...Common Practices in Religion Freddie Snell REL/133 November 10, 2014 Matthew Morrison Common Practices in Religion Many people across the world have various beliefs and practices that are important to them from a religious standpoint. Some people may identify with believing in only one god, which makes them monotheistic, while other individuals may believe in multiple gods, which makes them polytheistic. The concept of the history religion refers to the written record of human experiences and ideas, which spans back since the invention of writing (Insert citation). This paper will discuss the definition of religion, common practices and experiences across various world religions, as well as identify some critical issues to the academic study of religion. Definition of Religion According to Molloy (2013), religion is a way of life founded upon the apprehension of sacredness in existence. Over the years, people have consistently tried to define the word religion with notable tries. The problem that many scholars and individuals face with defining the word religion is that a certain definition may apply to religions of the past, and not be completely suitable for religion in the present or future. It appears that far too many definitions focus only on a few aspects of religion, and tend to exclude those religions that may not fit well. Because of this, defining the word religion can be fraught with great difficulty. Common Practices and Experiences across World Religions ...
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...Common Practices in Religion Vanessa Deason REL/133 May 4, 2015 Deborah Wilkinson Common Practices in Religion Religion has several different meanings. To some religion is a way of life or a basis for moral guidance. Religion can vary depending on geographical location, families, and personal beliefs. Different parts of the world practice different religions and have different traditions or beliefs. Religions have been studied for many years and there have been interesting results from these studies. What is religion? Religion can be defined in many ways. Webster’s dictionary defines religion as a belief in a god or gods. It also defines religion as a system of beliefs and ceremonies used in worshipping a god or gods. Rituals may be performed to worship the god or gods. Rituals may be a way for the believers to show gratitude, appreciation, or respect to the god or gods. Religion may be an answer to a moral dilemma or answer the unexplainable. For instance, many religions explain the creation of the earth by a powerful god or gods. The battle between good and evil has been around since the beginning of time and several religions address that battle and guide the religion’s followers on how to ward off bad and prosper. Rituals may be performed to ward off evil spirits or gods and to ask other gods for protection. Religions are as varied as those who believe. Therefore it is a very personal choice. Religion is practiced in every part of the world. There are...
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...Common Practices in Religion Kayla Warmkessel REL/133 April 25, 2016 R. Dean Davenport Common Practices in Religion Throughout the world there are many forms of religion and each religion has their own beliefs and practices that are deeply rooted in teachings and traditions that are pulled from sacred texts and readings. Each religion is different, some even being indigenous religions that are specific to cultures, areas, and even tribes, which makes it difficult to truly define what religion is. Many people are very guarded when it comes to their religion because they see it as a personal issue, however it is important to study religions so that the world can have a better understanding of the different connections and foundations that have been built up in each religion over its history. The first step in studying religion is finding a definition that works for most if not all religions. Religion Defined “When people begin their study of religions, they bring ideas from the religion in which they were raised or from the predominant religion of society,” (Molloy, 2013). In his writings, Molloy (2013) brings forward a unique way of defining religion, the “linguistic roots” of the word. This breakdown helps to find a simplified definition for religion, “the joining of our natural, human world to the sacred world,” (Molloy, 2016). This definition, however, does not define religion definitively. Most religions have their core beliefs, whether they have one god...
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...The definition of religion is really hard to get down to the point of what it really mean to them. Some people give they thoughts as if it is a wear or a certain look as to what they believe or the culture that they may have chose. Never the less some say religion is simply a cultural world view. This vague approach also comes up short as it would then include ideologies, such as socialism, communism and even capitalism, as religions. I think that everyone has a religion or a author that they may wanna give praise to for whom that they may believe or culture wise to give props for the state that ones may think they in. To me belief and supernatural is a state of religion. This is consider a state being as holy and sacred. Which no man or a woman should take it lightly and understand what you are doing or who you are giving honor too. Discuss this and it can be a very touchy subject to many base on how they are raise or up bringing. Religion can also mean an activity that someone is extremely enthusiastic about and does regularly or some even do it on a regular basis. As I do my research I see that there are so many religion and each religion has they own knowledge to religion. To the people that gives they own state of art about topic have they own definition and who is we as people can say weither they wrong or weither they are right. It is up to the creator of us to decide that and judge us accordingly.All religions share ideas about how to cope with living, death and...
