World Religions

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World Religions
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World Religions Christianity
Founded -
Jesus-born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago Born
to Jewish family in present-day Israel Viewed as
the Messiahson of God Roamed countryside
spreading messagechallenged Jewish
authorities Crucified by Roman authorities..resur
rected went to Heaven
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World Religions Christianity
Location -
Began in current country of Israel (located in
Middle East) Currently worldwide esp. in areas of
European influence Main sects are Orthodox,
Catholic Protestant Over 2 billion believers
makes it worlds largest religion (_at_33 worlds
pop.)
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World Religions Christianity
Book -
Holy Bible Old Testament (Jewish Tenakh/Islamic
Quran) talks of Gods covenant w/ Jewish people
through Abraham Moses.about keeping laws New
Testament Since Jesusstories of Apostles
salvation through Jesus
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World Religions Christianity
Practices / Beliefs / Holy Days -
Jesus was Gods son human divine Jesus died
for mankinds sinssalvation is through belief
in Jesus following laws of God 10 Commandments
(Jewish Torah) the basis of belief,
including - honor father / mother - thou shalt
not kill - worship the 1 God only
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World Religions Christianity
Practices / Beliefs / Holy Days -
Advent 4 weeks preparing for Christs
birth Christmas birth of Jesus Epiphany wise
men visit spread the news Lentpre-Easter 40
days Jesus spent fasting in desert Holy Week
(includes Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good
Friday) Easter Resurrection of Jesus
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World Religions Judaism
Founded -
4000 years ago in Middle East w/ Abraham Abraham
?Isaac ?Jacob (Israel) Promised People
Israelites Moses led Hebrew people from Egypt to
Promised Land Moses is given 10 Commandments
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World Religions Judaism
Location -
Promised Land Canaan modern day
Israel Jewish people spread throughout world
(Diaspora) After Holocaust, Jews are given modern
Israel in 1948...land taken from Muslim
Palestineans Currently 14 million (2 - 3 world)

50 in U.S. / 25 in Israel / 25 in Europe,
etc.
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World Religions Judaism
Book -
Tenakh Torah (laws) Nev'im (prophets)
Ki'tuvim
(histories/sayings/etc.) Talmud is collection of
rules for reading the Tenakh Scrolls should be
read w/ yad
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World Religions Judaism
Practices / Beliefs / Holy Days -
Follow 10 Commandments (Torah) Orthodox /
Conservative / Reform
conservative/strict ?
liberal/loose Synagogues are Jewish centers of
life Shabbat is sundown Friday to dark on
Saturday
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World Religions Judaism
Practices / Beliefs / Holy Days -
Bar and Bat mitzvah to celebrate 13th
b-day Hanukkah is the festival of lights (Nov
Dec) Passover celebrates release from Egypt Rosh
Hashanah is the Jewish New Year (Sept-Oct) Yom
Kippur is the Day of Atonement (forgiveness)
happens 10 days after R.H.
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World Religions Islam
Founded -
Adam, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, etc all early
prophets Muhammad most recent prophet around 600
AD Angel Gabriel reveals Allahs word to
Muhammad
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World Religions Islam
Location -
Middle East is the birth place (Mecca,
S.A.) Escapes to Medina (Hijrah) Subsequent
caliphs help spread the word to.. Middle East
eventually to N.Africa, Spain, Portugal, and
Turkey (Ottoman Empire) Worldwide today.1.2
billion including 7m in U.S. w/ majority in India
Indonesia Only 18 are Arabs in Middle East
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World Religions Islam
Book -
Quran (Koran) similar to Old Testament Sunnah
is a record of Muhammads preachings 5
Pillars 1. Shahadah (Allah only God) 2. Salat-5
daily prayers toward Mecca 3. Zakah-donate 2.5
of wealth to poor 4. Sawm-fast during daylight in
Ramadan 5. Hajj-pilgrimage to Mecca once in life
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World Religions Islam
Practices / Beliefs / Holy Days -
Belief in Allah, prophets, angels,
Torah/Bible/Quran Heaven is reward for good
deeds Id ul-Fitr festival of thankfulness Sunnis
(80) Shiite(15) power held by
Ayatollahs Suffis(5lt) nomadic roaming holy men
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World Religions Hinduism
Founded -
Indus Valley (N. India) 3000 BC Various
influences during development.no 1
founder Vedas (hymns) tell the story (passed on
orally) Worlds oldest religion?
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World Religions Hinduism
Location -
Indus Valley between present-day India
Pakistan Over 1 billion people today -India
(750 million) -Nepal (19 million)
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World Religions Hinduism
Book -
Vedas hymns, prayers and spells (3000 years
old) Upanishads stories told about Hinduism
from teachers to students Bhagavad Gita
poem/story about warring families
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World Religions Hinduism
Practices / Beliefs / Holy Days -
Samsara-reincarnation wheel of life/deaththis
is difficult you want to avoid
it Moksha-release from samsara by replacing
ignorance w/ wisdom Brahman-God /
spirit..everywhere Atman-individual souls (add
up to make Brahman) Dharma-position in society
(priests/teachers, rulers/military, merchants
workers)..DUTY
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World Religions Hinduism
Practices / Beliefs / Holy Days -
Maya prevents people from Moksha..they see
things wrong (like an illusion) Karma-deeds bring
us closer to salvation this is how well you
live the life you have been given Yoga-way to
link mind/body/Brahman Ganges river is
sacred Diwali Festival of Lights.5 days in
Fall.also marks the financial new year
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World Religions Hinduism
Practices / Beliefs / Holy Days -
Gods -Vishnu the preserver -Shiva the
destroyer -Rama/Sita male/female
exemplars -Krishna the playful one Avatars -
incarnations of the gods (may be leaders of other
religions like Buddha or Jesus)
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World Religions Buddhism
Founded -
2500 years ago Siddhartha Gautama in Gaya, India
saw.. Sick man- illness Old man-suffering Dead
man-death
Are All part of life!
Monk-become a wandering holy man
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World Religions Buddhism
Location -
Originally India / Nepal Short-lived in
India Moved north and East -Tibet, Thailand,
Vietnam, China, Korea, Japan, etc. Dalai Lama
is leader of Vajrayana Buddhists Today 350
million (6 of world population)
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World Religions Buddhism
Book -
Ripitaka or Three Baskets is a collection of
Buddhist sayings 3 Universal Truths
(impermanence, suffering from desire, no eternal
soul) 4 Noble Truths 5 Precepts 8-fold Path
(wheel) Meditation is the way to Nirvana
(enlightenment)
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World Religions Buddhism
Practices / Beliefs / Holy Days -

• 4 Noble Truths
• 1. Life is Suffering
• 2. Cause of suffering is greed
• 3. Suffering can be overcome
• The Middle Path is the way to 3
• Personal Responsibility will save you, not a god
• Eightfold path is how to live the Middle Way

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World Religions Buddhism
Practices / Beliefs / Holy Days -
Right Concentration
Right Views
Right Thoughts
Right Mindfulness
Right Speech
Right Effort
Right Livelihood
Right Action
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World Religions Buddhism
Practices / Beliefs / Holy Days -
Vesak Celebration of Buddhas birth (April
8) Losar Tibetan New Year Nirvana Day
Buddhas death
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World Religions Traditional
Founded / Location-
Shinto-Japan 1000 BC Taoisim-China 600
BC Janism-India 500 BC Native American-The
Americas 40,000 years ago Rastafarianism-Jamaica
1930s Various local religions esp. Africa
Australia Many still survive today.lt5 of
population
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World Religions Traditional
Book -
Usually little written documentation Stories
preserved through oral histories
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World Religions Traditional
Practices / Beliefs / Holy Days -
Many are animistic (spirits flow through
things) Many teach harmony w/ nature Visions /
dreams a way to communicate w/spirits Some rely
on mind altering experiences -marijuana /
peyote -sensory deprivation -meditation -fastin
g, etc.