Final Exam Questions

11. How does the miracle story surrounding Our Lady of Guadalupe inform and impact the spiritual lives of those who are believers? Clue: select a few limited examples.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is a miracle story which has one of the largest impacts within the Latino religious experience here in America. It is a story which plays a part alongside the Catholic faith, although it moves away from many of the traditionally grounded principles, and provides alternate visions for those who believe and spiritually accept the tale. The story itself tries to look at the world from the viewpoint of those who are commonly marginalized and oppressed in everyday society, and therefore it specifically gives many of these individuals a way to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel no matter how low in social society you may be classed. I think that the common image that the picture holds, and the underlying principles we take from it highlights why the diversity that we commonly relate to the Latino culture exists so prominently in America culture today, and I see it being the story that has primarily given many oppressed Latinos a spiritual path to hope and greatness.
Probably the biggest influence that the story has can be seen from the viewpoint of women in the Latin American heritage. Although traditional Catholicism is founded on the patriarchal lineage and surrounds its practices on male based ideology, the image of Guadalupe introduces discussion of women into mass society, and shows that their caring and nurturing nature plays a hugely important role in the world that we live. I think that female followers of the miracle story are therefore given hope in society, and it allows them to see that they shouldn’t be a marginalized gender, and should have a voice in which they can project themselves. I would say that it is probably women who are able to take the most from the image of Guadalupe, and I think that may Latinos use her as a symbol and icon that they frequently use whilst transitioning through life
I also think that many of the believers are able to gain a better sense and understanding of equality from the story, and I think it provides an outlet of expression which shows how this should prevail in all aspects of like. The religion is itself provides a more even playing field for global order that we are commonly used to, and as it eradicates the traditional hierarchy that exists in most religious settings, it awards power to many who haven’t experienced it in the past. Therefore, I think that those individuals who follow and believe in the story see the world in a very different way from what is considered as the norm, and this is because I think it highlights the amount of marginalization that constantly exists in the world that we live today. For those who are believers in the miracles surrounding the image, I think it gives them a sense of hope that oppression isn’t something that needs to exist in society, and as the story envisages a great world where equality reigns, it also shows how oppression isn’t actually beneficial at all. Therefore, I think that those who become spiritually engaged with the story are often inspired by its principles and ideology it projects, and consequently I see that it echoes a much better world that promotes freedom, alongside an acceptance and tolerance of others.

12. How is the Latino/a religious experience (as detailed in our Reader) different than the Asian religious experience in North America? In what ways are they fundamentally similar? Be specific in your answers.

Both Latino and Asian religious experiences play a vital role in our cultures and heritage, but they are concepts that play very different roles within our overall societal structure here in America. In terms of the Latinos, they now probably constitute the largest ethnic group in California, and living here it is very obvious to see how great a role they play on our culture. Latino ancestry developed in Mexico, and therefore it is primarily from the south, and from other areas of Latin America that the foundations of their cultural experiences have come. They are Christian in nature, and although in the past they have primarily been seen as Roman Catholic, in more recent times they have also started to depict many Protestant ideologies. They rarely follow the traditional notions of American Christian beliefs however, and it has been their specific cultural and socio-historical flavors which have created the specific Latino religious influences that we see played out in the American nation today. They have very specific notions and ideologies, and as their traditions have focused on things such as Guadalupismo, curanderismo, and Penitente traditions, they have managed to shape their own unique cultures within the American Catholic following. For example, the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe has played a major role throughout Latino religious developments, and this depiction has made Latinos often very spiritually aware and continually devoted to the following of Virgin Many, as well as many other Saints as well. Traditional Latino religious practices are usually undertaken Spanish, and often they are centered around legends, hymns, ballads and dramatic representations which mainly focused on the birth, life and death of Christ. The religious principles often focus on expression and grandeur, and frequently the ideologies are based on extravagance and miraculousness. This is again highlighted in the tale of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and it shows how many individuals frequently turn to miracles as a way to try and substantiate and understand the oppressions that are constantly ongoing
These have become iconic and spiritual figures within the religions, and they are commonly classed as patron saints who may be given days of that the followers admire and give respect to. The biggest one of these is probably Dec 12th which is the day devoted to Virgin Mary, and she is again another icon and symbol of greatness across the Latino religious environment. Overall however, I would say that the Latino cultures and religions give individuals coming from this ethnic background an outlet to see how they can achieve equality, and it gives them a way to project their ideas and historical notions out the masses. Therefore, it is through this that they are able to bring their own image to America, and they can therefore be symbolized as unique and different from the masses when they get here.

