Transcript RELIGION PPTx - SWMSKIL

Culture and Belief
World Religions: Origins and Practices
Hinduism
 Hinduism originated in ancient India about 4000 years ago
 It was the religion of an ancient people known as the
Aryans.
 Archeological evidence from the Indus Valley civilization
helps to establish Hinduism as the oldest living religion.
 The general name for God in Hinduism is Brahman.
 The name of the divine essence within us is called Atman.
 The Hindus believe in reincarnation.
 4 main social positions in Hinduism. Brahmins (priest and
teachers), Kshatriyas ( rulers and soldiers), Vaishyas
(merchants), and Shudras (workers).
Sacred Text of the Hindus
 The Vedas: these are the oldest writings of the Hindus.
They are a collection of hymns, prayers , and magic
spells.
 The Upanishads: these are stories and parables told by
gurus (teachers) to their students.
 The Mahabharata: this is a story of war between two
families. The Bhagavad Gita is a very popular story
from this text.
 The Ramayana: this is a story of the god Rama and
the rescue of his wife from an evil king.
Holy Days and Celebrations of
Hindus
Diwali is the festival of lights. Light represents knowledge.
It is celebrated in late October. This is the Hindu New Year.
Holi Festival
Holi is the festival which marks the coming of spring. It is
held in March or April. There are bonfires and people cover
each other with colored water and powders.
Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi
Krishna- A Hindu God
Symbol of Hinduism- Om
Judaism
 Judaism began about 4000 years ago in the Middle
East(modern day Israel).
 It was the first monotheistic religion(one god).
 A Hebrew shepherd named Abraham is considered the
founder of Judaism.
 The name for God for the Jews is Yahweh which means
“to be” or “I am”.
 Moses was chosen by God to lead the Hebrew people
(Jews) out of Egypt where they were enslaved.
 God gave Moses the Ten Commandments which form the
Jewish belief.
Sacred Text of Judaism
 The Tenakh is the ancient collection of writings that are
sacred to the Jews. They were written over a period of
almost 1000 years from 1000 BCE to 100 BCE.
 The word Tenakh comes from the first letters of the
three text that are included in this text: the Torah, the
Nev’im (prophets), and the Ki’tuvim ( writings that
include histories, prophecies, poems, hymns, and
sayings.
 The Talmud is also important to the Jewish faith. It is a
discussion on the way to follow and interpret the Torah.
 The Ten Commandments are God’s laws that govern
daily life.
Sects within Judaism
 There are 3 basic groups of Jewish people who have a
different understanding of the interpretation of the
Torah.
 Orthodox Jews: believe that all of the practices of the
Torah which is practical to obey must be obeyed without
question.
 Conservative and Reform Jews: believe that the
ancient laws and practices have to be interpreted for
modern life with more concern for community practices
rather than ritual practices.
 Messianic Jews: During the 1960’s and 70’s this
movement began as some Jews accepted Jesus as the
messiah as prophesied in the Bible (old testament) but
still follow Jewish rituals and practices.
Holy Days in Judaism
 Rosh Hashannah: the Jewish New Year Festival that takes
place in September or October.
 Yom Kippur: this is the Day of Atonement during which
people fast, pray, and atone for their sins, asking God for
forgiveness. This takes place ten days after Rosh
Hashannah.
 Passover or Pesach: takes place in the spring and marks
the liberation of the Jews from slavery in Egypt, the giving
of the Ten Commandments, and the journey into Israel.
 Hanukkah: the festival of lights. It is held in late November
or December and it is marking the rededication of the
temple after a period of persecution. The eternal light was
rekindled but there was not enough oil to keep it burning.
Miraculously the oil lasted for 8 days until more oil was
found. This is why the Menorah ( a candle holder with 8
candles) represents this event.
Abraham, Father of Judaism
Moses receiving the Ten
Commandments
The Menorah
The Star of David
Christianity
 Christianity traces its beginnings in modern day Israel and began
over 2000 years ago.
 Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, a Jew,
who was known as Jesus of Nazareth.
 Christians believe that Jesus was the “Son of God” and was both
human and divine.
 Jesus’ early followers came to believe he was the Messiah, or
messenger sent by God to free God’s people from slavery, sin , and
death.
 Christianity is practiced by more people than any other religion.
(33% of the population of the world).
 Christianity is practiced throughout the world, mainly North and
South America, and Europe.
