Download SUMMARY of VARIOUS RELIGIONS Judaism

SUMMARY of VARIOUS RELIGIONS
Judaism
- originated with Abraham ~2000 B.C.; belief in a single god separated them from other
early near East civilizations (Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian), the holy books are the Torah &
Talmud; they believe that they are God’s chosen people; their conquest by nonbelievers led to
their diaspora throughout the Mediterranean & into Asia by 500 A.D., today the largest
concentration is in the U.S. (1% of U.S. population but 40% of the doctors, lawyers & scientists)
a) Sephardim - North Africa
b) Ashkenazim - Eastern Europe (80%)
Types of Jews
1) Reformed - objective of adjusting the faith & its practices to current times (English
services, nonsexual segregation in seating, “abandoned” dietary laws)
2) Orthodox - seeks to retain the old precepts as effectively as possible
3) Conservative - inbetween
Christianity
- originated with Jesus, a Jewish teacher of the 1st C. A.D., whom his followers believed
was the messiah; it’s holy book is the Bible; Jesus did not reject Judaism but instead promised
salvation to all people not just the chosen ones; it’s mission was conversion & spread quickly
among the underclasses; it first expanded by expansion from the hearth region, later hierarchical
diffusion occurred from Rome to smaller provincial capitals (ex: in 313 A.D., Constantine made
it the state religion), still later contagious diffusion occurred from these smaller capitals, much
later relocation diffusion brought it to the new World. Neither Protestant nor Catholic
missionaries met with much success in China, Japan or India because of strong ethnic religious
cultural systems; most widespread & largest religion.
Types of Christians
1) Roman Catholic (50%)
2) Protestant (25%)
3) Eastern Orthodox (10%)
a) Russian Orthodox (40+%)
b) Romanian Orthodox (20%)
c) Greek, Bulgarian & Serbian Orthodox (~10% each)
d) Albanian, Cyprian, Georgian, Polish, Sinai Orthodox (~2% combined)
e) Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem (~3% combined)
4) Coptic Church of Egypt
5) Ethiopian Church
6) Armenian Church
7) Maronites
Islam
- means submission (to the will of Allah, i.e. God); dominant religion of the Middle East;
originated with the Prophet Mohammed (571-632 A.D.) in 622A.D.; Allah’s word was revealed
to the Prophet & is written in the Koran which serves as a guide to both religious & secular
matters; the core of the religion are the:
Five Pillars of Faith
1) proclamation of the faith (there is no God but Allah & Mohammed is his messenger)
(Shahadah)
2) pray 5 times/day facing Mecca (Salat)
3) almsgiving (Zakah)
4) fasting during the month of Ramadan (Sawm)
5) if possible, a pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)
at the death of the Prophet disagreements over leadership succession arose causing a split into
two branches:
a) Sunnis - orthodox (83%); Mohammed’s successor most come from his tribe (Korish)
- Sufism (Arabic: man of wool) - 8th C.; inner mystical dimension of Islam
b) Shi’ites - mostly located in Iran (90% of population) & 50+% of population of Azerbaijan,
Iraq, Oman & Bahrain; Mohammed’s successor must be a direct descendent
Baha’i
- started in 1863 by Baha’u’lah in Iran; goal is to establish a universal faith through the
abolition of racial, class & religious prejudices
Hinduism
- real name is Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Order), Hindu is a British term derived from
the Indus River; world’s 3rd largest & oldest religion (may date back more than 4000 yrs); it is
not just a religion but an intricate web of religious, philosophical, social, economic, & artistic
elements comprising a distinctive Indian civilization; 97% are found in India & 2% in Nepal; no
common creed, single doctrine, or central ecclesiastical organization defines the Hindu; Hindus
believe it is up to the individual to decide the best way to worship God; believes in the divinity
of the soul & an unending cycle of birth & death; one’s position in life is determined by one’s
karma (deeds/conduct in previous lives)
People are born into a caste structure of society:
Brahmins - scholar-priests-administrators
Kshatriyas - warrior-landowners
Vaishyas – merchants-farmers-herdsmen
Sudras – servants-laborers-artisans
Dalits/Harijans - untouchables (20% of India’s population), not part of caste system
The castes are further divided into thousands of jati groups defined by geography & occupation
Jainism
- originated in 599 B.C. with Mahavira as a revolt against Hindu doctrines; rejects caste
distinctions & modifies the concepts of karma & transmigration of souls
Buddhism
- originated with Prince Siddhartha (Gautama), Buddha - the enlightened one, heir to a
wealthy kingdom in Nepal, in 560 B.C. as a reaction to the less desirable aspects of Hinduism; he
saw the :
Four Great Passing Sights:
1) dead man – death
2) sick man – sickness & disease
3) monk – serenity
4) poor man – poverty
believed in karma but rejected the caste system & that enlightenment could be attained by
anyone through the:
Four Noble Truths:
1) life is full of suffering
2) desire causes suffering
3) end of desire ceases suffering
4) Nirvana (state of complete redemption) is achieved by the:
Eightfold Path:
Wisdom
a) right beliefs/understanding/view/perspective
b) right thought/intention/resolve/aims
Ethical Conduct
a) right words/speech
b) right action/deeds/conduct
c) right livelihood
Mental Development
a) right mindfulness/remembrance
b) right effort/exertion/endeavor
c) right meditation/concentration
Due to disagreements on interpretation, three main branches developed:
1) Theravada (Hinayana) - oldest, 38%, emphasizes personal salvation via the 4 Noble truths;
intellectual - wisdom of Buddha; in Sri Lanka & Southeast Asia
2) Mahayana - 56%, emphasizes meditation; practical - compassion of Buddha; in China,
Japan & Korea
3) Tantrayana (Vajrayana) - 6%, more formally monastic & ritualistic; in Tibet & Mongolia
Sikhism
- universalizing religion, started with Guru Nanak (1469-1538); discourages idolatry &
borrows the monotheism of Islam; believe in karma but reject caste; most are in Punjab, India
Zoroastrianism (Parsi)
- started in 660 B.C. with Zoroaster; believes man has a choice between good and evil
and that worship, pure thought and righteous action are the surest path to God
ORIENTAL RELIGIONS
Confucianism
- founded by Confucius (551-479 B.C.); based on propriety or correct behavior; ethics
based on the Silver Rule: “Do not do unto others as you do not want them to do unto you”; based
on the:
Five Relationships:
1) ruler-subject
2) father-son
3) husband-wife
4) elder brother-younger brother
5) friend-friend
Taoism
- originated with Lao-Tsu in the 6th C. B.C.; teaches that eternal happiness lies in total
identification with nature & deploring passion, unnecessary invention, unneeded knowledge, &
gov’t interference in the simple life of individuals; involves deities, spirits, magic, temples &
priests; mystical & magical aspects of life
Shintoism
- means “The Way of the Gods”; is basically a structure of customs & rituals; observes a
complex set of deities including family spirits & divinities residing in rivers, trees, certain
animals, mts, the sun & moon; Japan