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CHAPTER 05
Worldview: Cultural Explanations
Explanations of Life and Death
OVERVIEW
In Chapter Five, students are introduced to the concept of worldview, its manifestations, and its
relationship with culture. Worldview is framed using the major constructs of religion,
secularism, and spiritualism. Similarly to the previous chapter, the role of culture in intercultural
communication is contextualized by providing a simplied outline of the belief systems of some
of the worlds major religions, including: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and
Confucianism (though the latter is not, strictly speaking, a religion). In each case, the authors
explain the origins, core assumptions, and cultural expressions of each belief system.
OUTLINE
I. Worldview
A. Worldview and culture
B. Manifestations of worldview
2. Perceptions of business
C. Constructs of worldviews
2. Secularism as worldview
a. Rejection of “miracle” and supernatural beings
b. A set of ethical standards
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c. The finality of death
3. Spirituality as worldview
II. Religion
A. Religion and the sacred
B. Religion and personal conduct
C. The study of religion in the twenty-first century
1. Globalization and religion
2. Conflict and religion
2. Sacred writings
4. Ethics
F. Christianity
2. Cultural expressions of Christianity
a. Christianity and community
b. Christianity and individualism
c. Christianity and “doing”
d. Christianity and the future
e. Christianity and courage
3. Christian notions about death
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1. Core assumptions
3. Cultural expressions of Judaism
a. Oppression and persecution
b. Learning
c. Justice
d. Family and community
4. Jewish notions about death
H. Islam
2. Core assumptions
a. One God
b. Belief in angels
c. The Koran
d. Submission
e. Predestination
3. Judgment
4. Five Pillars of Islam
a. Statement of belief
b. Prayer
c. Almsgiving
d. Fasting
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5. Cultural expressions of Islam
7. Islamic notions about death
I. Hinduism
2. Sacred texts
a. The Vedas
b. The Upanishads
c. The Bhagavad-Gita
3. Core assumptions
a. Divine in everything
4. Cultural expression of Hinduism
a. Dharma
b. Karma
c. Four stages of life
i. Student
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5. Notions about death
J. Buddhism
2. Core assumptions
a. The four noble truths
i. Life is suffering
ii. Suffering is caused by craving, self-desire, envy
iii. To end suffering you must end desire
iv. There is a prescription/remedy to end desire
b. The eightfold path
i. Wisdom
1. Right view
1. Right speech
3. Right livelihood
iii. Mental Discipline
2. Right mindfulness
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3. Cultural expressions of Buddhism
a. The use of silence
b. Impermanency
c. Karma
5. Buddhist notions about death
K. Confucianism
2. Core assumptions
4. Cultural expressions of Confucianism
a. Jen (humanism)
5. Confucianism and communication
6. Confucian notions about death
III. Religion and Worldview: A final thought
IV. Summary
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ACTIVITIES
Activity 5-1: Intercultural interviews
This activity illustrates the role of family in intercultural communication, especially the
connection between family life and religion. By interviewing members of specific families
across cultures, students will be able to understand the strong pull of culture on both perception
and communication. After conducting their interviews, students should share some of their
findings with the class.
When choosing whom to interview, students should select at least three people of any of the
following religious groups and/or cultures*:
Atheist Scientologist
Buddhist Seventh Day Adventist
Fundamentalist Christian Shintoist
Hindu Southern Baptist
Jehovah’s Witness Unitarian
Latino
Mormon
Muslim
Native American
Orthodox Jew
Roman Catholic
*This list is not exhaustive. Instructors are encouraged to consider groups and cultures that have
a significant presence in the communities in which they teach.
Over the course of the interviews, students should ask some of the following questions:
• Does your family attend religious services together?
• Does your family pray together?
• What role does religion play in your family?
• Specifically, how has religion helped shape your family and the relationship
among its members?
• Does your family talk openly about religion often? Have there been conflicts in
your family that centered on religion?
• Have your own religious values/practices changed at all since you were a child?
• Does your family eat dinner together?
