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In Good Faith 浅谈新兴宗教

课文朗读

课文讲解

繁體中文譯本 

Since 1987, when martial law was lifted, more than one hundred new religious movements have emerged in Taiwan. Some mostly follow an established doctrine, but others, far less orthodox are raising concern among their more conventional counterparts.

台湾自1987年解严后，已经出现了百余种新的宗教。其中有些大致恪遵既有的教义，其他的则与传统大相径庭，令其他较传统的宗教忧心。

Much criticism is aimed at alternative faiths because they often purport to preach the “Truth,” provide “salvation,” and hold the “real” answers to life’s questions; their charismatic, messianic leaders often become led by megalomania, lust, or greed down to the opposite path from that which they profess to follow; their recruitment strategies are overly fervent and possibly deceptive; and they all usually have excessive tithing and loss of personal freedom present to some degree.

另类信仰之所以招致诸多批评，乃因为它们常声称能宣讲「真理」，提供「救赎」，并握有人生问题的「真正」解答；因为它们那些深具群众魅力、救世主般的领袖们常为妄自尊大、肉欲或贪念所左右，而与其自称要遵循的义理背道而驰；因为它们吸收信徒的策略过分狂热且有诈骗之虞；也因为它们往往在某种程度上索取过多奉献并损害个人自由。

Those supporters of established faiths who seek to defame emerging religions because of their questionable customs may find themselves in a catch-22; the practices they abhor may also be evident in the mainstream faith in which they themselves worship

认为新兴宗教的仪式可疑而欲加以诋毁的传统信仰支持者，可能会发现自己陷于两难的局面：他们痛恨的仪式在自己崇敬的主流信仰中或许也历历可见。

Regardless of their methods, most emerging religions do seem to benefit society by offering followers faith and social support—if nothing else. Many apologists argue that even established faith systems started out somewhere. Religious philosophies are inherently unprovable, so all faiths, even “alternative” ones; benefit from being likewise impossible to refute.

不管其方式为何，大部分的新兴宗教似乎能藉由给予信徒信心与群体支持而对社会有益──如果没给别的的话。许多辩护人士主张，即使是已获确立的信仰体系，也是由某时某地开始的。宗教哲学在本质上并无法证实，因此，所有的信仰，甚至是「另类」信仰，同样也无法加以驳斥。

Vocabulary

单词发音

martial law 军事管制, 戒严

lift [lɪft] v. 解除（封锁等）

doctrine [ˋdɑktrɪn] n.（宗教的）教义，教旨

orthodox [ˋɔrθə͵dɑks] adj. 正统的；传统的

purport [pɝˋport] v.【正式】声称是…﹐据称是…﹐像是…

salvation [sælˋveʃən] n.〔基督教中〕对灵魂的拯救﹐ 救赎

charismatic [͵kærɪzˋmætɪk] adj. 有吸引力的; 有感召力的; 有魅力的

messianic [͵mɛsɪˋænɪk] adj. 弥赛亚的；救世主的；以救世主自居的

megalomania [͵mɛgələˋmenɪə] n. 夸大狂; 妄自尊大﹐自高自大

lust [lʌst] n. 性欲，淫欲; 强烈的欲望；贪欲

profess [prəˋfɛs] v. 宣称信奉（宗教等）；公开宣称

recruitment [rɪˋkrutmənt] n. 征募新兵; 招募；招聘

fervent [ˋfɝvənt] adj. 热情的；强烈的

deceptive [dɪˋsɛptɪv] adj. 欺骗的﹐欺诈的

tithing [ˋtaɪðɪŋ] n. 什一税〔旧时支付给基督教会的一种税〕之征收

defame [dɪˋfem] v. 诽谤；破坏……的名誉

questionable [ˋkwɛstʃənəb!] adj. 可疑的; 不确定的; 有问题的

catch-22  不合逻辑的或矛盾的问题、情况

abhor [əbˋhɔr] v. 厌恶；憎恶

apologist [əˋpɑlədʒɪst] n. 辩护者﹐ 辩解者

unprovable [ʌnˋpruvəb!]adj. 无法证明的，无法证实的

refute [rɪˋfjut] v. 驳斥，反驳，驳倒

Sentence of the Day

You made a believer out of me.

