Ethnic Religions

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Ethnic Religions

• Hinduism
• Confucianism
• Daoism (Taoism)
• Shintoism
• Judaism
• Animism / shamanism

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Hinduism

• Origins in the early beliefs of the Aryans comes
  from the Vedascollection of hymns and religious
  ceremonies that were passed down orally then
  written
• Developed a belief in reincarnationa belief that
  an individual is reborn into a different form
  after death
• After numerous existences the soul reaches
  Brahman (oneness with god). This is the goal of
  every Hindu.
• Karma is important in the achievement of the
  goal. Karma is the force generated by a persons
  actions. Leads to their presence in the next
  life
• Karma is ruled by dharma or divine law. It
  requires that people do their duty Yoga helps
  achieve Brahman

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• Many ordinary Indians had difficulties relating
  so that led to creation of more gods. There a
  hundreds of Hindu gods but the three main ones
  are Brahma, the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver
  and Siva the Destroyer Protector. Hindus
  regard the multitude of gods as expressions of
  the one Brahma

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Brahma
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Siva
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Vishnu
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• There is no rigid approach to theological matters
• Individuals decide the best way to worship god
• No central authority or holy book, they do have
  the Vedas
• VaishnavismVishnuloving god incarnated as
  Krishna (68 some east, west, some south)
• SivaismSiva(27 north and south)
• Shaktismworship dedicated to female consorts of
  Siva and Vishnu(north and east

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Tirthain Hinduism, a place made sacred through
association with a deity or saint.

• Mt. Kailas(h)
• Mouth of Ganges
• Holy

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The Chinese Philosophies

• Hindus and Buddhists focus on the freeing of the
  human soul from reincarnationChinese thought
  focuses on the natural world and maintaining
  order within

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From the Hearth of Huang He (Yellow) River Valley

• Confucianism
• originated in China about 2500 years ago
• real meaning of life lay in the present
• founder Confucius
• sacred text Confucian Classics
• diffusion East Asia, Southeast Asia

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Confucianism

• Founder, Confucius born in 551 BC, wanted to be
  political advisor but couldnt find a patron
• Dissatisfied with moral decay and violence of his
  age
• Began to travel China in an attempt to get
  political leaders to follow his ideas
• Few listened at the time but a small group of
  followers recorded his sayings in the Analects
  and spread the message
• Almost every Chinese pupil studied these sayings
  until the late 20th century making his
  Confucianism an important part of Chinese culture
  and history
• Interest was solely political and ethical not
  spiritual

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Beliefs

• Believed it was better to assume there was order
  in the universe and be concerned with ordering
  the world
• Universe was created in such a way that if humans
  would act in harmony their own affairs would
  prospermuch of his concern was with human
  behaviorone must behave in accordance with the
  Dao
• Two elements of the Dao duty and humanity, duty
  is making ones own needs subordinate to the
  needs of the greater unit such as family or
  community humanity is as having a sense of
  compassion and empathy

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The Five Constant Relationships

• Ruler to Subject
• Father to Son
• Husband to Wife
• Elder Brother to Younger Brother
• Friend to Friend

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From the Hearth of Huang He (Yellow) River Valley

• Daoism
• originated in China more than 2500 years ago
• oneness of humanity and nature
• founder Lao-Tsu
• sacred text Book of the Way
• social manifestation Feng Shui
• diffusion East Asia

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Daoism

• System of ideas based on Laozi (debate whether he
  actually existed)
• Ideas became popular in 5th and 4th century BC
• Main ideas discussed in the work Tao Te Ching
  (The way of the Dao)
• Like Confucianism, doesnt concern itself with
  universe
• True way to follow the will of heaven is to do
  nothing

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Cosmogony-beliefs concerning the origin of the
universe

• Yin and Yangbelieve that the universe is made up
  of two forces which exist in everything
• Yinearth, darkness, female, cold, depth,
  passivity and death
• Yangheaven, light, male, heat, height, activity,
  and life

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Shintoism

• Ancients considered forces of nature divine
• Transmitted orally until Chinese writing in 5th
  century facilitated recording
• Gradually deceased emperors and ancestors became
  more important deities
• Meiji (1868-1912) made it state religion and
  deified himself
• After WWII made Hirohito renounce himself
• Still thrives although no longer state religion
• Over 80,000 shrines

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Buddhism is mixed with local religions in some
places. In Japan, Buddhism is mixed with the
local religion, Shintoism.
Shinto Shrine In Kyoto, Japan, this Shinto
shrine is visible after walking through a torii
a gateway usually formed by two wooden posts and
topped by two horizontal beams.
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From the Hearth of the Eastern Mediterranean

• Judaism
• originated in Southwest Asia about 4000 years
  ago.
• first major monotheistic religion, covenant
  between
• God (one God) and Abraham (the chosen people)
• sacred text Torah
• founder Abraham
• sacred sites Jerusalem (Western Wall), land
  between
• the Mediterranean and the Jordan River
• social manifestation Zionism
• diffusion into European cities during the
  diaspora,
• into N. America during WWII, into Israel over
• last 50 years

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SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS OF JUDAISM

• center is Yahwehcreator of the world and all
  thats in it
• involved with people and expected goodness from
  them
• God of mercy and love but would punish
• possible to have personal relationship
• was eternal, transcendent and fully sovereign
  (rules all and
• subject to nothing) marks break in near eastern
  traditions
• removal of gods from naturenecessary
  prerequisite to
• scientific thought
• Hebrews were concerned with Gods will, feelings
  of the heart, and righteous behavior
• 12 tribesJudah
• Assyriaforced diaspora
• Romansforced diaspora again

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YAHWEH

• Unlike other near eastern gods, Yahweh was not
  driven by lust or motivated by evil
• According to the Hebrew scriptures
• The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow
  to anger and rich in love.  The Lord is good to
  all he has compassion on all he has made.
  Psalm 1458

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