The Sociology of Religion

calling

• The growing impersonality of the economy on the basis of rationalization of the market follows its own rules, ignoring of which will result in economic failure and, in the long run, economic ruin.

  SRMW-RC-176

• The total habituation of positive religious qualifications may be regarded as a divine gift, the presence of which will manifest itself in a general orientation to whatever is demanded by religion, namely a methodically unified conduct of life.

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faith-and-doubt

• The most complete formal solution of the problem of theodicy is the special achievement of the doctrine of karma, connecting sin and evil as contamination of impurity.

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• Ancient Islam contented itself with confessions of loyalty to god and to the prophet, together with a few practical and ritual commandments, as the sufficient expression of faith.

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obedience-and-authority

• A religion of salvation changes its character as soon as it has reached lay circles not particularly concerned with intellectualism, and more so after reaching the masses.

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• Every enduring political band had a special god who guaranteed the success of the political action of its members, and whose power was therefore their specific concern.

  SRMW-RC-014