• Who usually prepares the family’s meal?
• Who usually cleans up after the family’s meal?
• Do all members of your family talk the same amount at the dinner table?
• Who is responsible for discipline in the family?
• Does your family share leisure time together?
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• What leisure time activities are part of your family?
• Is there a great deal of “play” and humor in your family?
• Is there a great deal of touching in your family?
• How are boys and girls treated in your family?
• How are chores divided in your family?
• How has religion shaped any of the activities and family rituals that have been
discussed so far during the interview?
Activity 5-2: Intercultural observations
This activity is intended to help students help students to develop a greater understanding of the
religious traditions of others. Students should visit and respectfully observe the prayer or
meditation services/activities at a Church, Mosque, Temple, or other cultural center. Students
may wish to contact the site prior to visiting to insure appropriate dress/conduct. After the
ceremonies, students should spend about 30 minutes making notes about what they saw and
heard. Some possible guidelines include:
• In what kind of a building do members gather?
• In what area of the city is it located?
• How is the building decorated?
• What do the ornaments imply about the members?
• How were the members dressed?
• How did the members interact with one another?
• What activities did the members engage in during the observation?
• What do the activities signify?
• How do the activities relate to your own cultural background?
• What rituals did you observe?
Using their notes, students should write up a short summary of what they observed and bring it to
class on a pre-arranged date. The instructor may wish to discuss student observations in a class-
wide discussion or through small groups. If the instructor uses break-out groups, he or she might
consider dividing students based on either (1) those who made observations at the same location
type (e.g., students who visited Mosques) to discuss the similarities and differences in their
experiences, or (2) those who made observations at different locations (e.g., at least one student
in each group visited a Church, Mosque, and Temple) so that students can discuss the similarities
and differences in their observations.
Activity 5-3: Exploring sacred texts and scriptures
In this activity, students are asked to locate and review passages from the scriptures and sacred
texts of the six religious traditions discussed in the text. It can be treated either as an individual
activity or a group activity. In the former case, instructors might assign or allow students to
select a single scripture/sacred text to review. The student would be responsible for reviewing
the text and identifying specific examples in the text that supports the way the religious tradition
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was presented by Samovar and Porter in this chapter. Students might then be put into groups to
discuss the examples that they found or simply turn in a short review of their discoveries. The
same concept approached as a group project would have students reviewing one or more
scriptures/texts in groups with the objective of finding specific examples that support the
chapter’s presentation of the religious tradition. In class, groups would share their discoveries
with other groups and discuss aspects of the scriptures and texts discovered during their searches.
Activity 5-4: Negative portrayals of religion in film
When portrayed in film, the complexity of religious life can sometimes become simplified
through the use of stereotypes and exaggerated caricatures. This activity asks students to reflect
on the many examples in which religion is depicted negatively in film. Using religions popularly
represented in film, ask students to think about the films and characters in which religion or
religious individuals are portrayed negatively. Identify as many as possible for each of the
following categories:
• Buddhist
• Christian
• Hindu
• Jewish
• Muslim
Students should:
2. Describe the explicit or implicit attributes ascribed to the religion in the film
3. How do the negative portrayals differ among religions? How are they similar?
3. Is there a consistency in the way each religion is negatively portrayed?
4. Count how many films and characters depicted each religion negatively
Points for discussion:
• Are some religions portrayed more negatively than others? Why or why not?
• Why do some religions receive more negative attention than others?
• How many positive portrayals can students identify?
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SUPPLEMENTAL FILMS AND VIDEOS
Buddhism Comes to America (1990, 30 minutes)
This instructional video explores the growth of Buddhism in the U.S. and how it is practiced,
with archival material, footage from the Living Dharma Center and interviews with prominent
Buddhists living in the U.S.
