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6. Define predestination.

  • The belief that God has predetermined which souls will be saved and given salvation
  • The belief that we all have our own role in life
  • The belief that our destiny on earth is already set

7. Why do Functionalists see religion as a conservative force?

  • It functions to prevent the fall of the patriarchy
  • It functions to maintain social stability and prevent society from disintegrating
  • It functions to maintain capitalism and prevent a revolution

8. How, in Marx’s view, does religion maintain capitalist society?

  • By creating a collective consciousness
  • By legitimising or disguising exploitation and inequality to create false consciousness
  • By making the working class believe they are going to hell if they are disobedient

9. In Weber’s view, what is the spirit of capitalism?

  • To flaunt wealth in the faces of the poor
  • To simply obtain more and more money
  • To oppress the working class

10. Who argues that technological change caused the birth of capitalism rather than religious ideas?

  • R.H. Tawney
  • Kautsky
  • Weber

11. Which perspective sees religion as an ideology that legitimises patriarchal power?

  • Feminism
  • Marxism
  • Functionalism

12. In what two ways can religion be seen as a conservative force?

  • It upholds traditional beliefs and functions to preserve the status quo
  • It prevents the spread of ideas and doesn’t allow for questioning
  • The conservative government supports it

13. What did Marx see as the driving force for change?

  • Spiritual or abstract factors
  • Economic or material factors
  • Material factors

14. What creates salvation panic?

  • A mixture of predestination and divine transcendence
  • A sense of not being good enough; insecurities about your choices
  • Invasive thoughts

15. What are the main beliefs of Calvinism?

  • Divine transcendence, divination, salvation and constant vigilance
  • Predestination, divine transcendence, asceticism, and religious vocation
  • Witchcraft, asceticism, and hard work

16. What is the difference between other-worldly asceticism and this-worldly asceticism?

  • Other-worldly asceticism refers to methodical work in a monastery, whereas this-worldly asceticism refers to methodical work in an occupation
  • Other-worldly asceticism is the belief in heaven, whereas this-worldly asceticism is the belief in purgatory
  • Other-worldly asceticism refers to methodical work in occupation, whereas this-worldly asceticism refers to methodical work in a monastery

17. Why does Weber argue that capitalism failed to take off in other societies such as China and India?

  • There was a lack of a religious belief system, like Calvinism, that would have spurred its development
  • They lacked the industrial power to create such businesses
  • They were largely Calvinist countries which meant that almost everyone was successful and there were not enough working-class individuals to exploit

18. Why did Hinduism fail to create capitalism?

  • It directed its followers towards material possessions and encouraged them to spend money
  • It is other-worldly, directing its followers towards the spiritual world rather than the material one
  • It lacked the self-control aspect that Calvinism promoted