My Midterm

2. Attendance: How many times late? How many classes missed? (Be accurate)

I have attended every class session so far this semester, and have been on time for every one up until the point

4. To read or not to read, that is the question: Be honest. How much of the following book did you read? Not a Genuine Black Man? Required readings from the Reader?

In terms of the reading, I read the majority of Not a Genuine Black Man, although did skip a couple of chapters in the middle, and in the reader I read about 4-5 of the passages fully, and skimmed through the rest.

5. Give an example of a "consilience" explanation to one specific religious phenomenon (e.g., why do people worship snakes, etc.). Be sure to choose your own example.

A consilient explanation is one which can explain an issue or event using all of the major scientific and natural disciplines within human society. It is a method used to somehow create common ground for an idea, and it allows us to find a conclusion for most of the main religious phenomenon’s we witness. It is something we use to often explain where our different religious theories/ideas/beliefs have come from, and it shows how any event can somehow be explained and supported through scientific measures. We can usually use it to explain religious measures due to the human experiences we have been put through in life, and therefore this is why we should be able to take any religious encounter and explain it through the multitude of ways. In this sense it can help us to understand and explain the evolution of differing religious views or principles which in many cases may seem strange or illogical.
The consilience grid includes the theology, sociology, psychology, biology, chemistry, and physics, and by doing so we are able to see how easily any religious concept can be linked, believed and supported.
One example we can use to show how a religious principle can be put through the grid, is the notion of a Near Death Experience (NDE). For example, the following disciplines explain the avoidance of death in the following ways;
Theology – From a theological standpoint, individuals see that near death experiences may occur only in their religion. They see that God has protected them from impending death, and that he has kept them alive to continue on and progress in society. Many Christians also believe these experiences prove an afterlife exists, and it is also cited for evidence of human soul.
Sociologically – NDE’s do not happen to only individuals of the same religion. It is proven that individuals across the world experience these events, and therefore those from all social backgrounds can experience the feelings and sensations associated with the experience. In this sense it can be showed that these feelings can occur to any individual at any time, and therefore, it is not just those who have religious beliefs that are saved from impending death.
Psychology – Psychologically, the feelings of serenity and detachment that many feel when they have an NDE’s can be explained because neurologically the brain must be in a certain psychological state when going through the experience. This conclusion rests on the fact that the brain is in a certain psychological state at the time of the experience, and therefore, the state of consciousness that the individual has whilst going through the event is different to normal.
Biologically – Biological reasons for explaining NDE’s may rest on the fact that every individual in society is susceptible to having one, and therefore it must be within the fundamental set up of an individuals DNA that we are able to experience the phenomenon. For example, this could be explained on the fact that some individuals have more of one substance in their makeup than most others, and this allows them to experience these near death experiences.
Chemistry – NDE’s can be explained chemically by saying that there have been chemical changes in the brain. Often it is thought that there may be more serotonin or endorphins in the brain which can alter overall brain functioning and this may have occurred due to the fact that an individual was so frightened or scared during the event.
Physics – A NDE experience can be explained using physics by saying that death was physically impossible. For example, individuals who feel they moved out of the way from a car that should have hit and killed them, may have experienced the feeling of body detachment, but were really not in the right position to have been hit by the moving vehicle. In this sense physics would show that death was not possible, even though at the time, the individual thought they were sure to die


6. How can the theory of memetics help in understanding WHY certain religions are more successful than others (in terms of popularity) in the USA? Be sure to explain how memes are different than genes.