Café au Lait (1994, 94 minutes)
This film is a high-spirited, frank comedy about race, romance, and family in Paris. Lola, an 18-
year-old West Indian woman announces her pregnancy to her two lovers: Felix, who is a white,
Jewish bike messenger enamored by African American hip-hop; and Jamal, who is a black law
student from a wealthy diplomatic family. Beyond an un-sanitized view of race relations, the
film presents a unique family situation and nicely points out that in confrontation begins the
discovery of a common humanity.
Choosing Children (1984, 45 minutes)
This film explores the issues confronting lesbian mothers. Through interviews with mothers and
their children, the film speaks about possibilities for parenting and about the importance of
understanding different ways of living together.
The Faith of Islam (1988, 29 minutes)
This short, instructional video explains the basic tenets of Islam from an unbiased point of view.
Family and Household (1994, 30 minutes)
This instructional video examines the functions of family and household from a cross-cultural
perspective as well as their varied forms including monogamy, polygyny, and polyandry.
Hidden Faces (1990, 52 minutes)
This film portrays the lives of Muslim women in Egypt. In this collaborative documentary, a
young Egyptian woman living in Paris returns to Egypt and discovers complex frictions between
modernity and tradition as well as a disturbing renewal of fundamentalism.
Hinduism: A Way of Life (2009, 60 minutes)
This is a reasonably good introduction to the variety and complexity in what is considered to be
the world’s oldest religion.
Inside Islam (2002, 100 minutes)
This History Channel documentary on the origins and beliefs of Islam provides a good
background and understanding of the origins of Islam, its history, and the beliefs of its followers.
This documentary attempts to place Islam in the best possible light. When contrasted with
alternate presentations of Islam, it can produce unexpected insights.
Islam: What the West Needs to Know (2007, 98 minutes)
This video uses the Koran and other Islamic texts to argue that Islamic ideology seeks to destroy
or overwhelm other cultures, faiths, and forms of government. This video, if contrasted with
alternate presentations of Islam, can produce unexpected insights. However, be aware that the
video portrays Islam in a potentially inflammatory way.
Journey into Buddhism (2007, 255 minutes)
A set of three documentaries, Journey Into Buddhism provides an excellent review of Buddhism
and the Eastern spiritual tradition.
Wind Grass Song: The Voice of Our Grandmothers (1989, 20 minutes)
This film presents a unique vision of U. S. regional culture through an invaluable oral history,
memory, and the spirit of mid-westerners who conquered the challenges of this century. In this
documentary, venerable faces and voices of these elder women—Black, Native American, and
white—are interwoven.
TEST ITEMS: CHAPTER 05
Multiple-Choice
1. Worldview deals with all of the following types of questions except: (A) what is the
purpose of life? (B) what is the right way to live?; (C) where did I park my car?; (D) what
is the nature of good and evil; (E) how did life begin?
2. Which of the following best describes the relationship between worldview, culture, and
intercultural communication? (A) culture influences worldview; (B) worldview
influences culture; (C) intercultural communication is impacted by culture and
worldview; (D) B and C; (E) A, B, and C
3. The three forms that worldview can take discussed in the text include: (A) religion,
spirituality, secular humanism; (B) religion, spirituality, cosmology; (C) secular
humanism, cosmology, spiritualism; (D) secular humanism, empiricism, pragmatism;
(E) empiricism, objectivism, secular humanism
4. A religious worldview ____. (A) always recognizes a universal spirit, deity, or
God; (B) believes in a reality greater than humans; (C) believes that human conduct has
long term significance beyond death; (D) B and C; (E) A, B, and C
5. Other terms that describe the worldview of secular humanism include: (A) atheism,
nihilism, polytheism; (B) agnosticism, rationalism, deism; (C) animism, spiritualism,
shamanism; (D) atheism, agnosticism, monotheism (E) capitalism, animism, nihilism
6. Secularists ____. (A) reject “miracles” and supernatural beings; (B) have a set of ethical
standards like religious worldviews; (C) believe in the finality of death; (D) A and C;
(E) A, B, and C
7. The two basic approaches to spirituality as a worldview include: (A) formal religion is
not required to live a life of faith; (B) concern for the sacred, not material things; (C) the
