1. What are some ways that religion and govern­ment are interdependent and interrelated in the United States?

2. If you are a person of faith and affiliated with a reli­gious community, how did you become so? If you are not, explain why you are not. How did your family members and peers influence your views toward religion?

3. What motivates you to work hard and try to suc­ceed professionally? Think about how Weber per­ceived the relationship between the development of the capitalist economic system and thoughts about sacrifice and work. Does it relate to your answer to the first part of this question? Why or why not?

4. Do you think religion is more of a unifying or divi­sive force in (a) the United States and (b) the world today? Why? Do you have many friends from dif­ferent religious groups? Why or why not?

5. What do you think might happen to society if reli­gions did not exist? Why? How would an absence of religion impact you personally?