Belief Systems

1. Belief Systems

2. World Religions • Essential Question: • How have belief systems impacted the development of cultures and historical events?

3. World Religions I. Belief Systems (World Religions) • Purposes - Religion is a concept man uses to: • 1. Explain the Unknown • a. How the world was created? • b. What happens after you die? • 2. Provide moral guidelines or laws to live by

4. World Religions B. Types of Belief Systems 1. Polytheistic– Belief in MORE THAN ONE god or divine being • a. Examples: Animism, Shinto, Hinduism, Daoism • 2. Monotheistic– Belief in ONE god. • a. Examples: Judaism, Christianity, Islam

5. World Religions • Characteristics of Belief Systems • Founder– A person who is usually honored as a deity or sacred person. • Examples: • Siddhartha Gautama - Buddhism • Abraham and Moses - Judaism • Jesus - Christianity • Muhammad - Islam

6. World Religions • Sacred Writings– Holy books or texts that provides an explanation to the origins of the religion, guidelines for behavior, holy days of observance, as well as rituals and practices. • Examples: • Vedas and Upanishads – Hinduism • Analects – Confucianism • Torah and Talmud – Judaism • Holy Bible – Christianity • Qur’an - Islam

7. World Religions • Rules of Behavior – Provides guidelines for behavior in order to achieve enlightenment, harmony or salvation. • Examples: • Dharma – Hinduism • Eight Fold-Path – Buddhism • Ten Commandments – Judaism and Christianity • Five Pillars of Islam – Islam

8. Animism

10. D. Animism • Founder - There is no one person who is considered the founder of Animism • Geographic Origin - Developed worldwide in different parts of the world. (Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Australia) • Currently Practiced - World-wide, but most common in traditional societies of Africa, the Americas and Australia iety.

11. Animism 4. Significant Writings – None, but have an oral tradition of story-telling (oral history) 5. Significant Religious People – a. Shaman- A person who communicates with the spiritual world and conducts rituals b. Medicine Man/Woman - A healer or a person who can treat illnesses c. Griot- A professional storyteller in a traditional African Animist society.

12. North American Shaman West African Griot

14. Animism Animism 6. Beliefs: a. Religion that believes that each object has its own spirit and that ancestors watch over the living. b. Polytheistic- Spirits are found in natural objects (living and nonliving objects) c. There is belief in a Supreme Being and in lesser gods. d. Obey the gods and follow tradition and you will be rewarded with good harvests and many healthy children. e. Failureto follow traditions would anger the Gods and result in hardships, crop failure, illness and death.

15. Animism 7. Practices: a. Prayersand ceremonieskeep gods on your side b. Use of ceremonial masks as a way to receive what the people want or need.

16. Hinduism

18. E. Hinduism 1. Founder - There is no one person who is considered the founder of Hinduism. It is believed that the Aryansand the people of the Indus River Valley’straditions formed the foundation of Hindu beliefs. 2. Geographic Origin - Developed in India approximately around 3000 BCE 3. Currently Practiced - Most commonly practiced in India. (80% of India is Hindu)

19. Hinduism 4. Significant Writings – a. Vedas- collections of prayers and verses about creation and reverence for nature b. Upanishads- discussions about the soul and proper ways of behavior. 5. Significant Religious People – Hindu priests (Brahmins) carry out traditional religious practices in temples.

20. Current Vedas Originals

21. Brahmins

22. Hinduism Hinduism 6. Beliefs: a. Polytheistic– Brahma is the Supreme Being in the Hindu religion. Hindus believe in millions of different gods and are considered manifestations of the one god Brahma. There are three main gods that control the cycle of life: • Brahma-the creator • Vishnu-the preserver of life • Shiva-the destroyer

23. The Preserver of Life The Creator The Destroyer

24. How can Hinduism be considered polytheistic if they believe there is one Supreme Being?

25. Hinduism b. Moksha- In Hinduism, salvation is achieved through a spiritual oneness of the soul with the Brahma. To achieve this goal, the soul must obtain Moksha, or liberation from the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. c. Reincarnation– The belief that your soul is reborn into another body d. Karma– deeds (actions, words, and thoughts) that impact your future e. Dharma- fulfilling one's duty or occupation in life

26. Hinduism f. Hindu cycle of life- The Hindu cycle of life can best be represented by the infinity symbol. It is believed that a person is given life by Brahma, protected in life by Vishnu, until finally Shiva claims you in death. Then the cycle is repeated over and over again until one finally achieves Moksha. • Caste System - A rigid class structure (hierarchy) of India that is based on Hindu beliefs. • A person’s position in the caste system is based on their karma from their previous lives

27. Hinduism

28. Hinduism i. Good karma- if you follow the dharma you will be rewarded in the next life and move up the caste j. Bad Karma- If you fail you fulfill your dharma, you will be punished and demoted in the caste system their following life. k. Untouchables- are members of Hindu society thought to have been removed from the Caste System, with no hope of returning to it, due to their misdeeds in previous lives. Work that is deemed unclean for all other Hindus is reserved for these Outcasts.