impermanence of the immaterial; (D) A and B; (E) A, B, and C
8. Which of the following would not be consistent with a worldview of modern spirituality?
(A) learn to value action; (B) practice mindfulness; (C) engage in creative expression;
(D) seek simplicity in lifestyle; (E) none
9. Religion serves as a mechanism of social control by ____. (A) establishing notions of
right and wrong; (B) transferring some of the burden of decision-making from the
individual to the supernatural; (C) reducing stress and frustration that lead to social
conflict; (D) A, B, and C; (E) none
10. The elements of religion include all of the following except ____. (A) speculation;
(B) finality of death; (C) sacred writings; (D) rituals; (E) A and B
11. Rituals ____: (A) help relieve social tensions and reinforce group bonds; (B) be direct or
indirect; (C) are instinctive; (D) A and B; (E) A, B, and C
12. ____ differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable conduct. (A) speculation;
(B) rituals; (C) ethics; (D) cause and effect; (E) prehistories
13. Which of the following is/are core assumptions of Christianity? (A) Jesus is the son of
God; (B) pain is the gravest problem in human life; (C) the material world is the only
reality; (D) A and B; (E) A, B, and C
14. Cultural expressions of Christianity include all of the following except: (A) the
importance of community; (B) the importance of self; (C) the importance of non-action;
(D) the importance of courage; (E) assurance of the future
15. According to Judaism, who did God choose to function as “father” to the Jewish people?
(A) Muhammad; (B) Abraham; (C) Isaac; (D) Siddhartha; (E) none
16. Of the following, which is not a core assumption of Judaism? (A) only one God;
(B) people have free will; (C) obedience to God; (D) original sin; (E) none
17. Judaism is expressed in culture through ____. (A) a history of oppression and
persecution; (B) the emphasis on learning; (C) the idea of justice; (D) the importance of
family and community; (E) A, B, C, and D
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18. According to Islam, Muhammad is/was the____. (A) prophet of God; (B) son of God;
(C) son of man; (D) incarnation of the divine; (E) fusion of church and sate
19. Core assumptions of Islam include: (A) belief in angels; (B) the Koran is the word of
God; (C) submission to the will of God; (D) B and C; (E) A, B, and C
20. Which of the following is not one of the pillars of Islam? (A) prayer; (B) alms;
(C) prudence; (D) fasting; (E) pilgrimage
21 The Islamic term Jihad refers to ____: (A) an internal battle against one’s baser instincts;
(B) acts that defend Islam or furthers its cause; (C) a complete way of life; (D) A and B;
(E) A, B, and C
22. Identify the statement that is not correct about Hinduism. (A) world’s oldest known
religion; (B) highly monolithic; (C) created before people maintained written records;
(D) originated in what is now northern India; (E) lacks a single canonical text
23. The Bhagavad-Gita describes paths to liberation that include action, devotion, and ____.
(A) peace; (B) knowledge; (C) persistence; (D) selflessness; (E) C and D
24. The ideas that an ultimate reality exists and the divine is in everything are core
assumptions of ____. (A) Hinduism; (B) Confucianism; (C) Shamanism; (D) rationalism;
(E) B and D
25. The term ‘dharma’ is translated as: (A) duty; (B) law; (C) justice; (D) truth; (E) A, B, C,
and D
26. According to the law of Karma: (A) good actions produce rewards; (B) bad actions
produce punishments; (C) sometimes A but always B; (D) sometimes B but always A;
(E) A and B
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27. When the Buddha was asked if he was a God, what was his reply: (A) I am God; (B) I am
what you see; (C) I am awake; (D) I am what I am; (E) no
28. The first noble truth in Buddhism is: (A) suffering is caused by desire; (B) life is
suffering; (C) to end suffering you must end desire; (D) suffering is caused by necessity;
(E) evil is the cause of suffering
29. All of the following are part of the Eight-fold path except ____. (A) right view; (B) right
purpose; (C) right speech; (D) right conclusions; (E) right efforts
30. The sayings of Confucius are presented in ____. (A) the Vedas; (B) the Upanishads;
(C) the Analects; (D) the Koran; (E) A, B, and C
31. Adherents to Confucianism express their belief through ____. (A) humanism, rituals,
power, and the arts; (B) spiritualism, rituals, power, and the arts; (C) secularism and
rationality; (D) right action and right thinking; (E) C and D
True/False
1. Worldview is an all-encompassing picture of reality based on shared assumptions about
how the world works.