Meme theory is a theory based on the idea coined by Richard Dawkins that attempts to explain why some principles and practices are more popular than others, and why certain theories become common ideologies within human life, even though they may not provide the best and most logical explanation for a problem. Unlike genes which are biological components of human culture, memes are based more on social and psychological aspects, and although it is considered that they work in the same general way as natural selection, they have no scientific background, and are based predominantly around socialization factors in society. The underlying explanation behind meme theory is that our commonly believed ideas and practices have become widespread and accepted, simply due to the constant rhetoric and repeated exposure we as individuals have to them. As not every idea is reached by the masses of society, the concept of meme theory therefore advocates that it is those ideas that can be most frequently exposed and have the greatest impact on the public that will eventually prevail and become both commonplace and believed in society. For example, the more an example can be replicated/copied and be made visible and apparent to us as humans, the more likely it is to infect us with its ideas, and get into our heads.
In terms of religion, this idea of meme theory can explain why some faiths are more successful and popular, as some ideologies are more commonly visible to us than others. Religions are successful as they offer a way to fix an issue or problem, and they are often sold as a way to solve problems and make us feel better about ourselves. Therefore, those religions which transmit their words and ideas strongly and most successfully are therefore the ones that are likely become the most prominent in society. Alongside this, our influences also vary depending on what we are exposed to, and how it is transmitted to us. In terms of religion, as our first source of information and influence comes from our parents whilst growing up, we are frequently exposed to the ideas that they believe, and this is therefore why religious beliefs are often passed down generationally through families.
However, in terms of the nation as a whole, if we look at the concept of meme theory in America, we can see why Christianity has now become the most common religion here today. Although Native beliefs used to be practiced in towns and villages across America, the influx of white Europeans from the 1600s onwards, led to the demise of these native cultures and faiths in the community. The settlers brought Christianity with them, and as they exposed their own words and teachings so frequently on the masses, more and more individuals became infected with their ideas and started to inherit these other beliefs. Therefore, as a result, traditional Native beliefs started to be lost, and as a result, the frequently replicated Christian ideas have led to the degree of popularity it holds today.

7. Describe how evolutionary theory (via natural selection as first presented by Charles Darwin and later by Richard Dawkins) helps in understanding human migration, cultural development, and social identity. (Think of evolutionary psychology).

Charles Darwin is most famously remembered for the time he spent developing the knowledge of evolution. He showed how many individuals have changed over time, and he was able to show through DNA that those of us most suited to our environments are likely to survive better and more efficiently in the long run. His most remembered theories focus around the notion of survival of the fittest, as his works show how individuals are always in competition with each other to prosper in life. From these scientifical foundations, we can also understand why diversity exists, and why humans have migrated and individually developed through all areas across the globe.
We know that the roots of civilization stretch back to the area of Africa and the regions of Mesopotamia, and that this is where the initial tribes and cultures formed. However, it didn’t take long before human communities spread, and if we consider the world today, nearly all of the areas of land have been outrun with human life. If we use the evolutionary theory that individuals like Charles Darwin and Richard Dawkins promoted therefore, we can better understand why this occurred and we can see where the need for migration stemmed from. For example, at the human populations spread within the African region, resources started to be challenged, and competition therefore increased. The need for better food and climate became apparent for some, and the primary goal to attain the 4 F’s (Food, flight, flee, effort), meant that moves had to made and individuals had to migrate. Once the migration occurred, the individuals had to adapt to their new, and different surroundings, and through the process of speciation, they developed and changed for a better survival. In a sense, individuals could become a big fish in a small pond and through this they were able to exert their own methods and identities. The adaptation primarily occurred due to the change in geographic location that many of these migrations resulted in, and often due to the climates and topographies in certain areas, individuals had to function differently in order to attain the four basic needs. Overall, the process of time was the reason for such extensive diversity that exists today, as not only do we have to adapt to our environment s through speciation, but we also inbreed genetic (family) traits that establish our social identities and cultural beliefs. Therefore, this is why if we look at things today, civilizations exist throughout the world, and they all have different focuses, different systems, and different bases of identity central to them.

8. Why is the notion of "race" biologically obsolete, yet culturally viable? (hint: difference between "nature" and "nurture"... or biology vs. sociology)

