The paper proposes that the evolutionary origin of religions is based on theory of mind as the product of interdependent division of labor between the forest specialist group (women and small children) and the woodlan...The paper proposes that the evolutionary origin of religions is based on theory of mind as the product of interdependent division of labor between the forest specialist group (women and small children) and the woodland specialist group (men) in early hominins who lived in the mixed forest-woodland habitat. To complement each other’s work without interfering each other’s work, one specialist group had to recognize (imagine) that the other specialist group existed to think for themselves and to do different works. The result was theory of mind which is to recognize (imagine) that the others exist to think for themselves. (The forest-woodland groups became the hunter-gatherer groups for the Homo species in the savanna habitat.) Under existential pressure, hominins invented imaginary specialists as imaginary agents who existed to think for themselves and to do different works in imaginary division of labor to enhance survival chance. The result was religion with imaginary behaviors. Therefore, religion is defined as a set of beliefs and behaviors based on theory of mind that produces a shared imagination to enhance survival chance under existential pressure. This paper proposes that the religious evolution consists of the premodern imaginative religion for local society habitat starting from bipedalism, the modern rational imaginative religion for regional society habitat starting from the Axial Age, and the postmodern diverse rational imaginative religion for global society habitat starting from the Information Revolution. In conclusion, the religious brain is the imaginative brain, and the religious social behaviors are imaginary social behaviors. The religious evolution is the evolution of human imagination to enhance survival chance under existential pressure, such as the religious reinforcement of social bonds to enhance the survival chance of social group and the religious relief of stress and anxiety to enhance the survival chance of individuals.展开更多
In this essay, I make the claim that the study of religion suffers from an identity crisis that is made all the worse by an inability to effectively navigate not only the many divisions within the field, but also the ...In this essay, I make the claim that the study of religion suffers from an identity crisis that is made all the worse by an inability to effectively navigate not only the many divisions within the field, but also the many ways in which influences external to the realm of scholarship, including media, university administration, and public opinion, represent significant areas of discourse that need to be better integrated into our scholarly work. In conclusion, I argue that a greater attention to the ethical or social value of social theory can go a long way in helping to clarify what is at stake, and perhaps even bridge some of these divides without loosing academic integrity.展开更多
Dunhuang,located in the northwestern part of China,is a town that feels like it's carved out of the pages of a history book.Nestled at the edge of the Gobi Desert in China's Gansu Province,this ancient oasis c...Dunhuang,located in the northwestern part of China,is a town that feels like it's carved out of the pages of a history book.Nestled at the edge of the Gobi Desert in China's Gansu Province,this ancient oasis city has been a crossroads of cultures,religions,and trade for over 2,000 years.展开更多
This article examines an early 2nd century BC decree of an association worshipping Zeus Hyetios,“the provider of rain,”in the Koan deme of Antimacheia.Focusing on the prosopographical information of the five individ...This article examines an early 2nd century BC decree of an association worshipping Zeus Hyetios,“the provider of rain,”in the Koan deme of Antimacheia.Focusing on the prosopographical information of the five individuals mentioned in the decree,this article contextualizes the association’s activities within the broader framework of Hellenistic Kos,highlighting issues such as landownership,migration,and social structures,whilst exploring the association’s agricultural focus,its integration with local deme structures,and its strategies for managing the challenges of absentee landownership.This study also argues that the unusual name of the association reflects the frequent absence of its members from the central cult place,who therefore needed to travel a considerable distance in order to attend the cult’s rituals in Antimacheia.This case underscores the interplay between religious,social,and economic dynamics in rural communities.展开更多
Objective:There is conflicting evidence suggesting an association between Ramadan and mental health.Aim:This study aims to assess changes in depression,anxiety,and stress levels during Ramadan among university student...Objective:There is conflicting evidence suggesting an association between Ramadan and mental health.Aim:This study aims to assess changes in depression,anxiety,and stress levels during Ramadan among university students from Saudi Arabia and to measure the magnitude of change in these levels according to gender.Methods:This study is a prospective cohort study.Data was collected using a structured questionnaire that measured demographic data of the students,and levels of depression,anxiety,and stress utilizing the short form of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales questionnaire(DASS 21).The assessments were performed starting from the month of Shaban(the month that precedes Ramadan),and the second wave of data collection was initiated beginning the second week of Ramadan until the end of the month.Differences in the proportion of students who are categorized as