My Midterm

Answer:

If I were to create my own new religion, it would more than likely start off as a cult (as seen in most religions of our time.) Although most people tend to see the term “cult” in a negative sense, a cult is really just a group who initially doesn’t see eye-to-eye with the rest of a group or society. Initially my religion would need to offer a large shift from the way the popular culture is thinking. For followers, I would look for middle to upper class people from urban areas, which are looking to change from the normal world’s culture and attitudes. Essentially they would have a characteristic of one who wished to either, assert them more, experience larger group acceptance and friendship, or possibly look to intensify a search within themselves for something greater. If I create my new religion correctly, it will eventually get larger and more than likely gain acceptance. The larger the group becomes, more its philosophy will evolve and incorporate the larger groups thinking taking it from the cult definition and becoming more like that of an established religion.

Ninian Smart explains that religions have seven dimensions that help to define it. As such I would need to define several key areas for my propose religion. First, my new religion would require some types of stories (myths) that it could pass on about its beliefs. The stories would need to be considered sacred or about someone I felt was both reverential and important to the beliefs. This could even be something that symbolically represented an adoration of the belief(s). For example, it could be an event that could explain away an unusual phenomenon or unexplained aspect of the world or life. Next my proposed religion should include some forms of repeated activities or re-enactments (rituals) of the myth’s that would connect the followers with the sense of something sacred and special about it. It would then be beneficial for it to have a way that the followers could experience the existence or presence of something divine or sacred about it. The experience would need to be something that could connect one with a feeling of something greater than self, which could provide a break from the mundane activities or relief over momentary problems and flaws in life. From a moral standpoint, my new religion would require its own unique philosophy or outlook on life, attitudes or beliefs. In addition it would require examples/models to follow that would employ standards of behavior (ethics) for how the group would interact within the group and society in general. The proposed religion would require some type of structure how the group would function together (a governing body) and a structure for how social interactions between the members should be conducted. Lastly I would look to gather any material forms or objects that could remind the members of sacred or divine thoughts or processes it contained.

For success, it would need to tie in what not what only is rational but that which transcends beyond the rational to a consciousness level that allows the follower to meet a higher spiritual need. While it could utilize a charismatic figure that would easily dupe the followers into following his/her desires, it could also rely more on content of what the new religion thought and how it systematically could lead one to evolutionary spiritual growth.

In order for my religion to become ultimately successful and to continue to perpetuate, it would require it own set of “meme’s” or specific thought processes that get passed on or mimicked by others. As Susan Blackmore explains, the specific processes would include the non-complex ideas and behavior about what the group feels represents essential needs, desires or fears. Being as simple as possible, they stand the chance of being continually mimicked by others, being passed from one person to another. The ideas then begin to connect individuals to the group.