Download MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT

MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF CULTURE IS RELIGION.
WHAT IS RELIGION?
A set of beliefs about the meaning of life, the nature of the universe, and the existence of the supernatural (including God or a
Supreme Being).
A set of customs and practices that relate to the worship of God (or several gods) and a set of rules for the conduct of a good life.
An organization, such as a church or other place of worship, which oversees the conduct of religious practices.
Most religions designate some special places as sacred or holy.
ANIMISM
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Animism is the belief that many things in nature have their own spirit.
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Animism is one of the earliest forms of religion.
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Many different people have held animistic beliefs.
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In sub-Saharan Africa, tribes believed that animals, plants, and even places had their own spirits.
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Medicine men attempted to make contact with the spirit world, and young men had experiences with the spirits during
ceremonies marking their passage from childhood to adulthood.
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In Native American societies, people similarly believed that animals and objects in nature had their own spirits.
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Each group of families, known as a clan, identified with a particular animal and never harmed or ate that animal.
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In ancient Japan, people also believed that many spirits, known as kami, existed in nature.
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These animistic beliefs gave rise to the Japanese religion of Shintoism.
HINDUISM
Like animism, Hinduism is a very ancient religion.
It teaches its disciples that the principles of life can be discovered through meditation.
Hinduism has no single holy book, but Hindu writings like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita provide guidance and inspiration.
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Many Hindus believe that God is revealed through the ancient laws and principles contained in Hindu scriptures, which
speak of a struggle between order and chaos.
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Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world, and the most popular religion in modern India and Nepal.
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There are about 1 billion Hindus in the world today.
Major Beliefs of Hinduism
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Hindus believe that there are many gods and goddesses.
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Each of these gods is a manifestation (form) of one Supreme Being.
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Hindus believe that at death, a person’s soul is reborn as another living thing.
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This creates an endless cycle of rebirth for each soul.
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Karma refers to a person’s behavior in life, which Hindus believe determines that person’s form in the next life.
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People who live a good life will be reborn in a higher caste.
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Those who do not are reborn in a lower caste.
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Hindus believe the Ganges River is sacred and has the power to wash away sin and evil.
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The cow is also considered sacred.
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As a result, religious Hindus do not eat beef.
BUDDHISM
Buddhism began in Nepal around 500 B.C.
Prince Siddhartha Gautama lived a life of great luxury.
One day, he looked out beyond his palace walls and was shocked by the human suffering he saw all around him.
This prompted him to leave his family and to set out in search of truth.
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After 6 years of searching, he came to believe suffering was caused by human desire.
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Gautama became known as “Buddha.”
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He taught that to end suffering, a person must come to accept the world as it is and to block out selfish desires.
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Buddhist missionaries carried his ideas throughout India and to China, Korea and Japan.
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Today, Buddhism remains popular in East an Southeast Asia.
MAJOR BELIEFS OF BUDDHISM
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Buddhism is based on a philosophy of self-denial and meditation.
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Buddhists also believe in reincarnation.
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Buddhists do not believe in a single Supreme Being (God).
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They also do not have a primary holy book.
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Their basic beliefs are found in books called Sutras.
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By following the Eightfold Path, an individual can escape the soul’s endless reincarnation and achieve nirvana—a state of
eternal peace and bliss.
Four Noble Truths
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These truths explain life’s meaning.
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They explain that pain and suffering is caused by human desires, such as the desire for material wealth and selfish
pleasures.
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Only by giving up wrongful desires can a person find peace and harmony.
Eightfold Path
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To give up selfish human desires, Buddhists believe one should follow this path:
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give up wealth
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act in a worthy manner
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speak truthfully
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live righteously
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respect all living things
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meditate
JUDAISM
In the Middle East, three religions arose, linked by their belief in a single God, known as monotheism.
From the Middle East, these monotheistic religions later spread to Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
The oldest of these, Judaism, was the first religion known to assert the existence of one God.
The Jewish religion emerged 4,000 years ago in the area along the Mediterranean occupied by present day Israel, Lebanon, and
Jordan.
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According to Jewish tradition, the ancient Hebrews migrated from Israel to Egypt to escape food shortages from drought.
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They remained in Egypt for hundreds of years, where they became enslaved by the Egyptians.
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Moses later led the Jews out of Egypt and back to Israel.