normal or having abnormal degrees of depression and anxiety between Shaban and Ramadan were tested using either the Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test.Results:A total of 321 students completed the assessment during Shaban and Ramadan.More than half of the students were male(54.2%),with a mean age of 22.A statistically significant di7fference in levels of anxiety,depression,and stress between the assessment periods was detected(p<0.001).The proportion of students classified as normal increased during Ramadan across all measured conditions in comparison to during Shaban.The reduction in the number of students classified as having anxiety,depression,and stress between the assessment periods remained statistically significant across both genders.Nonetheless,degrees of change appear to be higher among male students than among female students.Conclusion:This study identified a reduction in levels of depression,anxiety,and stress among students during the month of Ramadan,as well as gender variation concerning levels of change.The results support the significance of considering social,religious,and spiritual aspects when designing interventions to address individuals’mental health.展开更多
Since 1960,there have been more than thirty UN peacekeeping missions across Africa,the most of any region in the context of the conflicts that have plagued the region for decades.It has become increasingly evident tha...Since 1960,there have been more than thirty UN peacekeeping missions across Africa,the most of any region in the context of the conflicts that have plagued the region for decades.It has become increasingly evident that official diplomacy is not enough to resolve these crises.Experience shows that given the people’s reliance on religion,religion has continued to act as a force of conflict prevention and resolution in the region.The role played by faith-based diplomats has gained the trust of the conflict parties such that it would be unwise for national and international actors to neglect their role in policy making and conflict prevention and resolution.展开更多
We’re trying a few new things here at TWOC,namely,not going with an overall theme.Instead,we’ll be bringing you stories from a variety of perspectives from around the country to help provide a more comprehensive vie...We’re trying a few new things here at TWOC,namely,not going with an overall theme.Instead,we’ll be bringing you stories from a variety of perspectives from around the country to help provide a more comprehensive view of the modern Middle Kingdom,and we hope to continue to bring you the best in Chinese culture,society,entertainment,language,and long-form journalism for a long time to come.展开更多
CHINA is a nation of many religions, the main five ones being Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Roman Catholicism and Christianity (Protestantism). There are also some special religions of some minority nationalities or region...CHINA is a nation of many religions, the main five ones being Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Roman Catholicism and Christianity (Protestantism). There are also some special religions of some minority nationalities or regional beliefs. Buddhism was introduced into China from India around the First Century, and gradually developed into several sects including the Han-language-family Buddhism, the Tibetan-language-family Buddhism (or Lamaism) and Pali-language-family Buddhism. For all of these sects, recent data reveals there are more than 9,500 Buddhist temples and 170,000展开更多
The rapid growth of Chinese religion and the related studies will potentially reshape the boundary of sociology of religion. While sociology of religion focuses mainly on exclusive religions, so much so that it was on...The rapid growth of Chinese religion and the related studies will potentially reshape the boundary of sociology of religion. While sociology of religion focuses mainly on exclusive religions, so much so that it was once labeled ＂sociology of Christianity,＂ it meets challenges and opportunities in China where non-exclusive religions dominate the society. At the micro-level, the prevalence of non-exclusive religion poses challenges to some key concepts rooted in Western society, such as conversion and commitment. At the organizational level, it challenges sect-to-church theory, reminding us to study non- bureaucratic religious organizations. At the market level, Chinese religions are a laboratory for sociologists to examine factors leading to the prevalence of non-exclusive religions.展开更多
The Five Plague Gods(五瘟神) in the Shuilu(水陆) murals from the Ming and Qing dynasties exemplify a distinctive manifestation of plague gods image developed under the pedigree of Taoist gods.As a significant system f...The Five Plague Gods(五瘟神) in the Shuilu(水陆) murals from the Ming and Qing dynasties exemplify a distinctive manifestation of plague gods image developed under the pedigree of Taoist gods.As a significant system for expelling disasters in Shuilu,the depiction of the Five Plague Gods prominently merges human beings and livestock.This shape form to a large extent,draws on the image of Nuo(傩),a figure reflecting an imagination of the host of plague pathogens.In terms of the numbers of gods,it aligns with the conceptual framework of Wu Xing(五行 the five elements),a foundational principle in traditional Chinese medicine.The internal cultural connection highlights the means of plague prevention and control in China,as well as the external reflection of plague culture.Through multi-dimensional interpretations with the double proof method,this article dissects the formation,core elements,and cultural characteristics of the beliefs in the Five Plague Gods reflected in the Shuilu murals,and transcends mere visual semantics,offering a deeper understanding of these complex cultural symbols.展开更多
