Download Judaism Christianity Islam ORIGIN BASIC BELIEFS IMPORTANT

Judaism
ORIGIN
BASIC BELIEFS
IMPORTANT
PEOPLE AND
LEADERS
TURNING POINTS
OTHER
Christianity
Islam
Examples of religions
It is important to realize that there are many different forms of each of
the following sets of beliefs. What we note here are some of the basic
ideas held by many or most followers.
Sets of beliefs usually thought to be religions
Judaism
There is one god.
There will be a messiah, a savior chosen by God.
There are sacred texts, the Mishna and the Talmud.
The texts tell us how to act and what ceremonies we should perform.
There should be an institution, organized by Rabbis.
There will be a last judgment day.
Christianity
There is one god.
God is a loving and forgiving god.
Jesus was the messiah expected by Judaism.
The Bible is a sacred text, which tells us how we should act.
There should be an institution, organized by officials such as priests or
ministers.
Christians should actively seek to convert others to Christianity.
There will be a last judgment day.
Hinduism
There are many gods, each representing a different aspect of a single
force, Brahma.
There are sacred texts: the Vedas and the Upanishads, for example.
The texts reveal basic truths about life and the place of the individual
in the universe.
The texts provide guides for correct living.
Every individual has a soul which is part of a larger universal soul,
the Amman.
Each soul goes through many lives, being reincarnated after each
death.
The ultimate aim is to reach a state of Nirvana—an ideal state of
rest,harmony, stability, or joy.
Islam
There is one god, Allah.
The sacred book, the Koran, contains the word of God, as revealed to
Islam’s prophet and founder, Mohammed.
We ought to submit our will to God.
The essential duties of people are: belief in one god; prayer; charity;
fasting during the holy month, making a pilgrimage to Mecca.
There will be a last judgment day.
A set of beliefs usually thought not to be a religion
Confucianism
The following are basic ideas of Confucianism, a set of beliefs not
generally regarded as a religion.
A young man’s duties include:
to behave well to his parents at home and to his elders abroad
to be cautious in giving promises and punctual in keeping them
to have kindly feelings towards everyone
to seek the intimacy of the Good.
When all that is done, if he has any energy to spare, then let him
learn to recite songs, practice archery, deportment and the like.
Never disobey one’s parents; respect one’s parents
In serving his father and mother a man may gently remonstrate
(object, disagree) with them. But if he sees that he has failed to
change their opinion, he should resume an attitude of deference
and not thwart them.
While father and mother are alive, a good son does not wander ‘far
afield’; or if he does so, goes only where he has said he was going.
Employ the labour of the common people in the right seasons.
The natural love and obligations between family members is the basis
of general morality. If one is a good father, he will be a good ruler.
At the sight of profit one should think of what is right.
A man of wisdom is never uncertain about right and wrong; a man of
benevolence never worries; a man of courage is never afraid.
To say that you know when you do know, and to say you do not
know when you do not, that is knowledge.
Heaven is mentioned only twice in what has survived of Confucius’s
ideas: he said heaven cares about the welfare of the common
people; the Emperor is here to promote that welfare; he remains
emperor only so long as he fulfils that purpose.
It is not easy to find a man who can study for three years without
thinking about earning a salary.
Features of a religion
Features defining a
religion
Features common to Features about
many religion
which there is
uncertainty
The basic beliefs
of Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama was the founder of Buddhism.
Gautama became the Buddha when he found enlightenment.
Buddha denied the existence of any gods.
Enlightenment showed Buddha four noble truths (suffering and misery
are universal; the cause of suffering is desire; to overcome suffering
we must rid ourselves of desire; there is a way to rid ourselves of
desire).
The way to rid ourselves of desire includes compassion for all life, right
knowledge and intentions, meditation.
Gautama’s disciples collected his writings to form a set of sacred texts,
The Three Baskets of Wisdom.
All people are able to reach Buddhist nirvana—a state of disinterested
wisdom and compassion.