World Religions World History & Geography II

Judaism FOUNDER: Abraham HOLY BOOK: the Torah Abraham’s descendants are known as “Hebrews” the first five books of the Old Testament are known as the Torah (or the Pentateuch) HOUSE OF WORSHIP: Synagogue FOLLOWERS: “Jews”

HISTORY Judaism God Spoke to Abraham (around 1800 BCE) Abraham makes a covenant (agreement) – love and support for worship God spoke to Abraham (around 3200 BCE) and tells him that HE is the ONLY all powerful, all knowing God Abraham makes a covenant: God will love, support and provide friendship for Abraham and his descendants in return for their worship (no more idols, pagan gods, etc.) God also promises Abraham that he and his descendants are guaranteed the land of Canaan (present day Israel) Hebrews conquer Canaan, are later enslaved by the Egyptians and then freed by Moses (around 1300-1200 BCE) God gives Moses the 10 Commandments

HISTORY (cont’d) Judaism Jews persecuted throughout history because of Christian belief that fellow Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus of Nazareth Following WWII - Jews finally gain Canaan officially in 1948 and rename it Israel The 10 Commandments are a code of ethics for the Hebrews to follow Major periods of persecution include: after Christianity is made official religion of the Roman Empire (400-500 CE); the Crusades (1096-1204 CE); the Black Death (mid-1300s); Reformation (mid-1500s); pre-WWII/Holocaust (1920s-1940s) A major period of unrest in the Middle East following formation of Israel in 1948 that still exists (Arab-Israeli War, Yom Kippur War, ongoing Arab-Israeli conflicts)

BELIEFS Judaism The first monotheistic religion Following Torah and the 10 Commandments will lead to heaven believe that Jews are God’s “chosen people” Ethical world view: individuals make the choice between good and evil; and to follow the moral and religious laws of the Torah “ethical world view” – people should lead moral lives

BELIEFS cont’d Judaism A synagogue MUST have windows Bar Mitzvah: boys declare responsibility as adults Christian calendar @ 2011; Jewish calendar @ 5770; Windows = b/c worship is not a retreat from life but instead a retreat for the sake of life Bar Mitzvah: at age 13, boys read from the Torah Bat Mitzvah: at age 13, girls have a similar ceremony Bat Mitzvah: girls have similar ceremony

TRADITIONS Judaism Passover: signifies “passing over” from slavery in Egypt to freedom Rosh Hashanah: the Jewish New Year Passover: “passing over” from death to life. During this celebration Jews recall all that God has done for them. It also recalls the first Passover when it was the blood of the sacrificial lamb that saved the firstborn children of Israel from death in Egypt and what made possible their departure for the promised land. Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement – Jews fast to repent their sins and to purify the body and soul Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year – 10 days after Yom Kippur Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement – fasting to repent; to purify body and soul

TRADITIONS cont’d Judaism Hanukkah: the Festival of Lights – a declaration of faith Kosher diet: no pork; dietary laws overseen by Rabbis “keeping kosher”: no pork (or other hoof footed, non-cud chewing animals) – dietary laws are in accordance with those provided for in the Torah; meals may not combine meat and dairy products -- families have two sets of dishes (and another two sets just for use at Passover) Hanukkah: the Festival of Lights – a declaration of faith…when Jews were expelled from Egypt (the exodus) there was only enough oil to light their lamp for one night, but it burned for all eight nights of their journey – hence the eight nights of Hanukkah; a lot of modern association with gift giving at Hanukkah relates to its closeness to Christmas circumcision: affirms covenant with God and his relationship to all Jews

TRADITIONS cont’d Judaism Yarmulke: worn to symbolize God’s superiority to men Saturday is considered the Sabbath Yarmulke: men and boys cover their heads when in the presence of God; usually just in temples and synagogues, but Orthodox Jews believe they are always in the presence of God, so they always wear one Sabbath: from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday

Christianity FOUNDER: Jesus of Nazareth HOLY BOOK: the Bible (Old Testament and New Testament) HOUSE OF WORSHIP: churches FOLLOWERS: Christians Jesus is believed to have been born in Bethlehem around 4 BCE