 There is only one god in Christianity (monotheistic).
Sacred text of Christianity
 Christianity uses the Holy Bible as its foundation.
 The Christian Bible has two parts: the Old Testament
which is the Hebrew scriptures; and the New
Testament which contains writings about Jesus and
about the early church.
 The 4 gospels (a word meaning ‘good news”) of the
New Testament are accounts of Jesus’ life and
teaching, of his death and resurrection ( rising from the
dead).
Different Sects of Christianity
 Christianity has spread all over the world and is
practiced by 2 billion people. As with any large group,
Christianity has experienced many interpretations,
disagreements and struggles for power over the
centuries. This has lead to the growth of many different
branches of Christianity.
 There are however 3 basic streams of Christianity:
Orthodox, protestant, and Roman Catholic.
 Other denominations include: Presbyterian, Lutheran,
Baptist, Methodist, Evangelical, Mormon, Episcopalian,
and many more.
Christian Holy Days
 Advent - the 4 week season of preparation for the birth of Christ,
and for the Second Coming. Often an Advent wreathe is used as a
focus for prayer during Advent.

Epiphany - the visit of the three wise ones to Jesus just after his
birth and their subsequent spreading of the news of his birth
throughout the world.
 Lent - the period leading up to Easter commemorating the 40 days
Jesus spent in the desert fasting and praying. A time for personal
reflection and improvement through prayer, fasting, and study.

Holy Week – the last week of Jesus' life, including Palm Sunday,
which celebrates his triumphal entry into Jerusalem the week before
he was crucified; Maundy Thursday, a remembrance of the Last
Supper with the disciples; and Good Friday, the day Jesus was
crucified on a cross, which is the most recognized symbol of
Christianity.
Christian Holy Days Contiuned
 Easter - Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Eggs are a
major symbol of Easter since they symbolize new life.
Crosses are often covered with flowers to symbolize Jesus'
victory over death.
 Ascension Day - when Jesus' ascended into Heaven.
 Pentecost - the gift of the Holy Spirit, God's presence in
the world, to Jesus' followers in the form of a mighty wind
and tongues of fire.
 Saints' Days - official days, recognized by many Christians,
especially Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican, celebrating
people who have lived particularly holy lives and are
recognized as official saints.
Christian Holy Days Continued
 Christmas- Celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ
 In addition, certain passages in an individual Christian's
life are marked by celebration and special services.
These include Baptism or birth into the Christian church;
Confirmation, an informed commitment to membership
in the church; weddings; and funerals.
Islam
Islam’s Beginnings
 Islam is a monotheistic faith centered around belief in
the one God (Allah). In this regard, it shares some
beliefs with Judaism and Christianity by tracing its
history back to the patriarch Abraham, and ultimately to
the first prophet, Adam.
 The last in the series of prophets, according to Muslims,
was Muhammad.
 Muhammad was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia around
570 CE. He worked first as a shepherd and then as a
merchant. He was not happy with the people around him
because of superstitions and social and economic
injustice. The people were worshipping many gods and
had forgotten the message of prophet Abraham to
worship one God.
 Muhammad loved to pray and meditate in the
mountains. On one of those occasions, in the year 610
CE, when he was about 40 years old, he received a
revelation from God through the angel Jibril (Gabriel).
He continued to receive messages from God throughout
his life and he began preaching to others what he had
learned. His main message is that there was no other
God but Allah and that people should lead their lives in a
way that was pleasing to Allah.
 Islam is an Arabic word which means "surrender,
submission, commitment and peace." Thus, Islam can
be defined as a path to attain complete peace through
voluntary submission to the divine will.
 "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for God. He is the
same universal God worshipped by people of all faiths.
The word "Allah" is sometimes preferred over God
because it is neither masculine nor feminine. Also, there
is no plural for "Allah.“
 Followers Of Islam are called Muslims.
Muslim Beliefs
 Belief in one God (Allah).
 Belief in the Angels.
 Belief in the holy books sent to all the prophets including
the Torah that was revealed to the prophet Moses, the
Bible that was revealed to the prophet Jesus, and
Qur'an (Koran) that was revealed to the prophet
Muhammad.
Muslim Beliefs
 Belief in all the prophets sent by God including Noah,
Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus and
Muhammad. Although Muslims believe in Isa or Jesus they
don't think of Jesus as the Son of God the way Christians
do.
