Religions

Religions

Question # 1: What is religion?Question # 2: What religions are there?Question # 3: What are some characteristics of Abrahamic religions?Question # 4: What are some characteristics of Indian religions?Question # 5: What are some characteristics of East Asian religions?

Question # 1

What is religion?

Religion is about belonging.

Thabo Cecil Makgoba.

http://livestream.com/globalshapers/events/3732080/videos/74447211Minute 8.35.

True religion is the active

discipline of compassion,

the ability to feel with the other person.

Karen Armstrong.

http://bigthink.com/videos/what-good-does-god-do

https://youtu.be/CL--1Z_g4DE

Four examples explaining what is fascinating about religion:

1. That people regularly come together.2. That people tell each other to be nice to one another.3. That people create a sense of community, for example by acting as hosts

and making sure that people of different ages and people with different income levels learn to see each other as human beings.

4. That people appeal to us via art and beauty. For example, beautiful churches, mosques, and temples use art to remind us about what matters and to feel calm and pity.

http://youtu.be/m6dCxo7t_aE10:30

Common to all religions is an appeal for meaning beyond the empty vanities and lowly realities of existence: Beyond sin, suffering, and death. Beyond fear. Beyond ourselves.

Religions can be praised for moderating egoistic impulses and urging the powerful to think of the defenseless.

Religions ask the powerful to imagine themselves as unfortunate.

https://youtu.be/ge071m9bGeYMinute 4:30.

Further inspiration

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Questions-to-discover-your-values-1329394

Question # 2

What religions are there?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abrahamic_religions

Abrahamic religions. Examples: Chritianity, Islam, and Judaism.

Indian religions. Examples: Hinduism and Buddhism.

East Asian religions. Examples: Confucianism and Taoism.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion

Major religions

Size of major religious groups in percent of the global population.

http://www.pewforum.org/2014/04/04/global-religious-diversity/

Lionel Tiger

There are 4,200 religions in the world, each of them believing they’re absolutely correct, and everyone should follow their views.

And some 90% of human beings are describable by themselves, if not others, as religious.

http://bigthink.com/videos/big-think-interview-with-lionel-tiger

http://www.pewforum.org/2014/04/04/global-religious-diversity/

Religious diversity around the world

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In general,the wealthier people are, the less religious they are.

Question # 3

What are some characteristics of Abrahamic religions?

Christianity Judaism Islam

1 God X X X

1 central prophet Jesus Christ, the son of God.

Moses. Muhammed,the messenger of God.

1 central book The Bible. The Torah. The Koran.

1 main day of worship Sunday. Saturday. Friday.

1 holy city Jerusalem. Jerusalem. Mekka.

1 house of worship Church. Synagogue. Mosque.

http://www.beliefnet.com/features/abrahamicfaiths.html

Christianity Judaism Islam

People go to heaven or hell after death

X X X

Diet No dietary restrictions.

No pork. No pork.No alcohol.

Equality between men and women

Men and women worship together.

Men and women are equal in the eyes of

God.

In the Koran, men and women are generally

treated the same.

Charity 10% of income. 10% of income. 2.5% of total wealth yearly.

http://www.beliefnet.com/features/abrahamicfaiths.html

Christianity

The 10 commandments

Adapted fromhttp://www.the-ten-commandments.org/the-ten-commandments.html

1. You must have only 1 God.2. You must serve only 1 God.3. You must not misuse the name of God.4. You must remember to not work 1 day of the week.5. You must honor your mother and father.6. You must not kill.7. You must not divorce.8. You must not steal.9. You must not lie.10.You must not make love to other persons than your wife.

There are a lot of great biblical principles that are fundamental to operating a good business.

Being fair and telling the truth are biblical principles.

http://fortune.com/2014/11/11/7-ceos-with-notably-devout-religious-beliefs/

Donnie Smith, Tyson Foods.

Though it’s not a religious company, faith is important at Aflac. Every employee receives a book called “The Aflac Way,” which outlines the company’s basic principles, ethics, and codes of conduct.

Almost all of those principles come in some way from Scripture, adapted for use in the workplace. They might be as simple as, “Everyone is important. No matter who walks through the door, whether it’s the man in overalls or a straw hat or the man in a USD 500 suit, everyone is treated equally.”

http://fortune.com/2014/11/11/7-ceos-with-notably-devout-religious-beliefs/

Daniel P. Amos

Church attendance tends to be low and has been falling across the much of the rich world. Just 70 million of Western Europe’s 375 million adults attend church at least once a month.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2015/12/daily-chart-4

In sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, the church appears as strong as ever.

