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Understanding World Religions and Ethical System
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Was spread through trade: Silk Road
OBJECTIVES:
Judaism (Jews)
1. We will be able to describe the main beliefs of religions
and ethical systems of the world: Christianity, Islam, Hindu,
Buddhism, Judaism, Confucianism.
Basic Facts
2. We will be able to locate the major population centers of
the world's religions and ethical belies.
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14.5 millions of followers
Majority of followers are in Israel (5.9 million) or US
(5.5 million)
Symbol=
3. We will be able to explain how the various religions were
spread throughout the world.
Buddhism (Buddhist)
The Facts
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362 Million followers
Mostly found in Asia
Symbol=
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Wheel of Dharma
o Star of David
One God
Founder: Abraham
o One of the three major Abrahamic religions
(1800 BC, MesopotamiaCanaan present
day Israel)
Extra Information
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Eight Sections=
Eight Fold Path
To Enlightenment
Founder = Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) c.
520 BC, in NE India
Tell Me More…
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Diety: Buddha did not teach a deity although some
sects believe in some
Holy Book: Many sacred texts, including the
Dhammapada
Leaders: Buddhist monks, nuns and the Dali Lama
Basic Beliefs:
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Person achieves complete peace and happiness
(nirvana) by eliminating their attachment to worldly
things
Nirvana is reached by following the Eightfold Path:
(1) Right views, (2) Right resolve, (3)Right speech,
(4) Right conduct, (5) Right livelihood, (6) Right
effort, (7) Right mindfulness, (8) Right
concentration
Every living thing has possibility for spiritual growth,
therefor all are reborn (reincarnation)
Practices and Development
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Buddhist meditate and make offerings
o Three Main Sects:
 Theravada, Mahayana, and
Mantrayan
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Sacred Texts: Hebrew Bible (including the Torah)
Leaders: Rabbis
Basic Beliefs
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There is only one God, who watches over and cares
for his people
o He also holds people accountable for their
sins
Serve God by studying and living out the Torah
o Ten Commandments are a vital part to
Jewish life.
Worship and Practice
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Worship takes place in a synagogue
Eat kosher foodsno pigs or shellfish
Three Major Sects
o OrthodoxStrict followers
o ReformHelp to adapt to the West
o ConservativeIn the middle
Christianity (Christian)
The Facts
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2.1 million followers
Mostly found in the Americas, Europe, and Africa
Symbol =
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Name of Deity-God
o Founder-Jesus Christ (~30 AD) from Israel
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A Few More Facts
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One of the three Abrahamic religions
Holy Book= Bible
Leaders: Priests, ministers, monks, nuns and Pope
o Husband and Wife
o Older Brother and Younger Brother
o Friend to Friend
Filial Piety vital
Education is important for the welfare of the
individual and society
o Foundation for bureaucracy
Islam (Muslim)
Basic Beliefs
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There is only one God, who watches over and cares
for his people
Jesus Christ was the son of God
o He died to save humanity from sin
o His death and resurrection made eternal life
possible for other
Reach salvation by following teachings of Jesus
Christ and believing in Christ
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1.5 billion followers
Mostly found in N. Africa, the Middle East, and
Southeast Asia (Indonesia has the largest national
population of Muslims)
Symbols =
Practices and Development
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Essential to worship are communion, baptism, and
praying
o Major Christian Sects:
 Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox,
and Protestant
Spread through trade, exploration, settlement,
conquest, and empires (ie. Roman)
o
Star and Crescent
o
Confucianism
The Facts
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Not really religion but ethical system
6.3 million followers
Mostly found in China, and other east Asia nations
Symbol=
Yin and Yang
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o The Name of Allah
Name of Deity?Allah(God)
Founder-Muhammad (622 AD), and founded in
Saudi Arabia
FYI
o
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Represents opposite forces in the world
working togethersymbolizes the social
order and harmony of Confucianism
Founder =Confucius in Northeastern China (551 BC)
A Little Extra
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No deity; however, some view Confucius as a god
Two Holy Books: Analects, and the Five Classics
No designated leaders
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Basic Beliefs
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The Basic Beliefs
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The Five Relationship (How Society Should Be
Organized):
o Ruler and Subject
o Father and Son
One of the three major Abrahamic religions
Holy Book = Qur’an
Main leaders are part of a scholar class called the
ulama and the imam
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Achieve salvation by following the Five Pillars of
Islam and living a just life
o Sincere reciting the Muslim profession of
faith
o Performing proper prayers 5x a day
o Giving to charity
o Fasting during the month of Ramadan
o Pilgrimage to Mecca
Muhammad = final prophet of Allah
Do NOT worship idols or images
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Practice and Developments
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Two Different Sects
o Sunni
 Believe leader should come from
Muslim scholar
o Shi’a
 Believe only direct descendants of
Muhammad should rule
Spread some through trade, but mostly from
conquest of empires
Contributions
o Math, Astronomy, Navigation, Medicine,
Physics, Education
KEY TERMS FOR THE TOPIC
Deity
A god or goddess that is the subject of religious worship.