This paper explores the evolution of religious experience from ancient nature worship and ancestor reverence to modern individualized spirituality.It examines how early spiritual practices were deeply intertwined with...This paper explores the evolution of religious experience from ancient nature worship and ancestor reverence to modern individualized spirituality.It examines how early spiritual practices were deeply intertwined with daily life,later becoming institutionalized through formalized religions with complex rituals and doctrines.The rise of mysticism,emphasizing personal connections with the divine,persisted alongside institutional religions.In contemporary society,the shift towards"spiritual but not religious"reflects a return to personalized spiritual paths,driven by individualism and the desire for direct,meaningful spiritual experiences.This trend's implications for both individuals and society are also discussed.展开更多
History textbooks can and primarily should contribute to the strengthening of students’awareness of universal human values.However,history textbooks can also deepen the divisions,prejudices,and uncritical attitudes,c...History textbooks can and primarily should contribute to the strengthening of students’awareness of universal human values.However,history textbooks can also deepen the divisions,prejudices,and uncritical attitudes,contrary to the goals of education.The youth population,which is still building and creating their point of view towards the world is the main group in the education process.The learning period,in the elementary,as well as in the secondary education is of utmost importance for the development of every human.To that end,history,through the contents of the past largely shapes our perceptions of every individual,ourselves,and the others.Since we are living in a multiethnic and multi-confessional society,I have decided to conduct an analysis of the teaching contents of high school textbooks related to religion.Another reason for the analysis is the role of religion in the formation of Balkan nations,which have made it one of the key elements of their national identities.It is often given the role of raising and strengthening the national awareness,patriotism,as well as the country homogeneity,which most often leads to forming prejudices,divisions,and discrimination towards people of minority religions.The large volume of content related to the religion,and also the mere fact that Muslims are the second largest religion group in the population,I have decided to analyze the contents which are related only to the Islamic religion.The goal is to look for both the positive and negative sides of those contents in history textbooks in secondary schools,which are backed by state institutions that are supposed to take care of the development of competitive,creative,progressive,and ethically formed human potential.The critical review will give an additional impulse to the efforts of eliminating those parts of the teaching contents that create divisions and prejudices,especially in history textbooks,so that its studying can become the key factor in the building of trust between people of different religions.展开更多
The purpose of this article is to reveal the historiography and current state of research related to the cult buildings of the Eneolithic period of the Cucuteni-Trypillian cultural community.The article describes the ...The purpose of this article is to reveal the historiography and current state of research related to the cult buildings of the Eneolithic period of the Cucuteni-Trypillian cultural community.The article describes the historical path of archaeological discoveries,from the first Trypillian sanctuaries to the discovery of the largest Nebelivka temple complex in Ukraine in 2012.At the same time,the work partially raises the issue of religious beliefs of the ancient farmers of Central Europe in connection with the discovery of their sacred buildings.Since special scientific works have not comprehensively addressed this issue and are still fragmentary in nature,it is important at the present stage of research to make some coverage and systematization of existing materials on this issue.展开更多
This study examined individual correlates of beliefs in the efficacy of alternative and complementary medicine (CAM). In all, 2126 adults were tested, and the results showed six significant correlates, including sex, ...This study examined individual correlates of beliefs in the efficacy of alternative and complementary medicine (CAM). In all, 2126 adults were tested, and the results showed six significant correlates, including sex, political ideology, religious beliefs, and self-esteem (SE). Strongest correlates were belief on Life after Death (r = 0.32), Religiousness (r = 0.28) and Optimism (r = 0.20). A regression that accounted for 17% of the variance indicated that females more than males;more religious rather than less religious, more politically conservative rather than liberal;more those who believed rather than did not believe in the afterlife;and those who rated themselves as more rather than less optimistic believe in the efficacy of CAM. Age, degree status, and SE were not significantly related to beliefs about CAM. Limitations are acknowledged.展开更多
