Can Someone Help Me With My World Religions Essay

Cosmogony – View of Origin of the universe:

Kami is the single essence which manifests in several places are the spirits supposed in the natural world. According to Shinto, Kami simply means “that which is above” and it is something which always induces wonder and fear in us. It harmonizes in heaven and earth as it guides the solar system and the cosmos. According to Kojiki, Kami is considered to be the creator of the universe. Kami means god even though they are unlike the contemporary concept God is in several monotheistic religions.

Sources: (Littleton, 2015, p. 225)

View of the Nature of the Sacred (i.e., of“God,” “Ultimate Reality,” “gods,” “spirits,” “forces, … whatever term it uses):

Kami refers to the spirits or the occurrence being worshipped. Spirits are things in natural world, animals, and the creationary forces on earth. They are also the spirits of the respected deceased. Several Kami is regarded as the ancient ancestors of the whole clans with some of this ancestors becoming kami after their death provided they were capable of embodying the virtue and the values of kami during life.

Sources: (Littleton, 2015, p. 67)

View of Human Nature; Understanding of Humanity:

Shinto always considers man as the son Kami and this implies that Kami gave life to human and this is his nature, therefore, it is considered sacred. This also means that Kami made the daily life to be possible therefore the life of people is worthy of respect. Therefore, every person is expected to hold in the highest regard the rights of other people regardless of his or her race, nationality.

Sources: (Fisher, View of God and Evil, 2014, p. 220)

View of Good /Evil, Right/Wrong; Morality; Key Values:

Shinto considers purity with regard to the understanding of their good and evil. In this religion, the impurity is considered to be anything which separates human from Kami as well as from Musubi. In Shinto, things that make human impure are the tsunami and the pollution or the sins. Purity is considered to be important and Shinto does not accept that human beings are born evil or impure. There is a belief that human beings are born uncontaminated and sharing in the divine soul.

Sources: (Littleton, 2015, p. 150)

View of “Salvation,” “Fulfillment,” “Attainment of Life’s Purpose”:

This is a monotheistic religion and believes in the supreme God and therefore salvation can be attained through praying to God or Jesus. Showing respect to kami and purification processes are considered to be a way to a well filled life and good immortality. There is a belief in the purity, virtue, and the fulfillment of the duty.

Sources: (Fisher, View of God and Evil, 2014, p. 219)

View of death and “afterlife” (if any):

Every person is considered to be immortal and therefore when a person dies, they become kami. Kami can be good or evil and honor of the ancestral kami is encouraged for them to be happy. When Kami are unhappy, they can cause danger as well as destruction to the living. Most powerful kami can cause natural catastrophes like strikes.

Sources: (Fisher, View of God and Evil, 2014, p. 217)

Key Practices and Rituals:

Ritual forms the most important practice of Shinto and they include purification, offerings, prayer, and the entertainment of the kami. There is holding of the regular festivals known as the matsuri which is used for the commemoration of the important dates linked to the shrines and its deity to pray for blessings like the harvest, fertility, health, and the success of the business

Sources: (Littleton, 2015, p. 85)

Celebrations and Festivals:

The rites and the festivals involve the celebration of the new year, the birth of the child, coming of the age, planting as well as the harvest, wedding, groundbreaking for the new houses, and the funerals. There is Taisai festival which usually goes for an unspecified duration and this depends on the individuals involved. This festival involves shrines and the surrounding environment whereby everything is entranced by joy and happy atmosphere.

Sources: (Fisher, View of God and Evil, 2014, p. 218)

Cosmogony – View of Origin of the universe:

Zoroastrianism believes in one God known Ahura Mazda or the wise Lord who brought the world into existence. At 30 years old, Zoroaster had a dream while bathing in a river for the period of the pagan purification rite. In his vision, he saw a “shining Being” which composed of light and disclosed to him as the Vohu Mansah of the good mind. He took him to the presence of Ahura Mazda as well as other five radiant life forms also known as the Amesha Spentas or the holy immortals.

Sources: (Fisher, 2014, p.242)

View of the Nature of the Sacred (i.e., of “God,” “Ultimate Reality,” “gods,” “spirits,” “forces, … whatever term it uses):

This religion worships God as the supreme and is considered to be omnipresent, all-powerful, omnipresent, impossible to be conceived by human, unchanging, and the creator of all sources of happiness and goodness. This religion considers everything that was created by God to be pure and has to be treated with love as well as respect. The created things include the environment.

Sources: (Fisher, 2014, p.246)

View of Human Nature; Understanding of Humanity:

The beliefs of this religion can be summarized as a maxim, moral thoughts, good words, and moral deeds. Zoroastrianism is considered to home and community-oriented home and it is all about action. This religion works with an aim of improving the local society in general by giving charities and has always supported education and social initiatives. Everyone is considered to be equal despite the gender, age, or the financial status. One can only surpass another person by their virtue.

Sources: (Fisher, 2014, p.250)

View of Good /Evil, Right/Wrong; Morality; Key Values:

Man is regarded to be more as God’s assistant. Through the positive choices of man, evil will be gotten rid of and there would be an establishment of God’s paradise on earth.

Sources: (Fisher, 2014, p.248)

View of “Salvation,” “Fulfillment,” “Attainment of Life’s Purpose”:

This requires human to align themselves with moral, personified in the Ahura Mazda. This is due to the fact that human definitive salvation lies in the overcoming of the cosmic principle of good over the evil. Salvation in this religion involves the restoration of all things that have been corrupted by the Ahriman at the time of final destruction. Therefore, the concept of salvation in this religion is a return to the golden age of the primordial perfection of everything including human beings.

Sources: (Fisher, 2014, p.244)

View of death and “afterlife” (if any):

The judgment of every individual is based on the decency or the wickedness of human views, expressions, and the actions. The greater the righteousness, the broader the bridge to heaven. The greater built up in the bad deeds, the slimmer the bridge; to such an extent that it is so narrow that the soul is unable to pass across. The impacts of human actions would be felt currently and in the afterlife. There is no eternal hell, for good is definitely conquering. Through the assistance from every person who chose goodness over the evil deeds, the world would gradually reach a state of perfection whereby the souls, the living or the dead would be liberated from the evil.

Sources: (Fisher, 2014, p.244)

Key Practices and Rituals:

There is tying of the sacred cord or the kusti around the one midsection. This is performed five times and a prayer is being recited. Purification using water through the dipping of the fingers and applying to the eyes and the forehead then raising their hand during prayer is performed. There is a ritual of fire whereby fire is regarded as the essential purifying as well as transformative power. More emphasis is put on the purity as opposed to the defiling of any Ahura Mazda’s factors of creation. Therefore, conventionally, neither burial nor the cremation was relied on by this religion. On the contrary, dead bodies were being taken to the tower of the silence where they were laid under the sun to be consumed by the vultures.

Sources: (Fisher, 2014, p.245)

Celebrations and Festivals:

The life in this religion is guided by the fundamental principles i.e. Humata which are the good thought; Hukhata which are the good words; and the Havarashta which are the good deeds. These principles are included in the prayers and kids commit themselves to stand for the principles during the initiation ceremony which marks their entry into the faith of practicing Zoroastrians.

Sources: (Fisher, 2014, p.247)