Religion

Outline The Most Basic of Basics Misconceptions What is Religion? Why is Religion Important? Debate Tactics

The Most Basic of Basics

Abrahamic Religions Monotheistic religions that believe they descend from Abraham Judaism Christianity Islam

Key Term: Ethnoreligious Group An ethnic group of people whose members are unified by a common religious background. Interaction of culture, language, religion, and collective identity Examples: Sikh, Zoroastrians, and Jews

Judaism Oldest Abrahamic religion Origins: Ancient Israel and Judea Important texts: –Torah –Tanakh/Hebrew Bible –Oral Tradition, etc. 14 Million Jews; 42% in Israel and 42% in North America

Christianity Catholicism Eastern Orthodoxy (11 th century schism) Protestantism (16 th century) Important Texts –Old Testament –New Testament –Etc.

Islam Quran + Muhammad’s teachings Southeast Asia, North Africa, Western Asia, and Central Asia; Iran, Pakistan Sunni Islam Shia Islam

Hinduism South Asia Broad range of philosophies Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism 3 rd largest religion

Buddhism Nontheistic Gautama Buddha –6 th – 4 th century Four Noble Truths

The Big Five Christianity Islam Hinduism Buddhism Folk Religion

Misconceptions THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW Most non-Abrahamic religions do not have a concept of hell or damnation Christianity is the world’s fastest growing religion U.S. is historically not that Christian Islam vs. Islamism

What is Religion? Is religion an interest, or an identity?

What is Religion? Worldview –Way of seeing yourself, the people around you, and your relationship with the divine –Not just some opinions or beliefs

Why are people religious? Often cultural or family context –Community Identity –Ethnoreligious Groups Set of beliefs or values –Way of understanding the world, your place within it, and what will happen to you after death

Religion Individual and collective identity Not easy (or desirable) to change –E.g. Sexual orientation Can be a very positive thing –Black activism in the United States –Protestantism vs. Catholicism

Why is all this important? Religion is not just a “choice” Long-lasting influence

– Bite the dust – Blind leading the blind – By the skin of your teeth – Broken heart – Can a Leopard Change his spots? – Eat, Drink, and Be Merry – Nothing but skin and bones – The Powers that Be – Pride comes before a fall – Rise and shine

Debate Tactics! Knowing when religion is and isn’t important to the discussion To argue that something will negatively impact a religious group –Asking yourself why –Context and information

Debate Tactics How to argue against that –Prove that the potential harms are so great that they merit it –Argue for something else