Race is a term that we constantly use in society to separate one group of people from another. It is something that we usually use to distinguish individuals of differing heritages or skin colors, and it is a way that we can categorize various characteristics and traits. Although it is primarily a term of classification, today racial differences often have many underlying connotations associated with them, and the various races we consider, are continually stereotyped in negative and often degrading ways. For example, we constantly judge people on the color of their skin, and over the years we have summarized Arabs as terrorists, blacks as less intelligent and whites as the superiors. These social constructs have become memes in society, and they have had profound impacts on the shaping of our fundamental beliefs and ideologies. We constantly use racial rhetoric to suppress certain individuals, but if we look at the biological basics of humans, there is actually no fundamental difference between the DNA of black, white, Asian or Oriental skin tone. Therefore, the fact that we frequently consider white born Americans, better than Americans born with more Middle Eastern skin tone, is something completely ridiculous as the underlying difference is only a gradation of color. Again, if we were to look closely at our biological bases, we would simply see a wide variety of many different influences, and therefore, we should really be considered as mutt’s who are colored differently simply because of a difference of skin pigmentation. Due to this, as there is no fundamental difference in the genetic set up of an Arab, a Black or a White, there cannot actually be any difference in what these differing individuals are able to achieve, and as no biological difference actually exists, the notion of race itself must therefore be biologically obsolete.
However, even though it is proven that race doesn’t actually exist biologically, the term has been used as the primary concept for classifying human beings into separate and distinct groups for many years now, and as a result it is something that should still be considered something of social importance. Using it as a method of distinction allows us to see the histories of individuals and their rights, and as the term allows us to divide up into subcategories and populations, we should continue to see it as culturally viable.
As many races have been put down and suppressed over the years, the class distinctions caused a discrepancy in society to also arise, and therefore those individuals and races that were put down throughout history, are still having to catch up today. Under this idea, race highlights the differences in society that still prevail, and it shows that sociologically inequalities still exist between groups. Therefore, providing the term can be re-contextualized to take away its underlying connotations, it should remain in society simply for the purpose of determining and understanding various cultural groups.

9.. Explain how a religious idea/ritual/practice gets transformed in American soil. For ex: I described how circumcision evolved from a religious ritual (from Egyptian to Judaic to Islamic) into a routinely performed medical procedure. This is a tougher question than you might suspect. Think before you leap. You want to describe how a religious idea/ritual/practice CHANGES in a North American environment. You can draw from ANY religion for your developmental example. Be sure, though, that it is YOUR example.

The practice of yoga can be traced back in civilization for thousand of years, and archeological evidence shows statues and yoga positions tracing back to well before Shamanism, and the Stone Age. However, the first real knowledge we have about the discipline, comes from the Second Century BCE, when the practice of yoga was first introduced into the Hindu religion. It was one of the six ancient schools of philosophy, known as the Vedas that were founded in India, and became the embedded in the roots of the Hinduism. Yoga builds on the Samkhya model of an Indian discipline that was introduced as a way to instill personal, physical and spiritual peacefulness. The word comes from the ancient Sanskrit language, and it was primarily established as a way to find unity within the mind and body. Spiritually it was seen as something which allowed individuals to connect with harmony, and the area of study is viewed as one of the bases for the main authoritative and divinely inspired teachings that Hinduism itself promotes. Hindus traditionally believed that there are 4 different disciplines serving as a path to the enlightenment in yoga, and these are janana yoga, bhakti yoga, karma yoga and raja yoga. Janana yoga summons the powers of the mind, bhakti yoga encourages the direction of ones love to God, karma yoga involves service to others, and raja yoga which helps to try and maintain total body control.
Although the practice was introduced into Hinduism first, it soon became a ritual that was incorporated alongside mediation into the teachings of Buddhism. It became a topic that was more inherent on enlightened ideas as the years progressed, and Buddhism also brought in the practice of the physical postures. The classical yoga that then became prominent in the 2nd Century A.D. was the Yoga Sutra and this was written by Patanjali. It focused exclusively on Meditation and was centralized on the belief of the body as a temple. It was at this time, Yogis attempted to use Yoga techniques to change the body and make it immortal, and it was a stark difference to the Vedic Yoga which had signified the union of body and spirit. Since this time, Yoga has continued to change and transition into post-classical Yoga which doesn’t try to liberate a person from reality but says that everyone must accept it and live at the moment.
In current times, however yoga has transitioned so much that it now spans the globalized world in which we reside. Here in America, it has become seen as a sport in many circumstances, and it is a practice that many of us go to the gym to be taught. It is today constantly depicted simply as something we should do to burn calories and lose weight, and many believe that by engaging in the practice they will end up being healthier, living much more healthy lifestyles. Overall, the transitions that have been made to the place that it now holds in society today, shows that yoga has lost its true meaning and fundamental ideas. The fact that many of us don’t now understand its real role and deep spiritual/religious meanings, shows how much it has been demarcated over the years, and has lost its true sense of being, Many of us don’t even realize that it holds religious foundations, and the practices we depict and follow today are entirely different from the ones in classical times. Therefore, we can see how yoga has become Americanized, and it has been altered for something that we feel will benefit us, in our society today.