The Asian American religious experience is very different from that of the Latino culture, and therefore it holds a very different forum in American society today. Unlike the Latino experience which primarily focuses on Christianity, the Asian foundations encompass Buddhism, Christianity, along with a variety of the other major religions in our world today. As a result of this, the experiences therefore include a wide range of different theologies that are constantly developing, and this is probably why the Asian culture is has the most diverse religious establishment out of all that exist in our world today.
Firstly, unlike the Latino religions, the Asian American experience isn’t monotheistic, and therefore individuals often look towards many different Gods when they establish their religious ideals. Along with this, the initial Asian settlers came to this part of the world much later than the Latinos, and their primary intent was to advance their economic situations, and earn money which they would then be able to send back to their families at home. The immigrants were often greatly marginalized when they first settled here, and over the years they have been faced with continual oppression by the Native Americans which have made integration often difficult.
Unlike in the Latino culture, there seems to be great structure to the majority of Asian religious and cultural practices, and many of the individuals adhere to their beliefs often in a very quiet and unassuming way. I think that as a community they have often accepted the oppression with which they are faced, and as they see it as inevitable, over the years, they have rarely done much to challenge it. In many cases I would say that they feel that the best way to advance in society and to individually prosper is to conform to mass ideology, but I think that this desire for conformity has meant they now have little voice is the overall American religious arena. In Asian American religious and cultural practices, economic gains are always considered as of primary importance, and I think that many try to achieve this by invoking this quiet sense of controlled rationalism in their lives. Everything seems to be about portraying a positive image, and as there is so little emotion and visible expression, when it comes to mass American society I think their individual identities are frequently lost.
Within the Asian Religions themselves, the practices tend to focus on traditionally held beliefs, and it is primarily the family which establishes the foundations of this. Family life, tradition and loyalty as very much seen at the core of Asian culture, and therefore this also plays out in the religions they practice. Religions are copied from generation to generation, and it is past structures which tend to prevail over more modern day customs. The excerpt from the reader titled Religion in the Family shows how strong the link to the family is in this culture, and it highlights how simple yet structured many Asians lives are.
Overall compared to Latino Religions, I would say that the Asian Americans aren’t as prominent in our current society today. I think that the fact they are so quiet, and try to always work hard and keep their heads down is the primary factor of this, and I see that they are always trying to make some gains, rather than looking to be accepted how they are. I think that the Asians have constantly struggled to get rid of their marginalization across American society, and although I think that the impact of their foods has played a role over recent times, I don’t think that they are likely to gain much progress in projecting their religious ideologies onto the American masses at any point soon.

