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Select Forum Classroom Controversy Good Science RSG Money and the Economy Unit 1 – Definitional Dialogue Unit 2 – Opportunistic Corruption Unit 3 – Superstition, Violence, Intoler… Unit 4 – Emergent Revelations Unit 5 – Meet the New Age, Same as the O… Unit 6 – Progressive politics, the left,…

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Group RSS Unit 1 – Definitional Dialogue

According to Dr. Mike, religion is a social institution set up to fill our need to know by answering the big questions of our existence. Discuss the utility of this definition, and provide examples from your own life that support this definition.

Unit 2 – Opportunistic Corruption

According to Dr. Mike, all religions, despite being “setup” to provide answers to the Big Questions, nevertheless end up being little more than “opportunistic corruptions.” Examine your own belief systems, find examples, and share them in this forum

Unit 3 – Superstition, Violence, Intolerance, and Evil

As Dr. Mike says in the course study guide, “unlike their sisters and brothers over in the natural sciences, who have no problem pontificating on the big questions, sociologists wash their hands of it altogether and instead of addressing religion as such, they dress up the opportunistic corruption and dismiss the substantive core.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Before answering, do a little research and find out what other sociologists are saying about religion.

Unit 4 – Emergent Revelations

According to Dr Mike, emergent religions like Wicca and neo-evangelicism, and disorganized artistic expressions like heavy metal rock music, are often critical responses to opportunistic corruptions. Provide evidence from your own life and discuss.

Unit 5 – Meet the New Age, Same as the Old Age

There are two parts to this final assignment. For part one, pick one of the two textbooks and and write a 1600 word summary of the ways in which either the Christian Right, or the New Age movement, represent opportunistic exploitation of fundamental human needs. For part two, spend a few moments thinking about your own spiritual or religious belief systems and provide a short summary of the way they exploit basic spiritual needs

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