Download Religion - Rebecca Dodd

Religious Diversity
Education, Culture and Diversity
2015
A/Professor Julie Matthews
Faith and religion
• Religions - systems of belief and worship
observing particular rites, ceremonies, ethical
codes (not all have a notion of deity or God).
• Faiths systems -systems of belief that are not
formalised into a religion eg humanism, new age
spirituality.
Education
• We can help student to understand and respect
religious diversity
• To subject their value judgements and
comparisons to careful scrutiny
– To understand what people believe to be true
– The effects of those beliefs on individuals and
society
Major religions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Christianity: 2 billion
Islam: 1.3 billion
Hinduism: 900 million
Agnostic/Atheist: 850
million
Buddhism: 360 million
Indigenous beliefs:
150 million
Sikhism: 23 million
Judaism: 14 milion
http://www.religioustolerance.org/worldrel.htm
Major religions in Australia
Are we less religious?
• The number of people reporting no religion in
Australia has increased, from 1 in 250 people in
1911 to 1 in five in 2011
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/Lookup/4102.0Main+Feat
ures30Nov+2013
The sociology of religion
Emilie Durkheim The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1921)
• Rituals, symbols and objects are as important as beliefs. They
people into social groups and communities and give them the
idea that we have some control over the world.
Max Weber The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
(1904/1958),
• Religions influence social change. The roots of capitalism are
found in Protestant work ethic. Eastern religions are less
materialist.
Karl Marx
• Religions teach people to accept their current social and
economic position.
What Australian's know
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-20/hundreds-protest-againstmosque-development-on-sunshine-coast/5757964
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-25/police-condemnbrainless-anti-islam-attack-on-brisbane-mosque/5767572
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/westernaustralia/counterprotesters-chant-aussie-aussie-aussie-againstantiislamophobia-rally-in-perth/story-fnhocxo3-1227094836858
Answered: The 8 big questions
about Islam
UNIVERSITY of the Sunshine
Coast Sociology lecturer DR
PHILLIP ABLETT answers
some of the difficult questions
regarding Islam, sharia law
and how the religion closely
relates to other faiths.
24th Sept 2014
http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/answered-8-big-questionsabout-islam2/2397504/
Islam: The eight big questions
Q1. Are Muslims people who believe in Islam or
are their there different types of faiths in the
religion as there are in Christianity?
A: Yes, Islam, which means peace, is the religion.
Muslims are the believers, although there is
difference between Sunni, Shiite and Sufi Muslims.
Q2 What is the difference?
A: It is like the division between the Protestants
and the Catholics. They both read the Koran, but
have different interpretations.
Q3 Are there different versions of the Koran?
A: No, there is only one Koran, but it can be
interpreted differently.
Q4 Do all Muslims follow sharia law?
A: No, not all Muslims have to follow sharia law.
The orthodox claim they do, but in Indonesia the
proponents of sharia law are in the minority.
Q5 What is sharia law?
A: It is a law similar to Old Testament law. It came
from the same part of the world (as the Old
Testament). However, the criminal code is only a
small part of it and only a few Muslim countries
implement harsh traditional penalties. The whole
jurisprudence around it is similar to Rabbinic
Judaism in interpretation. It is from the commentary
on the books of Moses
Q6 Does Islam have anything to do with Abraham
(from the Old Testament, the father of the Jewish
nation)?
A: Yes, Abraham had two sons, Ishmael (from
Hagar) and Isaac (from Abraham's wife Sarah).
Ishmael is the father of the Arabs, Abraham the
father of the Jews. Judaism, Christianity and Islam
acknowledge Abraham.
Q7 Do Muslims believe in Jesus?
A: Yes, Muslims acknowledge five Biblical prophets
- Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, and
they have Mohammed, whom they believe is God's
final prophet to humanity. They believe Jesus will
come again but they don't believe he died on the
cross as they have trouble believing God would
have his messenger killed. Islam is more accepting
of Jesus than Judaism.
Q8 If this is the case, why are Islamic State
terrorists killing Christians?
A: Because they are not converting to Islam. They
don't feel they have the full truth. It is a very
categorical, authoritarian view of Islam that is
contrary to the teachings of the prophet
Mohammed, who argued people should be
converted by persuasion, not force.
Women and Islam
• The Qu’ran does not recognise women as evil or
devilish
• Women are recognised as separate and responsible for
themselves
– They possess spiritual qualities, a soul and intelligence
– Historically, they participated in public and spiritual life.
Aboriginal Ontology
• Aboriginal knowledge (Dreaming) lays down a
framework of laws and behaviour
• Contemporary Aborigines maintain continuity with the
past (tradition) because the Spirits who existed prior to
human life continue to influence the present
• Setter- colonialists misunderstand Aboriginal faith
systems
The Past is the Present and Future
• The survival of spirit beings can be assured by
following traditions in the present
• The past, present and future are are
interdependent and interconnected
• Everyday life is of spiritual significance
– The profane and sacred are not easily distinguished
• Spiritual beliefs are the basis of everyday
relationships and actions
Land
• ‘Land’ does not directly translate into Aboriginal
languages
• Associated meanings include home, warmth, life source
and spirit centre. Land pre-exists all things (in the
beginning was the land- ‘not the word’)
• Given in trust by the spirit beings to Aborigines
• A spiritual matter (not economic or social resource)
• Survival of cultural groups is dependent on ability to
maintain myths, rituals, songs and sites established in
the Dreaming
Land Rights
• Ownership, occupation and use are based on sacred
endowment to kin groups not individuals
• Land rights involve sacred duties needing ritual
validation
• Landownership includes myth ownership
• Land inheritance is specified by original spiritual act of
bestowal
• Duties also include (secular) protection and
management of resources