 Belief in the Day of Judgment and life after death. The best
reward for performing good deeds is getting closer to God.
 Belief in divine decree. This means that God is all-powerful
and nothing can happen without His permission, however,
He has given human beings freedom to choose whether to
be good or bad. In the end, everyone will be questioned
about how they lived in this life.
The Five Pillars of Islam
 Shahadah (declaration of faith)—to bear witness or testify that
there is no god except one God (Allah) and Muhammad is His
prophet or messenger.
 Salat (ritual prayer)—the five daily prayers are performed at dawn,
noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. The prayers are offered in
Arabic language and facing the direction of Mecca.
 Zakah (alms tax) –Giving 2.5% of one's wealth to the poor and
needy.
 Sawm (fasting)—Muslims fast during the daylight hours in the ninth
month of the Islamic lunar calendar called Ramadan. The purpose is
to remind people of the goodness of what they have and to show
equality with the poor. Ramadan is a time for study and selfdiscipline.
 Hajj (pilgrimage): Muslims believe in making a pilgrimage to Mecca
to the Ka'bah ( Arabic for cube) at least once in their lifetime. The
kA'bah is believed to have been built by Ibrahim (Abraham)and one
of his sons. Muhammad restored it to worship Allah. For this reason
it is a very sacred place to Muslims.
Sects within Islam
There are two basic groups of
Islam: the Sunnis (about 80% of
the world's Muslims) and the
Shi'ites (about 20% of the world's
Muslims). Although they share the
same basic beliefs, they disagree on
who was the rightful leader of Islam
after Muhammad's death.
Sacred Writings of Islam
 Muslims believe that the last revealed scripture sent by God
is the Qur'an or Koran. It is the speech of God revealed in
the Arabic language to Muhammad during his mission of
twenty-three years. The Qur'an was written down by scribes
and memorized during the lifetime of Muhammad. The
Qur'an emphasizes moral, ethical and spiritual values with
the aim of establishing justice for everyone. Many Muslims
try to learn to read the Koran in its original language, Arabic.
It is not uncommon for Muslims to memorize whole chapters
of it. They read part of it every day. The Sunnah is a record
of Muhammad’s words and deeds. The Sunnah is used to
help interpret the Koran. There is also instruction in it on
belief, worship and behavior.
Holy days and Celebrations in
Islam
 Id ul-Fitr- This festival marks the end of the month of
fasting, Ramadan. It ends with the sighting of the new
moon in the sky. Muslims visit their mosque to say
special prayers, visit friends and relatives, eat special
feast foods and exchange gifts and cards. It is a time of
thankfulness for Allah's blessings which are better
appreciated because of the experience of fasting during
Ramadan.
Holy Days Continued
 Hajj-This is the pilgrimage to Mecca to worship in
the Ka'bah. Muslims try to do this at least once in
their lifetime. Pilgrims wear plain, identical clothes
to show that all are equal in Allah's eyes. They
walk around seven times, counterclockwise. They
walk or run seven times between two hills followed
by a 16 mile walk to Mount Arafat where
Muhammad preached his last sermon. On the way
back to Mecca, Muslims throw stones at three
stone pillars which represent Satan. Then they
make a final seven circles around the Ka'bah.
 The Hajj, whether on pilgrimage or at
home, ends with the festival of Id ulAdha in which a sheep or goat is
sacrificed. This is a reminder of the
sacrifice Ibrahim (Abraham) was asked to
make of his son, Isma'il (Ishmael). When
Ibrahim was just about to sacrifice his son
to show his obedience to God, God
provided a lamb instead. The festival
celebrates God's mercy and Ibrahim's
obedience. This story in different versions
is in the Koran, the Bible, and the Old
Testament which shows the common
heritage of Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam.
Holy Days In Islam Cont.
 Id Ul-Ghadir This festival in Shia communities around
the world celebrates the anniversary of the Holy Prophet
Mohammed's completion of his final message to
humankind with regard to his succession.
 Milad an-Nabi (birthday of the Holy Prophet)- Muslims
celebrate this occasion with great rejoicing. Muslims
gather to narrate the stories of the Prophet's birth,
childhood, his character, manhood and his mission.
 Lailat al-Qadr(Night of Power)The night in which the
prophet Mohammed received the first revelation from
God. The Night of Power is one of the odd-numbered
nights of the last ten days of Ramadan. A portion of this
night is spent reading the Qur'an and making special
prayers.
