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Religion
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Cosmogony - Origin of the Universe
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Nature of God
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View of Human Nature
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View of Good and Evil
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View of “Salvation”
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View of After Life
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Practices and Rituals
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Celebrations and Festivals
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Week 2
Hinduism and Jainism
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Week 3
Buddhism
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Buddhism was taught as an alternative to the ritual oriented Brahamanism of India. The beginning of life and this world are in inconceivable since they have no beginning or end.
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Buddhism teaches us that there is no personal god. Liberation from suffering depends on our own efforts.
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Being neither optimistic nor pessimistic about human nature, but realistic. Buddha set up the four Noble Truths.
1. Life inevitably involves suffering, dissatisfaction and distress.
2. Suffering is caused by craving, rooted in ignorance.
3. Suffering will cease when craving ceases.
4. There is a way to realize this state; the noble Eight Fold Path.
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They view good and evil by events that act as a cause that sets another in motion.
Good Karma and Bad Karma being the laws of cause and effect.
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You can be free from suffering if you follow Buddha’s teachings.
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You are either reborn into another body (reincarnation) or you enter Nirvana which is the state of enlightenment by those who reach it. Life is cyclic until you reach nirvana.
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Buddhist practices and rituals include:
1. Prayer wheels
2. Mantras
3. Meditation
4. Mudras
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Celebrations and festivals in Buddhism differ in different cultures of the religion.
The most common celebration is called Vesak which for some cultures marks Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and death that occurred on the same day. For others, they celebrate the conception, birth, enlightenment and death.
Magha Puja Day is also celebrated.
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Week 4
Daoism and
Confucianism
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Taoism teaches that there is a power in the universe that is higher, deeper and truer than any force. They call it the Tao, The Way.
Daoism & Confucianism co-exist as complementary value systems.
A belief that the cosmos is a manifestation of an impersonal self-generating physical-spiritual substance is called Qi, the “stuff” all things that exist are composed of.
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They only believe in Tao, the way.
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That humans can deviate from the creative rhythm of the universe, Tao, The Way. When they deviate, they destruct those around them including themselves.
Daoism
focuses on the way of nature and immortality.
Confucianism
focuses on the practice of virtue – setting good examples for others to follow to have a structured society.
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Good people who follow Tao, the way, will live in harmony. For those who are considered evil, the Taoshi (Taoist Priest) is a main defense that drives away evil and places a person back into harmony. It only happens when one forgets that they are all one in the Tao. Yin and Yang are excellent examples of the balancing forces.
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Salvation is not an escape from this world; it is to become perfectly aligned with the natural world and with the cosmic forces that sustain it.
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Daoism - They hoped to live forever in human form, with supernatural powers of an immortal. They were interested in realms of the immortals believed to be invisible to the human eye.
Confucianism – Hoped to be worshipped by their descendants and their families.
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Daoism
Recital of sacred tests until memorized
Meditation
Visualization
Confucianism
Ancestor worship / prayer
Meditation
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Daoism – Chinese New Year, Hungry Ghost Festival, Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Ancestor Day
Confucianism - Chinese New Year, Teacher Day, Ancestor Day
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Week 5
Shinto
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Kami, which is a single essence manifesting in multiple places, are the spirits perceived in the natural world. Kami means “That which is above” and also refers to that which evokes wonder and awe in us. The Kami harmonize in heaven and earth and also guide the solar system and the cosmos.
The Kami are known to have created the universe, this is told in the Kojiki. Kami means 'god's although they are not like the traditional concept Gods as in many monotheistic religions. The Kojiki tells of the Kami beginning as the center of heaven, then giving birth and growth to all other Kami through the kami brother and sister. They also gave birth to Japan's Eight Great Islands.
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They are polytheistic, meaning they worship or believe in multiple deities.
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They believe humans are part of the natural realm which is sacred. They also believe this world contains defiling substances, and Shinto ritual often involves mental and physical purification of a person who has come into contact with a pollutant, such as death. Water or salt commonly serve as purifying agents.
