World Religions

REL212 WORLD VIEW CHART (alternate version)

This chart contains all the research you need to write the final paper for this course. If you do the research and reading on the religion(s) we study each week, and if you give yourself a good guide to the religions using this chart, you will have a good foundation for that final paper. The more information you provide for yourself with this chart, the easier it will be to write your final paper. Do not forget to provide adequate material for any in-text citations and be sure to include a reference page as well.

Complete and submit the following worksheet. Provide citations for any source(s) you used to explain or provide examples for in your research. List in APA Style full references for any in-text citations and source(s) made in the above chart.

Student Name:

RELIGION(S) OF THE WEEK

Provide your response in this column.

· State the name of the Religion being addressed in this chart.

· Please address ONLY ONE (1) religion per chart.

Indigenous Peoples

ORIGIN OF ALL THINGS

Provide your response in this column.

· State the creation story that this religion uses to explain the creation of the universe. If you cannot identify a creation story for this religion, offer a suggestion as to why this religion may not have one.

· Back up your statement with explanation and/or example.

· You should have a minimum of 3 complete sentences when this is complete.

Most indigenous peoples have creation stories where they believe the Creator or Great Father in the Sky made the earth, the animals and all humans, e.g., the union of Sky Father and Earth Mother. Fisher, 2014, p. 36

NATURE OF GOD/CREATOR

Provide your response in this column.

· State the nature of the god(s) worshiped by this religion. If you cannot identify a god (or gods) for this religion, offer a suggestion as to why this religion may not have one.

· Back up your statement with explanation and/or example.

· You should have a minimum of 3 complete sentences when this is complete.

Indigenous religions are typically polytheistic and pantheistic, involving a belief that the divine is manifested throughout the physical realm, often involving a supreme god, e.g., Great Spirit. They believe the dark gods of the spirit world are the ones to be afraid of or to placate. Indigenous peoples believe in the importance of maintaining a right relationship with the creator god and the numerous gods governing natural phenomena and forces. Fisher, 2014, p. 40

VIEW OF HUMAN NATURE

Provide your response in this column.

· State how this religion views human beings.

· How are human beings viewed with regard to their characteristics and their place in the universe? If you cannot identify how this religion defines human beings, offer a suggestion as to why it doesn't.

· Back up your statement with explanation and/or example.

· You should have a minimum of 3 complete sentences when this is complete.

Indigenous peoples consider themselves connected to all forms of life due to their pantheistic world view. They acknowledge a Circle of Right Relationships, requiring them to respectively cultivate and maintain order among all forms of life and the natural order. Humans are seen as capable of good or bad and under the influence of curses, vows, incantations, or evil spirits. In this sense, they may be animistic. Many have a special shaman or witch doctor who is supposed to help them connect to the spirit world. Fisher, 2014, pp. 34-36, 39 – 52.

VIEW OF GOOD & EVIL

Provide your response in this column.

· State how this religion defines the concept of good and evil.

· Most religions encourage their adherents to be good and to shun evil. How does this religion define these terms for those who practice this religion? If you cannot identify how this religion defines good and evil, offer a suggestion as to why it doesn't.

· Back up your statement with explanation and/or example.

· You should have a minimum of 3 complete sentences when this is complete.

Indigenous peoples recognize that both benevolent and malevolent forces exist in the spiritual realm. These forces can have an impact upon individuals, circumstance and events in the physical world.

Good and evil are seen as forces that compete for dominance in a person and in the world. Sometimes there is an ethnocentric idea that ‘our’ group is the good one and all outsiders are ‘bad’. This idea can lead to wars and conflicts. Fisher, 2014, pp. 41, 44 – 46, 51 - 52

VIEW OF SALVATION

Provide your response in this column.

· All religions suggest that human beings are faced with a “problem” that needs to be overcome. What is the “problem” this religion identifies, and how does it suggest that we can overcome it? If you cannot identify how this religion defines the “problem,” or how to overcome it, offer a suggestion as to why it doesn't.

· Back up your statement with explanation and/or example.

· You should have a minimum of 3 complete sentences when this is complete.

The idea of the path or the way or a lifeway is their main idea of salvation. It is the path to the good. This idea is closely aligned with a responsibility for nature and this world, connected with the idea of the Circle of Right Relationships and the holistic connection among all things in the natural world. Oneness with nature is for some seen as a goal of life. Others see ‘salvation’ as surviving and not being defeated by the dark spirits, thus having a long life. Fisher, 2014, pp. 39 - 48

VIEW OF AFTERLIFE

Provide your response in this column.

· What does this religion teach about “what comes next” after all is said and done? For Eastern religions that teach reincarnation, this question is about what happens after moksha is attained. For Western religions, this question is about what happens when we die. If you cannot identify how this religion defines the afterlife, offer a suggestion as to why it doesn't.

· Back up your statement with explanation and/or example.

· You should have a minimum of 3 complete sentences when this is complete.

Many indigenous peoples acknowledge a spiritual existence in the afterlife, evidenced by rituals and practices surrounding ancestor veneration. Some groups have a notion of an afterlife, but others do not. For example, some Native American groups believe in a “Happy Hunting Ground’ or that one goes to be with the ancestors and/or the Great Spirit. Many indigenous peoples are terrified of death and use their rituals to ward it off. Fisher, 2014, pp.40 – 41, 53 - 55

PRACTICES AND RITUALS

Provide your response in this column.

· How do members of this religion “practice” their “faith?”

· What ceremonies, or rituals, do they use to help pass this religion on to the next generation? If you cannot identify how this religion is practiced, offer a suggestion as to why it doesn't have any rituals or practices.

· Back up your statement with explanation and/or example.

· You should have a minimum of 3 complete sentences when this is complete.

Varies by country or group. Some have animal sacrifices or smoke various substances in a ritualistic manner. Practices and rituals may include a Sweat Lodge ceremony or a Vision Quest among some Native Americans. Dance is often used to express stories and tales of the tribe or group or the gods. Body decoration, paint, garments and drums are often used in the ritual dances. To placate the spirits, they may also cut themselves or in some cases engage in cannibalism or headhunting. An example: the Sawi people of New Guinea make peace with an enemy by swapping infants between the tribes. As long as the children live there will be peace between the two tribes. One family per tribe agrees to take in the other child and give up their own. Fisher, 2014, pp. 55 - 60

CELEBRATIONS AND FESTIVALS

Provide your response in this column.

· Identify one or two celebrations and/or festivals that members of this religion use to express their beliefs in public, or in private.

· Name the festival(s) and give a short explanation of how it is observed. If you cannot identify any celebrations or festivals for this religion, offer a suggestion as to why it doesn't have any.

· Back up your statement with explanation and/or example.

· You should have a minimum of 3 complete sentences when this is complete.

Varies by country or group. Some have celebrations tied to the seasons of the year. Others have celebrations of victory in war or at weddings. The birth of children is often a time of great celebration. Death is universally observed in various ways depending on the culture and local beliefs. The finding of good prey when hunting would be a cause for celebration as well. Some Indigenous peoples celebrate a first fruits or harvest festival. Fisher, 2014, pp. 55 – 59.