Warm-Up
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What religion does your family practice?
What do you believe about the nature of
God/Gods/Higher Power of Your Choice?
What do you believe happens to a person after
death?
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-OR-
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If you are politically active, tell me about your
political beliefs.
What party do you support, and why?
Why are religion and politics difficult to discuss?
How do you feel about controversial issues, like
abortion, gun control, gay marriage, the economy,
our place in the Middle East, et cetera? Why?
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Introduction to World
Religions and Beliefs
Major World Religions
Judaism
Who – Abraham, Moses
When – circa 3000 BC
Where – Israel
Holy Books - Torah, and Talmud
Major Divisions – Orthodox,
Conservative, Reform
 Holy Symbol(s) –
• tzitzit (fringe on shawl or
clothing) and
tefillin are reminders of the
commandments
• The menorah(candelabrum)
is the ancient universal
symbol of Judaism
• The Jewish star is a
modern universal Jewish
symbol
• skullcap (yarmulke)

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
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Basic Beliefs
 Monotheistic – one God
 Jews are the chosen people of God,
must follow his laws.
 Jerusalem/Israel are holy lands.
Christianity

Who – Jesus of Nazareth

When – circa 30AD

Where – Israel

Holy Books – Old and New
Testaments

Major Divisions – Catholic,
Protestant, Orthodox
Holy Symbol(s) – The cross

Basic Beliefs
 Jesus Christ is the son of
God
 Death and resurrection
 Came to redeem mankind
from sin.
Who – Mohammed
When – circa 620AD
Where – Arabian Peninsula
Holy Books – Quran and the Hadith
Major Divisions – Sunni, Shia
Holy Symbol(s) - The Star and Crescent
The star and crescent is the best-known
symbol used to represent Islam. It
features prominently on the Featured on
flags of Turkey and Pakistan.
The symbolized was popularized during
the Ottoman Empire (1299-1922)
Basic Beliefs
There is no god but Allah, and
Muhammad is the messenger of God
Quran is word of God.
Muslims must perform the “Five Pillars
of Faith”.
Islam
The Five Pillars of Islam
- the five obligations that every Muslim must satisfy in
order to live a good and responsible life according to Islam.
1. Shahadah: sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith
2. Salat: performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times each
day
3. Zakat: paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit the poor and the
needy
4. Sawm: fasting during the month of Ramadan
5. Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca
Hinduism
Who – Ancient priests of India
When – 5000 –3000 BCE
Where – India
Holy Books – Vedas, Bhagavad-Gita
Major Divisions – Numerous schools
and traditions
Basic Beliefs
Polytheistic
Reincarnation and Karma – cause and
effect
Ultimate goal – oneness with
“Brahman” (God, Reality)
Holy
Sound
(symbol)
Om (also spelled Aum) is a Hindu sacred
sound that is considered the greatest of all
mantras.
The syllable Om is composed of the three
sounds a-u-m (in Sanskrit, the vowels a and
u combine to become o) and the symbol's
threefold nature is central to its meaning.
the three worlds - earth, atmosphere, and
heaven
the three major Hindu gods - Brahma,
Vishnu, and Siva
the three sacred Vedic scriptures - Rg, Yajur,
and Sama
Om mystically embodies the essence of the
entire universe. This meaning is further
deepened by the Indian philosophical belief
that God first created sound and the universe
arose from it. As the most sacred sound, Om
is the root of the universe and everything that
exists and it continues to hold everything
together.
Reincarnation and Karma:
Excerpts from Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hq5jZrFT
bE&list=RD02eZbtAFq7dP8
Buddhism
Who – Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)
When – 500 BC
Where – Northern India
Holy Books - Tripitaka
Major Divisions – Mahayana,
Theravada
Holy Symbols Circle of Zen
Basic Beliefs
Life is suffering, caused by wanting
things, caused by ignorance.
Reincarnation and karma
“8-fold Path” allows escape to
Nirvana
Wheel of Dharma
Other Religions
Baha‘i: a religion founded in Iran in 1863 by Husayn ‫ع‬Alī
(called Bahaullah) teaching the essential worth of all
religions, the unity of all races, and the equality of the
sexes.
Confucianism: the system of ethics, education, and
statesmanship taught by Confucius, a Chinese philosopher
and his disciples, stressing love for humanity, ancestor
worship, reverence for parents, and harmony in thought
and conduct.
Jainism: a dualistic religion founded in the 6th century b.c. as
a revolt against current Hinduism and emphasizing the
perfectibility of human nature and liberation of the soul,
esp. through asceticism and nonviolence toward all living
creatures. In Jainism, nirvana means final release
from the karmic bondage.
Shinto: the native religion of Japan, primarily a system of
nature and ancestor worship.
Other Religions (cont.)
Sikhism: a monotheistic religion, founded in the Punjab c1500
by the guru Nanak, that refuses to recognize the Hindu caste
system or the Brahmanical priesthood and forbids magic,
idolatry, and pilgrimages.
Taoism: the philosophical system evolved by Lao-tzu and
Chuang-tzu, advocating a life of complete simplicity and
naturalness and of noninterference with the course of natural
events, in order to attain a happy existence in harmony with
the Tao.
Zoroastrianism: an Iranian religion, founded c600b.c.by
Zoroaster, the principal beliefs of which are in the existence
of a supreme deity, Ahura Mazda, and in a cosmic struggle
between a spirit of good, Spenta Mainyu, and a spirit of evil,
Angra Mainyu. Pre-Islam