1 World ReligionsWorld Religions. 2 World Religions: Christianity Founded - Jesus-born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago Born to Jewish family in present-day.

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World Religions

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World Religions: ChristianityFounded -

Jesus-born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago

Born to Jewish family in present-day Israel

Viewed as the Messiah…son of God

Roamed countryside spreading message—challenged Jewish authorities

Crucified by Roman authorities…..resurrected & went to Heaven

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World Religions: ChristianityLocation -

Began in current country of Israel (located in Middle East)

Currently worldwide esp. in areas of European influence

Main sects are Orthodox, Catholic & Protestant

Over 2 billion believers makes it world’s largest religion (@33% world’s pop.)

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World Religions: ChristianityBook -

“Holy Bible”

Old Testament (Jewish Tenakh/Islamic Quran) talks of God’s covenant w/ Jewish people through Abraham & Moses….about keeping laws

New Testament: Since Jesus…stories of Apostles & salvation through Jesus

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World Religions: ChristianityPractices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

Jesus was God’s son – human & divine

Jesus died for mankind’s sin’s…salvation is through belief in Jesus & following laws of God

10 Commandments (Jewish Torah) the basis of belief, including:

- honor father / mother

- thou shalt not kill

- worship the 1 God only

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World Religions: ChristianityPractices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

Advent – 4 weeks preparing for Christs’ birth

Christmas – birth of Jesus

Epiphany – wise men visit & spread the news

Lent–pre-Easter 40 days Jesus spent fasting in desert

Holy Week (includes Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, & Good Friday)

Easter – Resurrection of Jesus

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World Religions: JudaismFounded -

4000 years ago in Middle East w/ Abraham

Abraham Isaac Jacob (Israel)

Promised People = Israelites

Moses led Hebrew people from Egypt to “Promised Land”

Moses is given 10 Commandments

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World Religions: JudaismLocation -

“Promised Land” = Canaan = modern day Israel

Jewish people spread throughout world (Diaspora)

After Holocaust, Jews are given modern Israel in 1948….…..land “taken” from Muslim Palestineans

Currently 14 million (2 - 3% world) 50% in U.S. / 25% in Israel / 25% in Europe, etc.

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World Religions: JudaismBook -

Tenakh = Torah (laws) + Nev'im (prophets) + Ki'tuvim (histories/sayings/etc.)

Talmud is collection of rules for reading the Tenakh

Scrolls should be read w/ yad

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World Religions: JudaismPractices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

Follow 10 Commandments (Torah)

Orthodox / Conservative / Reform conservative/strict liberal/loose

Synagogues are Jewish centers of life

Shabbat is sundown Friday to dark on Saturday

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World Religions: JudaismPractices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

Bar and Bat mitzvah to celebrate 13th b-day

Hanukkah is the festival of lights (Nov – Dec)

Passover celebrates release from Egypt

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year (Sept-Oct)

Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement (forgiveness) happens 10 days after R.H.

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World Religions: IslamFounded -

Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, etc all early prophets

Muhammad most recent prophet around 600 AD

Angel Gabriel reveals Allah’s word to Muhammad

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World Religions: IslamLocation -

Middle East is the birth place (Mecca, S.A.)

Escapes to Medina (Hijrah)

Subsequent caliphs help spread the word to…..

Middle East & eventually to N.Africa, Spain, Portugal, and Turkey (Ottoman Empire)

Worldwide today….1.2 billion including 7m in U.S. w/ majority in India & Indonesia

Only 18% are Arabs in Middle East

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World Religions: IslamBook -Quran (Koran): similar to Old Testament

Sunnah is a record of Muhammad’s preachings

5 Pillars:

1. Shahadah (Allah only God)

2. Salat-5 daily prayers toward Mecca

3. Zakah-donate 2.5% of wealth to poor

4. Sawm-fast during daylight in Ramadan

5. Hajj-pilgrimage to Mecca once in life

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World Religions: IslamPractices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

Belief in Allah, prophets, angels, Torah/Bible/Quran

Heaven is reward for good deeds

Id ul-Fitr – festival of thankfulness

Sunnis (80%)

Shi’ite(15%) power held by Ayatollahs

Suffis(5%<) nomadic roaming holy men

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World Religions: HinduismFounded -

Indus Valley (N. India) 3000 BC

Various influences during development….no 1 founder

Vedas (hymns) tell the story (passed on orally)

Worlds oldest religion?