This analysis uncovers the complex interplay of religion,politics,and society in Israel,revealing the intricate dynamics of secular and religious ideologies.The study explores the deep ideological rift between secular...This analysis uncovers the complex interplay of religion,politics,and society in Israel,revealing the intricate dynamics of secular and religious ideologies.The study explores the deep ideological rift between secular and religious communities,a divide that profoundly impacts political stability and policymaking.This division often leads to political crises and reshuffling,with the political system characterized by unstable coalition governments.The research is grounded in the divisions over the state’s spiritual ideology,with significant Orthodox influence shaping policy on education,family law,and cultural affairs.The research shows the profound influence of religious parties on Israeli politics,significantly shaping the country’s policies and ideological direction.Influenced by external factors such as security threats and diplomatic challenges,the dynamic interaction between politics and religion shapes Israeli politics since religious parties advocate for policies that align with their interpretation of Jewish religious law,thereby impacting the role of religion in public policy.The influence of religious politics has led to a discernible shift toward greater religious orthodoxy in public life,driven by the political power of religious parties that prioritize religious values above secular democratic principles.The state’s endorsement of religious education and institutions shapes public policy and societal norms.The analysis examines the influence of religious values in public policy and the dynamic interaction between religious and political spheres,aimed to ensure that religion remains dominant in shaping societal norms and governance.This complex relationship demonstrates the ongoing challenges in balancing religious orthodoxy with secular principles,which poses difficulties and has implications for the stability and cohesion of Israeli society.The urgency and complexity of this task cannot be overstated,as it is crucial for the future of Israeli politics and religious dynamics.展开更多
The proposed universal psychological mechanism for developmental psychology is the mental protective system whose different parts emerge and mature in the eight different stages of psychosocial protective development ...The proposed universal psychological mechanism for developmental psychology is the mental protective system whose different parts emerge and mature in the eight different stages of psychosocial protective development under different social interactions. The proposed eight stages of psychosocial protective development are childhood (infancy, toddlerhood, pre-juvenile age, and juvenile age), adolescence, early young adulthood, late young adulthood, early middle adulthood, late middle adulthood, early late adulthood, and late late adulthood. The mental protection system consists of four socialities (collectivistic, individualistic, interdependent, and generativity), three worldviews (territorial, competitive, and cooperative), and the mental immune system for four regulated and unregulated countermeasures (hyperactivity, phobia, comforter, and rationality) against adversities. During childhood, dependent children have collectivistic sociality under the protection of committed parents and territorial worldview with the boundary of family. Children start with the unregulated mental immune system without delayed gratification due to mental immaturity, and gradually acquire the regulated mental immune system with delayed gratification through mental maturity. Adolescents transit to adulthood. Independent adults have the regulated metal immune system, individualistic sociality with reciprocity, and competitive-cooperative worldviews without boundary. After the age of 50, older people as elder leaders-mentors develop generativity sociality to protect next generation. The paper shows that the mental protective system as the universal psychological mechanism for developmental psychology explains clearly psychosocial protective development, the human evolution, the Piaget’s cognitive development, the Erikson’s psychosocial (ego-social) development, the Confucius’ (educated person’s) six milestones of life, and parent-child relation in the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) and Confucianism.展开更多
文摘The paper proposes that the evolutionary origin of religions is based on theory of mind as the product of interdependent division of labor between the forest specialist group (women and small children) and the woodland specialist group (men) in early hominins who lived in the mixed forest-woodland habitat. To complement each other’s work without interfering each other’s work, one specialist group had to recognize (imagine) that the other specialist group existed to think for themselves and to do different works. The result was theory of mind which is to recognize (imagine) that the others exist to think for themselves. (The forest-woodland groups became the hunter-gatherer groups for the Homo species in the savanna habitat.) Under existential pressure, hominins invented imaginary specialists as imaginary agents who existed to think for themselves and to do different works in imaginary division of labor to enhance survival chance. The result was religion with imaginary behaviors. Therefore, religion is defined as a set of beliefs and behaviors based on theory of mind that produces a shared imagination to enhance survival chance under existential pressure. This paper proposes that the religious evolution consists of the premodern imaginative religion for local society habitat starting from bipedalism, the modern rational imaginative religion for regional society habitat starting from the Axial Age, and the postmodern diverse rational imaginative religion for global society habitat starting from the Information Revolution. In conclusion, the religious brain is the imaginative brain, and the religious social behaviors are imaginary social behaviors. The religious evolution is the evolution of human imagination to enhance survival chance under existential pressure, such as the religious reinforcement of social bonds to enhance the survival chance of social group and the religious relief of stress and anxiety to enhance the survival chance of individuals.
