The fastest growing religion in the United States is __________. ...

[Frost2351]

The fastest growing religion in the United States is __________.
 
  a. Catholicism
  b. Protestantism
  c. Mormonism
  d. no religious preference

Question 2

What is totemism and what is Emile Durkheim's contribution to our understanding of so-called primitive religions?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[akpaschal]

Answer to Question 1

d

Answer to Question 2

Emile Durkheim produced one of the most well-known explanations of primitive religion based on his study of Aboriginal tribes in Australia. He noted that these tribes were organized into clans based on spiritual rather than blood kinship, with each clan adopting a particular plant or animalcalled a totemas the symbol of the clan. Clans considered their totem plants or animals to be sacred and so killing and consuming them was generally taboo. Clans inscribed ceremonial objects with the emblem of their totem, which made these objects sacred as well. This belief system, called totemism, was common among many indigenous groupsincluding American Indians. Durkheim realized that it was only once plants or animals became a symbol of the clan that they were elevated to the status of sacred.