Although I have shown that these two religious experiences are incredibly different in many ways there are some fundamental similarities between them. Firstly they have both had a major influence on the cultures here in America and are both growing populations across the American nation. Alongside this they both became most influential here after the occurrence of a war, as it was the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that gave many Latinos citizenship and the outcome of the Vietnam War which led to many Asians travelling across the Pacific. Although the religions developed during different time periods, once they did reach the American nation, they both seem to have formed set communities and become prominent within set areas of the US. For example, the Latinos have a huge influence in California and the South, whereas the Asian Chinatowns and Little Tokyo’s seem to have been confined mainly to the North East on the country. Both ethnicities faced discrimination at first, and they were initially treated as the lower class within society as they were seen as different and likely to cause trouble, but over time they have managed to integrate more, and have added their own character to certain parts of the nation. I think that this establishment of their own communities within set regions has been the reason why they have been able to stay so true to their foundations over the years, and as the specific groups and ethnicities have been able to stay together, they have not only been able to keep their identities intact, but have also managed to keep their religious principles fairly similar to the traditional concepts as well.
Over the years however, it is clear that both of the communities have faced struggles whilst trying to maintain their core values, and I think this has meant that their religious foundations have also been altered to be more in line with American ideals. In terms of this, I do think that both of the religions have probably been Americanized to some degree, and I think that many of the generations growing up here today probably relate first with the white Protestant culture, rather than to their traditional and historical foundations. At present I see this occurring simply because they are exposed and socialized to these American ideals on a much more profound level, and I think that this occurs as we are meemed, and constantly stereotyped down one set social path. Over the more recent eras I do think that both Latinos and Asians have become more ethically and gender conscious and I think that providing the individuals of these communities are prepared to step up and challenge their marginalization, they may be able to make their cultural existence and diversity more common to the masses, and this will allow them maintain a vital role in American religious diversity. Also as the numbers of immigrants grow, they may both be able to increase in voice, and therefore if the communities grow so much that they start to gain a political influence, I don’t think I would be long before they help a more influential religious influence as well.


13. What role did the Buddhist Church serve in the "ethnic adjustment of Japanese Americans"? (see pages 512 to 526 of the READER).

When many Japanese came to the US at the turn of the 20th century, they were met with an entirely different culture from what they had been used to. Not only was the daily life of these individuals totally different, but also the societal norms and fundamental belief systems also had a very new structure to what many had been used to in the past. In order to be accepted into the new way of life that they faced, the Japanese had to change many of their common beliefs and practices, and it was frequently through religious settings like the Buddhist Church, that they were shown and guided along the path to inclusion.
Over the years the churches themselves have continually provided an outlet for Japanese citizens to come together after arriving in America, and since the beginning these have also been used as a social forum and outlet for individuals to discuss with each other the fundamental problems that were arising. The churches unintentionally therefore provided an internal support network which gave immigrants a chance to associate with others facing the same problems as themselves, and in the long run this has probably prevented many from experiencing problems such as isolation and loneliness which could so easily have arisen.
When the initial settlers came from Japan, many were faced with tough social and economic problems, and therefore the church became something that was seen as positive in the lives of many of these men. It gave them almost a connection to their homelands, and as it was envisioned as a happy place, many relied on it to see the world through a more positive lens. Once the 1940s hit however, the Japanese themselves started to be seen by the Americans as much more suspicious, and subsequently as a result of this, the church was also forced to change. For many of these Japanese citizens the churches themselves became a haven of shelter, and therefore many ended up coming under violent attack throughout the era. Throughout the 40s many were consequently forced to close, and in terms of ideology, Japanese citizens as well as the Buddhist church continued to be seen as more and more negative throughout all aspects of American society. During this time I think both outlets were suppressed for the ideologies they promoted, and they were almost forced underground, so as not to be seen or heard by the masses. However, throughout this time I think that the two factors managed to stay closely linked alongside each other, and as many Japanese citizens lived within Buddhist churches, the Church started to be seen as the face of Japanese identity. As they became more and more oppressed, they also become more integrated with each other, and this is why I personally believe that the traditional Japanese roots remain a factor throughout the Buddhist churches located here in America even today.
Overall I would say that the Japanese population in America has changed and correlated alongside the Buddhist Church, and it has been the institution that has enabled Japanese identity to remain in America throughout all the years of struggle. For many years, being a Japanese Buddhist was seen as holding such a negative identity that certain individuals were too scared to follow its practices. However, as time has passed, the oppression has started to lift, and nowadays individuals again want to identify with their true cultures, and have returned to the traditional ethnic identities. Over the years however, I do think that the Church itself has become much more Americanized in its nature, and therefore I think it has lost the power and distinct ideology that it did hold many years ago. In this sense, I think that western ideals have to a degree taken control over the traditional oriental methods, and some of the traditional customs have also been lost in the process as well. However, even with this occurring, the simple fact that there are increasing numbers of Japanese citizens living who are trying to get back to their roots, shows how their belief in true ethnicity obviously does still play a role here, and I would personally say that it is the Buddhist Church we have to thank for that.