HISTORY Christianity Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem Followers believed him to be the Messiah (King of the Jews) and son of God Parents were Mary and Joseph of Nazareth Raised as a Jew Attracted followers because of his message that stressed love for God and compassion for other people

HISTORY cont’d Christianity Had 12 disciples known as “apostles” who would later write the stories of the New Testament Christian teachings are rooted in the Hebrews’ ethical world view “apostle” means one of a class of missionaries or preachers in the early church; the earliest or foremost advocate of a cause – it also means disciple or one who accepts or follows a teacher Palestine was a part of the Roman Empire during this time Romans thought Jesus’ teachings were a threat to Roman authority

HISTORY cont’d Christianity Jesus Christ was tried, convicted and executed by crucifixion around 30 CE Early Christians were heavily persecuted and martyred for their beliefs Crucifixion was a common form of capital punishment in Ancient Rome Christians believe that Jesus returned to life 3 days after his death to continue spreading his ideas Especially re: monotheism and refusal to worship Roman gods

HISTORY cont’d Christianity Constantine granted toleration to Christians and converted in 313 CE Christianity was made the official religion of the Roman Empire in 395 CE Constantine was first Emperor to be converted to Christianity

BELIEFS Christianity Monotheistic The Trinity – Father/Son/Holy Spirit one God in three beings “golden rule” Much of Christianity is drawn from early Judaism – Jesus’ teachings were based in the Jewish “ethical world view” Treat others as you would be treated God is a loving and forgiving being

BELIEFS cont’d Christianity Good deeds on Earth will be rewarded with a life in “heaven” after death Ten Commandments Jesus died for all mens’ sins

TRADITIONS Christianity Celebration of Christ’s birth – Christmas Celebration of Christ’s resurrection – Easter Consider Sunday the Sabbath

Christianity Modern Christianity ALL Christian religions that are NOT Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox are Protestant denominations There are more than 200 Protestant denominations today Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, AME, Anglican, Amish, Quaker, 7th Day Adventist, Jehovah’s Witness, Christian Science, Mormons, etc.

Islam FOUNDER: Muhammad HOLY BOOK: Quran (Koran) HOUSE OF WORSHIP: Mosque FOLLOWERS: Muslims GOD: Known as Allah Literal meaning of “Muslim” is peace; religious meaning is “surrender to the will of God” Allah is the same God that Jews and Christians worship

HISTORY Islam Muhammad is born about 570 in Mecca 610: he is visited by the angel Gabriel and called to be a messenger of God Gabriel tells Muhammad that there is only one god and he should convert people to this faith; he also tells Muhammad that all people are created equal and the rich should give to the poor Mecca: in present day Saudi Arabia Muhammad tries to convert the people of Mecca but fails

HISTORY cont’d Islam 622: the Hijra – Muhammad and his followers left Mecca for Yathrib (now Medina) Muhammad was welcomed in Medina as a ruler and as God’s prophet; as a result, thousands adopted Islam Muhammad's rejection of traditional Arab gods angered merchants and traders in Mecca who feared neglecting their idols and disrupting the pilgrim trade; Muhammad and his follower’s were threatened with death and were forced to leave Mecca Hijra is the Arab word for Muhammad’s journey from Mecca to Yathrib Medina an Arab word that means “city of the Prophet”

HISTORY cont’d Islam 630: Muhammad returned to Mecca, the people converted to Islam and destroyed the idols in the Kaaba By Muhammad’s death in 632 most Arabs had converted to Islam Caliph: successor to Muhammad Kaaba is a cube shaped building made of stone (50’x40’) in the center of the Sacred Mosque in Mecca; it is a prayer site Caliphs spread Islam far beyond Arabia

BELIEFS Islam Allah is all powerful and all knowing Allah is the only God Christian and Jewish prophets (including Jesus) are messengers of Allah’s word Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam is strictly monotheistic