13. Take ONE new religious movement (any religion founded after the 16th century CE) and describe, in brief, its influence in North America. Use hypertext when necessary.

Scientology is a religion that over recent times has caused lots of controversy across the United States, especially due to the fact that it has a number of famous celebrity followers, most notably Tom Cruise. The movement itself was developed in Los Angeles by L Ron Hubbard in the 20th century and the fundamental principle it focuses on is the study of truth. It has foundations in a number of the world’s traditional religions, and it is described by its founders as the first practical religion in today’s highly technological age. It centers on the fact that man is good, and that each one of us is actually a spiritual being, rather than just a material object.
In the highly global world that we are engaged with here in America today, the concept of this religion aims to try and find the solutions to the problems of living, and it tries to counteract the power structure that dominates in society. It has had a strong impact within North America, and over recent times it has had a lot of media coverage which has helped bring attention to its fundamental practices and core principles. It creates a method that helps us to understand that it is possible to live in a world of harmony with one another, and this creates the idea that the universe has the possibility to be a much better place overall. Although the US government considers it as non-profit organization, it has many followers all over the world today, and many countries have legitimized the religion and associated to its practices . Therefore, it has not only influenced beliefs in North America but these religious foundations that are based on 18 books and 3000 recorded lectures, have had an impact across the entire globe.

14. How would Nietzsche describe the "death" of God and the rise of new religions?

Nietzsche was a German who wrote many books asking controversial questions about religion, often questioning the fundamental principles of the discipline itself. He questioned the proof of Gods existence, and in his works he was continually wondering why individuals are so convinced of their beliefs. He personally promoted the idea that deep down people knew there wasn’t really a supreme being, and he argued that one only existed because people were so desperate to believe in someone to follow. He says that we continually look for support of our beliefs but even though may of us don’t find them, we often cling onto our thoughts as otherwise we have to try to understand other methods for living life instead. Nietzsche shows that in the modern society, this lack of religious proof does allow us to be free to choose our own paths in life, and choose what morals and wishes to abide by. In this sense these days we hold existentialism which allows for religious freedom, but in return this has created a huge sense of unknowingness. The move away from the pre-determined religious affiliation into a world of unknowingness, has removed the measuring device that may of us follow in life, and in return we have had to take charge of our own responsibilities, even though we have no way of ultimately knowing what is right and what is wrong. In this sense Nietzsche believes that as a result we prefer to create Gods just so we don’t have to take charge of our own decisions. He therefore would argue the case that God is being constantly resurrected. He thinks that as humans we are continually creating new Gods that fit in with our lifestyles and the way we want to morally be, as we are too scared to determine our own rules in life. Through this angle he shows that the traditional notion of God has been lost and he says in his works that “God is dead,” because he sees the real and original value of God has been lost to nihilism. He believes that although we have been given the opportunity to live existentially, we are too afraid to take full responsibility of the lives that we lead, and therefore we generally prefer to create a God by which to abide by. Many of us use this as a way to take the blame off ourselves, and by following this procedure, we are able to blame any so called ‘God’ for the actions we undertake and engage in. Overall, it gives us a burden of relief, and can be used to explain how the rise of new religions with differing Gods, are continually coming into the formations of our lives.

15. How does Stephen Wolfram's "new kind of science" support Stephen Jay Gould's notion of spandrels or unintended consequences/complexities? Hint: think of how complexity is theresult of simpler computational-like programs.