文摘In this essay, I make the claim that the study of religion suffers from an identity crisis that is made all the worse by an inability to effectively navigate not only the many divisions within the field, but also the many ways in which influences external to the realm of scholarship, including media, university administration, and public opinion, represent significant areas of discourse that need to be better integrated into our scholarly work. In conclusion, I argue that a greater attention to the ethical or social value of social theory can go a long way in helping to clarify what is at stake, and perhaps even bridge some of these divides without loosing academic integrity.
文摘Dunhuang,located in the northwestern part of China,is a town that feels like it's carved out of the pages of a history book.Nestled at the edge of the Gobi Desert in China's Gansu Province,this ancient oasis city has been a crossroads of cultures,religions,and trade for over 2,000 years.
文摘This article examines an early 2nd century BC decree of an association worshipping Zeus Hyetios,“the provider of rain,”in the Koan deme of Antimacheia.Focusing on the prosopographical information of the five individuals mentioned in the decree,this article contextualizes the association’s activities within the broader framework of Hellenistic Kos,highlighting issues such as landownership,migration,and social structures,whilst exploring the association’s agricultural focus,its integration with local deme structures,and its strategies for managing the challenges of absentee landownership.This study also argues that the unusual name of the association reflects the frequent absence of its members from the central cult place,who therefore needed to travel a considerable distance in order to attend the cult’s rituals in Antimacheia.This case underscores the interplay between religious,social,and economic dynamics in rural communities.
文摘Objective:There is conflicting evidence suggesting an association between Ramadan and mental health.Aim:This study aims to assess changes in depression,anxiety,and stress levels during Ramadan among university students from Saudi Arabia and to measure the magnitude of change in these levels according to gender.Methods:This study is a prospective cohort study.Data was collected using a structured questionnaire that measured demographic data of the students,and levels of depression,anxiety,and stress utilizing the short form of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales questionnaire(DASS 21).The assessments were performed starting from the month of Shaban(the month that precedes Ramadan),and the second wave of data collection was initiated beginning the second week of Ramadan until the end of the month.Differences in the proportion of students who are categorized as normal or having abnormal degrees of depression and anxiety between Shaban and Ramadan were tested using either the Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test.Results:A total of 321 students completed the assessment during Shaban and Ramadan.More than half of the students were male(54.2%),with a mean age of 22.A statistically significant di7fference in levels of anxiety,depression,and stress between the assessment periods was detected(p<0.001).The proportion of students classified as normal increased during Ramadan across all measured conditions in comparison to during Shaban.The reduction in the number of students classified as having anxiety,depression,and stress between the assessment periods remained statistically significant across both genders.Nonetheless,degrees of change appear to be higher among male students than among female students.Conclusion:This study identified a reduction in levels of depression,anxiety,and stress among students during the month of Ramadan,as well as gender variation concerning levels of change.The results support the significance of considering social,religious,and spiritual aspects when designing interventions to address individuals’mental health.
文摘Since 1960,there have been more than thirty UN peacekeeping missions across Africa,the most of any region in the context of the conflicts that have plagued the region for decades.It has become increasingly evident that official diplomacy is not enough to resolve these crises.Experience shows that given the people’s reliance on religion,religion has continued to act as a force of conflict prevention and resolution in the region.The role played by faith-based diplomats has gained the trust of the conflict parties such that it would be unwise for national and international actors to neglect their role in policy making and conflict prevention and resolution.
文摘We’re trying a few new things here at TWOC,namely,not going with an overall theme.Instead,we’ll be bringing you stories from a variety of perspectives from around the country to help provide a more comprehensive view of the modern Middle Kingdom,and we hope to continue to bring you the best in Chinese culture,society,entertainment,language,and long-form journalism for a long time to come.