BELIEFS cont’d Islam All people are created equal and born without sin Each person will stand before Allah on Judgment Day and go to paradise or to hell One is accountable for his/her sins only after puberty Depending upon one’s actions – eternal paradise or eternal punishment -- if a Muslim dies in JIHAD (effort in God’s service), he/she will automatically receive a place in heaven

BELIEFS/PRACTICES Islam THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM SHAHADA: the profession of faith in Allah as the one true God All Muslims accept these five pillars or basic duties as their responsibility to Allah **”there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His prophet”** SHAHADA: and the apostleship of Abraham – Muslims believe they (together with Christians and Jews) are descendants of Abraham; Muslims from his son Ishamael, Christians and Jews from his son Isaac SALAT: the ritual prayers performed five times per day while facing Mecca (east)

BELIEFS/PRACTICES Islam THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM Cont’d THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM ZAKAT: almsgiving or charity ZAKAT: care for the poor SAWM: (usually January/February) SAWM: fasting during the daylight hours of the holy month of Ramadan

BELIEFS/PRACTICES Islam THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM Cont’d THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM HAJJ: pilgrimage to Mecca – done at least once by every Muslim who is able HAJJ: done at least once in his/her lifetime by every Muslim who is physically and financially capable of doing so Some Muslims look on Jihad as another duty in addition to the 5 pillars; JIHAD means “effort in God’s service” – it is often translated as Holy War, but may include acts of charity or one’s inner struggle to achieve spiritual peace, as well as any battle in defense of Islam

BELIEFS/PRACTICES Islam DIET: no pork Cont’d DIET: no pork no alcohol or other addictive drugs Friday is considered the Sabbath Pork is considered “unclean”

Hinduism FOUNDER: no single founder Shiva HOLY BOOK: the Vedas Vedas: a collection of hymns, rules, rituals, philosophy and magic that first appeared around 2000 BCE Hinduism is considered to be the world’s oldest surviving religion; some aspects of it developed in prehistoric India with origins that date at least as far back as 3500 BCE Began in India (Indus River Valley) Is a blend of Aryan (nomadic warrior) traditions and traditional Indus mystic beliefs This sculpture portrays the god Shiva dancing to destroy and then recreate the universe; his feet crush a demon into submission and the circle of fire represent the Hindu belief in an endless cycle of creation, death and rebirth (WH text p.78) HOUSE OF WORSHIP: Temples FOLLOWERS: Hindus

“God is one but wise people Hinduism BELIEFS “God is one but wise people know it by many names” BRAHMAN: A single spiritual power beyond the many gods of the Vedas – an unchanging, all-powerful spiritual force “God is one but wise people know it by many names” – To most Hindus, the concept of Brahman is too complex an idea for most people to understand, so they worship many gods that give a concrete form to Brahman (WH p78)

BELIEFS cont’d Hinduism The most important Hindu gods are: Brahma – the creator Vishnu – the preserver Shiva – the destroyer Each of these gods can take many forms (human or animal) and each also has his own family Each represents aspects of Brahman

This sculpture portrays the god Shiva dancing to destroy and then recreate the universe; his feet crush a demon into submission and the circle of fire represents the Hindu belief in an endless cycle of creation, death and rebirth (WH text p.78) Shiva

BELIEFS cont’d Hinduism REINCARNATION: rebirth after death into another form conduct in this life determines caste in the next Reincarnation allows people to continue working toward moksha through several lives (some estimates suggest that it takes 10,000 or more reincarnations to achieve Brahman) MOKSHA: achieving union with Brahman

BELIEFS cont’d Hinduism KARMA: all of the actions of a person’s life that affect his/her fate in the next life Ahimsa: all people and things are aspects of Brahman and should be respected DHARMA: an individual’s religious and moral duties