2. Secular humanism denies ‘miracles’ and rejects the idea of supernatural beings.
3. Secular humanism, unlike religious worldviews, does not have a set of ethical standards.
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4. Spirituality and religion are both experienced within a social institution.
5. Religion deals with both the sacred and personal conduct.
6. Globalization has had little impact on the world’s religions.
7. The most common of all rituals are rites of passage that mark key stages in the human life
cycle.
8. Christianity is the largest religious tradition in the world with more than two billion
followers.
9. Judaism is the precursor to both Christianity and Islam.
10. Followers of Judaism believe in the concept of original sin.
11. Jewish history is replete with examples of oppression, genocide, and persecution.
12. Muhammad received his revelation from God in 610 CE .
13. Muslims belief the Torah is the infallible Word of God.
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14. Islam reflects a complete way of life without making a distinction between religion and
society.
15. The Bhagavad-Vita is the oldest and most fundamental scriptures in Hinduism.
16. “Truth is one, but sages call it by various names” is a Hindu expression.
17. The Hindu concept of Dharma applies to both religious and communal responsibilities.
18. Buddhism bids men look to nothing but their own efforts for salvation.
19. The Buddha taught that only the righteous have the potential to seek the truth on their
own.
20. The Noble Truths in Buddhism reflect a pessimistic view of the world.
21. The remedy to human suffering, according to Buddhism, is the eight-fold path.
22. Confucianism is not formal religion in the conventional sense.
23. Confucianism emphasizes self-consciousness over social relations and responsibilities.
24. The cornerstone of Confucian thought is deep compassion and empathy, or ‘Jen’
(humanism).
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25. Confucian philosophy is reflected in language that is more direct.
Short Answer/Essay
1. What is worldview and how is it reflected and manifested in culture?
2. Differentiate between religion, secularism, and spiritualism.
3. How has globalization affected religion?
4. Discuss the nature of sacred writings across religions.
5. What are the core assumptions of Christianity?
6. How does Christianity relate to ideas of community, individualism, doing, courage, and
the future?
7. With less than one-quarter of one percent of the world’s population, why is Judaism
considered a ‘major’ religion?
8. What is meant by high and low-context cultures? Provide an example of a country in
which the dominant culture reflects high context and one which reflects low context.
9. Differentiate between the core assumptions of Judaism and Christianity.
10. Explain how the values of learning, justice, and family/community are reflected in Jewish
culture.
11. Give a brief overview of the origins of Islam.
12. List and explain the Five Pillars of Islam.
13. What is meant by the term ‘jihad’ and how is it used in Islam?
14. What is the ‘Islamic’ view on gender? Is there universal agreement? Explain.
15. One of the core assumptions of Hinduism is the divine in everything. What does this
mean?
16. Explain the Hindu notions of ultimate reality, Brahman, and multiple paths. How are
they related to one another?
17. Hinduism and Islam both reflect a ‘complete way of life.’ What does this phrase mean
and how is it reflected in each religion?
18. What is the relationship between dharma and karma? How does karma work?
19. What are the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism?
20. What is the purpose of the Eight-Fold Path in Buddhism? List and explain at least three
of the paths.
21. Discuss the Buddhist notions of silence and impermanence. How is it reflected in
communication and culture?
22. What are the Analects and how do they relate to Confucianism?
23. Confucianism is expressed in culture through jen (humanism), li (rituals), te (power), and
wen (the arts). Describe each and provide an example of how each might be manifest in
communication.
