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 26
... teachings and practices ' , ' role models ' , and ' socialisation ' in new religions seem to be significant factors in their development of altruism . We shall now examine the developments of altruism under these three headings . Teachings ...
... teachings put emphasis on the values of kindness , compassion , and love . The combination of human contact in new religions and ethical teachings such as compassion and virtue develops altruism . Although a specific religion may still ...
... teaching on the Nirvana Sutra which is considered as the final teaching of the Buddha . The teaching includes both lay ... teachings of the founders and the Buddha and exists only for the sake of guiding people to become more altruistic ...
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 |