你让我信服了。

课文朗读

课文讲解 

Marilyn bumps into Charles at a Taipei bus stop  玛丽莲在台北的一个公车站前遇到查尔斯：

M: Hey, Charles! Haven’t seen you in a while.

嗨，查尔斯！好一阵子没看到你了。

C: I’ve been checking out a new religious movement; I’m quite caught up in it.

我一直在观察一个新的宗教活动；我颇受感染哩。

M: Oh, gosh! You’ve joined a cult!

哇，哎呀！你加入邪教了！

C: No, I’m doing research for my sociology thesis — and I prefer to call them emerging religions: cult has negative connotations, but they can be a good thing.

不，我在做我社会学论文的研究。还有，我比较喜欢称之为新兴宗教：邪教一词有负面的含义，但新兴宗教有可能是件好事。

M: But how can institutes that promise answers they can’t deliver be beneficial to anyone?

可是，这些宗教组织光会承诺要给人们那些他们根本提供不了的解答，怎么可能造福任何人？

C: Among other things, they help combat the feelings of alienation that are prevalent in our “impersonal” modern society and relieve anxiety in times of turmoil?

在其他方面，他们帮助我们对抗在此「无人格的」现代社会中普遍存在的疏离感，纾解身处混乱时代的焦虑。

M: I suppose that is useful on an island that’s so susceptible to natural and political threats, but what about the heads—aren’t they just power-hungry con-artists?

我想，在一个易受自然及政治威胁影响的岛上，那是有用的；可是那些头头呢──他们不就只是满心权力欲望的金光党吗？

C: Sometimes, sometimes not; the important thing is that they have the ability to install faith in people.

有时候是，有时候不是；重要的是他们有本事把信仰灌输到人们的脑子里。

M: But don’t they just take over every aspect of followers’ lives? What about freedom?

但是他们不会掌控信徒生活的各个层面吗？自由怎么办？

C: Many devotees want to relinquish control: they often feel happier not having to make decisions –to them, that is freedom.

有许多虔诚信徒是想要让别人控制的：他们常觉得不做决定比较快乐──对他们而言，那才是自由。

M: Well, I wouldn’t touch one of those “emerging religions” with a ten-foot pole. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Charles, I have an Amway meeting to attend.

嗯，这种「新兴宗教」我连一次也不想碰。现在，查尔斯，容我告退，我要去参加安丽的会了。

－by Sean McCormack

Vocabulary

单词发音

bump [bʌmp] into【口】碰见某人; 偶遇; 巧遇

while [hwaɪl] n. 一会儿，一段时间

check out 调查﹐ 检查﹐ 核实﹐ 查证

be caught up in 受...吸引; 受...感染 having become involved involuntarily

cult [kʌlt] n. 异教；教派

sociology [͵soʃɪˋɑlədʒɪ] n. 社会学

thesis [ˋθisɪs] n. 论文〔指大学的高级学位论文﹐如文学硕士论文或哲学博士论文〕

connotation [͵kɑnəˋteʃən] n. 内涵，言外之意

institute [ˋɪnstətjut] n. 机构; 协会

alienation [͵eliəˋneʃən] n. 疏远；离间

prevalent [ˋprɛvələnt] adj. 流行的，盛行的；普遍的

impersonal [ɪmˋpɝsn!] adj. 无人情味的，冷淡的; 非人的；不具人格的

relieve [rɪˋliv] v. 缓和，减轻；解除

turmoil [ˋtɝmɔɪl] n. 骚动；混乱

susceptible [səˋsɛptəb!] adj. 易受……影响的[F][（+to）]

con artist【俚】骗子，以花言巧语骗人的人

take over 接管；接收

devotee [͵dɛvəˋti] n. 虔诚（或狂热）的宗教信徒

relinquish [rɪˋlɪŋkwɪʃ] v. 交出，让与[（+to）] ; 放弃

wouldn’t touch someone or something with a ten-foot pole  一次也不想碰… not have anything to do with it under any circumstances

Sentence of the Day

He has such a holier-than-thou attitude.

他自命清高。

holier-than-thou [ˋholɪɚðənˋðaʊ] adj. 自以为道德上高人一等的