What is the main difference between Hinduism and the Semitic religions?

Hinduism is a polytheistic religion Began around 2000 BCE in the Indus River Valley of present-day Pakistan Sacred items for Indus people are still religiously important for Hindus today…  Cleanliness/Ritual bathing  “Mother Goddess,” fertility/rebirth  Ceramic seals depicting a bull/virility  Indus River is sacred

Hinduism Today Mostly in India and Nepal 900 million followers No single founder No single scripture No common set of teachings Many consider a “way of life”

The bedrock of the Hindu thought system… considered their sacred text Were only transmitted orally for years, but was eventually written down in Sanskrit Instructs about the gods/goddesses of Hinduism

 Hindu followers believe in more than one god, but devote themselves to one god as their personal deity. Brahma—the creator: all other gods were created by this god Vishnu—the preserver: the greatest of all gods, maintaining balance between good and evil powers in the universe. To maintain balance, this god returns to earth as 10 different forms.

Shiva—the destroyer/purifier : considered Lord of the Dance, cycle of birth and death, and fertility.  There are many other gods and goddesses in Hinduism.

Hindu Goddesses Worship of goddesses goes back to Indus Valley civilization where the mother was revered as renewer of life and symbol of fertility/strength. 3 Principal goddesses directly related to Hindu Trinity: –Sarasvati – daughter of Brahma –Laksmi – wife of Vishnu –Mahadevi Shakti – wife of Shiva (great goddess from which all other goddesses are born)

Dharma: ultimate moral balance of all things. Each person has own responsibility to keep up their own balance. Karma: “ What goes around comes around.” “ You reap what you sow.” You experience the effects of your actions. Samsara: reincarnation, a person’s worldly status depends upon actions in a past life. Moksha: achieved by living a life of religious devotion and moral integrity. (escaping the cycle of reincarnation)

 The Hindu social class system, varna, is rooted in tradition.  It was created by Hindu priests using the “Hymn of Man” from the Vedas. Brahmins=High priests, teachers, judges Kshatriyas=warriors, rulers, law enforcers Vaishyas=skilled workers, merchants, farmers Sudras=servants, craftworkers, laborers Untouchables=Pariahs=outcasts of society (street, garbage, dispose of dead, tan hides)

Excerpt from the famous verse, "The Hymn of Man:" 11 When they divided the Man, into how many parts did they apportion him? What do they call his mouth, his two arms and thighs and feet? 12 His mouth became the Brahmin; his arms were made into the Warrior, his thighs the People, and from his feet the Servants were born." (Rig-Veda, ,12)

Ideas of reincarnation and karma are tied to the caste system.  Creates a strict social and religious order for society  A person is born into a certain caste and remains in that caste for life  Caste is determined by karma  Each caste has its own dharma, or duties which they are to follow to improve their situation in another life.

Caste System Today Officially illegal to discriminate based on caste Bias remains in many areas Urban areas don’t struggle with this as much Rural areas are still very strict

To Hindus, water is both literally and symbolically a source of life, renewal, and hope. The Ganges starts in the Himalaya Mountains and flows through the holy city of Varansi. The belief is that contact with the Ganges help balance a person’s karma. The Ganges biggest issue is pollution of sewage, trash, food, and human and animal remains.

What is Apartheid? An official policy of racial segregation formerly practiced in the Republic of South Africa, involving political, legal, and economic discrimination against nonwhites. A policy or practice of separating or segregating groups. The condition of being separated from others; segregation.