1. Ethnic Religions

2. 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

3. 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)

4. 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)

5. 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?

6. Hindu children of high caste, Bombay India. <India.
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.

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

8. 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

13. 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

14. 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

16. 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

17. Jewish Symbols

20. 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

22. 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

24. 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

26. 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)