Transcript RELIGION
RELIGION
Defined: a set of beliefs and activities that are
created to help humans celebrate and
understand their place in the world
Religion
Religions help define right and wrong within a
culture
Can have profound impact on human interaction
with the environment through architecture, ideas
about land, etc
Study of spatial connections
Universalizing vs. Ethnic
Universalizing: try to have universal appeal and
attract all people to their beliefs
Example: Christianity(2.1 billion), Islam( 1.5 billion), Buddhism(376
million)
2 Religious
Classifications
Ethnic: attempt to appeal not to all people but to one group, usually
in one place or of one ethnicity
Example: Hinduism(900 million), Judaism(479 million)
Atheism-no religion, God or higher power doesn’t exist
Polytheistic vs. Monotheistic
Polytheistic: belief in many supreme beings
Example: Hinduism, maybe Buddhism
Monotheistic: belief in one supreme being
Example: Christianity, Islam, Judaism
World
Religious
Regions
IMPORTANT FACTS:
Ethnic
Religions
Developed before the major universalizing religions
Largest are Hinduism and Judaism
East Asian ethnic religions have many branches/sects
Origins: has more than 900 million adherents, mostly living in
India
Hinduism
Evolved in Indo-Gangetic Heart in about 2000 BC, Aryan Tribes
Settled in the Punjab, India then diffused
Oldest religion on earth
Has many sacred texts including the Vedas
Diffusion Route: spread from Indo-Gangetic Hearth eastward
via the Ganges and south through India
Blended with other faiths
Never really left India and is closely tied to Indian culture
Primary Branches: no real formal branches exist
Reincarnation: continue through cycle until reaching
enlightenment
Traditional clothing-women
Marriage-Some parts of India arranged
Karma: universal law of justice
Trinity: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva
Basic
Beliefs
Brahma: creator of the world-THREE FORMS
Vishnu: he loves you
Shiva: god of duality, both destroyer and fertility
Ganesh(a): remover of obstacles-NOT part of the Trinity
Caste system: social hierarchy based on Karma
Brahmans: educated elite, priests
Kshatryas: military class
Vaisyas: merchants and farmers
Sudras: peasants
Untouchables: truly “untouchable”
Cultural
Landscape
Features
Ganges River- holy to bathe(purification)
Mt. Kailas-source of Ganges, Shiva lives
Temples frequently have food as offerings to Gods
Worship at home
Cremation of dead most common
Wash in Ganges to free soul
GANESHA
Hindu
Gods
BRAHAM
Vishnu
Origins: oldest monotheistic religion on earth created 2000 BCE
in Semitic Hearth
Judaism
Grew out of tribal belief of Jews whose headquarters became
Jerusalem
Abraham is considered founder and root of religions
Sacred text is Torah (Biblical Stories) and Talmud (rabbinical and
historical teachings)
Diffusion route: After Rome destroyed Jerusalem, Jews were
scatter throughout world in Diaspora (a scattering of any ethnic
group)
Jews scattered into central Europe and toward Iberian Peninsula
Currently about 18 million Jews world wide with many living in Israel
66% of Jews live in the U.S. and Israel (created in 1948 as homeland
for Jews)
There is one God, Jehovah
There will be a Messiah or Savior
10 commandments
Kosher: dietary law based in Old Testament
Basic
Beliefs
Primary Branches
Orthodox: seeks to retain the original traditions of the faith
Reform: developed in 1800s attempting to adjust the religion to fit
more modern times
Conservative: most recent branch, more moderate approach to the
religion than either Reform or Orthodox
Certain animals may not be eaten at all. This restriction includes the flesh,
organs, eggs and milk of the forbidden animals.
Of the animals that may be eaten, the birds and mammals must be killed in
accordance with Jewish law.
All blood must be drained from meat and poultry or broiled out of it before it
is eaten.
Certain parts of permitted animals may not be eaten.
Kosher
laws
Fruits and vegetables are permitted, but must be inspected for bugs (which
cannot be eaten)
Meat (the flesh of birds and mammals) cannot be eaten with dairy. Fish, eggs,
fruits, vegetables and grains can be eaten with either meat or dairy.
(According to some views, fish may not be eaten with meat).
Utensils (including pots and pans and other cooking surfaces) that have come
into contact with meat may not be used with dairy, and vice versa. Utensils
that have come into contact with non-kosher food may not be used with
kosher food. This applies only where the contact occurred while the food was
hot.
Grape products made by non-Jews may not be eaten.
There are a few other rules that are not universal.
