Religions of the Middle East

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Religions of the Middle East
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Judaism Background

• The Jewish religion trace their origin to the
  patriarchs Abraham, his son, Isaac and his son
  Jacob
• Abraham made a covenant with God
• Moses received the Torah from God
• Considered the most important prophet
• The Jews are forced out of Israel
• Diaspora (587 BCE)

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• Started 20th century BC
• How many followers 13 million
• Main Belief there is only 1 God, and God chose
  the Hebrews to be his people
• Place of worship temple or synagogue
• Name of Teacher Rabbi
• Follower Jews
• Books Studied Torah (history), Sects Reform,
  Conservative, Orthodox
• Holidays Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement),
  Passover, Rosh Hashanah (New Year)

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Western Wall/Wailing Wall
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Christianity Background

• Christianity is based on the birth, life and
  death of a 1st century Jew, Jesus Christ
• Around the age of 30, Jesus began preaching about
  God, his father, He gathered followers, and
  performed miracles
• The Roman authorities found Jesus to be a problem
  and had him arrested and killed
• Good Friday
• Easter

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• Started 1st Century AD
• How many followers 2 Billion
• Main Belief Salvation through belief in Jesus
  Christ, the Son of God
• Name of Teacher priest, preacher, minister
• Books Studied The Bible (old testament-history
  and laws and new testament-life and teachings of
  Christ)
• Sects Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox,
  Protestant
• Holidays Christmas (Christs birth), Easter
  (Christs resurrection)

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• Judaism and Christianity have the same beginning.
• The first 5 books of the Old Testament are the
  same as the Torah
• The first Christians were Jews who believed
  Jesus was the Messiah they were waiting for.

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Islam Background

• Most of the people of this region are Muslim.
  Islam is more than a religion, it is a way of
  life.
• While meditating in a cave, Mohammed receive a
  revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel.
• Mohammed recorded the revelations, became the
  Quran (the last revealed word of God)

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Islam

• The framework of the Muslim life are the Five
  Pillars
• Faith Everyday repeat, There is no God but
  Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet
• Prayer A Muslim must pray 5 times a day (towards
  Mecca)
• Zakat Give charity to the needy
• The Fast Fast during the holy month of Ramadan
  (sunrise to sunset)
• Hajj Take a pilgrimage to Mecca

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• Started 622 AD
• How many followers 1.1 Billion
• Main Belief Submission to God, whose last
  prophet was Mohammed
• Place of worship Mosque
• Name of Teacher Iman (prayer leader)
• Follower Muslim
• Books Studied Quran/Koran
• Sects the Sunni and the Shiite
• Holidays Ramadan
• Islam means both peace and submission
• The Arabic word for god is Allah

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• Islamic law protects the privileges of minorities
  and are tolerant of other beliefs
• Muslims respect Jesus, Moses and Abraham as
  prophets of God
• The Quran confirms Jesus virgin birth and tell
  of the miracles he performed
• The God of the Muslims is the same God as the
  Jews and Christians

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Religion Collage Assignment

1. Choose one of the monotheistic religions
2. Create a collage using pictures, symbols, words,
   etc. to depict the religions main beliefs,
   symbols, misconceptions, place in the news/world,
   etc.
3. Needs to fill an 8.5x11 piece of paper
4. Write a well developed paragraph explaining what
   you included on your collage
5. Due Friday!

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Hinduism

• Hinduism is one of the worlds oldest religions
  with 900 million
• The religion began in India about 4000 years ago.
• Hindus believe in one god, Brahman
• Many see them as polytheistic because Hindus see
  different expressions of Brahman
• They believe that rivers (like the Ganges) and
  animals (like cows) are sacred.
• They believe in reincarnation (a persons soul
  never dies)...a person can be reborn many times
  until their soul reaches their final resting
  place depends on Karma (the way a person lived
  before).

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Caste System
Brahmins-Priests

• The Caste system is very rigid, you cannot move
  up in social class
• The Indian Constitution has outlawed caste based
  discrimination
• The Caste System is declining in urban areas as
  education improves
• The Caste System is still prominent in many rural
  areas

Kshatriya-nobles
Vaisya-traders, artisans, farmers, herders
Sudra-laborers
Untouchables
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Buddhism

• The religion started in India more than 2500
  years ago as a result of Prince Gautamas
  (Buddha) quest for Enlightenment.
• Buddhists do not believe in a personal god.
• A pagoda is the house of worship (Buddhist
  temple).
• Found mainly in China, Tibet, Japan, SE Asia.
• Four Noble Truths
• Pathway to enlightenment

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Major Religions in India

• Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism
• Other regions
• Jainism
• 4.2 million followers
• believe in extreme nonviolence
• everything has a soul
• Strict vegetarians
• Do not believe in gods or spiritual beings, more
  a religion of self-help
• Sikhism
• Founded in the early 1500s,
• a mixture of Islam and Hinduism,
• monotheistic and believe in karma and
  reincarnation

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Major Religions of Japan

• Buddhism
• Shinto
• Japanese devotion to invisible spiritual beings
  and powers called kami
• Kami are not gods but if treated properly they
  will intervene in our lives to bring benefits
• Not seen as a religion but a way of life
• An ethnic religion, rarely practiced outside
  Japan
• Has no scriptures, no founder, no God
• Teaches ethical practices
• Does not require members to follow Shinto as
  their only religion, coexists with Buddhism

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Daoism/Taoism

• Ancient tradition of philosophy and religious
  belief
• The Tao, the Way, is the ultimate creative
  principle of the universe
• All things are unified and connected in the Tao
• The Tao is not God, but Taoists worship many
  deities in temples
• Taoism promotes, harmony, being virtuous, and
  self development
• Taoism practices, meditation, feng shui, fortune
  telling
• Before the Communist revolution, Taoism was the
  strongest religion in China
• After the government began destroying any
  non-communist religions its numbers have
  significantly reduced