UNDERSTANDING CULTURE, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS

G1 ABUEVA, Nicole Madrio B5 FLOR DE LIS, John Christopher Lasco

G15 MARARAC, Angel Jherizelle Tang B8 GONZALES, Jean Adrian De Jesus
Group 3
G18 RODRIGUEZ, Angel Mikaella Alcantara B10 GUINTAO, Franz Rhadjie Tumale
Name
G22 TEATRO, Irish Angelyn Robines B19 SANTOS, Neil Frederic Ceasar Pascual
B3 DEL ROSARIO, Andrew Jay
Gr.&Sec. 12-Einstein Teacher Sir Darius J. Villanueva September 25, 2019

RELIGION AND BELIEF SYSTEMS (G1 ABUEVA, Nicole Madrio)

Religion is the set of beliefs, feelings, dogmas and practices that define the relations between
human being and sacred or divinity.

 Etymology
The word religion is derived from Latin "religio" (what attaches or retains, moral bond, anxiety of
self-consciousness, scruple) used by the Romans, before Jesus Christ, to indicate the worship of
the demons. The origin of "religio" is debated since antiquity. Cicero said it comes from "relegere"
(to read again, to re-examine carefully, to gather) in the meaning "to carefully consider the things
related to the worship of gods". Later, Lucretius, Lactancius and Tertullianus see its origin in
"religare" (to connect) to refer "the bond of piety that binds to God".
Initially used for Christianity, the use of the word religion gradually extended to all the forms of
social demonstration in connection with sacred. A given religion is defined by specific elements
of a community of believers: dogmas, sacred books, rites, worship, sacrament, moral prescription,
interdicts, organization.

 Religion's Three Great Characteristics

1. Believes and religious practices

2. The religious feeling i.e. faith
3. Unity in a community of those who share the same faith: the Church. It is what differentiates
religion from magic.

 Structural-functional Approach
The structural-functional approach to religion has its roots in Emile Durkheim’s work on religion.
Durkheim argued that religion is, in a sense, the celebration and even (self-) worship of human
society. Given this approach, Durkheim proposed that religion has three major functions in society:
it provides social cohesion to help maintain social solidarity through shared rituals and beliefs,
social control to enforce religious-based morals and norms to help maintain conformity and control
in society, and it offers meaning and purpose to answer any existential questions.
Belief systems include both religions and philosophies that help to explain basic questions of
human existence, such as "Where did we come from?" Or "What happens after death?" or "What
is the nature of human relationships or interactions?" Many major beliefs systems that influence
the modern world began during the Foundations Era (8000 BCE to 600 CE).
A. ANIMISM (B19 SANTOS, Neil Frederick Pascual
Founder of Animism: Edward Tylor
"The general doctrine of souls and other spiritual beings in general"
Animism is mostly found in Sub- Saharan Africa, Papua New Guinea, parts of Australia, South
America, Canada. It has 232 million followers or 4% of the world.
According to the Merriam - Webster Dictionary, Animism is the belief that all plants, animals, and
objects have spirits.
According to Waldrep (2018), Animists believe all life is spirit, as opposed to matter. Humans
have souls, as do animals, insects, plants, bodies of water, rocks, mountains, weather systems, and
so on. All are both somewhat good and somewhat evil, but the relevant characteristic is power, not
morality.
Souls, also referred to as spirits, are living beings with volition, moods, and the capacity to help or
wreak havoc as they are wooed or offended. Spirits that do not inhabit a living being may exist in
the form of a god, a personal force, or a ghost.
According to Knight (2017) from the New Advent Organization, Animism is the doctrine or theory
of the soul. In current language the term has a twofold signification: philosophical and
ethnological.
Philosophical - the doctrine that the soul is the principle of life in man and in other living things.
As applied to man it embodies the essence of spiritualistic as opposed to Materialistic philosophy.
Ethnological - a theory proposed in recent years to account for the origin and development of
religion. As such it is known as the Soul or Ghost-theory of religion.
B. POLYTHEISM (G22 TEATRO, Irish Angelyn Robines)

“Polytheism” comes from the Greek word “polus” meaning “many” and “theos” meaning “god”.
Polytheism is defined as the belief in, or worship of, multiple gods. These gods are usually distinct
and separate beings, and are often seen as similar to humans (anthropomorphic) in their personality
traits, but with additional individual powers, abilities, knowledge or perceptions.
Animism, Shamanism, and Ancestor Worship typically occur along with polytheism.
 Types of Polytheism
 Hard Polytheism – Many gods and goddesses which appear as distinct and independent beings.
Example: Ancient Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman Mythologies, Norse, Aztec
 Soft Polytheism – many gods and goddesses which are considered to be manifestations or
“aspects” of a single God, contrary to hard polytheism. It views gods as part of a greater whole.
Example: Hinduism and Neo-paganism
 Other types may include: Henotheism, Monolatrism, Kathenotheism, Ditheism, Misotheism
and Dystheism.