14. Overall, what lessons should we draw from the diversity of religious experiences in America? More specifically, what hurdles or conflicts do Americans still face in trying to practice their respective religions? Can they be overcome? How?

Obviously this entire course has focused on the different religions across the American nation, and it has highlighted just how diverse and extreme the cultures and faiths here actually are. Although we often see ourselves in one single way, if we look below the surface, I think that each one of us is extremely unique, and we all have varied ideologies which vary profoundly and have a great impact on the way that we live our lives. I think that over the years our religious diversity has been suppressed and pushed below the surface, and it seems that many of our religious experiences have either been forgotten, or retold in a certain way which doesn’t actually mirror the truth. If we look at our experiences, we can see how many of the main religions such as Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity, as well as much smaller tribal religions such as the Native American ones, or the Latino experiences have all had certain impacts within our society, and these have all led to the way our culture and ideologies are shaped today.
Although many different religious factors have played a role in the development of our society and the formation of our ethnicity, I feel that many people forget this, and today I think we are constantly depicted as a society which has little diversity or history. I think that through meme theory our religious experiences have been depicted in a very homogenous way, and therefore I think that we often need to look a little deeper to see how false this depiction actually is. The main lessons that I think we need to draw from the transitions of American religion is that diversity is extremely prominent and that we shouldn’t just look at our stereotypes to determine the overall culture. If we look below the surface I think that we see how a wide range of experiences and influences have made us who we are today, and therefore we need to learn how religion is constantly changing and playing a vital role in the formation of our identity, whether we really believe it or not.
In many cases, I think today we have become so caught up and consumed with conformity within society that we fail to see the religious influences that are placed on us, and the diversity that does actually exist if we look just a little deeper into our history. As individuals are so highly judged on their ethnic backgrounds and what they believe in, I think that many feel suppressed with their ideologies, and therefore do not think they are able to practice their respective faiths and ideas they truly believe. As there are so many conflicting reports and questions as to what theories are actually true, I also think that this causes conflict for many as they are unsure if their faith is actually real/ logical. Alongside this, religious diversity also causes extreme tension throughout many areas of the world, and therefore I also think many individuals feel that if they were to make their ideologies more open, they would bring tension and problems into the community. In this sense, I feel that because individuals don’t want to be judged and criticized, they feel that they must conform to mass ideas, and commonly this means that they end up following the Christian faith which is seen as dominant throughout America today. I would consequently say that the world we currently live in today prevents us from being able to follow our true callings, and as a result individuals face constant barriers in terms of the ideas they must follow. In this sense I think that our diversity is lost simply because it is told to us in set ways that we rarely question, and as a result we have lost many of the native religions which formed the foundations of American society.
Personally I don’t see that in the present world we live that these problems will be overcome, and that we will be able to return to the native ideologies and beliefs that were present for so long. Nowadays religious diversity is seen almost as a sin, and as many of the traditional practices have become so controversial, they probably wouldn’t be tolerated today. Therefore, in order to truly allow the native diversity to return to America in the way it once did, there would have to be a major ideological chance across the nation as a whole. We would need to all come to terms with the uniqueness of individuals, and we would need to look into the past to fully understand the experiences that got us here today. We would need to understand that no two belief systems can ever be the same, and that even when we consider two people of a certain denomination, their ideas and followings will never be identical.
I believe that in order to overcome this lacking religious and cultural diversity, we need to understand how easily influenced we can be, and that the way we have been socialized in a way that pre-determines our social norms and societal beliefs. In this sense I think that we need to see that the religion we are told today may not exactly be represented in the way it occurred in the past, and therefore, instead of judging our historical diversity, we should use it to better understand where our current society has stemmed, and how it may develop and transition in the future.

