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Chapter 7
Religion
What is religion and what role does
it play in culture?
• Religion- set of beliefs and practices that
order your life
– Creates ideas of good and bad, has rules on
eating, prayer, dress…
• Secularism- belief in religion but not an
organized church (increasing)
Where did major religions start?
• Monotheistic- belief in one god
• Polytheistic- belief in many gods
• Animistic- belief that inanimate objects
have power (god of wind)
• Theory that the first monotheistic religion
was Zoroastrianism, but no proof yet…first
monotheistic Jewish
• First four major religions: Hinduism,
Judaism, Greek mythology, Chinese
philosophy
• Universalizing religions: actively seek
converts; trying to grow (Christian, Islam,
Buddhism)
• Ethnic religions: based on a ethnic belief,
do not seek converts; usually isolated
(except Judaism)
Hinduism
• Oldest of all major religions; 4,000 years
ago started in Indus River valley
• Beliefs: reincarnation, karma (actions done
in this life affect your next life); escaping
the cycle of life through good deeds
Hinduism cont’d
• Caste system- India social class system
based in Hindu hierarchy. Born into your
caste and can not move up or down
• Lowest caste is the “untouchables”
• Caste system relaxed some for modern
times
Hinduism cont’d
• spread by adopting teachings of other
religions and appealed to Christians and
Muslims
– often creating new religions (Sikhism)
– Mainly isolated in SE Asia (India) and lost
many followers when Buddhism emerged
Buddhism
• Began in India as a
reaction to the harsh
rules of Hinduism
• Founded by
Siddhartha Guatama
(Buddha) a prince in
India who wanted to
improve the poor
• Known as the
enlightened one, he
ended Caste system
Buddhism cont’d
• Enlightened through:
self knowledge,
elimination of greed
and desire; honesty,
and kindness
• Followed the four
noble truths;
reincarnations, and
nirvana (heaven)
Buddhism cont’d
• Spread after Buddha’s death by Emperor
Asoka (India) who spread religion
throughout the empire and other areas
with missionaries
• Hinduism took over India, Buddhism east
and south Asia
• Religion divided based on strictness
Chinese religions
• Taoism (Daoism)- founded by Lao Tsu
– Philosophy on harmony with nature (Feng
Shui)
– Anti government interference
– Goal is to search for the path of virtue
Chinese religions
• Confucianism- founded by Confucius
– Ethical behavior and respect
– Practiced throughout China
Chinese religions
• Shintoism- worship of animals and
nature's power
– Practiced in Japan
Judaism
• Began 2000BC with
Moses and their history
has constant wars
• Monotheistic with origin
of Abraham
• Divided into many
branches from strict to
liberal
Judaism cont’d
• Scattered by Romans through Diaspora,
spread the religion throughout Europe and
Africa
– Ashkenazim- Europe
– Sephardim- North Africa and Southern Europe
Judaism cont’d
• Persecuted early for their religion and
continued
• Wanted a central homeland (Israel) and
created Zionism- belief to secure Israel at
all costs
Christianity
• From Jewish who
believed that Jesus
would lead them to
freedom and salvation
• Faced persecution by
Romans until 312
(emperor Constantine)
• Roman Catholic church
(Rome) Eastern
Orthodox Church (East
Europe/Russia)
Christianity cont’d
• 1600s Martin Luther broke from Catholic
Church and est. Lutherans (Protestant)
• Contagious diffusion throughout Europe
• Worldwide diffusion with colonialism
Islam
• 571 AD founded by
Muhammad a prophet
of Allah (God)
• Holy book Koran;
monotheistic; Holy city
Mecca
Islam cont’d
• Five pillars: No God but Allah; give to
charity; pray 5 times a day towards Mecca;
fast during daylight hours of Ramadan;
pilgrimage to Mecca
• Koran rules: no alcohol; no pork; no
gambling; allowed equal polygamy for men
Islam cont’d
• Sunni- majority branch,
elect the religious
leader
• Shiite- minority, believe
leader must be related
to Muhammad
• Diffused though traders
(Hierarchical diffusion)
• Conflict with Christians
Cultural landscape
• Sacred sites- places that have religious
meaning to people; protect these spaces
and are encouraged to visit or pilgrimage
Jerusalem
• Holds the western wall
(last standing wall of the
original Jewish temple)
• Christian burial site of
Christ (Church of the
Holy Sepulcher)
• Where Muhammad
ascended into heaven
(Dome of the Rock)
• Creates lots of fighting
between the three
religions
Hindu /Buddhist
• Hindu- many temples
erected in their
landscape; ritual
bathing keeps temples
near water; mainly in
India (Ganges river)
• Buddhism- Bodhi tree
(Tree of enlightenment)
bell shaped temples,
pagodas
• Crematoriums
Christianity
• Medieval cathedrals
with steeples, towers,
spires
• Catholic sacred bond
with the Vatican and
pope
• Modern churches
• Cemeteries
Islam
• Mosques and minarets
• Mecca the holy city
Interfaith boundariesfighting between two faiths
– Nigeria (Christian South v. Muslim North)
– Sudan (Muslims v. Christians)
– Ethiopia- (Muslims v. Christian) war 1991
creating Eritrea
– Former Yugoslavia- (Muslim v. Christian)
ethnic cleansing; new countries formed
Palestine v. Israel
• Interfaith
• Jewish wanted a
homeland and began to
move to Israel after
WWII
• Arabs resented being
told to move
• UN said divide in half,
Jewish fought and won
the whole
• Never lost a war (Israel)
• Still fighting
Intrafaith- fighting within a religion
• North Ireland (Catholics v. Protestants)
Catholics discriminated against in N.
Ireland
• Islamic countries (Sunni V. Shiite) Iran/Iraq
war
Religious fundamentalism
• Return to basic beginnings of faith
• Anti modernization (birth control, alcohol,
clothing
• Shari’a law strict Muslim law
• Religious extremism- when plans become
violent
• Jihad- holy war