Stephen Wolframs ideas on science surround the notion that we can break life down into many simple processes, that all hold great complexities within them. He believes that complexity cannot be explained simply through mathematical principles, and that science and nature are components that also must be considered. His study was based around the ideas of computer programming, and using this discipline he argues that computers are really just a framework of simple programs, that have been made increasingly complex. His ideas can be extended onto many other issues in life, and using his practices we can conclude that the sciences are all very simple on the surface, but they can be made extremely complex if we look at them in depth. We can relate this to the idea of spandrels that Stephen Jay Gould uses which is the idea that some of the complexities in life are created as a result of the unintended consequences. Spandrels can be considered as things that have developed during evolution and unlike organisms which have formed and developed from the process of natural selection, they reflect the structural constraints which occur during the process of development. As a result of this, they are really just a process in society, but they continually add and impact on our basic thought and belief systems, even though they are not intended in this way. As things are talked about they do influence us, whether they have a purpose or not, and overall this makes our thoughts and beliefs more complex in the long run.
These two concepts therefore both argue over time many issues and disciplines come together to make things more complex, and as many of the new influences mean little or have no purpose they simply add to complexity within life, and turn away from true and original meanings.

16. Why does religious "diversity" almost always start with its founder? Explain in detail your answer.

The individuals who become the founders of any religion are the ones which enter new ideas, theories and beliefs into society. They have innovative ideas and practices that they think will benefit citizens across a community, and therefore, they try to get these new concepts into the everyday lives of the masses. They are people who were always religious in some shape or form, but they have introduced and promoted alternate principles primarily because they were unsatisfied or discontent with the current religious ideologies. These individuals therefore saw their ways as something better, and therefore they diversified and started to amalgamate teachings of the past. Overall, this leads to diversity when new concepts are introduced, and the changes allow us to see the transitions to something new.
Another reason that we may consider diversity to start with its founder is because within any religious ideas, the disciples can never fully understand the true and full beliefs and works of their teacher. They are unable to understand every concept and belief that their religious founder holds, and therefore, when any religion has more than one follower there ultimately has to be variation within it. In this sense we could say that every individual has unique religious beliefs, and therefore we could say that we are all the founders of our own diverse religions.

17. What was the tipping point in Brian Copeland's life which prompted him to want to commit suicide?

Although I think that there was an accumulation of various issues in Brian’s life that made him consider and want to commit suicide, I would probably say that the tipping point was when he realized that racism was being targeted towards his family as well. I think that he could deal with the threats and harshness that had been directed towards him throughout his life, but I think that when he saw the effects the racist behaviors were having on his own flesh and blood, I think it tipped him over the edge. I believe that the attempt to commit suicide was probably a cry for help, and a desperate act because he was in such psychological pain, yet I’m not sure that overall he truly wanted to die, but rather felt he had no other way out. I think that the way that the book doesn’t highlight the actual run up to the suicide shows this, and although he had been preparing the event, ending his life was probably not something that he was really desperate to do, but it was more a way to escape from the bad that was happening

18. What were the more "subtle" forms of racism that Brian encountered when growing up in San Leandro?

Obviously there were many very obvious examples of racism that Brian encountered whilst growing up, but I think the subtle things that were just overlooked on a day to day basis probably amounted to some of the worst issues that he had to deal with. I think that the example he gives of going to get his haircut in San Leandro shows the disgraceful attitudes towards race he had to live with whilst growing up, and I think that many people will be surprised that these occurrences still happened even in the 1970s. The subtle racist attacks that Brian had to survive whilst still a boy include the schoolteachers blaming him for starting fights, and him being denied the opportunity to gain his Cub Scout fishing badge. I also think that the fact that not many individuals would associate with him in school was another subtle form of racism as it was not openly discussed and highlighted to all. Although they thought he may be good at sports due to his ‘black’ genes, when this was shown not to be the case, he was seen as no benefit the school, and therefore at the time was ignored by both teachers and fellow pupils even more.
Many individuals during this time refused to admit that they were racist, and it wasn’t necessarily the fact that everyone was nasty or mean to him, but rather that they wouldn’t get close and friendly. Therefore not associating with him was simply a subtle way of saying that they don’t like people of his race, and this had a huge impact on his social status across society. Overall, all these examples show how simple daily events were a problem for black Americans even in recent times, and I think the fact that individuals were surprised that he would even try to go to a hair salon to get hi hair cuts, subtly hints at the notion that blacks in general were considered bad news.

