There are two coloured pieces of paper on the table at the front.

Please pick up both colours.

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• Can something be “religious” and NOT “religious” at the same time?

• How can sports be seen as religious, or similar to religious traditions?

• If it is so difficult to define “religion,” what do scholars of religion actually study?

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There are two coloured pieces of paper on the table at the front.

Please pick up both colours.

Thanks!

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When you leave:

Please return the coloured pieces of paper back to the table at the front.

Thanks!

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April 5

10. Definitions

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Today

• Definitions:

➡ “Indigenous”

➡ “Is it religious?"

➡ “Religions” vs “Religion”

➡ The study of religion

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What is a pizza?

Definitions

• Definitions are:

➡ Created by people

➡ Interpretations➡ Subject to change

➡ Don’t always fit all the data➡ Powerful

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• Who is “Indigenous”?

• Who gets to say?

• Why does this matter?

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“Indigenous”

• Impact of definitions on people’s lives:

➡ Treaty rights (e.g., land claims)

➡ Indigenous people viewed by colonizers as less than human (not “civilized”)

➡ Residential schools; not allowed to vote (until 1960)

➡ Potlatch ban in Canada (1884-1951): how did Indigenous people resist?

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“Indigenous” Bill 62 (Québec)

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Is it religious?

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green = yes

red = no

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• “I fell down on my knees and thanked Heaven from an overflowing heart.”

• Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf

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• “Have witnesses when you barter.”

• The Qur’an (Islam)

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• “See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand!”

• Paul, The New Testament (Christianity)

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• “No person shall threaten any other person with damage to such person's property.”

• UTM Academic Calendar

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• “Hearing of the glory of the Lord of the Universe, the mind becomes fearless.”

• Guru Granth Sahib (Sikhism)

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• “Fart, fart.”

• “Eight Winds” (Chan Buddhism)

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• “When it was cooked, he ate and ate. But he ate too much and very soon suffered the runs.”

• “Red Willows” (Anishinaubae)

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Is it “religious”?

• What determines if something is seen as “religious” or not?

1. Context / information

2. Definition

• How can something be religious and NOT religious at the same time?

➡ Different definitions of “religion”! (some might apply but others not)

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• Religion is “the state of being ultimately concerned.” (Paul Tillich)

• Religion is “a feeling of absolute dependence.” (Friedrich Schleiermacher)

• Religion is a system of beliefs and practices related to sacred things, uniting people into a community. (Émile Durkheim)

• Religion is anything that involves “non-falsifiable realities.” (James Cox)

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Definitions

• Religion involves “supernatural beings.” (Antoine Vergote)

➡ “Red Willows”

➡ “Fart, fart.”

➡ “Have witnesses when you barter.”

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Definitions

• Religion is about “meaning and value beyond self-centredness.” (Huston Smith)

➡ “Red Willows

➡ “Fart, fart.”

➡ “Have witnesses when you barter.”

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Definitions

• How can something be religious and NOT religious at the same time?

➡ “Fart, fart.”

➡ This is NOT religious according to Vergote’s definition

➡ This IS religious according to Smith’s definition

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Definitions

• Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

➡ “An organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods.” (similar to Vergote)

➡ “An interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group.” (similar to Smith)

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Definitions

Song

• “Love Runs Out” by OneRepublic (2014)

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I got my mind made up, man, I can’t let go.I’m killing every second ‘til it saves my soul.

There’s a maniac out in front of me.Got an angel on my shoulder, and Mestopheles.

but mama raised me good, mama raised me right.Mama said, “Do what you want, say prayers at night,”

And I’m saying them, ‘cause I’m so devout.

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“Love Runs Out”

I’ll be your light, your match, your burning sun,I’ll be the bright, in black that’s makin’ you run.

I'll be your ghost, your game, your stadium.

Ooh, we all want the same thing.Ooh, we all run for something.

Oh for God, for fate,For love, for hate,For gold, and rust,

For diamonds, and dust.

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“Love Runs Out”

What does Nye mean when he states that nothing

is “intrinsically religious”? (p. 19)

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• ANYTHING can potentially be considered “religious” by someone

➡ Depends on definition and context

➡ Examples: witnesses, handwriting, diarrhea

➡ Also: punching!

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Definitions

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Definitions

• Change the question:

➡ Not: IS something “religious”?

➡ Instead: In what ways might something be considered religious, and to whom?

➡ Questions of definition and context

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“Religions” vs. “Religion”

• “Religions”➡ Specific traditions (e.g., Buddhism; “world

religions”)

• “Religion”➡ General / universal (e.g., meaning, value, etc.)

• Nye is not defining “religion/s” himself

➡ How people actually talk about “religion/s”

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• Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

➡ “An organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods.”

➡ “An interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group.”

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Definitions

“Religions”

“Religion”

• “When it was cooked, he ate and ate. But he ate too much and very soon suffered the runs.”

• “No person shall threaten any other person with damage to such person's property.”

• “Fart, fart.”

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“Religions” vs. “Religion”

• Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

➡ “An organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods.”

➡ “An interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group.”

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“Religions”

“Religion”

Sports and “Religion/s”

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Sports and “Religion/s”• “I’m studying to be a rabbi. I’m a little worried that I’ll

be out of a job because less and less people seem to find religion meaningful.”

• “I even think that loving a baseball team can be a religious experience. I was here in 2012 when Santana pitched his no hitter. Everyone in this stadium was holding their breath at the exact same time. And when the game ended, everyone screamed with the same joy. We all felt so connected at that moment. And I think that was holy.”

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“Religion”44

Sports and “Religion/s”

• Nye p. 15-16

• Athletes as cult heroes

• Worship teams

• Sacred space

• Mysticism and magic

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Ways in which sports is similar to

“religions”

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Ritual!

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Text! World Religions

• “World religions” approach (p. 9-14):

➡ The study of “major” traditions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism

➡ Separate, distinct

➡ Classifications: texts, ideas, founders, histories, rituals, etc.

➡ Useful starting point48

Problems with “world religions” approach?

1. Ignores huge diversity within traditions(Nye: Buddhisms, Islams, Judaisms, etc.)

2. Ignores “minority” traditions(e.g., Indigenous religions)

3. Focuses on “big” things (major rituals, founders, sacred texts, etc.)

4. Marginalizes “small” things (e.g., personal experiences, regular participants, letters, etc.)

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World Religions

Men

Everyone!

Study of Religion

• What do scholars of religion study?

➡ Anything that might be considered as “religious” for some reason by someone

➡ Most scholars study “religions”

➡ Some study “religion”

➡ Can use theories from study of religion to examine “non-religious” stuff too

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