...Assignment 1: Comparison of Two Religions Judaism is a religion which is a set of ideas about the world and how we should live up to it. Jewish belief also centers on the idea of one God and the love that He shares with all his creations through his covenant. Jews do not have a specific set of mandatory beliefs and rituals they have to follow, but one Jewish belief is the Rambam's thirteen principles of faith. The Jews practice their faith in many ways some people go to festivals or Shabbat for prayer services to read the Torah. Others may go to temples or synagogues which are Jewish houses for prayer and studying. Most Jews practice their faith reading the Torah which is known as the Old-Testament or Tanakh.(Judaism, 1968) There are three holy books the Jews study they consist of the: Torah which is the Law, Nevi'im the Prophets and lastly Kethuvim known as the Writings. The Jews also practice their faith by obeying the 613 mitzvot as well as they could, following the Judaism Rabbinic law and rules. One example of Jews practicing their faith is celebrating Hanukkah. (Kaplan, 1932) This is basically a Christmas for Jewish people, they light up a nine-branched candle known as the menorah. They do various activities such as lighting up a candle every night and eight candles would be lit in the last evening, eating oily foods reminding them of the miracle of the oil and play games such as "dreidel" which is a game with spinning tops that includes four Hebrew letters. There are...
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...Religion Social Culture Religion Social Culture Religion Christianity Christianity is the most popular religion in the world with over 2 billion adherents. 42 million Britons see themselves as nominally Christian, and there are 6 million who are actively practising. Quick Facts * Christians believe that: * Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. * Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. * God sent his Son to earth to save humanity from the consequences of its sins. * There is only one God, but that there are three elements to this one God: God the Father, God the Son, the Holy Spirit * One of the most important concepts in Christianity is that of Jesus giving his life on the Cross (the Crucifixion) and rising from the dead on the third day (the Resurrection). * The Christian holy book is the Bible, and consists of the Old and New Testaments. * Christian holy days such as Easter and Christmas are important milestones in the Western secular calendar * Priests and Ministers shines the holy light in Churches which give the worshippers hope in the world. Background of the birth and death of Jesus Christ The traditional story of Jesus tells of his birth in a stable in Bethlehem in the Holy Land, to a young virgin called Mary who had become pregnant with the son of God through the action of the Holy Spirit. The story of Jesus' birth is told in the writings of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament...
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...Further, many religions are as different as day and night, but must be taken into consideration when constructing the individual the care plan. The three religions in this paper include Buddhism, Native American, and Sikhism through compare and contrast. Similarities and differences in these three religions are noted, as well as healing beliefs and opinions on caregivers who in cooperate the patient’s religion. Buddhist The religion of Buddhism focuses on the importance of a healthy, sound mind that can grow in wisdom and compassion. Through precept practice and meditation, Buddhist patients can avoid the “choice” of suffering. Suffering merely a mind set, with practice such as meditation, one can decrease pain experienced. There are eight rules they live by, referred to The Eight Fold Path: right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. There are also training precepts that are defined as avoiding the following: not to kill, not to take what is not given, not to indulge in sexual misconduct, not to lie and not to consume intoxicants. (Kusala Bhischu) The goals of Buddhism are to change karma, also known as cause, by preventing or end suffering (nirvana), a choice within the mind. When a patient of Buddhism beliefs is hospitalized, it is imperative for the staff to understand the importance of offering the Buddhist clergy to the...
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...answersAxia College Material Appendix G Eastern Religion Elements Matrix Hinduism INDIA & SOUTHEAST ASIA Buddhism NEPAL & INDIA Confucianism CHINA CHINA Daoism Countries of origin FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS BUDDHA VESAKA DAY, 15 DAY OF THE 4TH MONTH OF EACH YEAR. TH Historical figures and events (DIWALI) CELEBRATED IN OCTOBER, HOLY FESTIVAL OF COLORS CELEBRATED IN SPRING BHRAHMA & VISHNU POLYTHEISTIC FOUNDED BY CONFUCIUS (AKA KONG ZI) DAOISM WAS STARTED BY LAO TZU. LAO TZU HELD THAT NON ACTION IS A WAY TO WISDOM. Central beliefs MANY FACES OF GOD ARE REPRESENTED IN THIS ONE DIVINE REALITY. BUDDHA GAVE THE WORD FOR ENLIGHTENMENT TO THE PEOPLE. GOD AS AN ENTITY IS NOT RECOGNIZED. REFUGE FROM THE SUFFERING IS IN BUDDHA, DHARMA & SANGHA. RANK DEFINES PROPER ACTION. WISDOM IS UNIQUE IN THIS RELIGION. ALIGNING WITH NATURE IS THE SOURCE OF RIGHT ACTION AND STRENGTH. HUM 130 Nature of God WE ARE ALL PART OF GOD’S DIVINE POWER AND MUST STRIVE FOR ENLIGHTENMENT. THE DIVINE NATURE OF GOD IS EVIDENT IN A RELAXED MIND. TAO IS THE WAY OF NATURE AND THE SOURCE OF LIFE. THE TAO IS THE WAY OF NATURE. TAO IS THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE. THE OLDEST KNOWN SURVIVING TEXT IS THE VEDAS. FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS THE EIGHTFOLD PATH THE FOUR BOOKS (SI SHU) THE ANALECTS OF CONFUCIUS (THE LUN YU) TAO TE CHUNG ZHUANGZI Texts Ritual and practice (sacred elements & their meaning) RITUALS FEATURE RECEIVING DEVAS’ BLESSINGS. SEEKING ENLIGHTENMENT FROM GOD. PURIFICATION IS PART OF MANY RITUALS. THE CENTRAL...
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...Zen is the Japanese form of the Sanskrit word dhyana, "meditation," and is a school of Buddhism which has had significant impact in Japan and Europe and America. Founded in China in the 6th century C.E. as the Ch'an school of Mahayana Buddhism, it was exported to Japan in the 12th century C.E. and gradually developed its own unique, indigenous character. The Indian scholar/monk Bodhidharma is traditionally attributed with transferring the tradition from India to China. The essence of Bodhidharma's teachings is that one does not need to study sacred texts, worship deities, or do elaborate religious rituals to achieve enlightenment. Rather, one needs to break through the boundaries of conventional thought using meditation and experience the world as it truly is in the moment. Zen maintains that this was the way the Buddha himself attained enlightenment. Zen teaches that all humans have the capacity to attain enlightenment because we all have an inherent Buddha-nature; indeed, we are all already enlightened beings, but our true potential has been clouded by ignorance. According to some Zen traditions, this ignorance is overcome through a sudden breakthrough — called satori — during meditation in which the true nature of reality, and our experience of it, is revealed. Different Zen sects, of which Rinzai and Soto are the major two, have developed various methods to achieve this enlightenment, including the practice of zazen ("just sitting" meditation). Despite the apparent simplicity...
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...The appearance of sacred reality in human form is called incarnation The rare quality of personal magnetism often ascribed to founders of religion is charisma Those who claim they worship the only true deity are known as exclusivists The psychologist Carl Jung proposed that the reason there are similarities among symbols in different cultures is because humanity has a collective unconscious from which it draws symbols Scientific materialism asserts that only the material world exists The Gaia Theory proposes the earth is a complex, self-regulating organism The psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud argued that religion is a universal obsessional neurosis Symbolic stories which communities use to explain the universe and their place within it are known as myth The word religion probably means to tie back or tie again The belief that sacred reality is one underlying substance is known as monoism Approximately how old are shamanic methods estimated to be? 20,000-30,000 years When indigenous ways were threatened with repression, many of the traditions were practiced in secret In the eternal "Dream Time" there is no male female differentiation The religious term that means a model of the origins of the universe is cosmogony In most native cultures, spiritual ways are shared through rituals of altered consciousness Some West African groups recognize a great pantheon of deities known as the Orisa The Dahomey tradition from West Africa was carried to Haiti by thousands of African...
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...religion. That would cause them to not be so much into working which is what they are so much about. China recognizes multiple religions such as Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Christianity, and etc. Personally, with them not being so deeply into religion and barely working as it is (only making about one thousand dollars per year) I would find it hard to believe that they would be able to survive under cultural syncretism. Money makes the economy involve which also includes the trading and rebuilding when it comes to China – definite must. Majority of America’s product if you look at the labels are made in China. If root took place in India during the early encounters that would of benefited them on their end due to them already being very religious. India is known to believe in Buddhism and Hinduism – their religion is very important and vital to their everyday parts of life. This meant that they wanted to spend their time in religion and not work but with about five hundred dollars a year that is horrible when it comes to their economy. Now with their status of rebuilding and trading they have been on the increasing side with the United States. In whole, China and India would both be different in many ways regarding cultural syncretism if it were to happen. References: India's Religions and Philosophy (Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism,Zoroastrianism, Islam, Christianity, Jainism). (n.d.). AsianInfo.org. Retrieved January 27, 2013, from...
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...Dr. Chan Thrs 231 Jannie Or Paper1 I disagree that the best way to study religion is learning from a page from the World Almanac. The information is not accurate and not adequate when comparing the world non-Christian on a few paragraph. First, Among all those ambiguous religion questions, one of them is very difficult to answer- who is the founder of the religion? According to the informative paper: "Founder of Hinduism--The Aryan invaders" which actually in the modern history people consider that there is no single founder. However, the religion is originally established by God Himself (dharman tu sakshad bhagavat pranitam) which claimed by the ancient scriptures of India; as well, "Islam's founder is Muhammad" who is known as rasul Allah, or God's Messenger to the Arabs, and to all of humanity. In my opinion, it is very difficult to specified the founder of religion into a particular person. The sacred text is difficult to conclude in some religion. For example, Buddhism's "sacred text is the Tripitaka" however, Buddhism's sacred text might include not only The Tripitaka, the Mahayana Sutras, and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. I need to think the reason why only list The Tripitaka as Buddhism's sacred text might be it is because The Tripitaka is the most important one. Another problem is how to classified the most influential sacred text, the information is not very precisely stated. For example, the sacred text of Hinduism can...
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...In the Hindu religion, called Hinduism, there is the belief in reincarnation. Reincarnation is defined, by Merriam-Webster dictionary, as rebirth in new bodies or forms of life. This belief is simplified as the belief that the soul is immortal, while the body is not, and the soul takes on a new ‘life’ through birth time and time again. Through this rebirth a soul has experiences that learn lessons to allow it to evolve spiritually. With the end goal, so to speak, being to finally evolve to the point that physical birth is no longer needed and the highest enlightenment is achieved – spiritual illumination. The end result is to exist but no longer be pulled into the reincarnation cycle, therefore have reached liberation. This relates to Karma and Samsara in the respect that: Karma is reward system in which your past actions are judged and you receive you future reward – i.e. an upgrade or downgrade in your lifestyle/life form. Samsara is the actual cycle of birth, life, death, and finally rebirth – otherwise known simply as reincarnation. Karma could be looked at as the guide that leads a soul through Samsara, time and time again until it reaches full maturity. Yoga is an integral part of the Hindu religion. The discipline of yoga is religious in that it assists one in achieving the goals of Hinduism by leading to a quieting of the mind. This quiet is essential for the mind to be able to completely reflect upon reality without imposing its own subjective interpretations....
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...There are many different things that influenced the early Japanese civilizations but I have chosen a few to discuss here. For starters, let’s discuss religion and some of the earliest forms of religion in recorded human history. Early Chinese religions were classified into Buddhism and Confucianism. As the culture spread to Japan, citizens of China felt the need to almost force Japan and its citizens to make a choice as to which religion they were going to follow. “Confucianism, a systematic religious belief system, had a lot to say about governance and society and proved attractive for the Japanese,” (Char4u, 2011). As the Japanese found this as a favorable form of religion, they adopted this and have continued with this religion steadfastly. Another way that China influenced Japanese cultures is the language that is now spoken and written. There was a time when Japan did not have a form of written communication or recording. This did not sit well with citizens of China as they had their system of written communication established and felt that other nations and countries needed this. This was considered a favorable change by the emperor at the time and not only did it give Japan a chance to be able to record historic events, it also gave them a chance to provide a sort of unity or a feeling of togetherness in a nation that needed unity. Another way that Japan benefitted from the influence of China was how they helped to form and organize a form of government. “The method...
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...Confucianism Shinto http://www.diffen.com/difference/Confucianism_vs_Shinto Geographical predominance: Asia Japan, Hawaii. Place of worship: Temple. Shrines. Founder: Confucius Unknown Place of origin: China Japan. Belief of God: One God. Ancestors also worshipped, though. Numerous deities. Status of Adam: N/A. N/A. Clergy: Sages, bureaucrats, etc. Priests, etc. Definition: Follower of Confucius. Way of the gods. Concept of Deity: Most believe in One God(Ti'en; or Heaven), but, in the way that a Deist would, rather than as a Christian or a Sikh would. Ancestors are also worshipped. Numerous deities. The sun is one of the most important ones(they believe that the sun is a goddess). Practices: Visit to temples to pay homage to Ti'en(God or Heaven), Confucius, and/or ancestors. Neo-Confucianists practice 'Jing zuo,' or 'Quiet Sitting,' as a kind of meditation. Visit to shrines to pay homage to Shinto deities; Shamanism, etc. Use of statues and pictures: Permitted. Permitted. Branches: Neo Confucianism, Han Confucianism, Contemporary Confucianism, Japanese Confucianism, Vietnamese Confucianism, Singapore Confucianism. State Shinto, Religious Shinto, and Folk Shinto. Literal Meaning: Follower of Confucius. The Way of the gods. Goal of religion: To have a structured society. To serve the Shinto deities, or Kami, as they are known. View of other Abrahamic religions: Confucianism sees no contradiction in following more than one path. N/A. View of the...
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...that, we would also find a great respect for ourselves. Why do we seem to like to define ourselves with labels? If we want others to know what we are, why not show them? Show them through action. Actions still speak louder than words. I do not care if you are a Buddhist, a Muslim, a Christian, a Hindu, a Jew, a follower of the many Pagan paths; or any of the countless other faiths, traditions, paths, or religions that are spread throughout this World. We are all one. During the years of the historical Jesus' life, there are eight or nine years that his whereabouts are not accounted for. These are referred to as the 'lost' years. It was after returning that he truly began to teach his wisdom. Many scholars believe he was in India studying Buddhism during these 'lost' years. Who was Jesus? The Indians say He was a great yogi, the occultists and Theosophists say He was a great initiate of the arcane science, while Spiritualists regard Him as a great medium or a very high guide. I know who many say he was. Why can they not all be right? I do feel that if he was a real person, Jesus was a great man. His teachings are full of truth. It is some of the people that think they are following his teachings, that I sometimes have problems with. These people are not truly representative of the entire Christian path though. Just as there is good in everyone, there is also a tendency to - well, not so good. Jesus taught love, not hatred. Jesus taught tolerance, he treated all as equals. What...
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...Buddhism's founder was a wealthy prince, born in India in the 6th or 5th century B.C.E., who renounced wealth and power to seek enlightenment. Born a wealthy prince in the state of Kapilavastu, in what would become India, as a young man Siddhartha Gautama became discontented with his life. He had wealth, power, a beautiful wife, a healthy son — everything a young man could want. He came to the realization, however, that all of these things were fleeting. Someday he, like everyone else, would become sick and old, and someday he would die. He realized that all of his material things and social benefits provided only temporary happiness, so he gave it all up to become an ascetic. Leaving his wife and infant son behind, as well as the kingdom he was to inherit, he began to wander in search of the meaning and purpose of human existence. He studied with various teachers who were also renunciants. He tried many paths, the last of which called for six years of extreme self-deprivation. Eventually, he decided that this path was not working for him, and determined that he would sit in meditation until he found an answer. After a long night of meditative visions and insights, he was enlightened, becoming "The Buddha," or the Awakened One. The Buddha did not represent himself as a supernatural being; he said he was simply a man who had a realization about the nature of human existence. In fact, he taught that only a human being could become enlightened. Nonetheless, after his death many...
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...10/28/2012 Religion: Buddhism Specific Name of the Religious Place: Pao Fa Temple Type of Religious Ritual/Service: Water Repentance Service 8:30 am - 3:30 pm Time/Date of Observation: 10/28/2012 from: 11:00 am to 12:30 pm Address of Religious Center: : 2692 Beckman Avenue, Irvine, CA 92606 A. Background before Religious Center: Originally I had planned on visiting a different Buddhist temple in Irvine to view their Sunday service. But when I arrived, it was in an office building with no obvious religious symbols. I had also researched Pao Fa Temple, and knew they were holding the Water Repentance Service for most of the day, so decided to pursue that option. I used my map feature to get directions and very easily found the temple. It was a in a gated lot, and the temple was visible from a distance. B. Draw a Social Map: The Temple was on Beckman Avenue in Irvine. The major cross streets are Jamboree and Alton Pkwy. The gated parking lot entrance is on Noyes St. and the front entrance to the Temple faces Beckman Ave. and the West. The entrance to the Temple is very ornate with columns and sculptures at the corners and entrance. one standing and one sitting. The first thing you see when you walk into the entrance hall is a shrine to Namo Shakyamuni Buddha with flowers in front of it. To the right of this shrine is a door leading to a reception room. A short distance further is a shrine with two un-named bhodisattva/buddhas. There are plants in front of it and...
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...to Sociology 04/29/2013 The article that was chosen for this paper is called Social of Religion- World Religions. World Religions seemed appealing and was wondering how sociology could play a part in people’s lives in terms of religion when it’s involved. For the most part, it could play a part cause involves them and those who do not have a religion because it defines how people would act in society. It helped a lot due to taking the world Religion class last quarter and the article spoke on a few religions we touched on in that class. For the portion of the article it talks about the different religions. They are major monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Major non-monotheistic religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Agnosticism and Atheism. In the World Religion article by Wienclaw, Ruth A (2009), when talking about these religions it seemed like the information that was given was a recap of information that most people already know. This article has two sections where it gave more insight on where it was going and the titles are called Other Approaches and Viewpoints. It gave insight to how to take the information given from these different religions. This article seems like it got some information from researching about the different religions or using a book that talked about all these religions. From the Wienclaw, reading this article gave some insight to really understand different types of religions because there could be things we...
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