19. How does Brian's experience of racism dovetail with the experiences of Malcom X? How are they different?

Both Brian Copeland and Malcolm X are known because they are black Americans who had to deal with severe forms of racism whilst growing up in America. Although Malcolm X is much more famous for the experiences he went though, they are both known for their works in trying to liberate blacks from oppression, and can be considered as iconic figures across the African American community. Both of them went through very tough upbringings, and although they were born in different areas of the country, they share similar stories of abuse and mistreatment. For example, whilst growing up they were both stopped from taking part in basic daily activities and were frequently labeled as niggers or darkies when stepping outside of their local communities. Malcolm, like Brian was discriminated at school by both teachers and fellow students alike, and alongside this, neither of them had many friends, simply because white kids wouldn’t associate with them. As a result of this, they both thought that it was normal for black individuals to be treated badly in society, and therefore they frequently accepted it as a fact of life that they were going to be abused and alienated.
Although both men are known today for the works they have done to try and reduce the extreme racism that prevails across America, their beliefs and experiences do differ primarily because they have used different methods to try and get themselves heard. Firstly, Malcolm X is internationally renowned for his controversial stance in trying to liberate blacks, and he is most famous for the speeches he gave and the revolts he took part in. He saw all whites as evil, and he thought that the American government must be forcefully stopped from acting in a racially corrupt manner. In contrast to this, Brian Copeland has tried to detail his life through books and shows, and although he agrees on many of the same issues as Malcolm X, he doesn’t feel violence is the way forward. Therefore, their experiences differ because Malcolm X was continually a pessimist when it came to looking at the issue, yet Copeland tried to find the positives in his life. Although they went through similar racial experiences that many blacks are still having to deal with on a daily basis even today, Malcolm’s experiences were on a much greater scale than Brian’s, and even though they are both considered intelligent and articulate, Brian has a much more solid educational background than Malcolm X ever did. This is probably why Brian Copeland is in the place he is today and has managed to deal with the extreme hatred that was directed, whereas Malcolm X could never accept any of the treatment that was put on him, and was eventually assassinated as a result of his views. Overall, this shows how their experiences have been different during their adult lives, and it allows us to see how individuals do deal with similar situations very differently, even though their fundamental goals were fundamentally the same.

20. In what ways did certain North American Indian religions ABSORB and INTEGRATE Christianity into their own religious ideas and rituals?

When the Europeans met with the Native American tribes in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, many of the traditionally Native practices and religious became lost. The religious rituals became altered, and many of the Native religions ended up having to absorb and integrate Christian ideals into their practices. This led to the native tribes losing a large degree of their cultures and identities, and they often started to get infected by certain Christian messages often through the process of meme theory.
The biggest influence that the Europeans religions had on the Americans was on the fact that they stressed only one God should be worshipped, and Christ must always be at the center of their worlds. Christians made the Indians believe they were all individually joined with Christ, and that the traditional ceremonies actually brought evil into their lives. It was considered that traditional rituals such as those at funerals were infected with paganism and witchcraft, and the Christians said that those being worshipped were not actually being helped into the afterlife like the natives had thought. It was continually discussed that these ceremonies could compromise the traditional Christian faith, and that God wouldn’t be their protector if they weren’t fully devoted to only him. Since the European influences, bibles and pre-established church services have also became prominent in the Indian religions, and these were again influences that had been brought by Christian worshipers. Churches were established as a formal place to worship, and the rituals that individuals engaged with overall became much more formal and controlled. The idea of the Second coming of Christ was a religious principle that was integrated by Christianity, and this is especially prominent when we read about Native Indian religions that practice today, such as the Native American Church of Jesus Christ. The historical developments of the religions have also transitioned to a degree since the impact of Christianity, and now the newer American Indian tribes have histories that revolve around prophets. These hadn’t been prominent before the sixteenth century, but examples such as Handsome Lake in the Iroquois confederacy show examples whereby the Natives are influenced in the teachings of one individual.