Cultural
Landscape
Features
Synagogue: house of worship and community gathering
All have an ark housing the Torah
Western Wall in Jerusalem, believed to be western side of Temple
Mount complex that was destroyed by Romans
Prayers and writing into the wall
Six-pointed star-Shield of David
Shintoism: syncretic, ethnic religion blending Buddhism with Japanese
local religions
About 118 million adherents
Ancestor worship and Buddhism
East Asia
Religions
Taoism (Daoism): Chinese idea based on philosopher Lao Tzu who lived
about 6th century BCE
Teaches people should live in harmony with nature in all aspects of their
lives
Created feng shui the practice of organizing living spaces in harmonious
ways
Confucianism: Chinese philosopher who lived around the same time as
Laozi
Teachers a system of morals and way of life for Chinese in areas like
government, education, religion and philosphy
Focuses more on worldly life rather than idea of heaven and hell
Both spread to Korean Peninsula, Japan, SE Asia, North American and
Europe
Shamanism: term given to any ethnic religion in
which community follows its Shaman, or
religious leader, healer and truth knower
Shamanism
and
Animism
• North America, SE Asia and East Asia
Animism: belief that objects such as trees,
mountains and rivers have spirits in them
• Taught by some Shamans
• African tribes
Followed by about 60% of worlds population
Can be broken down into branches, denominations and sects
Universalizing
Religions
Branches: large fundamental divisions with in a religion
Example: Lutheran, Catholicism, Protestantism
Denominations: groups of common congregations within a branch
Example: Anglicans and Episcopalians
Sects: smaller groups that have broken away from recognized
denomination within a branch
Example: Fundamentalist
Examples include: Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam
Origins: worlds first universalizing religion
Developed out of Hinduism and caste system
Founded in India near Indo-Gangetic Hearth
between Indus and Ganges rivers by Prince
Siddhartha Gautama born in 644 BCE
Buddhism
Diffusion Routes: started in India, spread to
China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia and
Southeast Asia along Silk Road
Now nearly extinct in India
Nearly 350 million followers world wide
Remains in one region of the world
Who is the Buddha?
The Buddha was born as Siddhartha Gautama in Nepal around
2,500 years ago.
Sadden by the destruction of the world.
BUDDHA
4 Trips: saw old man, diseased man, corpse, and monk who taught
to withdraw from the world.
Age 29 left the place to live in the forest for 6yrs.
Emerged as the “enlightened one”
4 noble truths
Life is suffering and inherently painful
Suffering has a cause: craving and attachment (selfishness)
Leads to reincarnation-new bodies or forms
Craving and attachment can be overcome
By following the eightfold path
Basic
Beliefs of
Buddhism
Nirvana- “inner peace”
Eightfold path
Right Concentration, Right Purpose, Right Speech, Right Conduct,
Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Alertness, Right Understanding
Reincarnation: humans cycle through until reaching
enlightenment
Karma: Universal law of justice
Theravada: monastic, practiced by nearly 55% of all Buddhists
Found mainly in SE Asian countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar,
Thailand, Laos and Cambodia
Mahayana: do not spend time as monks but find salvation
(enlightenment) through meditation and prayer
Practiced by 40% of Buddhists and found primarily in Korea,
Vietnam, Japan and China
Later teachings of Buddha
Branches
of
Buddhism
Lamaism in Tibet: combines monasticism of Theravada with local
images of deities and demons-practiced only by about 5% of
Buddhists
Leader is Dalai Lama who has been exiled from Tibet by Chinese
government
Zen: exists primarily in Japan but growing
in popularity in U.S.
Believes in original mind
Cultural
Landscape
Features
8 Holy places in NE India-Buddha’s life or teachings
Examples: 1st sermon, 1st miracle-created multiple images of
self, visited heaven and where he died-80yrs
Most famous structure is pagoda which is made to look like
ancient burial mound shapes
Bodhi tree in India where Buddha reached enlightenment
while meditating under it
Origins: second universalizing religion to develop as offshoot of
Judaism when Jesus Christ was seen as expected Messiah by
disciples
Christianity
Hearth: near modern day Israel
Diffusion Route: used both expansion and relocation diffusion
from Palestine, has nearly 2 billion adherents
312 CE Roman Empire adopted Christianity as official religion
15th Century colonization efforts of Europeans spread it as well
Today nearly 90% of Western Hemisphere is Christian
Jesus Christ is the Son of God
Bible is sacred text
Belief of love, forgiveness and repentance
Basic Beliefs
Some branches/sects accept prophets, some do not
All believe in personal God who is unchanging
Burial- bury the dead
Roman Catholics: largest and original piece of Christianity with nearly
830 million adherents
Hierarchical religion because of well defined organization with Pope at