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...Common Practices in Religion Saniyyah Johnson REL/133 January 11, 2016 Gerald Grudzen Common Practices in Religion There are a lot of common practices in various religions some of the common practices are praying, or reading a holy book. When you look at the definition of religion. It states the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. A particular system of faith and worship. A pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance. This definition is not accurate according to (A brief overview of religion blog by Anjail Rogers Saturday September 27, 2014). For many years attempts to define religion have continuously been made; however as the world continues to change so does the meaning because it could very well be possible that “a definition may apply to religions of the past, but may not be suitable for a religion of the future” (Molloy, 2013 p.6). There are many different definitions for religion, however the most basic definition states that religion is “a system of thought, feeling, and action that is shared by a group and that gives the members and object of devotion; a code of behavior by which individuals may judge the personal and social consequences of their actions; and a frame of reference by which individuals may relate to their group and their universe” ("Religion," 2013). Traditional dictionary definitions of religion reference “worships of a God or gods, prayer, ritual, and a moral code” (Molloy...
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...Christianity and Paganism vs. Buddhism ENG 121 Tara Faircloth Mrs. Jalbert May 23, 2011 In today’s world there are many religions. Most of the religions are based off of one specific religion. Even though they may be similar to each other they are also different. I have chosen to write my paper about three religions or faiths these religions would be Paganism, Christianity, and Buddhism. I have chosen to write about these three because they all have similarities to one another as well as differences. As you are reading this paper you will learn about each of these religions or faiths, what they have in common, and what makes them different. To begin my paper I am going to discuss the faiths of Paganism and Christianity. In today’s world Approximately 400,000 people practice Paganism and seventy five percent practice Christianity. Paganism is the base religion or faith of all faiths that have become of the world. Paganism dates back to the Roman Empire. It is a faith that is based on nature and its practices are used every day. Paganism has many gods or goddesses that they look to. Paganism nowadays is believed to be evil but in all controversy it is not and actually shares its faith and practices with Christianity. It has its own stories that are similar to the stories of Christianity such as the Garden of Eden, forbidden fruit, the snake in the Garden of Eden as well as the great flood. Paganism also shares holidays with Christianity such as Easter, Christmas...
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...Religious Life of Planet Earth REL 212 26 July 2012 The term religion is coined as a particular response to dimensions of life considered sacred, as shaped by institutionalized traditions (Fisher, 2011). Religion can be associated as a group of people coming together to practice and share a feeling or doctrine of beliefs, to an individual meditating by themselves once or several times a day. Religion has become not just a practice of many people in one group, or a spiritual comfort to a singular person. One cannot simply justify what is religion just by looking at a group or a single individual. If we were to base religion off of a group, one could state that Alcoholics Anonymous could be a religious group. These people gather willingly together to form a support system for each other and comfort each other through their times of need. They do not worship one particular deity, but still gather for a greater purpose. With that being noted, I believe that one person or group cannot justify what they see or define as religion or what is not. I think it is up to the group or individuals practicing or believing in their faith or doctrine to acknowledge that they have a belief system that they hold as sacred. There are seven common factors that inhibit a sense of religion. What may seem like religion in one person’s mind may not be considered a religion in anothers. Of the seven common factors; rituals, narrative and mythic stories, experiential and emotional...