30. How does the Caste System provide social and political order?

31. Hinduism Hinduism • 7. Practices: a. Prayer- Prayer and offerings at temples b. Dharma- daily life is regulated by caste rules c. Social discrimination– Limited caste interaction creates discriminatory practices and does not allow social mobility. d. The Caste System was outlawed in 1947, but it is still widely practiced. e. Art- expression of faith through the arts

32. Buddhism

34. F. Buddhism • Founder - Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha, which means "enlightened one." • Geographic Origin - Developed in India approximately around 500 BCE • Currently Practiced - Most common in Southeast Asia and East Asia. Through trade, migration and pilgrimages • Significant Writings – Tripitka, or the Three Baskets of Wisdom. traditional orange robes.

35. Buddhism 5. Places of Worship - Buddhism may be practice individually, but temples and monasteries known as Pagodascan be used for worship. 6. Significant Religious People - The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan sect of Buddhism. Buddhist monks can be identified by their traditional orange robes.

37. Buddhism 7. Beliefs: a. Buddha- Siddhartha Gautama was a prince born into the Brahmin caste, and led a luxurious lifestyle. However, he was troubled by the human misery that he saw around him everyday (death, illness and poverty). After meditating under a Bodhi tree, he concluded that desire was the root caused of all suffering.

38. Buddhism b. Four Noble Truths- Siddhartha's philosophy of the nature of human suffering and its relation to desire is articulated by these four statements: 1. Life is full of pain and suffering. 2. Human desire causes this suffering. 3. By putting an end to desire, humans can end suffering. 4. Humans can end desire by following the Eight-fold Path.

39. Buddhism • C. The Eight-Fold Path– Gautama’s guidelines on how to achieve Nirvana 1. Right views5. Right livelihood 2. Right Aspirations 6. Right Effort 3. Right Speech7. Right Mindfulness 4. Right Conduct8. Right Contemplation

40. Siddhartha Gautama Under the Bodhi Tree

42. Do you think that human suffering is connected to worldly desires? Why or Why not?

43. Buddhism • d. Reincarnation- Buddhists believe in an endless cycle of reincarnation, or samsara, which is similar to beliefs of Hinduism. Like Hindus, Buddhists believe one’s karma influences a person’s reincarnation. • e. Rejects the Caste System- Instead Buddhists who believe that a person is reincarnated until they can achieve Nirvana, spiritual enlightenment. • f.Nirvana– Spiritual enlightenment

44. Buddhism • What similarities and differences do Hinduism and Buddhism have?

45. Buddhism • g. Two sects of Buddhism: • 1. Theravada Buddhists– South East Asia • i. Buddha’s Teachings - Closely followed Buddha’s original teachings • 2. Mahayana Buddhists– East Asia • II. Polytheistic- Combined with other East Asian polytheistic religions such as Daoism and Shinto and saw Buddha and other holy beings as compassionate gods.

47. G. Confucianism • Founder - Confucius, a scholar, philosopher and politician • Geographic Origin - Developed in China approximately around 500 BCE • Currently Practiced - Most commonly in China, as well as elements Southeast Asia and East Asia culture. • Significant Writings –The Analects

48. Confucianism • Beliefs: • Provided Stability- Confucius believed that social order and mutual respect would provide order and stability in society if there were rules to guide behavior in the family unit, society and the government. • Filial Piety- respect for parents, above all duties, even loyalty to the state. Also, the needs and success of the group were more important than those of the individual.

49. Confucianism • c. Five Relationships- Confucianism teaches that there is a natural social order to society which can best be explained through the Five Relationships: • Ruler to subject. • Father to son. • Older brother to younger brother. • Husband to wife. • Friend to friend.

50. What lessons do parents teach their children? Do the five relationships apply to our society today? If so, which one? Which relationships do not apply to today?