The Practice of Altruism: Caring and Religion in Global PerspectiveCambridge Scholars Press, 2006 - 209 pages The study of altruism and altruistic behavior has caught the attention of social scientists especially in recent years. What motivates individuals to cultivate attitudes and actions that promote the wellbeing of others at the expense of, or at the risk of negative consequences for their own? In our contemporary global society marked by conflict and violence among different sectors of the population in various regions of the world, and wherein religion can be a factor that exacerbates such conflict and violence, harnessing the power of religion towards directions of reconciliation, creativity, and altruistic action, remains a crucial task for humankind. This volume addresses a question especially relevant in our day: do people who profess religious commitment or affiliation in a particular religious community tend to nurture altruistic kinds of attitude and action more than others? Social scientists present results of their empirical studies on Japanese society, as well as on North American, European, Indian, and Thai societies, to focus on this issue and offer insightful reflections on the relationship between religion and society. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 27
... ideas , form them to suit our own situation , and pass them on to the next generation . The religious bodies seek ... idea and argue that the sacred and the mundane should remain unrelated . Some pastors of the Danish Lutheran Church ...
... idea of dān . Dān is a gift without a receipt , at least in this lifetime . If we can talk about accountability with dan it is in terms of spiritual accountability . In many ways dān is like philanthropy — and philanthropy in its ideal ...
... idea of Thanet Aphornsuvan in Thammasat University , Phibunsongkharam fears the influence and return of former Prime Minister Pridi Phanomyongand who was replaced and exiled by conservative politicians including Phibunsongkharam . He ...
Contents
Altruism in New Religions in Japan | 12 |
Kamagasaki Ecumenical Network | 43 |
Japanese Buddhist Responses to Terrorism | 60 |
Copyright | |
7 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
The Practice of Altruism: Caring and Religion in Global Perspective Ruben Lf Habito,Keishin Inaba No preview available - 2008 |