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...well. Today the people commonly referred to as Hindus prefers to be called Sanatana Dharma, meaning eternal religion (Fisher, 2005). Hindus multifaceted belief structure and lack of a uniting belief system has not weakened the religions strong hold on the people of India, in fact the diversity is welcomed. Hinduism has a significant impact on the culture and society of this particular region of the world. Their desire for liberation from earthly existence is similar to many other religions around the world. Understanding these key components of the Hindu religion is an important first step to grasping a better understanding of what Hinduism is all about. Differing and uniting Hindu beliefs Hinduism is a unique religion because its followers do not share the same exact belief in the same “God” or deity. In fact, some believe in multiple Gods. Such as God of Thunder, God of Drink, and Goddess of Dawn. The Rig Veda is the oldest known Vedic scriptures. In this scripture the Hindus are taught about these multiple Gods or devas (Fisher, 2005). Other Hindus, such as the Upanishads, believe there are 1000s of deities that exist as spiritual leaders that help connect them to a higher power. While the exact beliefs in deities are not the same within the various religions that make up Hinduism, there are some common beliefs that hold true to all who practice this eternal religion. They all believe in “duty, natural law, social welfare, ethics, health, and transcendental...
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...Studying Religion Paper Andrea Mateo University of Phoenix World Religious Traditions II REL/134 Rafael Frim October 19, 2015 Today, there is a vast variety of religions and beliefs all around the world. These Religions may have similar and different views and beliefs, but at the end, despite the differences in religious, cultures and practices, certain fundamentals in religion remain the same. The following paragraphs will discuss the essentials in the practices and beliefs for a tradition to be called religion, the commonalities of the three Western religions, how do different fields of study approach religion and some critical issues in the academic study of religion. All religions share the same essential element, the sacred or the holy, is not palpable and cannot be seen or explained by language, it is beyond humans’ imagination. Although they share the same sacred, they may differ in their traditions, organization, and beliefs. Traditions are the grounds and organization in each religion. Some of the key elements found in these traditions are the beliefs, practices, and structure. The Believe system, also known as a worldview, is a group of beliefs that explains the human being place in the universe. The Ethic Rules specifies how the community should live by, and establish how followers should behave based on their beliefs. Myths are the stories that support the religion held as truths are fundamental to their beliefs. A supporting element of religious traditions...
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...When unorthodox religions or cult practices become inhumane or unjust Introduction This research project examines when unorthodox religions or cult practices either becomes or perceived as inhumane or unjust by specifically focusing on unorthodox religions during a twenty year period between the 1950’s through the 1970’s. The research focuses on five different unorthodox religions: The People’s Temple, founded by Jim Jones, Heaven’s Gate, founded by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, Scientology, founded by L. Ron Hubbard, Children of God, founded by David Berg, and Branch Davidians, founded by David Koresh. Langone, M. D. (1995). These five unorthodox religions or cults may have had or have different doctrines and practices, but research shows that they may all share the common trait of being inhumane or unjust. Rationale/Thesis Statement In the International Cultic Studies Association article, by Dole and Eichel (1985), a survey was conducted about dangerous practices associated with cults and referenced different actions that they deemed destructive, from coercion to enslavement, which they believe to be inhumane and unjust. This research study will attempt to uncover some of these practices and find out what draws people to these unorthodox religions or cults. Likewise, this research project also attempts to determine the point at which practices become inhumane or unjust. It’s interesting to note, that three out of the five unorthodox religions or cults included...
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...Traditions and Religious Studies Religious Traditions and Religious Studies Historically, religion has influenced the decision making of humankind throughout the world. The decision of believers has significant impacts on how society is governed. The study of religion in most cases begins at an early age. An individual’s childhood beliefs and values influence their religious practices, as an adult. The predominant religion of a region, also influence an individual to practice a religion. Religion and religious beliefs has received notable attention in an effort to resolve social, ecological and economic issues that plague our nation. Governments around the world understand the need to develop sustainable relationships with religious organizations. Developing sustainable relationships requires defining the term religion in a matter that respects all cultures, and developing an understanding of the common elements of religion. The question of why does religion exist is the premise of understanding human life and life after death. There have been many wars because of religious differences. The beliefs of religious followers argue one religion is right and another is wrong is a critical issue. Some believers think they have been given special gifts and talent that only one religion possesses. Interpretations of religion are studied through the common approaches to religion. The common approaches includes, psychology, mythology, philosophy, theology, anthropology, archeology...