` BELIEFS cont’d Hinduism CASTE SYSTEM (Jati): the social hierarchy that divided and framed Hindu society Five primary groups: * Brahmans (priest caste) * Kashatriyas (warrior caste) * Vaisayas (merchants and farmers) * Sudras (menial workers) * Panchamas (untouchables) -- now known as Harijans Jati: the Indian word for birth To Hindus, members of other castes were different species of beings and to ensure spiritual purity, complex rules developed within the caste system (WH p.87) Hindus believed that the law of karma determined their caste, and therefore gave them as sense of identity, regardless of how high or low their caste; in addition, the castes depended on one another for their basic needs (untouchables dig graves for all; Vaisyas farmers grow food for all; etc.) During the early 20th century, Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi embraced western ideas of democracy and nationalism and used these ideals to reject the inequities of the caste system – particularly with regard to the treatment of untouchables (since renamed “Harijans” or “Children of God”). -- only since gaining independence in the mid-late 20th century, have significant strides been made in how the Harijan are treated in Hindu countries (particularly India)

Buddhism FOUNDER: Siddhartha Gautama Buddha means “Enlightened One” HOUSE OF WORSHIP: Temples FOLLOWERS: Buddhists Siddhartha was called to found Buddhism as a rejection of the Brahmin domination of Hinduism and believed there was another way to truth. These teachings eventually spread across Asia and became one of the world’s great religions.

HISTORY Buddhism Siddhartha was born about 566 BCE into the Kashatriya (warrior) caste Left his home to discover “the realm of life where there is neither suffering nor death” According to Buddhist tradition, his mother dreamed that a radiant white elephant descended to her from heaven. Because of this dream, a prophet predicted that her son would become a wandering holy man. This frightened his father, who kept his son in the family’s palace, surrounded by luxury and comfort. During one of his first trips beyond the palace walls as an adult, Gautauma saw his first sick person, his first elderly person and his first dead person. This awareness of suffering so disturbed him that he left his wife and child to discover “the realm of life where there is neither suffering nor death.”

HISTORY cont’d Buddhism Gautama wandered for years, seeking answers Eventually, he gave up his search and decided to meditate until he understood the mystery of life When he rose, he was no longer Gautama – he was the Buddha, or “Enlightened One” He meditated for 48 days - until he understood the cause of suffering and death

BELIEFS Buddhism FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS FIRST NOBLE TRUTH: All life is full of suffering, pain and sorrow (SAMSARA) The Buddha spent the rest of his life teaching others what he had learned – these Four Noble Truths that are at the heart of Buddhism 1st: Human existence is painful and all beings are caught in a cycle of rebirth (SAMSARA), a maze of suffering in which actions (KARMA) keep one wandering 2nd: desire for things that are really illusions, such as power, riches and long life SECOND NOBLE TRUTH: Desire is the cause of this suffering

BELIEFS (cont’d) Buddhism FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS THIRD NOBLE TRUTH: The only cure for suffering is to overcome desire 3rd: suffering can cease 4th: FOURTH NOBLE TRUTH: Nirvana can be reached by way of the Eightfold Path

BELIEFS (cont’d) Buddhism EIGHTFOLD PATH Right Views 7. Right Livelihood Right Aspiration 8. Right Effort Right Speech Right Conduct Right Mindfulness Right Rapture #1 & #2: to do with understanding the Four Noble Truths and committing to this Eightfold Path #3-#8: Next, a person must live a moral life, avoiding evil words and actions.

BELIEFS (cont’d) Buddhism Through meditation a Buddhist may achieve enlightenment The final goal of a Buddhist is to reach NIRVANA, union with the universe and release from the cycle of rebirth

BELIEFS (cont’d) Buddhism The Middle Way: The Buddha saw following the Eightfold Path as a way to salvation Buddhism emphasizes moral and ethical rules A middle way between a life devoted to pleasure and one based on harsh self-denial Such as honesty, charity and kindness to all living things

BELIEFS (cont’d) Buddhism SHARED TRADITIONS (with Hinduism): Both accept concepts of Kharma, Dharma and Moksha (with Hinduism) – grew out of ancient Vedic religious tradition Cycle of rebirth Principles of nonviolence

BELIEFS (cont’d) Buddhism DIFFERENCES from Hinduism: Rejects priests, formal rituals and the many Hindu gods Rejected caste system and offered the hope of nirvana to all, regardless of birth (every man can be a Buddhist) Urges individuals to seek enlightenment through meditation Rejected the caste system