There are 277 million adherent Christians in sub-Saharan Africa and 250 million in Latin America.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2015/12/daily-chart-4

http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/ausland/europa/Der-neue-Papst-ist-ein-Mann-ohne-Beruehrungsaengste/story/16197201

Almost half of all Catholics live in South America.

Christianity grew out of Judaism.

http://youtu.be/m6dCxo7t_aE6:30.

Judaism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism

3 branches of Judaism - each with different approaches to religious life:

Orthodox JudaismHolds that both the written and oral Torah were divinely revealed to Moses, and that the laws within it are binding and unchanging.

Conservative JudaismTeaches that Jewish law is not static.

Reform Judaism, also called liberal or progressive JudaismRegards Jewish law as basically non-binding and has great openness to external influences and progressive values.

Jewish life includes different traditions / rituals.

http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism

A kippah is a slightly rounded cap worn on the head by many Jews while praying, eating, reciting blessings, or studying Jewish religious texts.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism

During the sabbath, the weekly day of rest that begins

at nightfall on Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday, people come together.

During the period of the sabbath, it is not allowed for Jewish people to, for example, use electricity.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/holydays/sabbath.shtmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism

Islam

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim

A muslim’s 5 most important duties are called the 5 pillars.

http://youtu.be/m6dCxo7t_aE9:10

Pillar # 1: Shahadah. 1 God.There is no other God but Allah. Muhammad is his final profet, his messenger.

Pillar # 2: Salah. Praying.Every muslim prays 5 times every day facing Mecca.

Pillar # 3: Zakat. Financial donation.Every muslim, who can afford it, is required to donate to help the poor.Size of donation: 2-3% of net worth.

http://www.economist.com/node/21560542http://www.religion.dk/islam/de-ti-vigtigste-ting-vide-om-islamhttp://youtu.be/m6dCxo7t_aE

Pillar # 4: Sawn. Fasting.Each muslims fasts during daylight hours for the lunar month of Ramadan to strengthen their will power and their reliance on God.

Pillar # 5: Hajj. Pilgrimmage to Mecca.At least once in a lifetime, every muslim who is physically and financially able to do so, must make a pilgrimmage to the holy city of Mecca –rehearsing for the time when they will stand before God to be judged worthy or unworthy of eternal life with him. 9% of muslims have been to Mecca.

http://www.economist.com/node/21560542http://www.religion.dk/islam/de-ti-vigtigste-ting-vide-om-islamhttp://youtu.be/m6dCxo7t_aE

The Kaabain Mecca, Saudi Arabia

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How muslims practice.

Numbers are in %.

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75% - 90% of all Muslimsare Sunni muslims.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam

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Question # 4

What are some characteristics of Indian religions?

Buddhism

”The middle way” means living in moderation. This allows people to concentrate on cultivating compassion for others.

https://youtu.be/tilBs32zN7I

Buddhism grew out of Hinduism.

http://youtu.be/m6dCxo7t_aE6:30.

Hinduism

Hinduism differs from Christianity in that it does not have a single founder, a specific theological system, a single concept of deity, a single holy text, a single system of morality, a central religious authority, the concept of a prophet.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm

Sanātana Dharma refers to “eternal duties” all Hindus have to follow -regardless of class, caste, or sect. 4 examples: Honesty. Refraining from injuring living beings. Patience. Generosity.

This is contrasted with svadharma, one's “own duty”, the duties to be followed by members of a specific caste and stage of life.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism

Question # 5

What are some characteristics of East Asian religions?

Confucianism

In Confucianism, there is particular emphasis on the importance of the family and social harmony.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism

2 important Confucian ethical concepts and practices are rén and yì. Rén is the essence of the human being which manifests

as compassion. Yì is the upholding of righteousness and the moral

disposition to do good.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianism

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Daoism

http://www.iep.utm.edu/daoism/

http://youtu.be/dFb7Hxva5rg

The first suggestion of Daoism is to make

more time for stillness.

http://youtu.be/dFb7Hxva5rg

We need to be in touch with our real / true selves.

We need to spend time discovering who we are.