Nonverbal communication and culture. Identity, stereotypes and prejudices, страница 24

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SEMINAR 3

THE IMPACT OF RELIGION, FAMILY AND HISTORY

ON CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION

RELIGION AS A WORLD VIEW

Our world view originates in our culture, is transmitted via a multitude of channels, and can take a variety of forms. But what predominant element is found in every culture, and has for thousands of years, given people their world view? Religion! Religion is a human universal. The human need to confront important issues is so universal that we know of no group of people anywhere on the face of the earth who, at any time over the past 10,000 years, have been without religion.

For some unexplainable reason, the responsibility of generating and preserving the elements of world view has rested with either religious institutions (for example, the Catholic Church) or spiritual leaders (for example, the Buddha). Whether it be the teachings of the Bible, Vedas, Koran, or Torah—or the signs of the stars— people have always felt a need to seek outside themselves the values by which they live their lives and guidance on how to view and explain the world. In a host of ways, religion has provided the peoples of the world with advice, values, and guidance since antiquity. It appears that for thousands of years billions of people have agreed with the Latin proverb that tells us that "A man devoid of religion is like a horse without a bridle."

Religions have endured because they endeavor to explain those notions about life that otherwise could not be understood or resolved. Religion deals with the nature of life and death, the creation of the universe, the origin of society and groups within the society, the relationship of individuals and groups to one another, and the relation of humankind to nature. The deep structure of culture deals with issues that matter most to people.

Whether it be conceptions of the first cause of all things, or natural occurrences such as comets, floods, lightning, thunder, drought, famine, disease, or an abundance of food, people rely on religious explanations.

The study of religion not only helps you in your quest for a meaning and purpose to life, but it also gives you clues into the social aspects of a culture. The social functions of religion are no less important than the psychological functions. A traditional religion reinforces group norms and provides moral sanctions for individual conduct.

Religion then, be it theology or the everyday practices of a culture, gives us insight into the members of that culture. The study of religion prepares us to encounter not only other centers and calendars, and numerous versions of the sacred and profane, but also to decipher and appreciate different modes of language and behavior.

When we speak of the great religions we mean the traditions that have lasted for centuries, shaped hundreds of millions of people, and gained respect for their depth and breadth. These are the religions that every citizen should be acquainted with, simply because hundreds of millions of people live by them. There are six religious traditions we should be aware of: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.