Anthropology Responses, Essay Example

• What is required of a ritual in order for it to be considered religious? Provide a specific example of a religious ritual that is not discussed in this chapter and contrast it with a non-religious (secular) ritual; what are the key differences between the examples that you have provided?

For a ritual to be considered religious it must be a teaching unanimously accepted by the religion, does not contradict other religion belief and is considered to have spiritual nourishment of the believers. A good example is the prophets of Baal and Elijah in 1^st King 18 when Elijah ceased the day by calling upon God to provide fire for his sacrifice. While, the Baal prophets prayers did not provide fire to consume their sacrifice. The main different between ritual and which are religious and not religious are that those who are practicing religious rituals have affiliated it with their faith.

• Despite lack of actual ‘medicine’ (drugs or other) why do you suppose therapy rituals still demonstrate effectiveness in their respective cultures? The answer here is related to the placebo effect. If you have not heard of this phenomenon – look it up on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo
  You should consider the circumstances surrounding the anti-therapy ritual discussed later in the chapter in order to fully form your understanding.

Therapy rituals do still demonstrate effectiveness because those who practice are physiologically prepared that once the ritual is done they will get healed. Hence, once it’s done their mind is set that they are healed and become positive in their mind set up.

• What function do rites of passage serve in a society? Provide an example (not shared in the book) and its purpose in its respective society.

The function of ritual of passage has roles in societies as it depicts those who have been elevated from one group of the society to the other. For example Christians undergo baptism which makes them qualify to belong to the religion hence it’s a rite of passage.

• This question continues to examine the concept of a rite of passage: What does it mean to occupy a liminal state? Have you even been in a liminal state? Describe what it was like; did you exhibit any of the characteristics in table 4.2 on page 92? What does it mean to experience communitas? Have you even experienced it? Describe what it was like; are you still friends with the people that you went through a rite of passage with? (One example could be military boot camp – as this is considered a transition portion of a rite of passage and recruits are said to be in a liminal state and to experience communitas.)

To occupy a liminal state is a situation which there is a right a passage being characterized by change over which is yet to take place. I am currently undergoing a luminal state by attending classes in high school which I will eventually graduate to college so I am undergoing a transition. It conforms with characteristics in page 92 because I am psychologically set that I am undergoing training now so that I would proceed to college. Experience of communicates is of a community which people are equal spiritually and all of them have a feeling liminality together. I have been experiencing it in school as we live in a community which all the students are in limunality they are in transition mode to join college. Its feeling is encouraging as each of the students encourages each other for they are in the same course.

• Provide an example of a religious tabu that is not discussed in the text. What repercussions are expected if someone breaks such a cultural rule?

The religious taboo which is not discussed in the text is condemnation of those who lives the religion teaching by mainly adopting teachings which contradicts what the religion believes in. If one breaks such cultural rules they are excommunicated in the religion for example marriage of catholic priests who are not allowed by their cultural believes.

• Identify and describe something that possesses mana that you know of or have experienced.

Mana is a sacred person or objects which posse’s authority or power. The emblem used by the police force or the crown which they were posse’s authority and by the bearer giving instructions they are followed not because of their personality but by the virtual that they have objects which posses authority and power.