World Religions NotesNontheistic-not having or involving a belief in a god or gods.The claim of Non-theism is true in the sense that there is no God in Buddhism who is a Creator, Judge, or Deity-in-Charge.

Buddhism 376 Million, 7.1% of world population

World Religions Notes

• Christianity o 2 Billion, 31% of world population

• Islamo 1.6 Billion, 23% of world population

• Judaismo 14 Million, 0.2 % of world

population

• Monotheism: Belief in one god.

World Religions NotesPolytheismPolytheism:

Belief in multiple gods • Hinduismo1 Billion, 15% of

world population

Torah: Old Testament (first 5 books) of the Bible Hand written on scrolls

Talmud: The Ten Commandments

Written in Hebrew

Basis of belief

Basis of Belief • Started by Abraham (yes, the

same one from Christian religion).

• God spoke to Abraham and told him to start a new land and that he and his descendants would be blessed and prosper.

• God= Yaweh

Rabbi

Temple/Synagogue

Rabbi

Jewish Holy Sites/Places

• Jerusalem, Israel oWestern Wall aka Wailing Wall •Part of the wall that is left from the Temple Mount (the first Jewish synagogue)

Western Wall/Wailing Wall

Jewish Day of Worship and Holy Days

• Day of worship: Shabbat (means Sabbath)o sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday

• Rosh Hashanah: Jewish New Year• Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement (forgiveness) • Passover: Celebrating the freedom/exit of the

Israelites (Jewish slaves) from Egypt, lasts 8 days, Christians also celebrate this

• Bar/Bat Mitzvah: Coming of age ceremony o 13 yr. old boys/12 yr. old girls

Jewish Sects• Orthodox: traditionaloHasidic: most traditional sect

• Conservative: a sect that looks to “conserve” (save) traditions/belief. o opposite of Reform sect

• Reform: faith is based on the idea the beliefs are a guideline which you should live your life by rather than a strict set of rules. oMore modern

Jewish Sects….

Which sect is it??

Bible

Basis of belief• Monotheistic

• We are created good but are born into sin

• God sent Jesus, his son, to save people from their sins

• Belief in heaven and hell- an afterlife.

• Ten Commandments-especially the Golden Rule (treat others as you would want to be treated)

Priest

Church

Holy Sites/Places • Vatican City o Important to Roman Catholics oHas political voice for the world

• Jerusalem, Israel • Church of the Holy Sepulchre

• Built where Jesus’s tomb is believed to have been •Holds a boulder/stone where Jesus was washed after being crucified

Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the spot Christians believe Jesus came back from the dead.

Bible

Holy Book/Teachings

• The Bible • Old Testament • Before Jesus

Christ • New Testament• Jesus Christ’s

teachings

Holy Days/TraditionsDay of Worship

• Christmasobirth of Jesus Christ

• Easteromarks the day of resurrection of Jesus

Christ• Celebration of the Last Supperomass/services/sacrament

Day of worship: Sunday

Christian Sects • Catholics

• Protestant (PROTEST against Catholic church) Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, LDS/Mormon, Roman, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox

Non Denominationalrefers to those churches that have not

formally aligned themselves with an established church/sect.

Koran/Qu’ran• The teachings of

Muhammad• His

Communications with Allah (God)

• Most holy book• May not be

translated from Arabic

Basis of Beliefs• Definition: to surrender or

submission in peace to God• Followers: Muslims• Word for God: Allah• Prophet (messenger):

Muhammad

Basis of Belief5 Pillars of Islam

1. Worship only Allah, Muhammad is a prophet of Allah

2. Prayer- must pray 5 times per day (sunrise, noon, dusk, sunset, night), must be done facing Mecca

3. Charity-rich give to poor, all will give to Allah

4. Ramadan- fast during daylight hours for one month (9th month on Islamic calendar)

5. Hajj: males should make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

Holy Sites/Placesa) Mecca: birthplace of Muhammad, destination

of Hajj (done to celebrate Muhammad’s travel)b) Medina: where Muhammad lived his young

adult life (Saudi Arabia) c) Dome of the Rock: believed by Muslims to be

where Muhammad ascended to heaven (Jerusalem)

d) Al-Aqsa Mosque: Mosque near Dome of the Rock

e) Kaaba: first mosque, located in Mecca, holds a stone that is believed to be a piece of the altar that Abraham was going to sacrifice his son on

Dome of the Rock

Believed to be the site where Muhammad ascended to heaven to be with Allah

Iman

Mosque

Holy Books/TeachingsKoran/Qu’ran (most holy book)• The teachings of Muhammad• Muhammad’s communications with

Allah• May not be translated out of Arabic The Bible • Old Testament

Al-Masjid al-Haram mosque

Kaaba

Holy days/traditions & Day of Worship Holy day: Ramadan• Month long fasting. • Purpose: teach

discipline and sacrifice

Day of Worship: Friday

Dome of the Rock and the Western/Wailing Wall

Islamic Sects a) Shi’ites (aka Shia)

o Believe that the only true descendent leaders of Islam are family members of Muhammad.

o They do not recognize the first 3 caliphs (leaders) after Muhammad’s death. They believe that they are inferior because they were not a relative of Muhammad.

o They acknowledge the fourth caliph because he was related to Muhammad.

b) Sunnio Believe that Muhammad chose his successor- who

was not a family member.