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...Common Practices in Religion Definition of Religion Religion is often defined as a group of people who get together and practice a set of beliefs. Religion is a common belief in one God. The origin of the word religion means to bind or connect, or review, and re-examine. The focus point of religion is that the majority of humans believe in a higher power. Such power is the fuel that moves humans to join or not join a religion. Overall, religion is a system of beliefs and values that provides its followers with transcendent beliefs. Religion is meant to be unbiased; however, this often depends on the follower’s extreme or complacent belief system (Molloy, 2010). Most religions begin at a local level and eventually grow to a world standing. The local level religious growth often embraces its people, places, local cultures, and common beliefs. Religious growth often comes as a result of world event manifestations. Such events cause doubt, fear, and encourage humans to join a group that will offer advice on how to simplify their lives as they deal with their daily problems. What people often do not realize is that humans, not God, created religions. If religious beliefs get out of control, these can lead to prejudices, biases, hatred, and even murder such as what has been taking place near Israel for the past four decades (Molloy, 2010). Practices Across World Religions There are common practices and experiences across various world religions. The subjective approach believes...
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...consequences of religious intolerance, and finally explain how religion connects with our culture. Our team discovered while looking at different religions that there were many religions than what we will define here. It is certain that a discussion about religion will at some point bring up the subject matter of there being so many different religions, and do they have any common components. Our group agreed that although that are many differences, there are some similarities, impacting four basic areas, such as : what people believe, what people do, what people think, and what people feel. For many people religion is their way of life. David Barrette in an a weekly column writes, “it is well known that those who think about their own religion often work hard to establish what they believe to be the correct interpretation for the time in which they live.” Another thing to take into consideration before moving on to the next definition is behavior. Behaviors of religion according to David Barrette could include rituals, meditation, and prayer, much of this list is learned after joining a particular religion, and again these all in turn become a way of life. In each particular religion, most members live very close to others practicing the same religion for comfort, strength, and in order to keep growing stronger in order to help newer members as they begin their way of life. The definition of tolerance as it applies to religion may be different depending on who is answering the question...
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...Buddhism current issues and class handout Current Issues and Class Handout Religion can be defined as “a system of thought, feeling, and action that is shared by a group and that gives the members an object of devotion; a code of behavior by which individuals may judge the personal and social consequences of their actions; and a frame of reference by which individuals may relate to their group and their universe” (Religion, 2013). The world is made up of many different religions that share common practices and beliefs with one another and this paper will examine common characteristics that Buddhism shares with other religions as well as discuss how Buddhism has responded to challenges in the modern and what has changed about the roles of women in Buddhism over time. Buddhism Buddhism is an ancient religion that originated in India from the experiences noted by Siddhartha Gautama, a “mortal prince born miraculously to Maya who was kept from all the evil and misery of the world throughout his youth” ("Siddhartha Gautama," 1996). Siddhartha was forbidden to leave the royal grounds; however one day he disobeyed those order given by his father and visited a nearby town where he witnessed what is known as the four passing sights. The four passing sights were “an old man, crooked and toothless, a sick man, wasted by disease, and a corpse being taken for cremation. Then he saw a sannyasin (a wandering holy man, a renunciate), who had no possession but seemed to be at peace”...
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...Durkheim on Religion “If religion has given birth to all that is essential in society, it is because the idea of society is the soul of religion." (Bellah, 1973, p. 191 [excerpt from The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life]) "For we know today that a religion does not necessarily imply symbols and rites, properly speaking, or temples and priests. This whole exterior apparatus is only the superficial part. Essentially, it is nothing other than a body of collective beliefs and practices endowed with a certain authority." (1973, p. 51 [excerpt from "Individualism and the Intellectuals"]) The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life, the last major work published by Durkheim, five years before his death in 1917, is generally regarded as his best and most mature. Where Suicide focused on a large amount of statistics from varying sources, The Elementary Forms used one case study in depth, the Australian aborigines. Durkheim chose this group because he felt they represented the most basic, elementary forms of religion within a culture. Durkheim set out to do two things, establish the fact that religion was not divinely or supernaturally inspired and was in fact a product of society, and he sought to identify the common things that religion placed an emphasis upon, as well as what effects those religious beliefs (the product of social life) had on the lives of all within a society. Durkheim's finding that religion was social can best be described by this excerpt...
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