22. What is the Native American Church of Jesus Christ? How did it evolve?

The Native American Church of Jesus Christ was not initially organized like a traditional church. It emerged in South Dakota in the 1900s when a Winnebago Indian named John Rave who had been born a Catholic, ordained another Winnebago, as a minister in this Native American Church. The initial ordination occurred in the community of Allen in the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, and although it started out from a base of traditional Christianity, it has always practiced through peyote worship, and over the years these methods have transitioned and developed. Although the religion didn’t start off in an organized way, by 1924 ministers had been introduced, and a Bible established. The Native American Church itself accepts the lord as its savior, and believes strongly in Christ’s Second Coming. The Winnebago’s such as John Rave adapted the religion differently to the original Indian believers, and they established the notion of worship known as Generation Fireplace. This attempts to push an individuals soul closer to Christ, and they take part in rituals such as mounding the earth in a half moon shape on the alter and various types of Sun Dance. The followers believe that Christ has given his life for each and every one of them, and they say that by practicing through the Crossfire way which often centralizes around the half moon and pipe, they are able to fully understand the Bible, and put it in its place. Even though each tribe within this Church does slightly differ in its beliefs, they all see the Second coming of Christ as the path to salvation and that the lord is there to protect each and every one of them. Many followers see this specific church as the earliest example of a Native Indian religion that arose, and they conclude that practicing both modern and traditional rituals will allow them the ultimate prosperity in life.

24. What are the major differences between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., when it comes to liberating blacks from oppression?

Malcolm X was an African American Muslim minister who spent much of his life trying to advocate and promote fairer rights for African Americans. He made it clear that he thought white Americans engaged in crimes against blacks, and he openly said that blacks were racially suppressed across American society. He was a major opponent of the American government, and he believed in militant action as a way to successfully fight against this racism. He was a very dynamic and forceful spokesperson, and he constantly argued that blacks would only gain their freedom by fighting for it. He thought that good political organization was a necessary principle needed, but he also saw that reform needed to be quick and revolutionary. He thought that blacks should be able to exercise self-defense tactics when they were under racial attack, and that the black community needed to determine a strategy and select leaders in order to rid racism and separate from the white community “by any means necessary.”
Although Martin Luther King, Jr., also was a major force like Malcolm X in promoting equality for blacks, he tried to achieve this equality using very different practices and means. For example, unlike Malcolm X, he believed in peaceful demonstrations, and therefore condemned violence as a way to get his views heard. He believed that rhetoric could be used to make individuals aware of the atrocities that were occurring across the world, and unlike X, he believed that blacks and whites could live together in harmony. He thought that integration was the key to enable liberation for black citizens, and overall he had a much more positive attitude to the fact that both races do have a moral conscience. It is thought that Luther King’s upbringing which was much more middle class to Malcolm X was the reason he didn’t have as much hatred towards white individuals, and maybe his stronger educational base allowed him to look at the situation much more logically. Luther King didn’t see the American government in quite such a negative light, like Malcolm X, and he thought that they could help to enable positive changes that would lead to a stronger community in the long run. Overall both men were considered as revolutionaries in the actions they took in gaining better equality for blacks across America. They used different methods to gain the attentions of the masses, but overall they are both remembered for their major influences in our social order today, and they both did great things for liberating blacks from oppression overall.

25. Why is genealogical dissociation a key factor in understanding the emergence of new religions in America?

New religions usually arise because individuals want to move away from current ideas and principles, into a new and alternate way of thinking. Often the founders dislike certain practices within the current religions, and therefore they want to infuse their own ideologies and visions, because they feel that these will be more beneficial to the masses. On a certain level, these new ideas must deny the basic foundations of previously established religious beliefs, because otherwise they simply get assimilated into the practices that are already being followed, and new cultures will not be allowed to fully emerge. As each religion has its own focuses, this allows them to hide certain issues that they may not want to openly accept. These new faiths often appear in reaction to a denial or objection of a previously accepted principle, and they are often centralized around different issues and theories. Therefore, if we imagine that the core roots and foundations of all religions are its genes, we can explain genealogical disassociation by saying that the roots of the new religious fundamentally differ from the past, simply because they have disassociated themselves from the old order. In this sense, they have tried to lose the historical connection, and by focusing on new concepts, religions with very different gene set ups and structures can be discovered.