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In Shinto, there is no concept of original sin or karma. Ancient Japanese considered all unhappy or unfortunate incidents, such as diseases or natural hazards, as sins. Yet, they were not caused by the individual, but arose from external factors. They considered sin to be something which adhered to people externally. So, people might be purified at shrines according to rituals known as oharae. The mechanism is expressed in the saying. “Hate the sin, but not the sinner.”
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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.
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Although each person is expected to continue existence as a kami after death, Shinto is concerned with this world rather than with the afterlife.
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Harai – Exorcising, cleansing, and purification rites
Kekkonshiki – Weddings in which most Japanese include a vow before the Kami
Miyamairi – Christenings & Baptisms
Jichinsai – Groundbreaking rituals
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Festivals are typically dived into three main parts:
· Kami Mukae – “ welcoming the kami”
· Shinko – The main festival is the “procession of the kami”
· Kami Okuri – “sending the kami back”
Daijōsai – The great food festival
Dōsojin Matsuri – Fire Festivals
Hatsumode – First shrine visit of the New Year
By holding these festivals it also fulfills the belief that Kami and ancestral spirits will protect their descendants.
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Week 6
Judaism
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Heaven and Earth was created by God in six days. After creating the material universe (sea, trees, mountains, land, etc.), God created man and woman in the divine “image” or “likeness”, placing them as masters of the earth, rulers of “the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all the living things that creep on earth.” (Fisher p.249)
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God is portrayed as a transcendent Creator, with no origins, gender, or form, a being utterly different from what has been created. Since Hebrew has no gender neutral pronouns, God is generally, not always, described in male singular terms.
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All people are potentially equal; they are said to be common descendants of the first man and woman.
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Since human beings were created with free will, God gives them the choice of pursuing "life and prosperity" or "death and adversity," ultimately enjoining them to choose life
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The place of spiritual reward for the righteous is referred to in Hebrew as Gan Eden. It is a place of spiritual perfection. Only the very righteous go directly to Gan Eden. The average person descends to a place of punishment and/or purification, generally referred to as Gehinnom. Only the utterly wicked do not ascend at the end of this period; their souls are punished for the entire 12 months.
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The spiritual afterlife is referred to in Hebrew as Olam Ha-Ba, the World to Come. The Olam Ha-Ba is another, higher state of being.
There is a gradual transition from physical death to an afterlife in which the body and spirit remain connected to one another in some way either through resurrection or immortality of the soul.
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The Mitzvot
The 613 Commandments
Rabbinic Law
Keeping Kosher
The Synagogue – Jewish house of worship
Redemption of First Born
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Rosh Hashanah
Yon Kippur
Sukkot
Shemini Atzeret
Simchat Torah
Chanukkah
Tu B’Shevat
Purim
Passover
Lag B’Omer
Shavu’ot
Tisha B’Av
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Week 7
Christianity
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According to Genesis 1, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters”
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.”
God created all things on earth such as mountains, water, day, night, animals, humans (in his likeness), plants, trees, etc. Everything we see is the creation of God.
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There is only one God. God is one in essence and three in persons. (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) – All referring to the same God.
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Humans have a choice, which is, obeying God’s will, or rebelling. Some people seeking personal interests instead of serving God and his will are part of human nature. God affords you the opportunity to make your own choices – however, those choices come with consequences – if bad choices are made they are sins.
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Good & Evil can be compared to light and darkness. Light being God, darkness being Satan. Christians seek to turn from darkness to light – from the power of Satan to God – so they can receive forgiveness for their sins and be accepted into the kingdom of Heaven.
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When the physical body dies, your soul is rewarded or punished based on your life of faith.
“Those who believed in Jesus' work and who expressed that faith in good works will be rewarded with heaven and will live in the presence of God; those who refused to believe in Jesus and lived wickedly will be punished in hell. Finally, Christianity also teaches that at the end of time, after divine judgment, those who have eternal life will also be physically resurrected, just as Jesus was.”
(Patheos – Afterlife and Salvation)
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Christians believe that there is indeed an afterlife. Death itself is a passage way to eternal life. Your sins will follow you to the next life. In the next life, God will judge your relationship to Him and determine whether or not you will be accepted into heaven or be damned in hell. This is commonly referred to as purgatory.