文摘CHINA is a nation of many religions, the main five ones being Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Roman Catholicism and Christianity (Protestantism). There are also some special religions of some minority nationalities or regional beliefs. Buddhism was introduced into China from India around the First Century, and gradually developed into several sects including the Han-language-family Buddhism, the Tibetan-language-family Buddhism (or Lamaism) and Pali-language-family Buddhism. For all of these sects, recent data reveals there are more than 9,500 Buddhist temples and 170,000
文摘The rapid growth of Chinese religion and the related studies will potentially reshape the boundary of sociology of religion. While sociology of religion focuses mainly on exclusive religions, so much so that it was once labeled ＂sociology of Christianity,＂ it meets challenges and opportunities in China where non-exclusive religions dominate the society. At the micro-level, the prevalence of non-exclusive religion poses challenges to some key concepts rooted in Western society, such as conversion and commitment. At the organizational level, it challenges sect-to-church theory, reminding us to study non- bureaucratic religious organizations. At the market level, Chinese religions are a laboratory for sociologists to examine factors leading to the prevalence of non-exclusive religions.
基金financed by the grants from Shanxi Province Postgraduate Education Innovation Plan (No. 2023KY126)Humanities and Social Sciences Research Project of The Ministry of Ecuation (No. 23YJAZH182)。
文摘The Five Plague Gods(五瘟神) in the Shuilu(水陆) murals from the Ming and Qing dynasties exemplify a distinctive manifestation of plague gods image developed under the pedigree of Taoist gods.As a significant system for expelling disasters in Shuilu,the depiction of the Five Plague Gods prominently merges human beings and livestock.This shape form to a large extent,draws on the image of Nuo(傩),a figure reflecting an imagination of the host of plague pathogens.In terms of the numbers of gods,it aligns with the conceptual framework of Wu Xing(五行 the five elements),a foundational principle in traditional Chinese medicine.The internal cultural connection highlights the means of plague prevention and control in China,as well as the external reflection of plague culture.Through multi-dimensional interpretations with the double proof method,this article dissects the formation,core elements,and cultural characteristics of the beliefs in the Five Plague Gods reflected in the Shuilu murals,and transcends mere visual semantics,offering a deeper understanding of these complex cultural symbols.
文摘This paper explores the evolution of religious experience from ancient nature worship and ancestor reverence to modern individualized spirituality.It examines how early spiritual practices were deeply intertwined with daily life,later becoming institutionalized through formalized religions with complex rituals and doctrines.The rise of mysticism,emphasizing personal connections with the divine,persisted alongside institutional religions.In contemporary society,the shift towards"spiritual but not religious"reflects a return to personalized spiritual paths,driven by individualism and the desire for direct,meaningful spiritual experiences.This trend's implications for both individuals and society are also discussed.
文摘History textbooks can and primarily should contribute to the strengthening of students’awareness of universal human values.However,history textbooks can also deepen the divisions,prejudices,and uncritical attitudes,contrary to the goals of education.The youth population,which is still building and creating their point of view towards the world is the main group in the education process.The learning period,in the elementary,as well as in the secondary education is of utmost importance for the development of every human.To that end,history,through the contents of the past largely shapes our perceptions of every individual,ourselves,and the others.Since we are living in a multiethnic and multi-confessional society,I have decided to conduct an analysis of the teaching contents of high school textbooks related to religion.Another reason for the analysis is the role of religion in the formation of Balkan nations,which have made it one of the key elements of their national identities.It is often given the role of raising and strengthening the national awareness,patriotism,as well as the country homogeneity,which most often leads to forming prejudices,divisions,and discrimination towards people of minority religions.The large volume of content related to the religion,and also the mere fact that Muslims are the second largest religion group in the population,I have decided to analyze the contents which are related only to the Islamic religion.The goal is to look for both the positive and negative sides of those contents in history textbooks in secondary schools,which are backed by state institutions that are supposed to take care of the development of competitive,creative,progressive,and ethically formed human potential.The critical review will give an additional impulse to the efforts of eliminating those parts of the teaching contents that create divisions and prejudices,especially in history textbooks,so that its studying can become the key factor in the building of trust between people of different religions.