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According to the Bible, as the Jewish people were leaving Egypt, Moses presented the Jewish people with the Ten
Commandments, which he said came directly from God.
KEY FEATURES OF JUDAISM
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Other ancient people were animists, or polytheists (believing in many gods).
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In contrast, the Hebrews were monotheists (believing in only one God).
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The Jewish religion emphasizes the importance of living justly and following God’s commandments.
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These ten simple laws forbade believing in false gods, stealing, murder, adultery, and other forms of immoral behavior.
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The history of the ancient Hebrews and their relationship with God is told in the first books of the Bible, known as the Old
Testament.
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Jews refer to the first five books of the Old Testament as the Torah.
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Of the world’s 17 million Jews today, 40% live in Israel, and 40% live in the U.S.
CHRISTIANITY
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Christianity began 2,000 years ago.
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It is based on the teachings of Jesus, a Jew born in Bethlehem.
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Jesus preached forgiveness, mercy, and sympathy for the poor and helpless.
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The Romans crucified Jesus for claiming he was the Messiah or Savior.
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After his death, a band of his followers, known as the Apostles, believed Jesus had risen from the dead to redeem mankind.
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This prompted his followers to spread the new Christian religion.
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Followers were attracted to the belief in a afterlife in which all believers, including the poor and humble, would be
rewarded.
Eventually, Christianity became the major religion of the Roman Empire.
Later, Christians divided into Orthodox Christians, Catholics and Protestants.
The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church; Catholics believe he is God’s deputy on Earth.
Orthodox Christians are mainly found in Greece and Russia.
Protestants reject the Pope’s authority and believe that people should interpret the Bible for themselves.
Today, Christianity is the principal religion in Europe and the Americas.
Many Christians also live in Africa and Asia.
With 2 billion followers, Christianity is the world’s most popular religion.
MAJOR BELIEFS OF CHRISTIANITY
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Christians believe Jesus was the son of God, and sacrificed himself to save humankind from punishment for their sins.
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Christians believe that after his death, Jesus was resurrected and rose to Heaven.
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Christians believe they will be saved and will go to Heaven after death if they have faith in Christ as their savior and treat
others with love and respect.
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Christians believe in the Golden Rule—”do unto others as you would have them do onto you.”
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The sacred book of Christianity consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament, which describes the life of Christ
and the works of the Apostles.
ISLAM
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“Islam” means “submission”(to Allah) in Arabic.
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A follower of Islam is called a Muslim, or “one who submits (to God).”
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Islam was founded by Mohammed, around 600 A.D.
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Mohammed had a vision that commanded him to convert Arab tribes to the belief in a single God, known as “Allah”—the
same God worshipped by Jews and Christians.
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Merchants grew jealous of Mohammed’s growing influence in Mecca, where he lived.
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Mohammed fled to Medina in 622, where he emerged as a major religious leader.
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His followers believed that Mohammed was God’s last and greatest prophet.
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His teachings are contained in the Qu’ran (Koran), Islam’s holiest book.
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The Five Pillars of Faith are the basic religious duties that all followers of Islam must fulfill.
5 PILLARS OF FAITH
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FAITH: Muslims must affirm: “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet.”
PRAYER: Muslims must pray five times a day, while facing east towards the city of Mecca.
CHARITY: Muslims must give money to the poor and pay taxes to the mosque.
FASTING: During the month of Ramadan, Muslims cannot eat or drink during daylight hours.
PILGRIMAGE: If physically able, a Muslim must make a pilgrimage (religious trip) to Mecca.
OVER 1 BILLION PEOPLE FOLLOW THE ISLAMIC FAITH TODAY.
ABOUT 1/5TH OF THEM LIVE IN ARABIC-SPEAKING COUNTRIES.
PAKISTAN, BANGLADESH, AND INDONESIA ARE ALSO MUSLIM NATIONS.
SIKHISM
Sikhs live mainly in Northern India.
Sikhism combines both Hindu and Muslim beliefs.
Like Hindus, Sikhs believe in reincarnation.
Like Muslims, Sikhs believe in one God.
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Sikhs believe that God can be known through meditation.
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The goal of every Sikh is to build a close and loving relationship with God.
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Sikhs believe that everyone has equal status in the eyes of God.
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Therefore, unlike Hindus, Sikhs do not have castes—hereditary social classes.
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Sikh men do not cut their hair, which is often under a turban.
What is Religion?
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