Megan Alexander Final Essay World Religions

Resisting Change

The secularization thesis refers to the belief that as societies progress, religion loses its

authority in all aspects of social life and governance. (Norris, 2013) Many social theorists during

the end of the 19 century and beginning of the 20th century believed that the inclination would

be toward the decline in religions. Yet, even as modern sciences have made developments

advancing us further than anyone could imagine, humans nevertheless continue to have

spiritual needs that they are only able to fulfil with religion. Many religions have had to evolve

with time and some have fought to remain true to their fundamental values and beliefs. For this

paper I have chosen to look at the religions of Kabbalah and the Amish, and their current beliefs

on divorce, their views on science and whether those views have changed.

Kabbalah believes that one should try to avoid being egotistical. They believe that one of

the reasons so many marriages fail is that most of the love that is involved in marriages is

hormonal love and is used to meet needs that people have, whether sexual or feelings for

fulfillment, rather than spiritual love. If couples read the Zohar there are many tips to help

them to overcome their egos and work together with their partner to find a spiritual

connection. They have a famous verse that they refer to, “Man, woman, and the Divine

Presence between them,” and they believe that by finding this combination, a man and woman

can have a lasting marriage. This means that followers should work their marriage out by

working on themselves. Since traditionally true Kabbalists were Torah observant Jews, their

views on marriage have definitely softened from the rigid belief of marriage as a holy contract

overseen by God, to that of today where it is discouraged but allowed.

Megan Alexander Final Essay World Religions

Responses to Modernity

The Amish have worked hard to keep their beliefs in place. The Amish do not accept

divorce except for in cases of adultery and it is a reason to be excommunicated. Anabaptist and

Mennonites have never permitted divorce, and though divorce rates among Mennonites (the

only rates I could find studies on) have increased, the numbers were below one percent to

begin with and only slightly over one percent during a later study. The study also noted that the

divorce rates were higher among those who were inactive members of the religion which would

go along with the practice of excommunication being a consequence of divorce.

The Amish and Kabbalah have very different views on science. The Amish like to use

some of the latest farming innovations but they do not want to use science much beyond that.

They believe that they should keep the secular world out of their communities as much as

possible. Kabbalah on the other hand does not have much of a problem with science. From

what we learned in class, Kabbalah is about questioning and probing, which is what some would

say is the scientific method is about. There is a science of Kabbalah also that introduces the

study of actual science into Kabbalah. So, these two religions have both taken two very

different approaches toward science.

ReferencesDivorce and Remarriage. (2013, June 16). Retrieved from Global Annabapist Mennonite Encyclopedia

Online: http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/D59ME.html

Norris, P. (2013, June 18). Secularization. Retrieved from Wikipedia.org: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularization