World View Chart Writing Assignment (Religion)

Religion

Origin of All Things

Nature of God

View of Human Nature

View of Good and Evil

View of “Salvation”

View of After Life

Practices and Rituals

Celebrations and Festivals

Week 1

Indigenous Peoples

They have several questions about the creation and arrangement of the universe. The answers to these questions give the way for explaining everything we know .Understanding the universe allows us to make sense of the world that we live in, but the attempt to understand it and the underlying nature of all things is difficult.

Their existed a god beyond the natural world, who was responsible for the creation of the universe .This perspective, is based on the idea that a supreme being exists beyond our visibility. That, this god watches over everybody’s actions and that he is the ultimate solution that people run to while seeking help in times of crisis

Human beings must be in a position of creating a just environment that ensures comprehensive existence of individuals. Human beings should act as rational beings in the process of making decisions pertaining creation of justice, correcting the wrongdoings and education of the upcoming generations on the correct norms and values that should be adhered to.

An individual who doesn’t conform to the societal norms and customs is considered as an outcast, and might even be disowned by the community members. Such a person is seen as an evil doer who should be stigmatized in the entire community. So this means that the good deeds are rewarded while the evil ones are punished.

Salvation is an ultimate element. They are committed on the strict adherence to the preset norms and beliefs. The belief system is very strict such that they have to adhere to so as to ensure their prosperity in the society.

There is existence of life after death. This is due the perspective that, the children who are born into the society are often renamed after their ancestors so as to extend their lineage. They have got the belief that those ancestors are watching over them and protect them from any evil deeds.

The practices and rituals are unique in that, they are considered as being sacred, and that is why they are handled in a very responsible manner. Such practices and rituals are performed by specific people who are considered as being holy and goodhearted.

Are performed each and every season at specified time frames depending on the type of celebration. The ultimate aim is to bring together the society members.

Week 2

Hinduism and Jainism

Believes that the nature and origin of all thing were from their main god called Brahma

Existence of one main god other gods with different descriptions that is being polytheistic

View human beings as creatures of God.

Good deeds come from their god and by believing in them your thoughts change from evil to good.

Follow the teachings of Vedas which stresses on respect to scriptures to gain salvation.

Reincarnation is their major belief. They belief in rebirth into a higher rank in the society.

Activities are considered sacred and respected according to the scriptures. They are usually done in shrines or temples.

Conducted at a specific time upon achievement of something could be rebirth or anything else.

Week 3

Buddhism

Buddhism originated in northern India in the 5th century B.C.E. The tradition traces its origin to Siddhartha Gautama (or Gotama)

Traced back to Siddhartha ,who is typically referred to as the Buddha ("Awakened" or "Enlightened One")

Human existence, in the Buddha's view, is nothing more than a composite of five aggregates (khandas): 1) Physical forms (rupa) 2) Feelings or sensations (vedana) 3) Ideations (sanna) 4)Mental formations or dispositions (sankhara) 5)Consciousness (vinnana)

Good and evil is innate, inseparable aspects of life. This view makes it impossible to label a particular individual or group as "good" or "evil." Every single human being is capable of acts of the noblest good, or the basest evil.

For a Buddhist salvation is reaching Nirvana. Nirvana is a transcendental, blissful, spiritual state of nothingness--you become a Buddha.

Buddha believes that what keeps us bound to the death/rebirth process is desire, desire in the sense of wanting or craving anything in the world. Hence, the goal of getting off the Ferris wheel of reincarnation necessarily involves freeing oneself from desire

The practice of meditation is central to nearly all forms of Buddhism, and it derives directly from the Buddha’s experiences and teachings. Meditation is is the central focus of Zen Buddhism and the only way to liberation in Theravada Buddhism.

There are many special or holy days held throughout the year by the Buddhist community. The most significant celebration happens every May on the night of the full moon, when Buddhist all over the world celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha over 2,500 years ago. It has become to be known as Buddha Day.

Week 4

Daoism and

Confucianism

Daoism stands alongside Confucianism as one of the two great religious/philosophical systems of China. The term “Daoism” is also associated with assorted naturalistic or mystical religions.

Daoism or Taoism is primarily a Philosophy thus they do not have a personal god. Their god maybe classified under Pantheism ("it literally means, "God is all" and "All is God".)

According to the earliest Taoist texts, when human nature is aligned with the rest of nature, order and harmony are the result. From this perspective, the purpose of self-cultivation is to return to a mode of existence that is natural, but has been obscured by social conditioning

They use the yin and yang concept of opposites. Any action has some negative (yin) and some positive (yang) aspect to it

The realist, down- to-earth nature of Confucianism is highlighted in a discourse on the shortcomings of Buddhism by the Confucian scholar Hu Yin (1098-1156): “Man is a living thing; the Buddhists speak not of life but of death. Human affairs are all visible; the Buddhists speak not of the manifest but of the hidden. After a man dies he is called a ghost; the Buddhists speak not of men but of ghosts. What man cannot avoid is the conduct or ordinary life; the Buddhists speak not of the ordinary but of the marvelous.

In no area is the lack of a single unified Taoist belief system more evident than in the case of concepts about the afterlife and salvation. Several factors have contributed to this: 1) Taoism was at no point the only religion of China, but, rather, coexisted with Confucianism and Buddhism, as well as with Chinese folk religion; 2) each Taoist sect had its own beliefs and textual traditions, and these underwent changes over time; and 3) death and the afterlife became the province of Buddhism early in Chinese history, so that most ideas about the afterlife are Buddhist, or were developed in reaction to Buddhism.

There are two main types of ritual: 1) funeral rites or periodic rites on behalf of ancestors, which are performed only by some sects, sometimes in tandem with Buddhist priests; and 2) rites on behalf of local communities. Both types include rites to install the ritual space, rites of fasting, rites of communion or offering, and rites to disperse the ritual space.

The Taoist festival calendar represents an amalgamation of various sources, and varies according to sect, region, and temple.

Week 5

Shinto

No Single founder. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified "Shinto religion", but rather to a collection of native beliefs and mythology

Believe they have a kinship with nature. Kami can be translated into god or sprit.

In Shintō, it is commonly said that “man is kami’s child.” First, this means that a person was given his life by kami and that his nature is therefore sacred. Second, it means that daily life is made possible by kami, and, accordingly, the personality and life of people are worthy of respect.

Sexuality is not viewed as evil because they believe that the world was made from mating spirits. They believe that the world is filled with “helpful spirits”

the concept of salvation is based on the belief that all living things have an essence, soul or spirit known as "kami." Rather than living in a glorified Heaven, kami live among us. Some kami are more powerful than others. Some are even deified. But all kami must be honored. People who die violently, lead unhappy lives, or have no family to care for their kami become hungry ghosts, causing trouble for the living.

Humans become kami after they die and are honored as ancestral kami with some families actually having little shrines in their homes.

Purification rituals are an essential part of Shinto, the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits, purification, prayers, and offerings achieve this.

Ceremonies and festivals are used to encourage kami in Shrines. The biggest is help at new year’s, but there are seasonal also.

Week 6

Judaism

Judaism is one of the oldest western religion. Was the religion of Jesus. Jews understand their faith as an ongoing dialogue with God. Both and the past, present and the future.

The conception of God in Judaism is strictly monotheistic. God is an absolute one, indivisible and incomparable being who is the ultimate cause of all existence.

A fundamental Jewish belief about human beings is that they are created in the image of God

In Judaism, all the evil in the world is Something that only seems to be evil from our limited perspective, but would not be judged evil if we have all the facts, these often become clear with sufficient hindsight, although they often do not, as well

Judaism holds that they do not need personal salvation, as Christians believe. They do not subscribe to the doctrine of Original sin Instead, they place a high value on individual morality as defined in the law of God—embodied in what Jews know as the Torah.

Judaism includes belief in both heaven and hell.

The rituals in Judaism are circumcision of 8 day old boys, Kosher food, and Attire such as the t’fillin and tallit.

They have a lot of festivals and celebrations, which includes Rosh Hashanah which is a holy day the marks, the beginning of the Jewish New Year. Others are Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Purim, Seder, Shavuot, ect.

Week 7

Christianity

The World was Created by God

They believe in a Supreme, immortal, Almighty being called God

They believe in the existence of God as their Supreme being who alone exist on, he created and transform the Universe which Christians view from the first day of creation to the seventh day of creation which is called the Sabbath day

They believe the reward for Evil is death, while the reward for good deeds is eternal life, they believe that no sin goes unpunished either you reap your evil immediately or later in future or probably your evil deeds will affect your generations. They also believe as a Christian you must avoid evil and do good deeds at all times.

