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Religion, Communism, and Science as Conceptual Systems

Religion, Communism, and Science as Conceptual Systems. Stuart Umpleby The George Washington University www.gwu.edu/~umpleby. The role of conceptual systems in controlling society. People seek to control society by inventing ideas which are then enforced by institutions

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Religion, Communism, and Science as Conceptual Systems

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  1. Religion, Communism, and Science as Conceptual Systems Stuart Umpleby The George Washington University www.gwu.edu/~umpleby

  2. The role of conceptual systems in controlling society • People seek to control society by inventing ideas which are then enforced by institutions • Religion was an early means of social control • Saying that rules of behavior come from God gives them more authority

  3. God Jesus Christ Pope Vatican College of Cardinals Priests Bible Marx & Engels V.I. Lenin Gen. Sec. Of CP Kremlin Supreme Soviet Members of CP Das Kapital, etc. Catholic Church and Com. Party

  4. Adherence to Doctrine Excommunication Spread the faith Loyalty to Com. Party Exile in Siberia Spread Communism Catholic Church and Com. Party

  5. What ideas are included? • The beliefs in a religion depend on the circumstances at the time the religion was created • In Protestantism a priest is not necessary as a mediator between God and man because Protestantism was created at a time when people were disillusioned with corruption in the Catholic Church

  6. What ideas are included? • Christianity arose within a well-established state, the Roman Empire. • Islam arose in a region and a time when governments were not well-organized. Hence, Islam includes beliefs about appropriate government as well as beliefs about spirituality and individual behavior

  7. Source of authority is God To reject the will of God risks eternal damnation Source of authority is experiment and the judgment of peers Rejecting scientific norms risks rejection by the scientific community Religion vs. Science

  8. Religious doctrine can be changed only by the Pope or the College of Cardinals Scientific theories can be changed by individuals whose ideas are accepted Religion vs. Science

  9. In religions differences of opinion are resolved by those in authority In science differences of opinion are resolved by conducting experiments In democracy differences of opinion are resolved by voting How science and democracy are different from religion

  10. A presentation for the University of Washington’s Center for Comparative Religious Studies • Tashkent, Uzbekistan • November 12, 2004

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