15. Describe how one new religious movement (founded in America) has transformed American life in unexpected ways? Clue: choose one group and trace any specific influences.

Scientology is a new religion in America that has raised great controversy over recent times. As it was only founded in 1953, it is still developing and being integrated into the main American cultures, and therefore its underlying role and impact is still unknown and may be considered still as a little unstable. Today, however, I do think that it is quickly becoming part of our modern American culture, and as it has started to become discussed in many of our media outlets over recent times, the masses have become more exposed to the principles it mirrors and depicts. It was first established and founded by a man named L.Ron Hubbard, and at the center of his ideology, and at the core of the faith, it is said to be the ‘principles of truth’ that can be found.
In terms of the fundamental ideologies surrounding the religion, it uses modern day topics to search for, and study the truth. It centralizes it focus on the fact that any individual can achieve success and greatness, and alongside this, its aim is to eradicate common problems such as war and criminals. In terms of the teachings within the religion itself, they are focused on over 40 books and 2,500 tape-recorded lectures made by the founder and creator Ron Hubbard, and according to his website the religion itself encompasses “the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life….and it comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths.” The major belief that followers worship is that “man is an immortal, spiritual being whose experience extends well beyond a single lifetime,” and as followers see that the capabilities of man are unlimited, it can be concluded that each and every person holds the potential for greatness.
As it considers itself as the first real religion in the highly global and technological age of the 21t century, the concepts also include many of the more modern day issues that are frequently prominent in our mass society. These include things such as human rights and drug rehabilitation, and as a result of this, I think that many see it as a religion that is much more in tune with our current times. In this sense I think it is has been a movement which has transitioned a new concept of religion into the 21st century, and therefore I think that individuals can relate to its discussions simply because they are more closely associated with the modern day situations it depicts. I think that nowadays the traditional religions are so old that the tales within them cannot be related to our modern day culture, and therefore I think that for some, the classical religions like Christianity and Islam aren’t seen as so inviting, simply because they cannot be easily related to.
Personally I think that the biggest role the church of Scientology has played on our society is the fact that overall it has made the concept of religion almost like a fashion and in many ways it can be viewed as a form of popular culture. I think that for many, the religion is almost seen as something which would be cool to associate with, and therefore many individuals, especially youngsters say they are followers simply because they think it sounds good. Also Scientology has a very close connection with the ‘Hollywood,’ aspect of our society, and over recent times, the media has been continually discussing celebrities and their links alongside this specific faith. Obviously the biggest discussion has surrounded the actor Tom Cruise, and he has openly admitted that he is a devoted follower of this faith, and that he practices many of its principles. Due to celebrities like these openly associating with the Church, I think this has provided a platform for many to also say they are followers, often because they feel this gives them a closer connection to their most commonly idolized celebrities even though they may know nothing about the actual religion at all.
Overall, I definitely think that the church of scientology has regenerated and given life to the entire concept of religion here in America, and I think that this discussion in the media has made many reconsider religion as something which may be beneficial in their lives. In relation to this I also think it has brought about new and unexpected discussion regarding a number of topics that haven’t been openly discussed in society in the past, and these include such things as birth control, drugs, and many other human rights issues. Although I don’t think the viewpoints and ideas of Scientology should be necessarily used to solve these issues, I think that the fact the media has brought discussion of them into mass society, means that a new forum has been created for new and different concepts to be continually envisioned and discussed. In this sense I think that we have started to discuss a broader range of societal issues in terms of religion, and therefore I think that it is a more modernized outlet which has allowed controversial topics move from the private realm, into the public.