Religion 101
Brian R. Newsom
REL 101
David Paul
December 11, 2016
Religion 101
During these past weeks, I have made an effort to fathom religion as a whole. From end to end reading, study, independent research, viewing related video clips, and discussions with my co-workers, I now have a healthier understanding of the five major world religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism) and how each came into existence. I am thrilled to share with you some of the brief understandings, and new found opinions that I have obtained during my study and research.
Religion is a broad term which can be used in many contexts. Generally speaking, it is common to hear someone say, “I do that religiously”. This is a different use of the word than most people would actually relate to our discussion but it is not entirely irrelevant. This idiom has a lot of underlying meaning which is relevant. The term religiously means to do thoroughly, conscientiously, with an attention to detail, and to do regularly, as if habitually. In this case we are looking at the secular use of the word but as you can already see there is a relation between the secular and non-secular use of the term.
Religions have commonalities. Religion was born in order to answer the questions who are we, where did we come from, and why do unexplainable things happen around me. Therefore, not surprisingly, religions have a background story of creation. The ancient Egyptians told
Having the privilege to serve in the military has allowed this writer the opportunity to be exposed to the pluralistic society in a way which has exposed him to the beauty of the diversity enjoyed in American culture. One aspect of said diversity is the interaction which has taken place amongst the Christian and various world religions who also wear the same uniform in defense of America. It was the pleasure of the writer to attend a local synagogue in which his Jewish brothers and sisters welcomed him with open arms. The local congregation of Jewish believers went out of their way in order to ensure their newest visitor understood the flow of service and the significance of the ritual which took place on the first Shabbat or Sabbath of the month. The following essay will serve to detail the worship experience as well as how it and other beliefs of Judaism compare/contrast with the Christian faith.
In the past few weeks of class we talked about so many different religions around the world. Three religions we discuss in class were Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. These are three of the major religions in the world that still exist today. I will be focusing on how all three religions started, and I will compare and contrast Hinduism and Buddhism. Then at the end, I will discuss on how I feel about the three different religions.
More than three quarters of the world are following a religion, we as human beings use religions as a way of answering the unexplainable questions in life like what happens after we die. What’s similar between these religions even though they’re so spread out? Some believe in gods, some believe in giving up your worldly desires, and some provide a social hierarchy to live your life on.
The religious movement, a break of religion all over the where the main control of the catholic church broke. The ides of marriage were altered , “by which all that is the husband's is also the wife's” to show separation from the main part of religion (Luther document 4). Where people would not just give in to the christian way , “cannot submit [their] faith either to the Pope or to the Councils... frequently erred and contradicted eachother” because of these contradictions happening between the church's ranks (Luther document 8). The monks became vile , “breaking the vows of the church by having concubines and illegitimate children” their celibacy was now non existent (Bosch document 7). Also The added religions that formed at this time , “[They] ought not, by way of custom, to speak of predestination...they become negligent in the works” which all have changed their ways of how things happen which anger other. While people break the main religion religions produce like wildfire, however the were other thing affected at this period which made life in Europe drastically different, the social and political changes. The social and
Arabia to Islam. All practicing Muslims accept belief in the ‘Six Articles of Faith’ and are
Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism are religions that developed in the East. Although each of these religions possess characteristics unique to itself, they share one thing in common in that they are all religions. Their classification as religions depend on the definition of the word: religion. Webster's Dictionary defines religion as “The outward act or form by which men indicate their recognition of the existence of a god or of gods having power over their destiny, to whom obedience, service, and honor are due.” Frederick Streng's attempt to define religion as, “a process whereby people reach beyond themselves to connect with the true and
Though each religion is unique, some religions have several traits in common. For example, many religions are polytheistic, meaning that there are many gods. But, some religions only believe in one god, meaning that the religion is monotheistic. The religions also have many things that differ with each other, like the sacred text, symbol, and traditions. These qualities are what make each religion different and special.
Since the dawn of time, religion has been the staple of humanity. It has been our explanation for the unexplainable, as well a way for us to form a community with those around us. Due to the natural diversity of humans, a varied set of separate religions has formed throughout the world. Religions continue to adapt and inspire each other, however, they all have their differences, as well as internal differences through the observations of each believer.
1.Compare and contrast Hinduism and Buddhism on the question of atman. What does each tradition have to say about whether a human being has an individual soul? What is the significance of this soul (or lack thereof) in each tradition?
The idea of the soul varies widely in religious tradition. While these variations exist, its basic definition is unvarying. The soul can be described as the ultimate internal principle by which we think, feel, and will, and by which our bodies are animated. The soul is seen as the core principle of life or as the essence of a being 1. Views on the permanence of the soul vary throughout religious tradition as well. While some view it as a mortal entity in flux others believe the soul is an immortal and permanent unit. These interpretations vary from time period to time period and between religions. These characteristics of the soul are interpreted differently through an Eastern or
Learning different religion and seeing what the eastern and western are like and comparing them.
It is understood that each of the Abrahamic religions have tradition as interpreted through scripture. These traditions typically manifest through the practice of worship and ritual, which may be unique to each religion. The purpose of worship and ritual in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is to show service and submission to the one all-powerful, infinite God through prayers unique to that faith, weekly worship gatherings, and various traditions. However execution of worship and ritual varies as a result of historical influences and how that religion decides to display their “service” to God through the aspects of prayer and traditions.
On this vast planet religions are becoming more prevalent and are being studied more frequently in recent times. Many individuals want to study and learn about the origins of some religions, on where they were developed and what was the cause of this glorification of a divine. The art of religion is processed by many ideologies, background, beliefs, myths, and rituals. The five major religions of the world include: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism are solely based on these ideologies, and ultimately leads to one goal, to follow the path of god, or to seek a euphoric state of salvation. In spite of all the differences among the world’s five major religions, they have very similar ethical constructs, which should encourage more mutual respect among them.
In studying the world religions I learned that there are similarities; they all seem to
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of religion is as follows: “the belief in a god or in a group of gods, an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods, or an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group” (Merriam-Webster.) My personal definition of religion is that it is a set of beliefs and practices that generally pertain the worship of one or more than one spiritual beings or representations of a spiritual power. Religion can be personal belief or an organization or group of people who have similar beliefs and values. There are many different types of religions in the world and have been since the