2. Belief Systems

3. Essential Question: How have belief systems impacted the development of cultures and historical events? World Religions

4. I. Belief Systems (World Religions) A.Purposes - Religion is a concept man uses to: 1. Explain the Unknown a. How the world was created? b. What happens after you die? 2. Provide moral guidelines or laws to live by World Religions

5. B. Types of Belief Systems 1. Polytheistic – Belief in MORE THAN ONE god or divine being a. Examples: Animism, Shinto, Hinduism, Daoism 2. Monotheistic – Belief in ONE god. a. Examples: Judaism, Christianity, Islam World Religions

6. Characteristics of Belief Systems Founder – A person who is usually honored as a deity or sacred person. Examples: Siddhartha Gautama - Buddhism Abraham and Moses - Judaism Jesus - Christianity Muhammad - Islam World Religions

7. Sacred Writings – Holy books or texts that provides an explanation to the origins of the religion, guidelines for behavior, holy days of observance, as well as rituals and practices. Examples: Vedas and Upanishads – Hinduism Analects – Confucianism Torah and Talmud – Judaism Holy Bible – Christianity Qur’an - Islam World Religions

8. Rules of Behavior – Provides guidelines for behavior in order to achieve enlightenment, harmony or salvation. Examples: Dharma – Hinduism Eight Fold-Path – Buddhism Ten Commandments – Judaism and Christianity Five Pillars of Islam – Islam World Religions

11. 1.Founder - There is no one person who is considered the founder of Animism 2.Geographic Origin - Developed worldwide in different parts of the world. (Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Australia) 3.Currently Practiced - World-wide, but most common in traditional societies of Africa, the Americas and Australia iety. D. Animism

12. 4. Significant Writings – None, but have an oral tradition of story-telling (oral history) 5. Significant Religious People – a. Shaman - A person who communicates with the spiritual world and conducts rituals b. Medicine Man/Woman - A healer or a person who can treat illnesses c. Griot - A professional storyteller in a traditional African Animist society. Animism

13. West African Griot North American Shaman

15. 6. Beliefs: a. Religion that believes that each object has its own spirit and that ancestors watch over the living. b. Polytheistic - Spirits are found in natural objects (living and nonliving objects) c. There is belief in a Supreme Being and in lesser gods. d. Obey the gods and follow tradition and you will be rewarded with good harvests and many healthy children. e. Failure to follow traditions would anger the Gods and result in hardships, crop failure, illness and death. Animism

16. 7. Practices: a. Prayers and ceremonies keep gods on your side b. Use of ceremonial masks as a way to receive what the people want or need. Animism

17. Shinto

18. SHINTOISM The Way of the Gods Japan’s Official Religion

19. Geography of Japan Archipelago Volcanoes Mountainous Oceans Little Arable Land Lacks Natural Resources

20. Why Shintoism in Modern Japan? 1.Early Japanese lived isolated Clans Lived in Mountain Valleys 2.Each clan had its own kami 3.A kami is a nature deity or spirit 4. Creator Gods

21. EMPEROR is a god? 1.The Yamato Clan claimed to descend from the Sun Goddess Amaratsu 2.Hence“Land of the Rising Sun” 3.Until 1945, Emperor was worshipped as a god.

22. SHINTO SHRINES

25. 1. Founder - There is no one person who is considered the founder of Hinduism. It is believed that the Aryans and the people of the Indus River Valley’s traditions formed the foundation of Hindu beliefs. 2. Geographic Origin - Developed in India approximately around 3000 BCE 3. Currently Practiced - Most commonly practiced in India. (80% of India is Hindu) E. Hinduism

26. 4. Significant Writings – a. Vedas - collections of prayers and verses about creation and reverence for nature b. Upanishads - discussions about the soul and proper ways of behavior. 5. Significant Religious People – Hindu priests (Brahmins) carry out traditional religious practices in temples. Hinduism

27. Current Vedas Originals

28. Brahmins

29. 6. Beliefs: a. Polytheistic – Brahma is the Supreme Being in the Hindu religion. Hindus believe in millions of different gods and are considered manifestations of the one god Brahma. There are three main gods that control the cycle of life: Brahma- the creator Vishnu- the preserver of life Shiva- the destroyer Hinduism

