12SOR2 Religion and Non Religion

Which of these groupings identifies expressions of the religious dimension in human history?

• Polytheism, monotheism and agnosticism

• Animism, polytheism and monotheism

• Agnosticism, atheism, and polytheism

• Monotheism, atheism, and humanism

From among the following religions which has the largest number of adherents world-wide?

• Islam

• Judaism

• Buddhism

• Christianity

Which of the following best outlines the position of a Rational Humanist?

• Human enquiry should be guided by belief in a god

• Human enquiry should be guided by belief in many gods

• Human enquiry should be guided by experimental testing

• Human enquiry should be guided by systematic logical thinking

Disenchantment with traditional religious practice and guidance has given growth to new religious expressions and spiritualities.

What factors have led to this disenchantment?

• Mission Work

• Changing ethical guidelines

• Complex social and cultural issues

• Increased emphasis on love and acceptance

Statement One: Jane believes in a transcendent God.

Statement Two: Sue states that no god exists, and that no god can exist.

These statements above are examples of:

• Differences between religious and non-religious world views

• Different interpretations of the meaning of life

• The effects of ecological awareness

• The effects of scientific progress

Statement One: Jane believes in a transcendent God.

Statement Two: Sue states that no god exists, and that no god can exist.

How would Sue and Jane each view the origin of the universe?

• Sue believes in a supernatural source of creation

  Jane believes in an empirical theory of the universe's evolution

• Jane believes in a supernatural source of creation

  Sue believes in an empirical theory of the universe's evolution

• Sue believes in an animist source of creation

  Jane accepts only a scientific explanation

• Jane believes in an animist source of creation

  Sue accepts only a scientific explanation

Statement One: Scientific progress challenges the traditional religious perspectives of some adherents and, as a consequence of this challenge, they may begin seeking answers in new spiritualities.

Statement Two: Scientific progress may offer new insights that some religious traditions would welcome and accept.

What best explains these statements?

• Both statements are true

• Both statements are false

• Statement 1 is false, and statement 2 is true

• Statement 1 is true, and statement 2 is false

Statement One: Some new religious expressions help adherents to seek personal fulfilment through the teachings of the major religious traditions, while some direct adherents to reject the search for personal fulfilment.

Statement Two: In response to the rise of materialism, some new religious expressions offer adherents spiritual ways of increasing material wealth, while some help adherents to reject materialism.

What best explains these statements?

• Both statements are true

• Both statements are false

• Statement 1 is false, and statement 2 is true

• Statement 1 is true, and statement 2 is false

The paradox of religion is that while it can help to maintain structures, customs and values in society, it can also offer profound criticism of the same structures.

This statement refers to the fact that:

• religion provides avenues for both meaning and purpose for the adherent and for the community

• religion provides avenues for both social transformation and meaning and purpose for the adherent

• religion provides means by which adherents can achieve both social cohesion and social transformation

• religion provides means by which adherents can achieve both social cohesion and meaning and purpose for the adherent

Which statement is distinctively true of the shared viewpoints of atheists and humanists regarding theist belief systems?

• Reliance upon God is all humans need to guide their aspirations and behaviour

• Reliance on God's will enables people to solve issues scientifically

• Reliance upon God's will strengthens people to focus inwardly and to act for the common good

• Reliance on God's will hinders people's willingness to solve issues, and adversely leads to social evils