2.  FACTS:  Name the 5 most influential world religions.  Which Religion has the most followers?  Which Religion is the fastest growing?  OPINIONS:  What is the purpose of religion?

4.  All 5 world religions are important to the majority of the world’s population. Understanding them gives us greater understanding of why people do what they do.

5.  Belief in many forms of one God  Reincarnation: Rebirth based upon karma  Karma: Knowledge that all thoughts and actions result in future consequences  Vedas and Upanishads: Sacred writings  Spread along major trade routes

8.  Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)  Four Noble Truths  Eightfold Path  Asoka’s missionaries and their writings spread Buddhism from India to China and other parts of Asia.

11.  Hinduism:  Where is it centered?  Basic Beliefs?  Buddhism  Where is it centered?  Basic Beliefs?  Similarities between the two Eastern Religions?

12.  Origins  Abraham  Moses  Jerusalem  Beliefs  Belief in one God (monotheism)  Torah, the written records and beliefs of the Jews  Ten Commandments, which state moral and religious conduct

15.  Origins  Roots in Judaism  Was led by Jesus of Nazareth, who was proclaimed the Messiah  Conflicted with polytheistic beliefs of Roman Empire  Beliefs  Monotheism  Jesus as both Son and incarnation of God  Life after death  New Testament, containing accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus, as well as writings of early Christians  Christian doctrines established by early church councils  Spread  Popularity of the message  Early martyrs inspired others  Carried by the Apostles, including Paul, throughout the Roman Empire

18.  Origins  Muhammad, the Prophet  Mecca and Medina on the Arabian Peninsula: Early Muslim cities  Spread  Across Asia and Africa and into Spain  Beliefs  Monotheism: Allah (Arabic word for God)  Qur’an (Koran): The word of God  Five Pillars of Islam  Acceptance of Judeo-Christian prophets, including Moses and Jesus

23.  Holy city to all 3 western religions…  Source of conflict for thousands of years