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Prayer
Scripture reading
Baptism
Eucharist
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Christmas and Epiphany (manifestation)
Advent
Easter
Ascension (Thursday, 40 days after Easter, or following Sunday)
Pentecost
Transfiguration and Assumption
(Fisher, Ch.9, p. 351-353)
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Week 8
Islam
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Islam teaches that God created the universe and everything in it.
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Islam teaches that Allah is the one and only God. The oneness of Allah is the most important theological principal in Islam.
“The Quran describes God as the creator and ruler of all things, and the judge of all things. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, merciful, and compassionate. He is eternal.”
Patheos – Ultimate Reality and Divine Beings
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Humans are vulnerable to sin. Repentance is the only thing needed to restore humans to a sinless state. Not every individual is going to submit to God to perfect their heart.
“It is possible to become a perfect Muslim since God does not ask anyone to do anything beyond his or her ability.”
Patheos – Suffering and the Problem of Evil
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As people, our meanings of good and evil are based on our thinking and perception. Numerous things and occasions which at first give off an impression of being great may turn out to be malevolent, and the other way around. Genuine knowledge, information which is not subject to constraints, is just with God. The Qur'an obviously expresses that God is the main power in characterizing good an evil. Human perception and thinking of good and evil may be misleading. Humans have the power of choice – only God can decide if his/her actions were good or evil.
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I believe what Islam was teaching was that you will be condemned if you are a sinner and unbeliever of the faith. If you are a believer, and submit to Allah, you will be rewarded with a place in heaven.
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Islam teaches that there is a heaven and hell, and those who have been forgiven for their sins will be bound for paradise in a blissful garden with silk robes and servants to tend to your every need. Here, you will be content and at peace.
The Qur’an mentions a bridge called Sirat where people will gather for “judgement”. “Sirat spans the fires of hell. Those bound for paradise will find the crossing easy. But for those bound for hell, the bridge will be as thin as a razor, and the condemned will fall into flames…The skin of the suffering sinners is continually refreshed so that they will feel the pain of burning, with no relief. Their thirst is unquenchable, yet they drink disgusting fluids in an effort to alleviate their suffering. Boiling water is poured over their heads.”
Patheos – Afterlife and Salvation
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Prayer (salat)
Ramadan
Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)
Alms Tax (zakat)
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Muharram – Islamic New Year
Mawlid al-Nabi – Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
Eid al-Fitr – The Celebration concluding Ramadan
Eid al-Adha – The Celebration concluding the Hajj
Infoplease –Islamic Holidays
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Week 9
Sikhism
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In Sikhism, God is called by many named but has no one name. One of the traditional name for God is Kartar “The Creator”. God created the entire world and humans.
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Sikhs believe God is pure being, without form. God is often referred to as “truth”.
“God is formless, beyond time and space, the only truth, the only reality.”
Fisher – Ch 9 Sikhism
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Sikhs believe that humans should live within the divine will. With that being said, those with a false sense of self are the ones who will be susceptible to lust, anger, greed, clinging and pride. (Five vices)
Patheos – Human Nature and the Purpose of Existence
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The Sikhs believe that evil only exists when people place themselves at the center by being selfish. They also believe that good exists because their soul is believed to be a part of the divine world of the higher being.
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I believe that Sikhs understand this as Liberation – your unification with the Creator at his court.
It makes me wonder also if those who followed a selfish path are reincarnated/reborn to try to reach liberation.
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Sikh beliefs combine reincarnation with the idea of a paradise like court of God. The best result possible for the afterlife is called Liberation, it is when you find unification with the Creator at his court.
Patheos – Afterlife and Salvation
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Baptism
Naming of Children
Marriage – Anand Karaj (Blissful Union)
Monogamy
Prayer
Sikhism Guide - Rites
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Guru Gobind Singh Birthday
Maghi – Lohri
Holi
Vaisakhi
Guru Angad Dev Birthday
Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib
Birth of Guru Granth
Diwali
Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib
Guru Nanak Birthday
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Week 10
New Religious Movements
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Quitestorm1127
world_view_chart_weeks_2-10.docx
