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Religious Movements

Religious Movements. Traditional Religions. Polytheism. Deities: ex. Olympic pantheon Beliefs varied from no afterlife to shadowy existence in the underworld to a paradise-like afterlife

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Religious Movements

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  1. Religious Movements

  2. Traditional Religions

  3. Polytheism • Deities: ex. Olympic pantheon • Beliefs varied from no afterlife to shadowy existence in the underworld to a paradise-like afterlife • Human life is subject to the whim of the gods and to Fate; these can be controlled through sacrifice and divination • Animal sacrifice, harvest offerings, festivals, games, processions, dance, plays, in honor of the gods

  4. Traditional African Religions

  5. Traditional Amerindian Religions • Many gods • Appease and nourish the gods; determine luckiest dates for various activities • soul journeys through dark and threatening underworld; but sacrificial victims and women who die in childbirth go to heaven.

  6. Eastern Religions

  7. Hinduism • Deity: Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma • No founder • Sacred Texts: Vedas & the Upanishads • Beliefs • Soul never dies, continually reborn • Persons achieve happiness & enlightenment after they free themselves of earthy desires • Freedom from earthy desires comes from lifetime of worship, knowledge, and virtuous acts

  8. Jainism • Deity: no specific deity • Founder: Parshva and Mahavira • Sacred Text: • Beliefs: • regards every living soul as potentially divine • path of non-violence to progress the soul to this ultimate goal • human beings who rediscover the dharma, become fully liberated

  9. Buddhism • No deity, but many worship Buddha • Founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) • Sacred Texts: Tripitaka (Pali Canon); Mahayana sutras like the Lotus Sutra • Beliefs • Persons achieve happiness & peace (nirvana) after they free themselves of earthy desires • Nirvana is reached by following Eightfold Path: • Right views, resolve, speech, conduct, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration

  10. Confucianism • No Deity: • Founder: Confucius • Sacred Texts: Analects • Beliefs • Social order, harmony, & good government based on strong family relationships • Respect for parents & elders is important to well-ordered society • Education is important both to the welfare of the individual and society • Purpose of life is to fulfill one's role in society with propriety, honor, and loyalty

  11. Daoism • Deity: the Tao pervades all • Founder: Lao-Tzu • Sacred Texts: Tao Te Ching • Beliefs • Purpose is inner harmony, peace, and longevity. Achieved by living in accordance with the Tao. • Tao: road, channel, path, way, doctrine, or line • De: the active living, or cultivation, of that "way“ • Wu Wei: knowing when to act and when not to act • Pu: a state of pure potential and perception without prejudice

  12. Legalism • Deity: none • Founder: Shang Yang • Sacred Text: none • Beliefs: • Fa: law code must be clearly written and made public • Shu: Special tactics to be employed by the ruler to make sure others don't take over control of the state • Shi: the position of the ruler, not the ruler himself or herself, that holds the power

  13. Western Religions

  14. Judaism • Deity: God (Yahweh) • Founder: Abraham • Sacred Text: Torah • Beliefs: • One God who watches over and cares for his people • God holds his people responsible for their sins & shortcomings • People serve God by studying the Torah and serving God

  15. Christianity • Deity: God • Founder: Jesus Christ / St. Paul • Sacred Text: The Bible • Beliefs: • One God who watches over and cares for his people • Jesus is the son of God • He died for the sins of others • His death and Resurrection made the eternal life possible for others

  16. Islam • Deity: God (Allah) • Founder: Muhammad • Sacred Text: The Koran (Qur’an) • Beliefs: • Five Pillars of Islam • Believe in one God & Muhammad as his prophet • 5 daily prayers • Giving charity to the poor • Fasting during Ramadan • Hajj: once in a life time pilgrimage to Mecca • Live a just life

  17. Universal Religions

  18. What is a Universal Religion ? • Began as a local faith • Expand outwards adopting other peoples • Adopt ideas of these peoples • Buddhism – Daoism, Hinduism, Traditional East & Southeast religions • Christianity – Greek philosophy, Zoroastrianism, • Islam – Zoroastrianism, Christianity

  19. Early Beginnings • Buddhism, Christianity, & Islam all found themselves persecuted early in their lives • Buddhists: by Hindus • Christians: by polytheistic Romans • Muslims: by polytheistic Arabs • Often exert strong political control over their nations • Buddhism – Ashoka & the Mauryan Dynasty in India • Christianity – Clovis and the Franks across Europe • Islam – the Umayyad Dynasty across Middle East & N. Africa

  20. Missionaries • member of a religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith • Leading Missionary Religions • Christianity • Islam • Buddhism • The spread of these faiths changed them as they encountered • Adopt some of cultures of people being taken in to make it more palpable

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