Once you are truly sorry for your sins and you confess it before the Almighty God or going for Confession, you have gained your salvation and that defines the Born Again of the Christendom, They believe in repentance to gain salvation and a total commitment of your soul and heart to God

Believe that there is life after this world, we are all mortals and we all die one and give account of our life to the Almighty God and if your name is not found in the book of life you are condemned

All Praises and Worship is considered as sacrifice to God and it carried out in the Church mostly on Sundays.

Christian Churches celebrate a yearly cycle that leads them through the life of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. They are Christmas and Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, and The Transfiguration and Assumption.

Week 8

Islam

The Holy Qur’an is the book given to us by the Creator of the Universe. Allah, (literally: THE God) which is His personal Name, knows us best and is aware that humans can be very skeptical creatures

There is no God, and Muhammad is his Messenger. This means that there is one absolute Reality.

According to the Qur'an, Allah "created man from a clot of blood" at the same time he created the jinn from fire. Humans are the greatest of all creatures, created with free will for the purpose of obeying and serving God.

The Islamic definitions of good and evil are based on the purposes of creation and the meaning of human life. Accordingly, whatever brings a person closer to God and will benefit him in the Next World is good, and whatever takes a person away from God, and thus incurs His anger is evil.

The Muslim doctrine of salvation is that unbelievers (kuffar, literally "those who are ungrateful") and sinners will be condemned, but genuine repentance results in Allah's forgiveness and entrance into Paradise upon death. The Qur'an teaches the necessity of both faith and good works for salvation

Islam teaches the continued existence of the soul and a transformed physical existence after death. Muslims believe there will be a day of judgment when all humans will be divided between the eternal destinations of Paradise and Hell

The religious rituals of Islam are relatively few in number, but great in importance. The Five Pillars of Islam are five practices regarded by all sects as essential to the Muslim faith. Other notable Islamic practices include the mystical rituals of Sufism and various distinctive Shi'ite practices.

One major celebration is Ramadan which is a month of fasting. While Eid al-Adha is a 10 day celebration, where some make the trip to Mecca, believed that every Muslims have to make the trip once in your lifetime.

Week 9

Sikhism

Three central teaching as a straight path to god. Hard work to earn honest living, giving to those in need and remember God is the only Doer and giver.

Sikhism is a Monotheistic Religion, it preaches a God who is nameless and formless and the entire human existence is explained as the creation of that one God

Sikhs perceive human life as an opportunity to merge with the divine will, Sikhism teaches that Kartar created the universe in one command and cares for it; The Sikh ideal for human life is to live within the divine will

Everything that happens is Hukam, the will of God (Waheguru). People should live their lives in obedience to God’s will, God created everything and gave people free will, and Suffering is not inflicted directly by God but is permitted by God as a test of courage and faith, There is a divine spark or soul, which is part of God, in everyone, The soul lives through many different forms of existence before being born into a human body, Only humans know the difference between right and wrong, Good actions do lead to good karma

In order to attain salvation one must live a honest life and meditate on God. Sikhism shows the way to attain salvation and become One with God.

Sikhs do not believe in an afterlife in either Heaven or Hell. Sikhism teaches that the soul reincarnates when the body dies

The Sikh believes: in deity, reincarnation, goal, caste system and code of conducts

The Sikh practices include worship, prayers, and temple

There festivals include: Parkash Utsav Dasveh Patshah (January 31), Holla Mohalla (march 17), Vaisakhi (April 13), Martyrdom of Guru Arjan (June 16), Phalia Prakash Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (September 1), Bandi Chhor Divas(Diwali) (November 9), Guru Nanak Gurpurab (November 22), Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (November 22)

Week 10

Modern

Religions

There are lots of religion in the whole and all have its origin e.g, Christian, Buddhists, etc

There are supreme being that exists in all religion and must be respected

Human beings must be in a position of creating a just environment that ensures comprehensive existence of individuals Human

In all religion, there are repercussion for all good and evil

Salvation is an ultimate element while there are those that salvation is on earth

There are mostly belief of life after death but not in all religion

All modern religion has its own practices and rituals at different time and period and in different countries

All Modern religion has its own celebration and festivals in different time and period in different countries.