C. MONOTHEISM (B3 DEL ROSARIO, Andrew Jay Mejia)

 The Basic Monotheistic View

Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one god, or in the oneness of God. As such, it is
distinguished from polytheism, the belief in the existence of many gods, from atheism, the belief
that there is no god, and from agnosticism, the belief that the existence or nonexistence of a god
or of gods is unknown or unknowable. Monotheism characterizes the traditions of Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam, and elements of the belief are discernible in numerous other religions.
The God of monotheism is the one real god that is believed to exist or, in any case, that is
acknowledged as such. God’s essence and character are believed to be unique and fundamentally
different from all other beings that can be considered more or less comparable—e.g., the gods of
other religions. The religious term monotheism is not synonymous with the philosophical term
monism. The latter refers to the view that the universe has its origin in one basic principle (e.g.,
mind, matter) and that its structure is one unitary whole in accordance with this principle—that is,
that there is only a single kind of reality. For monotheism there are two basically different realities:
God and the universe.
In monotheistic religions the belief system, the value system, and the action system are all
three determined in a significant way by the conception of God as one unique and personal being.
Negatively considered, the monotheistic conviction results in the rejection of all other belief
systems as false religions, and this rejection partly explains the exceptionally aggressive or
intolerant stance of the monotheistic religions in the history of the world. The conception of all
other religions as “idolatry” (i.e., as rendering absolute devotion or trust to what is less than divine)
has often served to justify the destructive and fanatical action of the religion that is considered to
be the only true one.

 The Extreme Position (Exclusive monotheism)

For exclusive monotheism only one god exists; other gods either simply do not exist at all or,
at most, are false gods or demons—i.e., beings that are acknowledged to exist but that cannot be
compared in power or any other way with the one and only true God. This position is in the main
that of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. While in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) the other
gods in most cases were still characterized as false gods, in later Judaism and in Christianity as it
developed theologically and philosophically, the conception emerged of God as the one and only,
and other gods were considered not to exist at all.
There are two types of exclusive monotheism: ethical monotheism and intellectual
monotheism. In ethical monotheism, individuals choose one god, because that is the god whom
they need and whom they can adore, and that god becomes for them the one and only god. In
intellectual monotheism, the one god is nothing but the logical result of questions concerning the
origin of the world. In many African religions the one god postulated behind the many gods that
are active in the world and in human life is little more than the prime mover of the universe. That
god is the intellectual apex necessitated by the system. In Christian theology, heavily influenced
as it is by Greek philosophy, both conceptions can be found, usually together.

C. INSTITUTIONALIZED RELIGIONS (B8 GONZALES, Jean Adrian De Jesus)

Also called as Organized Religion, is religion in which belief systems and rituals are systematically
arranged and formally established.

 CHARACTERISTICS OF INSTITUTIONALIZED RELIGION:

1. Wide-scale religious clout
The number of individuals affiliated with this religious institution is immense that it crosses
political and international borders and cuts across social status.
2. Hierarchical leadership and membership
Followers of this type of faith system are relegated to socio-political posts within the
system, which provides ranking and status. This implies that access to the divine may not
be given to every member but is a privilege of a select few. The decisions for the welfare
of the religious group are also made by those who hold power while members are expected
to follow them.
 3. Codified Rituals
Processes of interacting with the divine and with fellow members are guided by written
rules and regulations that have the power of the law , such that a member’s inability to
comply results in the imposition of sanctions.

 Examples of Institutionalized Religions

1. Christianity (2.1 B Followers)
2. Islam (1.5 B followers)
3. Hinduism (900 M Followers)

E. SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE (G15 MARARAC, angel Jherizelle Tang)

Church and state is the concept, largely Christian, that the religious and political powers in
society are clearly distinct, though both claim the people’s loyalty.

 Before Christianity
Before the advent of Christianity, separate religious and political orders were not clearly
defined in most civilizations. People worshipped the gods of the particular state in which they
lived, religion in such cases being but a department of the state. In the case of the Jewish people,
the revealed Law of the Scripture constituted the Law of Israel. The Christian concept of
the secular and the spiritual is founded on the words of Jesus: “Render to Caesar the things that
are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). Two distinct, but not altogether
separate, areas of human life and activity had to be distinguished; hence, a theory of two powers
came to form the basis of Christian thought and teaching from earliest times.

