Superstition, Cults & More Ancient Beliefs

SUPERSTITION, CULTS &

MORE ANCIENT BELIEFS

Astrology :A 10 page overview of Astrology; i.e., its history, purpose(s), principles, and criticisms. Bibliography lists 9 sources. Astrolo2.wps

Astrology & The First Amendment : Approximately 50 analytical and opinionated pages that attempt to respond to the title question : "Astrology, Psychics, Superstition, Cults in America : Symptoms of a malfunctioning First Amendment?" No bibliography. Astrlogy.wps

Cosmology : 5 pages in length. The concept of human beings understanding everything about their universe is preposterous and arrogant. We truly do not have any idea what has transpired, is occurring or will happen within the cosmos, even with the aid of scientific data. There are just some things that cannot be obtained merely for the asking. The writer delves into the deeper meaning behind the universe and discusses why mortals are not likely to be the ones who find out the secrets of the cosmos. Bibliography lists 2 sources. Cosmolgy.wps

Celtic Paganism & The Progression Of Culture Towards Christianity : A 5 page paper that provides an overview of the movement in Celtic literature from paganism to Christianity and the way in which the Celts supported their traditions within the emerging culture. Bibliography lists 4 sources. Celticp.wps

Celtic Druid Priests: Rituals and Ritual Sites : An 18 page comprehensive paper on Druids. In the course of the paper, the writer details Druid ritualistic practices and religious beliefs (including Stonehenge), Druid philosophy, and Druid history & mythology, and then goes on to describe the available sources of information on Druid priests. Druids2.wps

Ancient Grecian Temple Priests : A 6 page essay examining the roles of the priest in the religion of ancient Greece. The Grecians had a god for every occurrence of nature and for every condition or abstract thought, and they were responsible for duly worshipping each in order to avoid the wrath of any god or goddess that might feel slighted. Consulting with a god meant consulting with the oracle ensconced in the most important holy places; the priest associated with the particular site was to interpret the sayings of the oracle, translating them into a language that the more common types could understand. Bibliography lists 3 sources. Grecian.wps

Greek Religious Practices / Hellenic vs. Hellenistic Era : Is a 5 page paper contrasting early Greek Olympian religious practices which could be called Hellenic, themselves a result of combining a variety of cultures settling the Greek region, and including the later rise of mystery cults and a variety of philosophies, with the diaspora of Greek culture during the Hellenistic imperial era after Alexander the Great’s conquests. The analysis stresses the many cross-cultural influences during both eras. Bibliography lists 5 sources. Greek Relig.wps

Marduk : A 6 page paper explaining the origin of the Babylonian god, Marduk. It traces the history of Marduk, describes

his position as supreme god, cites references to him in the Book of Daniel, and compares the Babylonian creation story to that of the Biblical story of creation. Bibliography lists 5 sources. Marduk.wps

Marduk & Yahweh : A 6 page paper comparing Marduk and Yahweh. Explains the origin of Marduk, his worship, and compares and contrasts Marduk to Yahweh. Bibliography lists 6 sources. Mayahweh.wps

The Nuer Religion & Its Views Of Nature : A 10 page paper discussing the Nuer religion in Africa and its views regarding nature, as well as the foundation for those beliefs. There are currently close to one million Nuer living in the Sudan and Ethiopia. Bibliography lists six sources. Relnuer.wps

Cults & The Rationale Behind Mass Suicides : A 6 page paper discussing several "suicide cults,"including Heaven’s Gate, The People’s Temple, The Branch Davidians, and the Canadian Solar Temple. The writer explains why people join these cults, and argues that although these groups are definitely an aberration of our times, there is little that can be done, at least in the United States, because freedom of religion is guaranteed under the Constitution. Bibliography lists 6 sources. Cults.wps

Suicide & Religion : The correlation between these two variables is outlined in this 10 page research proposal. After a review of sociological literature, a study is designed which includes the derivation of relevant statistical data as well as questionnaire distribution. Ten sample questions are included as well as an explanation of the methodology employed. Variables are described in detail. Bibliography lists 14 sources. Relsuic.wps

Dangerous Cults In The United States : This 14 page paper answers the question as to whether or not dangerous cults should be legal in the United States. The answer is not surprisingly complex as the question involves many issues, most predominately Constitutional freedoms. Groups such as Heaven's Gate, EST, Santeria, the Ku Kux Klan and the Right to Life movement are just some of the groups discussed. Satanic song lyrics are also addressed as part of the issue. The paper concludes that while truly dangerous cults should be outlawed, this should be done very carefully as not to infringe on first amendment rights. Bibliography lists 7 sources. Cults.wps

UFO Cults : A 5 page paper discussing UFO cults and their doctrine of suicide, how they lure people into their organizations and how to avoid being taken in by these groups.. Bibliography lists 3 sources. Ufocult.wps

Religion and "Magic" : A 6 page paper that considers the magico-religious elements of a number of primal religions and compares them practices in Catholicism. This paper utilizes information presented by Kenneth Kuykendal and others to demonstrate the importance of magic and ritual in religion. Magicrel.wps

Islamic Alchemy : A 10 page research paper on the this early form of chemistry plus the mystical implications it held for its adherents as well as its influence on Western culture. Bibliography lists 6 sources. Alchemy.wps

Rastafarianism : An 8 page paper on the religion, philosophy, and culture started by Marcus Garvey. This paper mainly deals with the history, the background, and the religious beliefs of this predominantly black religion. Bibliography lists 5 sources. Rastas.wps

The Seventh Generation - The Religion Of The Native American : A 6 page paper discussing important concepts in Indian spirituality. The writer features quotes from a number