7.  A Holy City of 3 religions:  Christianity  Judaism  Islam  Has been a source of tension between religions—who does it “belong” to?

8.  Israel

9.  India

10.  Indonesia

11.  China

12.  Islam

13.  Monotheism= belief in one god  Polytheism= belief in many gods

14.  Important Beliefs:  Jesus is the Savior of the world  ONE true Creator God  Trinity: Father, Son, Holy Spirit  Believe in life after death  The Bible is the inspired word of God  Important Customs:  Attending church regularly  Baptism  Confirmation  Communion  Regular prayer  Reading Bible  Celebrating Holidays: Christmas, Good Friday, Easter

15.  Important Beliefs:  The Torah is the most important Holy Text  There is only one God  Jews are uniquely connected to each other  Follow God’s laws in your daily life  Important Customs:  Celebration of important holidays: Hanukkah, Passover, Yom Kippur  Bar/Bat Mitzvah  Regular prayer  Attending synagogue regularly

16.  Important Beliefs:  One God- Allah is the Creator of all things on Earth.  Muhammad is the messenger of Allah on Earth.  The Qur'an (Koran) is the Word of Allah and the Muslim holy book.  Important Customs:  Frequent prayer at specific times of day  Fasting during Ramadan  Charitable giving  Pilgrimage to Mecca  Abstaining from eating pork products

17.  Important Beliefs:  The goal of everyone’s life should be to find enlightenment  The Buddha is a role model for people to look to.  Wealth does not guarantee happiness-live simply.  All people will suffer, but it can be overcome.  Karma-Your actions have consequences.  Important Customs:  Meditation to find inner peace.  Simple living—not acquiring a lot of material possessions  Spiritual discipline to find enlightenment  Do not overindulge in things like food, lying, alcohol, etc.  Visit temples/holy places to pay respect to Buddha

18.  Important Beliefs:  Karma—individuals create their own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds  Dharma-Righteous living  The reincarnation of the soul  Belief in several gods, including Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, and Brahma  Important Customs:  Not eating beef/some are entirely vegetarian  Many have arranged marriages  Idol worship  Pilgrimage to Hindu holy sites  Yoga & meditation to connect with inner self