Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Study Sheet on Western Religions Understanding Others Name:____________ People are often mistreated for their beliefs. In the last century as many as six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. Religious conflicts persist in Ireland, the Middle East and in many other parts of the world. The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 are likely the result of religious conflicts. By understanding one another, we can hope to develop tolerance and respect for all people. We study different religious faiths in order to understand other people. Many people have strong religious convictions, and it would be impossible to understand them without first understanding their beliefs. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are monotheistic faiths practiced by about half of the world’s population. Monotheism Judaism refers to the belief in one God. The faiths are often called Judaism is the oldest religion of the western western religions to distinguish them world and has influenced Christianity and Islam. from the eastern religions practiced primarily in Asia. There are approximately fifteen million Jews Believers in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are throughout the world. found on every populated continent, but tend to be The Hebrews were the ancestors of the Jewish concentrated in North and South America, Europe, people and trace their ancestry to Abraham, who left Australia, Western Asia his home in the and North Africa. Mesopotamian city of Ur The Star of David Christianity and Islam about 2200BC. The The most recognized symbol of Judaism is the six are growing influences in pointed Star of David. Jewish legend says that a Hebrew Hebrews were different sub-Saharan Africa, from others of their time king named David went into battle with the hexagram on often replacing because they were his shield. Later, when Jews were minorities in Christian indigenous faiths. monotheistic; they and Muslim nations, they were forced to wear the star on While western believed in only one their clothing to identify themselves. religions are centered on God. The Hebrews Today you will see the hexagram used to identify the belief in one God, synagogues and Jewish organizations. The symbol that was believed they had a many believers of special relationship with once used to separate Jews from the rest of society is now eastern religions seek to their God and that they flown on the flag of Judaism’s homeland, Israel. find enlightenment by were his chosen people. looking within themselves. Hinduism and Buddhism The Hebrews established a nation they called are popular faiths in India, Southeast Asia, and Japan. Israel on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Shinto is the traditional religion of many Japanese About 1300BCE, many Hebrews moved to Egypt to people, but the practice of Shintoism has declined escape a famine. A famine is a great hunger. At first, since Japan’s defeat in World War II. Since becoming the Hebrews were treated well in Egypt, but in time a communist nation in 1949, China has discouraged they were enslaved by the Egyptians. According to religion. Many people in China practice the teachings Hebrew tradition, God sent ten deadly plagues to of Confucius. Confucius was not a religious leader, Egypt when the Egyptians would not release the but he was a wise man who was concerned with how Hebrew slaves. When the Hebrews did escape, people treated one another. Taoism is another tradition states that Moses, the leader of the Hebrews, philosophy centered in China. parted the Red Sea for just enough time Indigenous religions are practiced throughout to allow the Hebrews to pass. the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Once the Hebrews reached the Indigenous faiths are often animistic. Animism is the other side, tradition states that the belief that natural objects, natural phenomena, and the waters returned and the Egyptian universe itself possess souls or consciousness. This is army drowned. After their escape similar to the traditional beliefs of the Native across the Red Sea 1250BCE, God revealed Ten Americans in North and South America. Commandments to Moses. The Ten Commandments 1997-2001 Mike Dowling, www.mrdowling.com. All rights reserved. Page 1 of 4 formed the basis of Mosaic Law and are the model for called him Christ. Christ is a Greek word that means, both Jewish and Christian moral thought. “chosen one.” They believed he was the son of God. The Hebrews returned to Israel, but they were In time followers of Jesus became known as conquered by several other cultures. In time, most of Christians. Early Christians taught that the sins of the the Hebrews were forced to leave Israel, beginning a people would be forgiven if they became Christian. period known as the Diaspora. The Hebrews were Some years after Jesus died, Christians forced to live as minorities in many different lands combined the stories of the life and wisdom of Jesus until the creation of the Jewish nation of Israel in into four books known as the Gospels. Gospel means 1948. “good news.” The holy book of Christianity is known Jewish people have often faced severe as the Bible and has two parts. The Old Testament mistreatment. European Jews were ordered to leave