Ethnic Religions

1
Ethnic Religions

• Judaism and Hinduism

2
What is an Ethnic Religion?

• Ethnic religions generally appeal to one group of
  people of a particular culture and region.
• Ethnic religions generally do not have founder
  and do not diffuse very far.
• Ethnic calendars and holy days are tied to
  seasons and lunar cycle.

3
Hinduism

• Hinduism is the largest ethnic religion,
  concentrated in its hearth of India.
• Its collection of holy writings are the Vedas.
• Its polytheistic teaches reincarnation based on
  karma.
• In Hinduism, temples are homes to one or more
  gods, and are usually small since Hindus dont
  worship in large groups.
• In Hindu landscapes, crematoriums are important
• Ganges is the holiest river, with Hardwar being
  the most popular spot to bath in the river.
• Mt. Kailas is also holy as the source of the
  Ganges.
• There are thousands of local shrines that Hindus
  visit in a tirtha (pilgrimage for purification).

4
Question

• What are ways pilgrimages may affect an area?

5
Judaism

• Judaism is the first monotheistic religion
  (Yahweh), hearth in Palestine, and its founder
  was Abraham.
• It is the only ethnic religion diffused across
  planet, because of the diaspora.
• Its holy books are the Torah and the Talmud.
• They follow this covenant closely as chosen
  people.
• Jews worship in synagogues and bury their dead in
  cemeteries, and their symbol is the star of
  David.
• Jerusalem is the holiest site for Jews, with one
  wall left from its ancient temple, called the
  Western Wall or Wailing Wall.

6
Summary

• What do you notice about distribution of Hinduism
  and Judaism?