30. The Creator The Preserver of Life The Destroyer

31. How can Hinduism be considered polytheistic if they believe there is one Supreme Being?

32. b. Moksha - In Hinduism, salvation is achieved through a spiritual oneness of the soul with the Brahma. To achieve this goal, the soul must obtain Moksha, or liberation from the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. c. Reincarnation – The belief that your soul is reborn into another body d. Karma – deeds (actions, words, and thoughts) that impact your future e. Dharma - fulfilling one's duty or occupation in life Hinduism

33. f. Hindu cycle of life - The Hindu cycle of life can best be represented by the infinity symbol. It is believed that a person is given life by Brahma, protected in life by Vishnu, until finally Shiva claims you in death. Then the cycle is repeated over and over again until one finally achieves Moksha. g.Caste System - A rigid class structure (hierarchy) of India that is based on Hindu beliefs. h.A person’s position in the caste system is based on their karma from their previous lives Hinduism

35. i. Good karma - if you follow the dharma you will be rewarded in the next life and move up the caste j. Bad Karma - If you fail you fulfill your dharma, you will be punished and demoted in the caste system their following life. k. Untouchables - are members of Hindu society thought to have been removed from the Caste System, with no hope of returning to it, due to their misdeeds in previous lives. Work that is deemed unclean for all other Hindus is reserved for these Outcasts. Hinduism

38. 7. Practices: a. Prayer - Prayer and offerings at temples b. Dharma - daily life is regulated by caste rules c. Social discrimination – Limited caste interaction creates discriminatory practices and does not allow social mobility. d. The Caste System was outlawed in 1947, but it is still widely practiced. e. Art - expression of faith through the arts Hinduism

41. Founder - Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha, which means "enlightened one." Geographic Origin - Developed in India approximately around 500 BCE Currently Practiced - Most common in Southeast Asia and East Asia. Through trade, migration and pilgrimages Significant Writings – Tripitka, or the Three Baskets of Wisdom. traditional orange robes. F. Buddhism

42. 5. Places of Worship - Buddhism may be practice individually, but temples and monasteries known as Pagodas can be used for worship. 6. Significant Religious People - The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan sect of Buddhism. Buddhist monks can be identified by their traditional orange robes. Buddhism

44. 7. Beliefs: a. Buddha - Siddhartha Gautama was a prince born into the Brahmin caste, and led a luxurious lifestyle. However, he was troubled by the human misery that he saw around him everyday (death, illness and poverty). After meditating under a Bodhi tree, he concluded that desire was the root caused of all suffering. Buddhism

45. b. Four Noble Truths - Siddhartha's philosophy of the nature of human suffering and its relation to desire is articulated by these four statements: 1. Life is full of pain and suffering. 2. Human desire causes this suffering. 3. By putting an end to desire, humans can end suffering. 4. Humans can end desire by following the Eight-fold Path. Buddhism

46. C. The Eight-Fold Path – Gautama’s guidelines on how to achieve Nirvana 1. Right views 5. Right livelihood 2. Right Aspirations 6. Right Effort 3. Right Speech 7. Right Mindfulness 4. Right Conduct 8. Right Contemplation Buddhism

47. Siddhartha Gautama Under the Bodhi Tree

49. Do you think that human suffering is connected to worldly desires? Why or Why not?

50. d. Reincarnation - Buddhists believe in an endless cycle of reincarnation, or samsara, which is similar to beliefs of Hinduism. Like Hindus, Buddhists believe one’s karma influences a person’s reincarnation. e. Rejects the Caste System - Instead Buddhists who believe that a person is reincarnated until they can achieve Nirvana, spiritual enlightenment. f. Nirvana – Spiritual enlightenment Buddhism

51. What similarities and differences do Hinduism and Buddhism have? Buddhism

52. g. Two sects of Buddhism: 1. Theravada Buddhists – South East Asia i. Buddha’s Teachings - Closely followed Buddha’s original teachings 2. Mahayana Buddhists – East Asia II. Polytheistic - Combined with other East Asian polytheistic religions such as Daoism and Shinto and saw Buddha and other holy beings as compassionate gods. Buddhism