top
No real divisions
Headquartered in Vatican City in Rome, Italy
Branches of
Christianity
Protestant Christians: nearly 503 million adherents, broken into
denominations
Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal and Lutheran are largest denominations
Began in 15th Century with Protestant Reformation
Eastern Orthodoxy: developed in 1054 when Roman Catholic Church
split
Collection of 14 self-governing churches, largest being Russian Orthodox
Has nearly 192 million adherents and is rooted in Constantinople
• Hierarchical Religion- Latter-Day Saints
• Means-well-defined geographic structure and organizes territory into local
administrative units
Cultural
Landscape
Features
Varied landscape reflects varied history
Catholicism has Cathedrals in almost every city
Protestantism is usually simple, wood, plain
churches
Origins: was 3rd Universalizing religion to develop, originated in
Mecca, Saudi Arabia around 600 CE
Islam
Abraham-2nd wife named Hagar and son-Ismael
Muhammad is descendent of Ismael
Last prophet was Muhammad, has nearly 1.2 billion adherents
Is 2nd largest but fastest growing religion on earth
It is monotheistic and sacred text is the Koran
Diffusion Route: diffused through Mohammed’s followers who
organized armies through Africa, Europe and Asia
Successful diffusion led to Crusades by Europeans to “take back”
and “save” lands that had been conquered by Muslims
Muhammad 1st revelation
from God through Angel Gabriel
5 pillars of Islam
Faith: accepting Allah as the only God, Mohammad as his final
prophet and the Qur'an as Allah’s words
Basic
Beliefs
Prayer: pray 5 times a day, facing Mecca
Fasting: during month of Ramadan in memory of Mohammad’s first
vision
Giving of money to care for the less fortunate; about 2 ½% of one’s
income and can be public or private
Pilgrimage-once in a lifetime trip to Mecca
Sunni: means orthodox
Primary
Branches
About 85% of Muslims practice this
Dominate in Arab-speaking areas of Bangladesh and Pakistan
Believe Sunni Caliphs (religious emperors) in the Umayyad
Dynasty were not descendants of Muhammad, nor were
Ottoman emperors
Shi’ite: majority in Iran and Iraq
Account for nearly 15% of adherents
Shia believe descendants of Ali were acceptable authorities in
Islam
Cultural
Landscape
Features
Mosque: center of Muslim worship, typically
has four minarets or towers used to called
worshippers
Dome of the Rock: Muhammad assented to
heavens
Ka'ba-Black silk box that holds the black stones
given to Abraham by Gabriel
Sign of the covenant with Ishmael and Muslims
Mecca-holiest city
Largest
World
Religious
Bodies
Catholic Church
1,100,000,000
Sunni Islam
875,000,000
Eastern Orthodox
225,000,000
Anglican
77,000,000
Assemblies of God
50,000,000
Seventh-day Adventists
16,811,519
Jehovah’s Witnesses
16,500,000
LDS Church
12,275,822
New Apostolic Church
10,260,000
Taliban vs. Western Values
Religion
vs.
Government
or Social
Change
1996: Taliban gained power in Afghanistan
Globalization=
Incompatible with
religious values.
Other Target: Buddhist statue removed from Mountain(Afghanistan)
• ( 1st Good-get rid of War Lords and Russia invasion)
Means “Religious students”
Strict Laws: “ Western non-Islamic” activities banned
Soccer stadiums converted to executions
Men beaten for shaving their beards
Women for stoned for adultery
Homosexuals burned alive
Thieves hands cut off and women with nail polish fingers cuts off.
Other Muslims outraged against the Taliban
Us-led coalition overthrew in 2001.
Regrouped and control parts of Pakistan.
Religious wars in Middle East
Conflict in the Middle East is among the world’s longest standing.
Jews, Christians, and Muslims have fought nearly 2,000 years to control
the same small strip of Land in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Religion
vs.
Religion
Judaism: special claim to the territory it calls the
Promised Land where major events in the development
in the religion occurred.
Islam: Muslim army conquered this land in seventh
century A.D. Jerusalem is the third holiest city to
Muslims, because it is believed to be where Muhammad
ascended into heaven.
Christianity: considers it the Holy Land and Jerusalem
the Holy City, because the major events in Jesus’s life,
death, and resurrection occurred there.
Palestinians: Ethnic group Arabs(mostly Muslim, some Christian)
Zionism: Jewish movement back to their homeland
Allowed Jewish migration after WWI
Escaping persecution in Germany-forced into ghettos
1939- Britain halted Jewish Immigration
After WWII
Jews settled in Palestine
United Nations
Supported a Jewish Nation State
Palestine cut into Two states
Arabs state and Arab state
Arabs disagreed
Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia attack Israel.
Jewish troops fought back-With US help
1950’s firmly established as a nation.
PLO-Palestine Liberation Organization
Created to support the Palestine Arabs
Refugees forced into UN made camps
Palestinians can have: West Bank and Gaza Strip
Hamas(Gaza Strip)-terrorist group
Six-Day War 1976-Israel controlled all of Jerusalem