The REALM of the The REALM of the SUPERNATURAL: SUPERNATURAL:

RELIGION and MAGICRELIGION and MAGIC

• Anthropologists define religion Anthropologists define religion as any set of attitudes, beliefs as any set of attitudes, beliefs and practices pertaining to and practices pertaining to supernatural powersupernatural power, whether , whether that power is forces, gods, that power is forces, gods, spirits, ghosts or demons. spirits, ghosts or demons.

The The supernaturalsupernatural is considered is considered to be those powers not believed to be those powers not believed to be human or not subject to to be human or not subject to the laws of nature or logic.the laws of nature or logic.

• For much of human history the For much of human history the division between religion and division between religion and other aspects of culture were not other aspects of culture were not strictly made. For example, the strictly made. For example, the realm of illness and healing was realm of illness and healing was widely considered part of a widely considered part of a culture’s religion.culture’s religion.

• Thus, illness was conceived as Thus, illness was conceived as the result of violations of the result of violations of spiritual beliefs or societal spiritual beliefs or societal norms.norms.

• Such Such supernaturally supernaturally caused caused illnesses are commonly thought illnesses are commonly thought to have only to have only supernatural supernatural cures.cures.

• Religious beliefs and practices Religious beliefs and practices are found in all cultures and also are found in all cultures and also seem to have a deep history.seem to have a deep history.

• From as long ago as 60,000 years we From as long ago as 60,000 years we find evidence of spiritual beliefs such find evidence of spiritual beliefs such as: as:

• (1) burial goods that seem to indicate a (1) burial goods that seem to indicate a concern for life after deathconcern for life after death

• (2) clay female figures that may have (2) clay female figures that may have been created to insure fertility been created to insure fertility

• (3) cave paintings of animal figures that (3) cave paintings of animal figures that may have been drawn to aid in huntingmay have been drawn to aid in hunting

• Why is religious beliefs found in Why is religious beliefs found in all cultures?all cultures?

• Most social scientists would say Most social scientists would say that religious beliefs are a that religious beliefs are a response to certain universal response to certain universal human needs or conditions.human needs or conditions.

• In particular these are:In particular these are:

• (1) the need for humans to (1) the need for humans to understand and explain the understand and explain the world that we inhabitworld that we inhabit

• (2) reversion to childhood feelings; (2) reversion to childhood feelings; i.e. that in the face of helplessness i.e. that in the face of helplessness and dependency humans revert to and dependency humans revert to those same feelings they had as those same feelings they had as helpless and dependent children to helpless and dependent children to rely on seemingly more powerful rely on seemingly more powerful parents and by abstraction parents and by abstraction supernatural forcessupernatural forces

• (3) the need to allay anxiety and (3) the need to allay anxiety and uncertaintyuncertainty

• (4) the need for belongingness (4) the need for belongingness or sense of communityor sense of community

• To understand the origins of To understand the origins of human religious beliefs it is human religious beliefs it is important to understand the important to understand the following terms:following terms:

• Animism is the belief in souls.Animism is the belief in souls.

• Animatism is the belief in Animatism is the belief in impersonal supernatural forces, impersonal supernatural forces, for example, good luck as coming for example, good luck as coming for certain objects or numbers; for certain objects or numbers; bad luck coming from certain bad luck coming from certain others.others.

• Anthropomorphic is to attribute Anthropomorphic is to attribute human characteristics and human characteristics and motivations to supernatural figures motivations to supernatural figures or forces. The ancient Greek gods or forces. The ancient Greek gods and goddesses are an example. They and goddesses are an example. They behaved as humans but with behaved as humans but with supernatural powers and eternal supernatural powers and eternal life.life.

• A monotheistic religion is one A monotheistic religion is one built upon the belief in a central built upon the belief in a central god or supernatural being.god or supernatural being.

• A polytheistic religion is one A polytheistic religion is one built on many important gods built on many important gods none of whom is supreme.none of whom is supreme.

• Some kinds of supernatural forces Some kinds of supernatural forces and beings:and beings:

• mana, (a term arising from cultures in mana, (a term arising from cultures in Polynesia) is a belief in a Polynesia) is a belief in a supernatural, impersonal force whose supernatural, impersonal force whose presence brings power and whose presence brings power and whose absence brings powerlessness.absence brings powerlessness.

• taboo is a belief in the polluting taboo is a belief in the polluting or harmful power of certain or harmful power of certain objects, places, practices or objects, places, practices or people.people.

• Spirits who are somewhat Spirits who are somewhat vague supernatural figures who vague supernatural figures who may be mischievous or helpful may be mischievous or helpful as in guardian spirits but not as as in guardian spirits but not as powerful as godspowerful as gods

• ghosts are supernatural beings ghosts are supernatural beings who were once human; who were once human; ancestor spirits are the ghosts ancestor spirits are the ghosts of dead relatives.of dead relatives.

• Ways to interact with the Ways to interact with the supernatural:supernatural:

• prayer, the act of honoring the prayer, the act of honoring the supernatural often supernatural often accompanied by requests or accompanied by requests or thanks for requests grantedthanks for requests granted

• (2) altered states of (2) altered states of consciousness induced by drugs, consciousness induced by drugs, alcohol, social isolation, alcohol, social isolation, sensory deprivation or repetitive sensory deprivation or repetitive sound or activitysound or activity

• use of imitation such as voodoouse of imitation such as voodoo

• divination, the use of a ritual to divination, the use of a ritual to determine answers to problems determine answers to problems or predict the future.or predict the future.

• sacrifice, to surrender sacrifice, to surrender something or someone valued something or someone valued to appease the supernatural or to appease the supernatural or attract supernatural goodwill.attract supernatural goodwill.

• MAGIC is the belief that human MAGIC is the belief that human action can compel the supernatural action can compel the supernatural to act in some particular and to act in some particular and intended way. MAGIC seeks to intended way. MAGIC seeks to control and manipulate the control and manipulate the supernatural through human supernatural through human action.action.

• Some common kinds of Some common kinds of practitioners of magic thus practitioners of magic thus defined are:defined are:

• (1) Shamans are usually part-time (1) Shamans are usually part-time spiritual practitioners, more often spiritual practitioners, more often male than female, who attempt to male than female, who attempt to heal the sick, bring good fortune, heal the sick, bring good fortune, guard against evil and ill fortune guard against evil and ill fortune and predict the future by seeking and predict the future by seeking to control supernatural forces.to control supernatural forces.

• They are often respected and They are often respected and valued members of their societies. valued members of their societies. They often also have a deep They often also have a deep knowledge of plant cures or some knowledge of plant cures or some kinds of practical, empirically kinds of practical, empirically based healing knowledge.based healing knowledge.

• (2) Sorcerers or witches, (2) Sorcerers or witches, however, are those generally however, are those generally thought to bring harm to people thought to bring harm to people in their society.in their society.

• (3) Mediums are part-time (3) Mediums are part-time spiritual practitioners who seek spiritual practitioners who seek supernatural intervention in supernatural intervention in healing or prophecy while in a healing or prophecy while in a trance state.trance state.