Sociological Definition of Religion Concerning Aborigines Essay Example for Free

sociological Definition of Religion Concerning Aborigines EssayIn my opinion, I find the sociological definition of trust to be my favorite and most helpful. Clifford Geertz explains his definition very clearly, saying that religion is a system of symbols which acts to establish situationful, persuasive and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with much(prenominal) an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic.What I believe he means is that instead of sounding at theories and things of that nature about how religion started, we should look at concepts beyond religion itself. I set up that the Australian Aborigines follow closely along this same(p) definition of religion. To the Aborigines, the world has everlastingly existed, meaning everything was always here they had no creation myths. They had believed the ultimate supreme was associated with th e sky and was the source for in all power in the universe, but said it was not the focus of worship.Instead, religious practices focused upon a number of spirits who purportedly slept within the earth and transformed it every now and then. The earthly spirits were capable of taking the same form of either human or animal they were considered totemic ancestors. This all relates to the sociological definition of religion because the Aborigines formed conceptions about the spirits, which gives an order for existence it all seems very realistic to them. Anthropologists studied deeply into these Australian Aborigines.They looked into a primordial era that was a part of an Aborigine myth. They found that this era referred to a finish in time when the first ancestors shaped the world and established traditions that their descendants must follow. The actions of the ancestors were thought to be imprinted on the land, possibly in significant physical landscapes, in unusual water holes, or in the main characteristics of animals and plants. This era was said to be the foundation of Aboriginal thought and religious practice and its power was ongoing.This all relates to Geertz definition of religion once a get into, because during the era, the ancestors set up lasting moods and motivations for the Aborigine nation. The Aborigine peoples ritual practices concentrated on reenacting the events that took place during the primordial era. Song, dance, and body sand paintings were used to gain access to the era and teach everyone in the community about it. Male and female had different powers, as well as different types of work, during these certain rituals.These rituals relate to Geertz because the native Aborigine people are proceed the traditions and are passing down the tales about the spirits. Theyre giving the conception of existence an order of factuality. In conclusion, what I can tell personally, the Australian Aborigines followed right along the same path of religi on as Geertz would describe Im sure hed be very fond of it all. With everything that they do, it all falls back on the sociological definition of religion. The rituals, the era, the beginnings, all follow along the same guidelines as Clifford Geertz.