consists of the sacred writings of the Jewish people, Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella, and faced organized and was written mostly in Hebrew long before Jesus. massacres called pogroms in many nations, The New Testament of the Bible includes the Gospels, particularly in Eastern Europe. In this century, as along with letters by Christian writers. The Bible has many as six million Jews were murdered in what we been translated into more than 1,500 languages and now call the Holocaust, where the Nazi party in has been read by more people than any other book. Germany attempted genocide, or the planned killing Almost two billion Christians live on every of a whole group of people because of their religion or continent. They comprise the majority nationality. of people living in the United States Jews worship in synagogues led by a rabbi. and Canada (86%), Latin Rabbi is a Hebrew word that means “master.” Their America (92%), Europe (76%) holiest period is the weekly Shabbat, which lasts from and Australia (85%). Christianity is sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. Other important also the most prevalent faith in Africa Jewish holidays include Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish (48%). Christianity is a dominant New Year), Yom Kippur (a Day of Atonement or force on every continent but Asia (9%). confession), Simchat Torah (celebrating receiving the Most of the world’s population is in Torah on Mount Sinai), Chanukah (a celebration of a Asia, so only one-third of the world's military victory), and Passover (a remembrance of the population is Christian. time the Hebrews lived in Egypt). Christianity is divided into many sects. About The Torah is the most holy book of Judaism. half of the world’s Christian population is Roman The Torah is also holy to Christians, who include it as Catholic. Pope John Paul II is the leader of the the Old Testament of their Bible. The Talmud is Roman Catholic Church. Catholic is a Latin word that another holy book in Judaism. The Talmud is a means “universal,” and at one time it was the faith of collection of the laws and customs of the Jewish almost all Christians. Roman refers to the fact that the people. Pope has lived in Rome for over five hundred years. Most Jews live in the United States (5.8 Most Christians in Eastern Europe belong to Eastern million) and Israel (4.8 million). Europe was once Orthodox Churches. The Orthodox churches split home to millions of Jewish people, but most of the with the Roman church in the Middle Ages. Many survivors of the Holocaust European leaders, including Christians and the Cross immigrated to other nations. Martin Luther and John Calvin, Christians believe that Jesus Christ was protested against the Pope in a Today only 2.3 million Jews both a man and the son of God. They remain in Europe. period known as the Reformation. believe God sent Jesus as a messiah, or The churches they started became messenger. The Roman governor of Christianity known as Protestant sects. Major Palestine executed Jesus by nailing him to Protestant sects in America today Christianity is based of a cross. are the Baptists (34 million), the teachings of Jesus Christ, a Today the cross is Christianity’s most Methodists (13 million), Jew who lived about 2000 years important icon. Most Christians have Lutherans (8 million), ago in what we now call Israel. crosses in and on top of their churches. Presbyterians (4 million), Jesus taught his followers to "Do Some Christians wear a cross as a Episcopalians (2.5 million), and unto others as you would have necklace. The cross symbolizes a Pentecostals (2.4 million). them do unto you." Christian’s connection with Jesus. Christians worship in The followers of Jesus 1997-2001 Mike Dowling, www.mrdowling.com. All rights reserved. Page 2 of 4 churches led by ministers and priests. why Arabic spread throughout the Most Christians practice acts of Middle East and North Africa. Icons of Islam religious significance called Often Muslims will learn Arabic as The crescent, star, and the sacraments. The sacraments include a second language, as a Jew would color green are symbols often baptism, when a Christian joins the learn Hebrew. associated with Islam. The star church; confirmation, when a The Islamic house of represents knowledge and light, and Christian confirms his or her faith; worship is a mosque. Unlike Jews the crescent represents progress. and matrimony. The Eucharist is the and Christians, Muslims do not have You will find these symbols on the holiest of Christian sacraments in a holy day, but many Muslims flags of many Muslim nations. many Christian churches. During the gather in mosques on Friday Islamic art includes calligraphy, service, members of a church will eat or decorative penmanship, but no afternoon for prayers. Muhammad a small wafer of bread. Christian taught that believers should pray images of people. The Quran tradition states that at the Last Supper forbids recreating any living thing five times every day. Faithful before his execution, Jesus asked his Muslims will stop whatever they are because no one should copy what followers to think of the meal as the doing and bow down to pray. Allah has made. This is why you body and blood he would soon Mecca is a holy city to will not find a picture of