Download The religious beliefs of ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians

BELIEF SYSTEMS REVIEW
Shinto
Buddhism
obey
dharma
animism
Superior
Jerusalem
nirvana
moksha
Four Noble Truths
Mobility
polytheism
desire
enlightened
Confucius
Pillars
Eightfold Path
hajii
nirvana
Jesus
Mecca
polytheistic
Allah
Ganges
Pray
Ancestor
monotheism
Islam
Judaisim
Christianity
Zen Buddhism Hinduism
kami
karma
reincarnated
Moksha
nature
caste
siddharta Guatama
Untouchables Torah
Koran
Vedas
Mohammed
Legalism
India
Trade Routes
Monotheistic
Taoism
Islam
The religious beliefs of ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians were Polytheistic, beliefs in many
gods. In Africa, traditional African religion is known as Animism, in which spirits in nature are worshiped as
well as ancestors. Islam become a major religion in North and West Africa after African Empire traded with
Arabs across the Sahara Desert. The religion of Christianity was brought by European missionaries during
the Age of Exploration and colonizing of Africa.
The Japanese people practice two kinds of religion. Shinto is the native religion of Japan. This
religion believes that everything in nature has a divine spirit called Kami. This religion comes from the
worship of nature. The Japanese also practice Buddhism, a religion which spread from China Much of
Japan’s culture was borrowed from China, including the position of emperor, pictograph writing, and rice
farming.
Hinduism is the largest religion in India. Followers of this religion believe that people are born into a
series of lifetimes along the Mandala Wheel of life. During each life, a person must follow the rules of life,
known as Dharma. The person’s soul will receive good or bad Karma based on his or her actions during life.
If one’s soul receives good karma at death, it well be reincarnated into a higher life from. Once a soul
achieves perfection , it is released from the Mandala Wheel and enters Nirvana or heaven. Hinduism is
Polytheistic, having many gods including Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu. Its hold books include the Sacred Vedas
Part of the Hindu religion has been the Caste system which decides society into distinct classes. Each class
has its own restrictions and occupations. Once you are born into the class, you may not change your class.
This system restricts social Mobility. The Untouchables are considered the lowest caste and perform the
worst jobs in society. In this religion, both the Ganges River and the cow are sacred. The second largest
religion in the region is Islam, which spread to India from Saudi Arabia by cultural diffusion when the Arabic
Empire controlled India. The major religion that began in India and culturally diffused to Southwest Asia,
China and Japan is Buddhism. It was founded by an Indian prince, Siddharta Guatama, called the Buddha or
“Enlightened One”. The Buddha believed the suffering in life came from Desire; to end suffering, you must
end your desires. These wee principles known as the Four Noble Truths Buddhist follow the Eight Fold Path
guidelines for living, hoping to achieve Enlightenment or peaceful release from worldly life.
The great Chinese philosopher Confucius greatly influenced China’s society and culture. He taught
“ethics” which is the study of good and bad conduct. He believed there were five relationships to which all
men and women belonged: in each relationship was a Superior person who care for the inferior person; the
inferior person would Respect the superior person. Confucius’ goal was to bring order and peace to Chinese
society. Confucianism expected people to respect their dead relatives known and Ancestor veneration
(worship) and to respect authority. Two other philosophies, Taoism which teaches people to live in
harmony with Nature and Legalism which believed in strict laws developed in China, Buddhism which
arrived along the Trade Routes from India was also a major religion in China.
The Middle East is called “The Cradle of Civilization “
because the three majorMonotheistic (belief in one God) religion, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) religions
began there. Judaism started by the Hebrews, was the first religion to believe in one God. Their holy book
is called the Torah. Christianity follows many of the teaching of Judaism along with the teachings of Jesus
whom Christians believe is the Son of God. The largest religion in the Middle East ( and 2nd largest in the
world) is Islam, which began when the prophet Mohammed revealed his teachings of their God called Allah.
The Muslim holy book is the Koran. Muslims all over the world follow their rules of life called the five Pillars
of Islam; to believe in one God, to Pray five time a day, to give charity to the poor, to fast during the month
of Ramadan and to make a pilgrimage called to Haj to the hold city of Mecca. Similarities between the
monotheistic religions include the Ten Commandments, the belief in same God known by different names
and the hold city of Jerusalem.