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World Religions: HinduismLocation -

Indus Valley between present-day India & Pakistan

Over 1 billion people today:

-India (750 million)

-Nepal (19 million)

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World Religions: HinduismBook -

Vedas – hymns, prayers and spells (3000+ years old)

Upanishads – stories told about Hinduism from teachers to students

Bhagavad Gita – poem/story about warring families

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World Religions: HinduismPractices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

Samsara-reincarnation wheel of life/death……this is difficult & you want to avoid it

Moksha-release from samsara by replacing ignorance w/ wisdom

Brahman-God / spirit…..everywhere

Atman-individual souls (add up to make Brahman)

Dharma-position in society (priests/teachers, rulers/military, merchants & workers)..DUTY

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World Religions: HinduismPractices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

Maya prevents people from Moksha…..they see things wrong (like an illusion)

Karma-deeds bring us closer to “salvation” this is how well you live the life you have been given

Yoga-way to link mind/body/Brahman

Ganges river is sacred

Diwali – “Festival of Lights”….5 days in Fall….also marks the financial new year

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World Religions: HinduismPractices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

Gods:

-Vishnu the preserver

-Shiva the destroyer

-Rama/Sita = male/female exemplars

-Krishna the playful one

Avatars - incarnations of the gods (may be leaders of other religions like Buddha or Jesus)

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World Religions: BuddhismFounded -

2500 years ago

Siddhartha Gautama in Gaya, India saw…..

Sick man- illness

Old man-suffering

Dead man-death

Are All part of life!

Monk-become a wandering holy man

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World Religions: BuddhismLocation -

Originally India / Nepal

Short-lived in India

Moved north and East:

-Tibet, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Korea, Japan, etc.

Dalai Lama is leader of Vajrayana Buddhists

Today 350 million (6% of world population)

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World Religions: BuddhismBook -

Ripitaka or “Three Baskets” is a collection of Buddhist sayings

3 Universal Truths (impermanence, suffering from desire, no eternal soul)

4 Noble Truths

5 Precepts

8-fold Path (wheel)

Meditation is the way to Nirvana (enlightenment)

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World Religions: BuddhismPractices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

4 Noble Truths:

1. Life is Suffering

2. Cause of suffering is greed

3. Suffering can be overcome

4. The Middle Path is the way to #3

Personal Responsibility will save you, not a god

Eightfold path is how to live the Middle Way

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World Religions: BuddhismPractices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

Right Concentration Right Views

Right Mindfulness

Right Effort

Right Livelihood

Right Thoughts

Right Speech

Right Action

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World Religions: BuddhismPractices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

Vesak – Celebration of Buddha’s birth (April 8)

Losar – Tibetan New Year

“Nirvana Day” – Buddha’s “death”

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World Religions: TraditionalFounded / Location-

Shinto-Japan 1000 BC

Taoisim-China 600 BC

Janism-India 500 BC

Native American-The Americas 40,000 years ago

Rastafarianism-Jamaica 1930s

Various local religions esp. Africa &Australia

Many still survive today….<5% of population

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World Religions: TraditionalBook -

Usually little written documentation

Stories preserved through oral histories

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World Religions: TraditionalPractices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

Many are animistic (spirits flow through things)

Many teach harmony w/ nature

Visions / dreams a way to communicate w/spirits

Some rely on mind altering experiences:-marijuana / peyote-sensory deprivation-meditation-fasting, etc.