FINAL PAPER: World View Chart Writing Assignment

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: PHABIAN SMITH

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.

Judaism

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.

The Hebrew scriptures contains two stories of creation of heaven and earth. In the first creation story, God who is described as having no origin gender or form is responsible for the creation of the world and all the things in it i.e. including man and woman (Vroom, J. 2017). He did all these in six days. The story further states that God created man and woman in his own image making them the master of the earth. The second story of creation tells how God created Adam and Eve. God is described as making Eve out of the bone of Adam and placed them in the garden of Eden and while living there Eve was tempted by a snake, Satan, who promised her wisdom if she would only eat the fruit of the forbidden tree against the will of God. Eve was tempted and ate the fruit together with Adam, which resulted in them being banished from the garden of Eden as their innocence ended (Cohn-Sherbok, D. 2017).

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.

Even though many people have debated about many divine beings existing in Judaism due to the many references made in the Hebrew scriptures, Judaism is considered a monotheistic religion (). In Hebrew scriptures, God is described as being without gender, form thus being a transcendent creator. However, despite God being described as having no gender, He is always referred to in the male singular terms (he and his) (). The Jewish believe that they have a special covenant with God as they have a personal relationship with him and that both God and humans have things to be accountable. Humans are expected to be obedient to God’s commands while God is thought to grant special favors and bound by the agreement to his people (Vroom, J. 2017). God is believed to be all-powerful and intervenes many times throughout history to reward the righteous and punish the unjust (Vroom, J. 2017).

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.

The Jewish people believe that God created them in His own image and that they were God’s chosen people. They also believe that God limited His own power by giving us freedom to do whatever we feel is right according to his commandments Judaism brings out the idea of exile, which is an issue that repeatedly shows up when people do not do as God commands. Jewish people are constantly banished from their spiritual home and made to seek it out once more (Vroom, J. 2017). The Jewish believe that it was God’s will to spread them all over the world to help raise the land in which they live and make it better just like God commanded.

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.

In Judaism, they believe that God created evil and good and believe that God choses what one is to work for and the reward one gets for their good work. Judaism believes that God created an angel named Satan whose job is to tempt God’s people into doing bad things. They believe that if one ignores evil then they become closer to God thus becoming holy. They believe that those two inclinations – the Yetzer Ha Tav (good) and the Yetzer Ha Ra (bad). The good inclination is identified for “lower” passions.

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.

Salvation is not a Jewish concept, as it implies a focus on the afterlife.

The Jews believe that people are supposed to do their best at being good always. They believe that God expects an individual to do their best with what they have, and that God is the source of all salvation for humanity thus, salvation depends on an individual’s deeds. This religion stresses that, salvation cannot be obtained through anyone else or just by invoking a deity or believing in some other outside power. They believe that if they sin, then they need to learn from their own actions and practice to do better next time.

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.

Judaism firmly believes that death is not the end of human life but a transition to heaven where those who were living as God commanded them will live happily with him forever. The Torah and Talmud focus on earthly life, which is a fulfillment of one’s duty to God. Judaism believes that rewards and punishments continue even after one dies and that when we die we live on in our children and grandchildren to a sense of heaven. They also believe that the soul resides in heaven after death until they reunite their physical bodies at the time when the Messiah will come.

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.

Devoted Jews pray three times in a day. Prayers can be done at home or wherever one is located. The practice of rituals is grounded in Jewish law Halakah. This is the elaborate framework of how one should dress, eats and how to help the poor. In the Jewish religion, there are different occasions in a person’s life, which include festivities, the family, and the community which are the focus (Cohn-Sherbok, D. 2017). The most religious festivity in Judaism is the eating of Kosher foods. Jewish worship in synagogues. The synagogue replaces ritual sacrifices with Torah readings and teachings.

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.

The religion of Judaism has numerous special days in which all the Jews take time out to focus on God and his commandments, the Sabbath services and holidays. Some festivals celebrated by Judaists include the New Year (Rosh Hashanah) celebrated with meals and prayers. The other festivals include the day of atonement (Yom Kippur) where they can cleanse themselves. Lastly, the festival of Booths (Sukkot) which, they celebrate by camping out under the stars for seven days and remember that God is their protector.