CONFUCIANISM

• With no CLERGY or GODS - Confucianism is not a religion in the TRADITIONAL sense

• ETHICAL system provides direction for personal behavior• Practiced mostly in CHINA – about 6.3 million followers• Based on the teachings of Chinese scholar CONFUCIUS• Confucius (551–479 BC)- teacher, editor, politician, and

philosopher• Born at a time of CRISIS and VIOLENCE in China• Hoped his beliefs and teachings would restore order to society

CONFUCIANISM

• Philosophy of Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality - correctness of social relationships -justice and sincerity

• Confucius's principles - based on common Chinese tradition and belief

• Believed in: strong family loyalty - ancestor worship -respect of elders by their children and of husbands by their wives

• His principle "Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself", an early version of the Golden Rule

CONFUCIUS

• Confucius believed order, harmony, good government could be restored if society were organized around the:

FIVE KEY RELATIONSHIPS• 1. RULER - SUBJECT• 2. FATHER - SON• 3. HUSBAND - WIFE• 4. OLDER BROTHER – YOUNGER BROTHER• 5. FRIEND - FRIEND

FIVE KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• Except for FRIENDSHIPS – none of the relationships were EQUAL

• OLDER superior to YOUNGER• MEN superior to WOMEN {Were not supposed to take advantage of position but serve as aguide or role model}

FIVE KEY RELATIONSHIPS

• FILIAL PIETY is respect for one's parents and ancestors:*to be good and take care of parents *show love, respect, courtesy and support

*display sorrow for their sickness and death • Filial Piety emphasized in Confucianism because

devotion to one's parents was associated with one's devotion to the state; it also meant honoring their parents’ memories after death

FILIAL PIETY

• ANALECTS: the collection of writings, sayings and ideas of Confucius

ANALECTS

• SHINTO is the traditional religion of JAPAN• Shinto means “WAY OF THE GODS”• About 4 Million people practice Shinto• Shinto – based on respect for forces of NATURE and

ANCESTOR worship• Shinto is sometimes seen more as a way of life rather

than a religion by the Japanese due to its long historical and cultural significance

SHINTO

• KAMI – divine spirits in NATURE - KAMI thought to control powerful forces of nature

• KAMI are worshipped in the religion of Shinto - they are elements in nature, animals, as well as SPIRITS of the deceased

• Many Kami are considered the ancient ancestors of entire clans, and some ancestors became Kami upon their death if they were able to embody the values and virtues of Kami in life {Traditionally great or charismatic leaders like the Emperor could be kami}

• In Shinto - Kami are not separate from nature, but are of nature, possessing positive and negative, good and evil characteristics

KAMI

• Believers respected the Kami and tried to win their favor through prayer and offerings. The shared beliefs of the followers of Shinto eventually helped unite all of Japan.

KAMI

• BUDDHISM was introduced to Japan from KOREA in the 6th Century

• Some Buddhist rituals became Shinto rituals and some Shinto traditions were practiced in Buddhist temples.

• Most “LIFE" events are handled by Shinto and “DEATH" or "afterlife" events are handled by Buddhism

{*Example: it is typical in Japan to celebrate a birth at a Shinto shrine while funeral arrangements are generally dictated by Buddhist tradition}

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgQ4eCc38dM

SHINTO-BUDDHISM

• Traditional African people developed belief systems that helped them understand and organize information about their world.

• Nearly all religions involved a belief in one creator or god.

• They also included elements of Animism

ANIMISM

• Animism is not a SPECIFIC religion but more of a term to describe TRADITIONAL religious beliefs

• Animism is the belief that there is no separation between the SPIRITUAL and PHYSICAL (or material) world

• Souls or Spirits exist, not only in humans, but also in all other animals, plants, and other natural forces.

• Animism believes spirits of deceased ANCESTORS can have a POSITIVE or NEGATIVE effect on life

ANIMISM