Images of Islam- Ka’bah
Islamic Mosque
Buddhism
Origins of Buddhism
 About 2500 years ago in India, a prince named
Siddhartha Gautama began to question his
sheltered, luxurious life in the palace. He left the
palace and saw four sights: a sick man, an old
man, a dead man and a monk. These sights are
said to have shown him that even a prince cannot
escape illness, suffering and death. The sight of
the monk told Siddhartha to leave his life as a
prince and become a wandering holy man, seeking
the answers to questions like "Why must people
suffer?" "What is the cause of suffering?"
Origins Of Buddhism
The Four Noble Truths
 1.Human life has a lot of suffering.
 2.The cause of suffering is greed, desire and attatchment.
 3.There is an end to suffering.
 4.The way to end suffering is to follow the Middle Path.
The Eight-Fold Path
 Buddha then taught people not to worship
him as a god. He said they should take
responsibility for their own lives and
actions. He taught that the Middle Way
was the way to nirvana. The Middle Way
meant not leading a life of luxury and
indulgence but also not one of too much
fasting and hardship. There are eight
guides for following the Middle path.
The Eight-Fold Path
 Right understanding and viewpoint (based on the Four Noble
Truths)
 Right values and attitude (compassion rather than selfishness).
 Right speech (don't tell lies, avoid harsh, abusive speech, avoid
gossip).
 Right action (help others, live honestly, don't harm living things,
take care of the environment).
The Eight-fold Path Cont.
 Right work (do something useful, avoid jobs which
harm others).
 Right effort (encourage good, helpful thoughts,
discourage unwholesome destructive thoughts).
 Right mindfulness (be aware of what you feel,
think and do).
 Right meditation (calm mind, practice meditation
which leads to nirvana).
Sects within Buddhism
 There are two main types, Theravada,
which spread to Sri Lanka, Myanmar,
Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, and
Mahayana which spread to Nepal, Viet
Nam, China, Korea and Japan. Mahayana
took on aspects of the cultures where it
was practiced and became three distinct
branches: Vajrayana Buddhism or
Tibetan Buddhism, Pure Land
Buddhism and Zen Buddhism.
Sacred Text in Buddhism
 The Ripitaka was first written on palm leaves
which were collected together in baskets.
 The Great Treatise of The Stages of The Path of
Enlightenment ( Lam Rim Chen Mo).
 The Tibetan Book Of the Dead.
Holy Days in Buddhism
 Wesak- This is the celebration of Buddha's birth. For
Theravada Buddhists, it is also the celebration of Buddha's
enlightenment and death. During this celebration, statues of
Buddha are decorated. Offerings are taken to monasteries,
and sometimes there are fireworks.
 Vassa- This is a time to meditate and study. In Buddha's
time, it was during the rainy season which meant it was
hard to travel and teach so it was a good time for
meditation and study. During Vassa, a meditation retreat,
all Buddhists are supposed to set aside some time for study
and meditation. At the end of Vassa, people bring new
robes to monks.
Other Celebrations
 Different countries have different Buddhist
celebrations. For example in Japan, Buddhists
celebrate the flower festival, or Hana Matsuri, to
honor Buddha's birthday. Temples are decorated
with cherry blossoms and children pour scented tea
over statues of the baby Buddha. In India,
Buddhists celebrate the Festival of the Sacred
Tooth in honor of Buddha's first teaching. One of
Buddha's teeth is paraded around in the streets as
an expression of this celebration.
Images of Buddhism
The 14th Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama
 The Dalai Lama is the head of Tibetan
Buddhism.
 He is considered the reincarnation of the
Buddha of compassion (Avalokiteśvara).
 Dalai Lama is translated as “Ocean of
Wisdom.”
 Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama won
the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his
efforts to establish world peace.
Quote from Nobel Peace Prize
speech
 "The need for simple human-to-human
relationships is becoming increasingly urgent . . .
Today the world is smaller and more
interdependent. One nation's problems can no
longer be solved by itself completely. Thus, without
a sense of universal responsibility, our very
survival becomes threatened. Basically, universal
responsibility is feeling for other people's suffering
just as we feel our own. It is the realization that
even our enemy is entirely motivated by the quest
for happiness. We must recognize that all beings
want the same thing that we want. This is the way
to achieve a true understanding, unfettered by
artificial consideration."