 1st Century AD
During the 1st century AD the Apostles, living under a pagan empire, taught respect for and
obedience to the governing powers so long as such obedience did not violate the higher, or divine,
law, which superseded political jurisdiction. Among the Church Fathers, who lived in a period
when Christianity had become the religion of the empire, the emphasis on the primacy of the
spiritual was even stronger. They insisted upon the independence of the church and the right of the
church to judge the actions of the secular ruler.
With the decline of the Roman Empire in the West, civil authority fell into the hands of the
only educated class that remained—the churchmen. The church, which formed the only organized
institution, became the seat of temporal as well as spiritual power. In the East the civil authorities,
centred in Constantinople, dominated the ecclesiastical throughout the Byzantine period.

 10th Century
In 800, under Charlemagne, the empire was restored in the West, and by the 10th century many
secular rulers held power throughout Europe. A period of political manipulation of the
church hierarchy and a general decline in clerical zeal and piety brought vigorous action from a
line of reforming popes, the most famous of whom was Gregory VII.

 12th and 13th Centuries

The following centuries were marked by a dramatic struggle of emperors and kings with
the popes. During the 12th and 13th centuries, papal power greatly increased. In the 13th century,
however, the greatest scholar of the age, St. Thomas Aquinas, borrowing from Aristotle, aided in
raising the dignity of the civil power by declaring the state a perfect society (the other perfect
society was the church) and a necessary good. The medieval struggle between secular and religious
power came to a climax in the 14th century with the rise of nationalism and the increased
prominence of lawyers, both royalist and canon. Numerous theorists contributed to the atmosphere
of controversy, and the papacy finally met with disaster, first in the removal of the popes to
Avignon under French influence and second with the Great Schism attendant upon an effort to
bring the popes back to Rome. Church discipline was relaxed, and church prestige fell in all parts
of Europe.
The immediate effect of the Reformation was to diminish the power of the church even further.
Christianity in its fractured condition could offer no effective opposition to strong rulers, who now
claimed divine right for their positions as head of church and state. John Calvin’s assertion of
ecclesiastical supremacy in Geneva was an exception of the day. Many Lutheran churches became,
in effect, arms of the state. In England Henry VIII ended ties with Rome and assumed the headship
of the Church of England.

 17th Century
In the 17th century there were few who believed that diversity of religious belief and a church
unconnected with the civil power were possible in a unified state. Common religious standards
were looked upon as a principal support of the political order. When the notions of diversity of
belief and toleration of dissent did start to grow, they were not generally seen to conflict with the
concept of a state church. The Puritans, for example, who fled religious persecution in England in
the 17th century, enforced rigid conformity to church ideas among settlers in the American
colonies.
The concept of secular government as expressed in the First Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution reflected both the influence of the French Enlightenment on colonial intellectuals and
the special interests of the established churches in preserving their separate and distinct identities.
The Baptists, notably, held the separation of church and state powers as a principle of their creed.

 20th Century
The great wave of migration to the United States by Roman Catholics in the 1840s prompted
a reassertion of the principle of secular government by state legislatures fearing allocation of
government funds to parochial educational facilities. The 20th century saw the First and
Fourteenth amendments to the Constitution applied with considerable strictness by the courts in
the field of education. Late in the century, conservative Christian groups in the United States
generated considerable controversy by seeking textbook censorship, reversal of court prohibition
of school prayer, and requirements that certain Biblical doctrines be taught in contradistinction to
scientific theories.

HEALTH
As defined by World Health Organization(WHO), Health is a "State of complete physical, mental,
and social well being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Health is a dynamic
condition resulting from a body's constant adjustment and adaptation in response to stresses and
changes in the environment for maintaining an inner equilibrium called homeostasis.

 Etymology
Old English hælþ "wholeness, a being whole, sound or well," from Proto-Germanic *hailitho, from
PIE *kailo- "whole, uninjured, of good omen"
Better health is central to human happiness and well-being. It also makes an important contribution
to economic progress, as healthy populations live longer, are more productive, and save more.
  Social Actors
Many factors influence health status and a country's ability to provide quality health services for
its people. Ministries of health are important actors, but so are other government departments,
donor organizations, civil society groups and communities themselves.
A. CULTURE-SPECIFIC SYNDROMES AND ILLNESSES (B10 GUINTAO, Franz
Rhadjie Tumale)
The provision of culturally competent health care is an important professional issue recognized by
the pioneer genetic counsellors in the Philippines. Being an archipelago consisting of 7,107
islands, the Philippines has approximately 175 ethnolinguistic groups with their own unique
cultural identity and health practices. The emphasis on culture in our genetic counselling training
recognizes its crucial role in molding an individual’s conceptualization of health, as well as other
life aspects, especially since the Filipino culture is a mixture of indigenous as well as imported and
borrowed elements.

