Ethnic Religions

Why Do Religions Have Different Distributions? Limited diffusion of ethnic religions more tied to physical environment universalizing religions usually compete with or intrude on ethnic religions Examples of syncretism: Christianity with African ethnic religions Buddhism with Confucianism in China Buddhism with Shinto in Japan Ethnic religions can diffuse with migration Hinduism in Guyana due to Indian diaspora

Hinduism 3rd largest religion in the world 900 million adherents 97% of Hindus are found in India (rest in Nepal) Polytheistic (many gods + goddesses) Salvation/Worship? Many paths to spirituality/salvation Individual decides best way to worship “way of life” > single religion Major denominations (traditions) - recognize one another + linked by shared concepts, rituals, etc. Vaishnavism (Vishnu) 70% Incarnations (Krishna, Buddha, Jesus?, etc.) Sivaism (Siva) 26% Protector and destroyer of ignorance Shaktism (female consorts of Vishnu/Siva)

Hinduism Origin Basic ideas brought by Aryans (Indo-Europeans) Intermingled with Dravidians No clear founder, archaeological evidence dating from 2500 B.C. ‘Karmic” religion (believe in karma / cause & effect) Karma = actions in one lifetime can affect the next. Also believe in reincarnation: cycle: birth, death, rebirth Caste = social class Dharma = set of rules for caste Brahman = highest reality/priests; Goal is to achieve “Moksha” = human salvation (escape the cycle of birth/rebirth) Social mobility is limited, Why? Discuss Karma + reincarnation justify as social control. Practice of “sati” Obsolete funeral custom where widow immolates herself (or is pushed) on her husband’s funeral pyre to not be a burden. outlawed by British in 1829; no longer happening (rural areas)

Hindu Priest, India. 1910-15 http://loc. gov/pictures/resource/ggbain Analyze image of high priest in India. How is this priest being treated in comparison to the people serving him? How does this affect the social stratification system?

Hindu children of high caste, Bombay. 1922 India. <India.http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c03634> How are these children dressed? (traditional Hindu garb). Analyze how the dress of the children may compare to how children of a lower class may dress.

Goal is to be reborn into the higher social caste + eventually achieve “Moksha”

Hinduism continued Holy places Effects on landscape Riverbanks, coastlines, mountains Temples often located on riverbanks/water Ganges River is the most sacred Varanasi = pilgrimage site Effects on landscape Overcrowding/pollution due to pilgrimages Hindus cremate dead = preserves land, no cemeteries BUT Cremation strains wood supply, pollutes water

Judaism 14 - 15 million Origin and diffusion 1/3 USA, 1/3 Israel, 1/3 elsewhere 15% in Europe (90% before WWII) Origin and diffusion Abraham’s migration/covenant Promised land ↔ monotheism 1 lost tribes (Assyrians)/2 tribes remain (Babylon) Tribe of Judah = “Jewish” Diaspora (after 70 AD by Romans) makes Jews an exception that ethnic religions are clustered “re-clustering” due to est. of Israel Zionism = movement for a Jewish homeland began late 1800s, reaction to persecution

The Jewish calendar Rosh Hashanah New Year Yom Kippur Day of Atonement Passover Ten Plagues Autumn holidays express worry over winter rains Spring harvest and sacrifices commemorated in Exodus

Islam’s 3rd most holy site Dome of the Rock Western “Wailing” Wall Solomon built 1st temple Destroyed by Neo-Babylonians Rebuilt after Babylonian Captivity Remnant of 2nd Temple Destroyed by Romans 70 AD

Jewish Symbols

Chinese Ethnic Religions Confucianism Kong Fuzi (551 – 479 BCE) Proper relationships/behavior bring stability answers to bigger questions come later metaphysics borrows spirituality from Buddhism/Daoism Neo-Confucianism Daoism Laozi (604 – 531? BCE) Seek the way or “dao” Harmony with nature (feng shui) Yin and yang (the natural and spiritual world consists of opposite forces: the ugly and beautiful, the dark and the light, masculine and feminine) Chinese Ethnic Religions

Animistic Religions African ethnic religions animism 100 million/12% of Africans animism things in nature have living spirits/consciousness celebration of the natural competition with universalizing religions Leads to decline (50%) in animism Africa now: 46% Christian/40% Muslim

Animistic Religions Shinto Japanese animism As state religion it previously elevated emperor as divine (renounced after WWII) Temples marked by distinctive Japanese gate (torii) separates sacred space from the profane

Animistic Religions Shinto Other Japanese animism As state religion it previously elevated emperor as divine (renounced after WWII) Temples marked by distinctive Japanese gate (torii) separates sacred space from the profane Mixed with Buddhism (syncretism) = Zen Other Isolated areas, indigenous areas Amazon rainforest Arctic Ocean (Komis/Samoyeds in Siberia, Inuit in Canada, Sami in Scandinavia) Interior of SE Asia Interior of large Indonesian islands (Borneo and New Guinea) Interior of Australia (Aborigines)