240 likes | 329 Views
Assignment on 2-26. Faith and Religion. as Ways of Knowing. What is Religion?. Religions are systems of values, beliefs, ideas, feelings, and practices that provide ways of thinking about, framing, and answering some fundamental human questions. Religions are systems of meaning
E N D
Faith and Religion as Ways of Knowing
What is Religion? Religions are systems of values, beliefs, ideas, feelings, and practices that provide ways of thinking about, framing, and answering some fundamental human questions. Religions are systems of meaning Religions are systems of knowledge
God-isms • Theism: Belief in some kind of god • Deism: god exists as creator, but that’s about it • Animism: souls or spirits exists in all things • Pantheism: the universe or nature and god are identical • Polytheism: multiple gods • Monotheism: one god • Atheism: god does not exist • Agnosticism: don’t know if god does or doesn’t exist • Secularism: of this world, god not involved
Foundational Human Questions • Where do I/we come from? • What is my purpose for living? • How should I act in the world? • What happens when I die? • Where can I find a community that thinks and feels like I do?
Quiz What’s Your Religion Type?
Exploring Our OwnReligious Beliefs • What name would you give to your own religion orientation? • How would you explain your views on god? • How do you explain the origins of human life? • How would you explain the purpose or meaning of your life? • Does your religion provide you any rules or guidelines for living?
Bahai Brahmanism Buddhism Christianity Confucianism Daoism Hinduism Islam Jainism Judaism Secular Humanism Shintoism Scientology Sikhism Rastafarianism Zoroastrianism Examples of World Religions
Religion and Culturearesometimes indistinguishable • Polynesian (e.g., Maori) • African (e.g., Bantu, Bush People) • Latin America (e.g., Inca, Maya, Aztec) • Caribbean (e.g., Voodoo, Yoruba, Shango)
Largest World Religions
Harris Poll of American Opinions, 2006Does God Exist? No, Absolutely Certain No, Somewhat Certain Unsure Yes, Somewhat Certain Yes, Absolutely Certain
Belief in an Afterlife Most Americans (74%) believe in life after death, with an equal number saying they believe in the existence of heaven as a place where people who have led good lives are eternally rewarded. Belief in the afterlife tends to be particularly common among the Christian traditions. But the survey also finds that roughly six-in-ten Buddhists (62%) believe in nirvana, the ultimate state transcending pain and desire in which individual consciousness ends, and about the same number of Hindus (61%) believe in reincarnation, that people will be reborn in this world again and again. By contrast, fewer than half of the unaffiliated (48%) and only about four-in-ten Jews (39%) say they believe in an afterlife.
Receiving Answers to Prayers A significant minority of Americans say their prayers result in definite and specific answers from God at least once a month (31%), with nearly one-in-five adults (19%) saying they receive direct answers to specific prayer requests at least once a week.
How do We Gain Access? Religious Knowledge
Faith Is Faith the “key” to religious knowledge?
Sam HarrisCriticism of Religious Faith Part I Part II