 Seven Common Filipino Cultural Beliefs

1. namamana
2. lihi
3. sumpa
4. gaba
5. pasma
6. namaligno
7. kaloob ng Diyos
We will also share examples on how these common beliefs provide explanation as cause of illness
and its implications in our genetic counselling profession.
In a way, our popular understanding about health is linked to our natural environment and
history. As a result, the Filipino culture has evolved as a mixture of indigenous as well as imported
and borrowed elements. There is a combination of pre-colonial folk traditions with Catholic
religious concepts brought during the Spanish colonization in the fifteenth to eighteenth century,
while the cosmopolitan elements are associated with Western allopathic medicine shared by the
Americans in the late eighteenth century until present times. As such, each of us has our own
context of experiences which propel us to socially interact, as well as instruct cultural practices to
succeeding generations.
B. SYSTEMS OF DIAGNOSIS, PREVENTION, AND HEALING (B5 FLOR DE LIS, John
Christopher Lasco)
 Traditional Medicine

It is the sum total of the knowledge, skill, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and
experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance
of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental
illness (World Health Organization, n.d.). Examples of this include: hilot (manghihilot), faith
healing, and magpapaanak (Stuart, 2014).

 Alternative Medicine

It is a broad set of health care practices that are not part of that country’s own tradition or
conventional medicine and are not fully integrated into the dominant health-care system. They are
used interchangeably with traditional medicine in some countries (World Health Organization,
n.d.). Examples of this include accupuncture, homeopathy, aroma therapy, and herbalism (Shiel,
2018)
  Western Medicine
Also known as conventional medicine, it is the modern day practices of the medical world
(Montilla, 2018). It is a system that relies on scientific evidence and technological advancements
for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases. It is practiced by medical doctors and
other healthcare professionals, such as nurses, pharmacists, and therapists (National Cancer
Insitute of America, n.d.).

C. HEALTH AS A HUMAN RIGHT (G18 RODRIGUEZ, Angel Mikaella Alcantra)

 Philippine Constitution
— Section 11. The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health
development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services
available to all the people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the
underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide
free medical care to paupers.
— Section 12. The State shall establish and maintain an effective food and drug regulatory system
and undertake appropriate health, manpower development, and research, responsive to the
country’s health needs and problems.
— Section 13. The State shall establish a special agency for disabled persons for their
rehabilitation, self-development, and self-reliance, and their integration into the mainstream of
society.

 House Bill No. 5784/Senate Bill 1458

— SEC. 4. UHC Entitlement of Every Filipino. - Every Filipino
citizen shall be entitled to healthy living, working and schooling
conditions and access to comprehensive set of health services. Access
to health services shall be through every Filipino's automatic
inclusion into the National Health Insurance Program whereby
services shall be made available at zero co-payment for non-formal
sector and all who opt for basic accommodation and at fixed co-
insurance for all who opt for higher types of accommodation.
— SEC. 16. Implementation of National Health Programs in a Whole of
System approach. - The DOH shall as much as possible minimize silos
and integrate disease-based national health programs into other
existing programs of government, including but not limited to the
Pliilippine Health Security Program as benefit packages, and
organize its disease-based technical program offices as life course-
based teams.

 Executive Order No. 94

— SECTION 125. The Department of Health shall be charged with the protection of the health of
the people, the maintenance of sanitary conditions, and the proper enforcement of the laws and
regulations relative to health, sanitation, food, drugs and narcotics, slum housing, garbage and
other waste disposal, and for these purposes, it shall exercise executive supervision over the
Bureau of Health; the Bureau of Quarantine; the Bureau of Hospitals; the Board of Medical
Examiners; the Board of Pharmaceutical Examiners; the Board of Dental Examiners; the Board of
Optical Examiners; the Board of Examiners for Nurses; the National Advisory Health Council; the
Alabang Vaccine and Serum Laboratories; the health departments of chartered cities; the national,
provincial, city and municipal hospitals, dispensaries and clinics except the Philippine General
Hospital; the public markets and slaughter-houses; hotels, restaurants, and other food
establishments; and health resorts and similar establishments.
— SECTION 128. Section nine hundred thirty-eight of the Revised Administrative Code is hereby
amended to read as follows: “SEC. 938. Functions of the Bureau of Health. — The Bureau of
Health is charged with the protection of the health of the people of the Philippines and the
maintenance of sanitary conditions therein. "

 Republic Act No. 11223

— SEC. 6. Service Coverage. (a) Every Filipino shall be granted immediate eligibility and access
to preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care for medical, dental, mental
and emergency health services, delivered either as population-based or individual-based health
services: Provided, that the goods and services to be included shall be determined through a fair
and transparent HTA process.
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