sacrifice. Muslims because it is the site of the Muhammad in Islamic literature. Christian holy days include Kaaba, a small shrine that Muslims Christmas (the birth of Jesus), Easter (when Christians believe to be the most sacred spot on earth. Muslims believe Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to orient themselves toward the Kaaba during their daily heaven), and Lent, a forty-day holy period of prayers. Every Muslim who makes the pilgrimage to penitence and self-denial. Mecca walks around the Kaaba seven times. Islamic tradition states that the stone was originally white, but Islam it had become black by absorbing the sins of the millions of pilgrims who have kissed and touched it. Islam is an Arabic word that Ramadan is a sacred month to Muslims, and means “surrender to God.” Believers in faithful Muslims fast between dawn and dusk during Islam are called Muslims, or “those who Ramadan. To fast means to abstain from eating. surrender." Muslims believe that Muhammad was the Ramadan is sacred because it is the month in which last of a series of holy prophets that included the Quran was revealed to Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. A Muhammad. Muslims use a lunar prophet is a holy messenger. How Do You Spell calendar, so Ramadan falls at Christians believe that Jesus is God, different times each year. Ramadan That? while Muslims believe Allah is the will begin November 17, 2001. The Quran is spelled only God and that Muhammad was There are more than one his messenger. Allah is an Arabic many different ways because it billion Muslims, but only five million term that means "the God" (al-El). is an Arabic word. Arabic is live in the United States. Nations Muhammad lived about 600 written in a different script than with large Muslim populations years after Jesus in what we now call English. The generally include Indonesia (180 million), accepted spelling for the Quran Saudi Arabia. Muslims believe that Pakistan (125 million), Bangladesh Muhammad was visited in a cave by is with a 'Q' to represent the (109 million), India (84 million), Iran an angel. Muhammad repeated the glottal 'K' sound. You will (66 million), Egypt (60 million), words of the angel to others who often see the holy book of Islam Turkey (60 million), Nigeria (52 learned them by heart. Eventually, spelled Qur’ran or Koran. million), Algeria (29 million), Many words associated Mohammad's followers collected Morocco (29 million), Ethiopia (24 these messages and gathered them with Islam have more than one million), Sudan (22 million), into a book known as the Quran. The accepted spelling. Muslim is Afghanistan (22 million), Iraq (20 Quran is the holy book of Islam. It more common than Moslem, million) and Saudi Arabia (19 has been translated into many and Mohammad is more million). Russia also has a large languages, but many Muslims believe common than Muhammad. Muslim population, but estimates on that the only true version of the its size vary. Quran is written in Arabic. This is 1997-2001 Mike Dowling, www.mrdowling.com. All rights reserved. Page 3 of 4 The Teaching of the Quran The Ten Commandments The following is from the Revised Standard Version of the Christian Bible. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other Gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it. The following translations from the Quran help define Islam for the non-Muslim. Many Muslims believe that the only true version of the Quran is written in Arabic, and that the word of Allah is lost when translated into another language. There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger. Muhammad is only a messenger, and many messengers have gone before him. Pay homage to Allah and be good to your parents and relatives, the orphans and the needy and the neighbors who are your relatives, and the neighbors who are your strangers and the friend by your side, the traveler and your servants. Give in charity what is good of the things you have earned, and of what you produce; do not choose to give what is bad as donations, that is, things you would not accept yourself. It is good to give donations openly, but it is better to give to the poor in secret. Be good to your parents. Look after them with kindness and respect. Give full measure when you are measuring, and weigh with a balanced scale. You may dislike something even if it is good for you, but other things that please you may be bad for you. Allah is with those who preserve themselves from evil and do right. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you. You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's. The Five Pillars of Islam Shahada – The expression of faith. “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.” Salat – Muslims pray five times every day—dawn, midday, late afternoon, sunset, and at night. Muslims always face toward the holy city of Mecca. Zakat – Muslims give a portion of their income to the poor and to public charities. Sawm – Muslims do not eat or drink between sunrise and sunset during Ramadan. Ramadan is the holy month when the Quran was revealed to Muhammad. Hajj – If they are in good health and can afford it, Muslims are expected to journey to Mecca once in their lifetime. -Exodus 20: 2-17 1997-2001 Mike Dowling, www.mrdowling.com. All rights reserved. Page 4 of 4