...to your mind when I say the word ‘religion’? G: faith F: faith E: I think the word religion is derived from the Latin word ‘religiō’ which means faith, to seek, to try to pursue. B: peace A: belief C: faith D: It is a way to the upper life. H: I think religion is a stigma forced upon children when they are to young to understand the concept. M: can you just sum all of this up in one word? H: forceful; Q2. How does each one of you define religion and what constitutes of religion? E: I think religion is a set of belief that is followed by an individual that according to him probably leads to a Supreme Being or power. What constitutes it, ummm… lets say: faith, belief. It serves as a moral compass for human beings. It is a sort of guideline. For me there are two extremes: heaven and hell. Hell indicates the bad and heaven is for the good. The preacher who actually came up with this idea wanted us to maintain the delicate balance and stay in the center. So yeah, it is a guideline for me. G: it is probably a way of life. Our faith tells us how to live our life, keeping in mind the afterlife M: And what constitutes it? G: my religion has five basic pillars: shahada (faith) which is the declaration stating that there is only one god, the Allah, the creator of all beings; salat (prayer); charity; fasting and pilgrimage. G: i think it is a way to live our life E: yeah, but that’s kind of subjective as, I mean we don’t actually worship any type of...
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...Religion Why do people believe in religion? Kids that are brought up in religious families generally turn out to become religious people themselves. This is because they become influence by their parents. Their parents also usually have friends and relatives who also practice the same religion, so they are surrounded by religious influences. This could also be considered social pressure to join the religion. Once the religion chain is started, it usually continues throughout the generations, unless something very powerful happens that throws off the previous religious mindset of that person and inspires them to break the religion chain. So who starts the religion chain? Why would anyone start to believe in religion? If you were brought up in an atheist family, and have no association with religion, what would motivate you to start practicing a religion? Why would anyone start doing such a tedious thing? Practicing religion is time-consuming and requires effort, yet people still do it. Why is this? The answer is, because religion helps calm the human mind. Usually, people who are in need of something to believe in start practicing religion. Even atheist people have at least heard of Christianity and about Jesus. If an Atheist person were to be put in a life-threatening situation, such as a natural disaster, he or she would most likely start to pray to God. This is because harsh conditions and situations make people lose hope. They feel the need to believe in some kind...
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...Love and religion We are truly human when we act responsibly to restore harmony and act with love and compassion to restore truth, transparency and the equitable distribution of the resources endowed by our common Creator. -Megan Rice There are lots of religion in our world. Some people believe that different religion in their life, the others believe that no religion. The important points are respect and love each other. This is called The Golden Rule. İt depends on people so we need to understand other people’s believe. Most of people has a religion on the world. The most common religions that are Buddhism, Cristian, Muslim, Jewish. According to the researches eight person from each ten person believe one religion. And also according to the reports 2.2 billion people belive in Cristian in the world. After that 1.6 billion Muslim, 500 million Buddhism and 14 million Jewish all around the world. On the other hand, 1.1 billion people has a no religion. İn my observation, its very high percentage in the world. 700 million people has no religion just in China. The distribution is changing by religion. For instance, the Muslim people are mostly in the Pasific and Asia. The Cristian and Jewish are all around the world. The places which we live could effect our choise of religion. Because of our family and culture. For example, I am from Turkey...
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...Religions in the 21st century- Why do people need God? In this 21st century of science and technology, many changes can be observed, compared to a few centuries ago. Especially, the significance of science has increased our generation to ask for evidence and logical explanations for many things that exist in our current world. Also, with the increased rate of literacy and education level compared to centuries ago, people are not as naïve as those in the past, believing in superstitions, myths and legends. Table 1: the literacy rate of the world as of 2 February 2010, 14:43 (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/World_literacy_map_UNHD_2007_2008.png) With the high rate of literacy across the world, as seen in Table 1, we would think that the religion for the educated- 21st century people would be majoring in Atheism. Atheism follows the idea of no God or divine bring. Their beliefs about the universe are usually based on scientific findings. They do not believe in afterlife, thus to them, this one life is of great importance. Only humans can help themselves and each other to solve the world’s problems. However, this is not true, as seen in Table 2 below. Table 2: the approximate number of adherents worldwide for the most common seen religions (http://www.religionfacts.com/big_religion_chart.htm) Religion/Sect/ Belief system | Adherents Worldwide (approx.) | Atheism | 1.1 billion (this figure includes agnostic and non-religious, which tend to be grouped...
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...“Religion” this word that I had heard since when I was a child, at that time I thought it was the only story about God and our faith. When I grew up I learned over 5 religions. But when I had learned with you, Fr. Luc Mees, it's different and difficult than I knew before. Moreover when I have to write this paper according to your guide line questions such as; what is religion, why study religion? why is it important to study religion? etc. or other way to say; what did you learn or understand about religion? by say about it without using theology. It’s more difficult. However it is very interesting and challenging to write it. What is religion? I would like to begin my answer to this question with a story that I had heard when I was a teenager and I really like it; There was a young man who resisted, denies and did not believe in any religion. He said religion...
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...Studying Religion Studying Religion Studying religions is going to be very informing since I don't follow any religion in my life. Understanding how and what each religion believes and why is going to be fascinating. I do know there is a God. I know there is a book of stories to help follow your God and way of life, and to also pass on stories of the past. It appears that each religion is a way for those following it to answers the unanswerable questions in life. Why are we here, what do we do here, why do people suffer, why do we die, these are a few issues I believe people pursue religion. Some religions tell you to live a certain way and have guidelines for you to follow. Some have you sacrifice a living thing for God. So how do you decide which religion to believe? You can support your tribe, family, or country and believe in the same as everyone else. You can study religions as this course will have us to, and find a better understanding of a God and which you have a closer connection with. Some choose to praise from home or with family and friends. Well, others have a set day and time to gather together in church. Christianity and Islam both recognize Jesus as a great prophet. Where Judaism has no similarities to Christianity. The difference is a part of religions that has puzzled me, how can some have similarities and other seem to be in a world of their own. How can the "Book of God" change over time? Why did stories change or fail to make the first cut? How is...
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...(2014). Living religions (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Week 1 Discussion for World Religions – REL212 "Understanding Religions and Indigenous Sacred Ways" Please respond to the following: Define indigenous religion, and describe at least one aspect of indigenous religions that exists in a similar form in a traditional mainstream religion. Define religion, and discuss why it is useful in society. Explain why it is important for you personally to understand the beliefs of other religious groups. Unlike many of the world’s major religions, indigenous religions often centers their spirituality within the context of the natural world and on particular geographic features, including bodies of water, trees, mountains, animals and everything is perceived as being alive with sacred existence. The word indigenous means originated in, and thus the term indigenous religion means the original religion of a place. Indigenous religions in the majority include those not considered to be 'world religions', such as Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism, but instead are often rural in nature, do not seek converts, and identify with specific ethnic groups. One aspect of indigenous religions that exists in a similar form in a traditional mainstream religion is African indigenous tradition is conceived as continuum, that follows the process of birth, death and rebirth, the same as Christians, we are born, we die and we have eternal life with Christ Jesus. Religion has been the...
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...1. What are some of the questions religion seeks to answer? Reflect on these deep metaphysical and ethical questions, and give an account of how you have tried to answer these questions, either through a theological or philosophical response. (For some of you this course may be your first opportunity to independently reflect on these deep rooted religions questions.) I think some of the questions religion seeks to answer are questions like: What happens after we die? Where did we originate from? How should we treat others and our surroundings? I have come to a current conclusion on not knowing for definite the answer to any of these questions. I have many thoughts on them. I think that maybe after we die our energy disperses and creates new beings in some fashion, not even necessarily beings but matter. I feel like maybe déjà vu occurs because we are compiled of energies from a million other beings/substances and it’s your energy remembering a similar situation. I think this out of the context that energy cannot be created or destroyed. I don’t know as if we will continue to have the same collection of consciousness or not. I would like to think we would because that’s a fun thought. I have spent a lot of time contemplating ideas such as these. I also don’t know where we originate. I understand our planet’s evolution and a bit beyond that. What I don’t understand (and probably never will) is what is beyond that. So, ok, we evolved through billions of years and I get that but...
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...with oneself is a good exercise.” Are we being honest with ourselves Freud? In the text, The Future Of An Illusion by Sigmund Freud, he talks about how religion and God, being nothing but illusions from our past ancestor. Believing that all religious beliefs are "illusions and insusceptible of proof, is total false in my opinion. From hearing the lectures from my professor’s and the outside world expriences, religion, therefore God exist in this world. I believe people believe what they want to believe. I have always been taught that faith and attitude is the importance, especially faith in religion. I have been taught as well that, if you believe so deeply in God and have faith he’ll be there...
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...the world, but after conducting our research we will begin to discover whether or not this is the case. After conducting research and observations, we came across the fact that the Egyptian people differentiate each other under the categories of religion. There are only two types of religions identified by the Egyptian government and are written in ID cards, those two religions are Islam and Christianity. Even though, there are some Egyptians who believe in other types of religions, the government does not recognize these religions, so they cannot be identified with what they believe in. So, what happens is that they are forced to be identified as either a Muslim or a Christian in their ID’s whether they believe in either form of religion because the Egyptian government and its people base religion as one of the main pillars of society and life and refuse to accept other forms found in Egypt such as Judaism, Baha’i, Atheism and Agnosticism. The question here lies within the context of the people and the government. Why would the government and its people for that matter feel that they can only identify two religions, and why does the government feel the need to mention it in ID cards. The fact that religion is mentioned in ID cards, and the fact that they force people who don’t believe in either of the religions to be identified as either Muslim or Christian, is a racist act against the minority. It emphasizes the role of religion in the...
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...Morchid SSK1202 Spring 2008 Instructor’s Name: Mrs.Monica Sturgess Abstract The main objective of this research study is to find out the level of commitment of AUI students toward their religion. It had been revealed after going through the literature review that the main reasons that push students to ignore their religion can be related to the political regime that the government is approaching which combines religion with modernity, parents that don’t want to put pressure on their children, and the lack of connecting religion with the public schools curriculum. In order to get a relevant research, we have used both qualitative and quantitative methods. We have formed a survey and handed 70 copies to AUI students, Moroccan and exchange ones. Moreover, we have accomplished a meeting with the Imam of the mosque in order to use his experience to enhance our research. The result section showed that students at AUI have interest in their faith; however, since they are strained by studies, they don’t give much time to religion pursuits. These results have helped us to comprise a clear comprehension of the main aspects of this topic, as well as to correct some of the wrong images that we used to have toward AUI students like the lack of praying and interest to religion. Introduction Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane is a Moroccan University that is based on the American educational model. It has an excellent reputation among all the North African Universities...
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...Our present-day notion of the separation of church and state is different than the Founders’ vision of the role of religion in our democratic republic, government, and public life. The conditions we live in today do not call for the stretching of the original meaning and it is not an improvement, it takes away our liberties and goes against the First Amendment. Even though many of our articles we were required to read this week say that religion is necessary for morality I respectfully disagree, you do not need to believe in a god to have morals you just need to be virtuous. The Founding Fathers wanted to have a nation that was run on a religious base but they did not want to limit that religion to any one kind allowing everyone to have their own beliefs. The Founders wanted to have religion as an integral part of the political system and as Michael Novak quotes George Washington in Faith and American Founding, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports” (Signature Series Reader, p 304, 2008.) Washington believed that we could not thrive as a country, as a united front, without having the common belief in religion and morality. Matthew Spalding in The Meaning of Religious Liberty, speaks of how the “American Founders advanced religious liberty in a way that would uphold religion and morality as indispensable supports of good habits, the firmest props of the duties of citizens, and the great pillars...
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...analyze how my prior understanding of Islam was altered, or not, upon completion of my field research. Third, I will discuss whether or not I believe misconceptions of other people’s religions are common and explain in detail why or why not. Fourth, I will recommend at least one step that could be taken to help minimize misconceptions that people have in regards to other religions. I hope, through the reading of my field research report, to provide a stronger sense of understanding and receptiveness that I now have for other religions to the reader. Misconceptions of Islam In order to discuss the misconceptions that surround Islam, we must first delve into understanding what the word “Islam” actually means. “The word "Islam" means peace and submission. Peace means to be at peace with yourself and your surroundings. Submission means to submit to the Will of God. A broader meaning of the word "Islam," is to achieve peace by submitting to the Will of God” (Athar, 2012, Common Misconceptions about Islam, para.3). There are two main misconceptions that I have had towards Islam. These include the support and promotion of terrorism through Islam, and the oppression of women within the Islamic faith. Both of these misconceptions are something that I have struggled with and have now begun to understand why they are simply not true....
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...different cultures, the relationship between mythology and religions, and how mythology is relevant in today’s society. Myths Defined When we hear the word myth today it is commonly associated with something false. Often myths are related to stories, fables or tales that are not based on facts but traditions or legends that have been passed on throughout time. A myth is a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without determinable basis or fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite or phenomenon of nature. (“Mythology,” 2009) In an academic context the word myth is defined as narratives with legendary plots and mythic elements, while anthropologists define myths negatively as pre-modern thought patterns. (Tofighian, 2010) Similarities Myths from all different cultures share similar themes such as, what is the purpose of life, how we got here, and why do we behave and act the way we do. Myths were used to explain why people should be good and avoid using bad behaviors. Myths were used to promote belief in a higher power and in some cultures it was believed that goodness would be rewarded in the afterlife. Other cultures did not believe in an afterlife and that life should be well lived. Overall the different cultures wanted to understand the purpose of their existence and why they should believe certain...
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...RELIGIOUS FIELD RESEARCH: CATHOLICISM Being from a non-religious background myself in that I'm Agnostic, Catholicism is most intriguing to me because of all the stigmas and misconceptions surrounding this religion. I mean let's face it as soon as someone brings up Catholicism the first thing that pops into your head is Priests molesting little boys! Other misconceptions I found fascinating are: They pray to The Virgin Mary and to The Saints if they are a monotheistic religion why pray to Saints? I've always believed that Confession is a sure fire way to be absolved, and a ticket straight to heaven. I also did not understand that they believe in salvation of young children (babies) through baptism. I set out to see for myself about these misconceptions surrounding the Catholic Church, and I was quite surprised to what I found. Why do Catholics pray to The Virgin Mary and Saints? I was always under the impression that Catholicism is a monotheistic religion meaning they believe in one God. So to say the least I was confused as to why they would pray to Mary and the Saints thus meaning it would have to fall into the polytheistic (many Gods or Idols) category. I was told its more of an interception of prayer. "When we are in need of prayer we ask those closest to God." Hence praying to Mary or the Saints, because they are close to God. (Woodruff, 2012). To put it in another way of thinking, think about a child who has done wrong by his/her parents. If this child favors, say...
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