“Many Peoples, Many Faiths”
by
Ameena Zia
Reflect On
• Do you have to be religious to pray?
• How many of you pray before turning in a
paper, for an exam, or quiz?
• Is there only one way to pray?
“Prayer is an effort to communicate
with God, or to another deity or spirit,
either to offer praise, to make a
request, or simply to express one's
thoughts and emotions”
- Wikipedia Encyclopedia
Judaism
* Believe in One God, Yahweh.
* Oldest Abrahamic Religion.
Q. What is an Abrahamic Religions?
* Jews read from the Torah, Old Testament, and
Talmud.
* The Torah is written in Hebrew.
* They rest on Shabbat, Sabbath, begins before
sundown on Friday till sunset on Saturday.
* do no work: ie. Writing, Driving
* Three daily prayers, prayers to say --small
* Congregated prayers consist of 10 men.
Christianity
• Believe in the Trinity:
– Father, Holy Spirit, The Son
* “Centered on the life teachings, sayings and
actions of Jesus, the Christ.” (wikipedia)
* The Bible = Old Testament + New Testament
* Congregational Prayers in Services, Sing Hymns
(Praises).
* “Prayer is communion with God.”
* Sunday Day of Rest
* Worlds Largest Religion
Islam
• Believe in One God, Allah
• Source of Guidance:
– The Holy Qur’an –revealed in Arabic
– The Hadith, Sayings of Prophet Muhammad
• Belief in Prophets Adam to Prophet Muhammad
• Congregational Prayers, Need two men, own
Family
• Pray 5 times a day (set times)
• Jumu’ah: Friday (not day of rest but services
offered in congregation – 2nd Prayer of the Day
Hinduism
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No specific founder
Oldest major Religion still practiced Today
Polytheistic: belief in many Gods
Divine: Brahman = Atman
Great God: Vishnu (many reincarnations of Him)
Source: The Vedas
Believe in Wheel of Samsara (reincarnation)
One has a Dharma: Sacred Duty
Born into a Caste – due your duty correctly be
reborn higher.
Buddhism
• Emerged in 6th B.C.E
– Reform of Hinduism
• The Buddha: Enlightened or Awakened One
– Siddhartha Guatama
– Religion and Philosophy of Life based on the Buddha
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The Four Noble Truths concern Nature of Life
The Eight Fold Path – live by these instructions
Believe in Samsara too
Achieve Nirvana: True Liberation, the Goal
Meditation – form of prayer
Atheism
• “The theory or belief that God does not
exist.” (The Atheist and his Atheism)
• Consequence of what one knows
– How one reasons
• Not really a religion, lacks the requirements
• Do they Pray?
Q. What is their take on Prayer in School?
Food 4 Thought
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Is one allowed to pray in school?
Which religion, if any, is effected by this?
Compare and Contrast two religions?
Which religions are Eastern? Western?
What is something new you learned today?
References:
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Google for Images
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism#Prayers
Religions of the World
http://www.christian-faith.com/biblestudies/prayerteaching.html#defn
• http://mwillett.org/athiest.htm
• Ellwood, Robert & McGraw, Barbara. “Many Peoples,
Many Faiths: Women and Men in the World
Religions,Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall,
2002.
• 6th ed. Exploring Religious Meaning. Upper Saddle River,
New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2003.
Religion of the Worlds