Chapter 11 OriginsDistribution of Religions

1
Chapter 11 - Origins/Distribution of Religions

• Religion, like language is a symbol of group
  identity and a cultural rallying point.
• A binding force, if not tech advanced, set the
  standards for eating habits/dress codes/ and
  other rules of daily life.
• Like languages, religions change constantly
  with the resistance from leaders and
  bureaucracies
• Religion diffusion takes place everywhere, no
  cultural or language barriers

2
The Geography of Religion-intro

• Religion is part of life in many non-Western
  areas.
• Characteristics of the religions-set of doctrines
  and beliefs, rituals(Sunday Worships, prayer)
• The daily influence of religion can be seen in
  our calendar, holidays, architectural landmarks,
  place names, even the money (In God We Trust)
• Religions help the poor, promoting arts and
  providing medical help but also, blocked
  scientific study, supported colonialism,
  encouraged the oppression of dissidents and
  condemned women to an inferior status in many
  societies.

3
Sources and Distributions

• Definition of religion cause the data unreliable
  while counting the population in religions
• Table 11-1 a rough estimate.
• 1.6 billion Christian include 520 million in
  Europe and the former Soviet Union, 350 million
  in N and mid America, 300 million in S. America
  and 165 million in Asia
• Islam with 1 billion, 165 million more than Roman
  Catholics
• Judaism and Christianity from Israel and Jordan
• Islam from the teaching of Muhammad a resident
  of Mecca in western Arabia
• Hindu from Indus region of Pakistan
• Buddhism from teaching of Prince Siddhartha in
  northern India

4
Christianity

• Roman Catholicism-largest segment of Christianity
• Protestant - N. EuropeN. America AustraliaNew
  ZealandS. Africa
• Eastern Orthodox -Europe, Russia and its
  neighboring states, Africa (Ethiopia) and N.
  America
• Hinduism
• No bureaucracy structure like Christianity and
  Islam
• Polytheisitc - many gods(thousands)
• No Bible or Koran -like books
• Concentrates in a single geographic region
• Majority live in India, although extends into
  Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Nepel

5
Islam

• The fastest growing religion in the world with 1
  billion
• N Africa Southwest Asia, Soviet Union and China
  including Indonesia, Bangladesh and southern
  Mindanao in the Philippines.
• Outside Islamic world - 120 million in India, 170
  million in subsaharan African (55 million in
  Nigeria)
• Largest Muslim country - Indonesia 165 million
• Judaism
• In Middle East and N. Africa, Russia, Ukraine,
  Europe, N and S America.
• One of great religion of the world,
• Three main branches - Orthodox, Conservative and
  Reform
• Strong ethnic distinctiveness
• 18 million

6

• Buddhism and Shintoism
• Buddhism Originated from India, 340 million
  adherents in China and Japan
• Shintoism- Japanese ethnic religion, closely
  related to Buddhism
• 45 million reported adherents in Japan, but the
  modernization is reducing the importance of
  Shintoism
• Chinese Religions
• With the elements of Buddhism mixed with local
  belief systems
• No supernatural omnipotence
• Confucianism - a philosophy of life
• Taoism - human happiness lies in maintaining the
  proper relationship with nature

7
Americas Black Muslims, or Nation of Islam

• W.D. Fard built Nation of Islam in 30s to free
  American Black from white oppression
• Elijah Muhammad brought new strength to the
  Nation of Islam, his son Wallace Muhammad
  strengthened tie with African and Caribbean
  countries and changed name to American Muslim
  Mission
• Ideology of the Nation of Islam - mixture of
  nationalism and a modified form of Islam
• Malcom X led the Nation to a national visibility
• Mosques - largest temples in New York and LA
• 1995 Million Man March

8
Muslim Population in the US

• Three types of Muslimsa)Immigrants b)Converted
  c) born to the first two groups
• Ethnic Pop(x1,000) Def.
• African Am. 2,100 42 Af.Am
• S Asian 1,220 24.4 Indian/ Pakistan/
  Bangladesh, Afghan
• Arab 620 12.4
• Africans 260 5.2
• Iranians 180 3.6
• Turks 120 2.4
• SE Asians 100 2.0
• Am Whites 80 1.6
• E Europeans 40 0.8
• Other 280 5.6
• Total 5,000 100

Source American Muslim Council
9
Shamanism and Traditional Religions

• In Africa and other parts of the world.
  Traditional, local culture religion. Shamanism -
  community follow their shaman religion
  leader/teacher/healer/visionary
• If organized well, it will develop into a world
  religion
• Traditional religion in Africa - believe in a
  god/creator as superhuman or human
• Secularism - indifference to or rejection of
  religious ideas
• 1) Church member dropped under communist rule in
  Soviet Union and China 2)After the rise of
  Protestantism, the priest became less powerful.
  Separation of politics from church began
• 3) Sundays, business was closed but not now.
• 4) Mormon still observes Sunday

10
Religions classification

• 1) Base on Reach - a) Global
  (Universal)Religion Christianity, Islam and
  various form of Buddhism
• b) Cultural (Regional) Religions - dominate a
  single national culture - Hinduism in India,
  Shintoism in Japan
• 2) Based on Focus - Monotheistic/Polytheistic/An
  imistic
• Christianity is the largest and most widespread
  religion

11
Assignment

• Read the Zen Story and email me your reactions
  to at lease four stories of your choice.
• Send the answers to the above assignments to me
  via email pli_at_tntech.edu before 3/4/2002
  (Monday) or if you have problems using the
  computer, just turn in your assignment in the
  class on that day.
• Remember to put your name in the message,
  sometimes if you send the mail from different
  account I will have hard time to guess who you
  are.