“Religion is the Opiate of the People”

-- Karl Marx & Frederick EngelsCommunist Manifesto

1848

Symbols

ReligionAn Academic View

Christianity

Judaism

Buddhism

Islam

CHRISTianity

• Main Branches (Denominations)

of Christianity:

• Catholicism (Universal) – Roman and Eastern Orthodox (Correct

Belief)• Protestantism: Lutheran, Methodist,

Baptist, Episcopalian, Anglican, Pentecostal

Inherent Belief:

Trinity:

GodJesus

Holy Spirit

Christ(Anointed)

• Arrested for His teachings

• Tried and Crucified on a Friday

• Found missing from the tomb on Sunday

• Rose from the dead

• 40 days later ascended into Heaven

Denominations

• Jesus Dies on Easter

• Paul takes on the mission of spreading the “Good News”

• Catholicism is Born in 29 – 33 A.D. » (Anno Domini – Year of God)

• Eastern Orthodox Branches Out In 330 A.D.

• Martin Luther “Protests” doctrines and practices of the Roman Church

Denominations Con’t

• Protestant Movement is born

• Denominations of Protestantism are created:† Lutheran – emphasis on faith and authority of Bible† Calvinism – God as judge – human nature is basically

sinful† Anglican – compromise between Catholicism and

Protestantism. Basic difference from Catholicism - divorce

† Sectarianism – independent churches:Anabaptists – baptism as adultBaptist – inner conversion, adult baptismPentecostal – emotion in worshipMethodist – methodical nature of prayer and study

Nontraditional Christianity – “Sect” or “Cults”

• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) -

missionary church, inspired bible, God has glorified body like Jesus, humans sent to physical world to perfect themselves.

• Christian Science - positive thinking, growth through a belief in inner power.

• Unity Church – seeks wisdom in every religious tradition, inspirational talks, peaceful music and guided meditation.

Nontraditional Con’t

Jehovah’s Witnesses - literal interpretation of Bible, after God punishes evildoers and nonbelievers, He will create a paradise-like world for virtuous believers.

• Unification Church – Reverend Sun Myung Moon – evil forces will overtake the world unless they are opposed, and against these forces he hopes his church will help create “the kingdom of heaven on earth.”

Sacraments

• Baptism – cleansing with water – initiation rite

• Eucharist – (Greek: “Good Gift”) – early days imitation of Last

Supper, shared bread and wine

Other Rituals

• Confirmation – (“Strengthening”) - a blessing of believers, believer

‘confirms’ his/her belief in God and the Trinity.• