and all its events becoming so much more implanted into one’s life, religion can often be confusing. We are seeing suicide bombers killing massive amounts of people in the name of their God. We are seeing people victimized because of the religion they follow. We are seeing so-called people of God committing acts of abuse. With this information at our doorsteps, the message it sends regarding religion is complex and confusing. It throws into question the validity of any religion. For people of strong faith, I imagine their beliefs never falter; however, for many it throws out questions such as why does religion and violence seem to walk hand in hand?
In my opinion, the role religion plays in the world today is not clear-cut. It is not a...