Heresy
Any words or actions that go against the accepted teachings
or practices of a given religion.
Monotheism
A religion that centers around the worship of one deity.
Hinduism (Hindus)
Patriarchy
Basic Facts
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900 million followers
Nearly all of the followers are in India
Symbol =
sacred sound “om”
Social system in which leadership, privileges, and inheritance
is passed through males from generation to generation.
Polytheism
A religion that centers around the worship of multiple deities.
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Name of
Deities:
o Brahma (Creator), Vishnu (Preserver),
Shiva (Destroyer)
Founder-No one founder (1500 BC or earlier)
Additional Information
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Several Sacred Texts
o The Vedas
o The Puranas
Leaders of Hinduism
o Guru
o Holy Man
o Brahmin Priest
Known for Caste system which goes beyond
religionBrahmin at the top & untouchables below
Practices and Beliefs
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After death the soul is reincarnated (reborn in another
physical form) based on one's karma from the
previous lifetime.
o After death the soul is reincarnated (reborn
in another physical form) based on one's
karma from the previous lifetime.
o After death the soul is reincarnated (reborn
in another physical form) based on one's
karma from the previous lifetime.
Believe all life is sacred...remember all souls are
reborn
Very flexible beliefs
Sect
A subgroup or division of a larger religion.
Religion (Basic Dictionary)
The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power,
esp. a personal God or gods.
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KEEP IN MIND:
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Let’s avoid Ethnocentrism.
o judging another culture solely by the
values and standards of one's own
culture
Focus on Cultural Relativism
o Not judging a culture but trying to
understand it on its own terms.
CRASH COURSE VIDEO QUESTIONS:
BUDDHISM:
1.
When does our story with Buddhism start?
6th Century CE
2.
What did Siddhartha encounter that caused him
to renounce the crown and caused search for how
life could come to such a terrible end ?
sick man, old man, a corpse
3.
Overall, what did the four noble truths deal with?
To rid of desire as that caused all of the suffering
which meant to follow the eight fold path.
4.
Why was Buddhism popular for those in the
Hindu caste system?
There was no caste system, and you would not be
lower in life
Judaism
1.
Hebrews developed what central idea that would
influence other religions?
A belief in one God (monotheism)
2.
What is a covenant and why was it important?
Agreement between God and Abraham and that his
people would populate the Earth
Confucianism
1.
What did Confucius argue was most important?
Follow out past traditions of Sage
Dynastyhierarchal structure (ie. Father to Son)
2.
What was filial piety and why is it important to
Confucianism?
Respect of one’s parents and ancestors
Islam
1.
What did Islam go from in 200 years?
Not existing to being the religious and political
organizer of one of the largest empires in the world.
2.
What is a radical reforming religion?
A religion that looked to restore the religion because
it had strayed.
Hinduism
1.
What is the earliest text known for Hindus?
Vedas
2.
How did the division of Purusha give the
organization of caste system?
3.
What role does dharma play in Hinduism?
It keeps society in order