文摘The purpose of this article is to reveal the historiography and current state of research related to the cult buildings of the Eneolithic period of the Cucuteni-Trypillian cultural community.The article describes the historical path of archaeological discoveries,from the first Trypillian sanctuaries to the discovery of the largest Nebelivka temple complex in Ukraine in 2012.At the same time,the work partially raises the issue of religious beliefs of the ancient farmers of Central Europe in connection with the discovery of their sacred buildings.Since special scientific works have not comprehensively addressed this issue and are still fragmentary in nature,it is important at the present stage of research to make some coverage and systematization of existing materials on this issue.
文摘This study examined individual correlates of beliefs in the efficacy of alternative and complementary medicine (CAM). In all, 2126 adults were tested, and the results showed six significant correlates, including sex, political ideology, religious beliefs, and self-esteem (SE). Strongest correlates were belief on Life after Death (r = 0.32), Religiousness (r = 0.28) and Optimism (r = 0.20). A regression that accounted for 17% of the variance indicated that females more than males;more religious rather than less religious, more politically conservative rather than liberal;more those who believed rather than did not believe in the afterlife;and those who rated themselves as more rather than less optimistic believe in the efficacy of CAM. Age, degree status, and SE were not significantly related to beliefs about CAM. Limitations are acknowledged.
文摘This analysis uncovers the complex interplay of religion,politics,and society in Israel,revealing the intricate dynamics of secular and religious ideologies.The study explores the deep ideological rift between secular and religious communities,a divide that profoundly impacts political stability and policymaking.This division often leads to political crises and reshuffling,with the political system characterized by unstable coalition governments.The research is grounded in the divisions over the state’s spiritual ideology,with significant Orthodox influence shaping policy on education,family law,and cultural affairs.The research shows the profound influence of religious parties on Israeli politics,significantly shaping the country’s policies and ideological direction.Influenced by external factors such as security threats and diplomatic challenges,the dynamic interaction between politics and religion shapes Israeli politics since religious parties advocate for policies that align with their interpretation of Jewish religious law,thereby impacting the role of religion in public policy.The influence of religious politics has led to a discernible shift toward greater religious orthodoxy in public life,driven by the political power of religious parties that prioritize religious values above secular democratic principles.The state’s endorsement of religious education and institutions shapes public policy and societal norms.The analysis examines the influence of religious values in public policy and the dynamic interaction between religious and political spheres,aimed to ensure that religion remains dominant in shaping societal norms and governance.This complex relationship demonstrates the ongoing challenges in balancing religious orthodoxy with secular principles,which poses difficulties and has implications for the stability and cohesion of Israeli society.The urgency and complexity of this task cannot be overstated,as it is crucial for the future of Israeli politics and religious dynamics.
文摘The proposed universal psychological mechanism for developmental psychology is the mental protective system whose different parts emerge and mature in the eight different stages of psychosocial protective development under different social interactions. The proposed eight stages of psychosocial protective development are childhood (infancy, toddlerhood, pre-juvenile age, and juvenile age), adolescence, early young adulthood, late young adulthood, early middle adulthood, late middle adulthood, early late adulthood, and late late adulthood. The mental protection system consists of four socialities (collectivistic, individualistic, interdependent, and generativity), three worldviews (territorial, competitive, and cooperative), and the mental immune system for four regulated and unregulated countermeasures (hyperactivity, phobia, comforter, and rationality) against adversities. During childhood, dependent children have collectivistic sociality under the protection of committed parents and territorial worldview with the boundary of family. Children start with the unregulated mental immune system without delayed gratification due to mental immaturity, and gradually acquire the regulated mental immune system with delayed gratification through mental maturity. Adolescents transit to adulthood. Independent adults have the regulated metal immune system, individualistic sociality with reciprocity, and competitive-cooperative worldviews without boundary. After the age of 50, older people as elder leaders-mentors develop generativity sociality to protect next generation. The paper shows that the mental protective system as the universal psychological mechanism for developmental psychology explains clearly psychosocial protective development, the human evolution, the Piaget’s cognitive development, the Erikson’s psychosocial (ego-social) development, the Confucius’ (educated person’s) six milestones of life, and parent-child relation in the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) and Confucianism.
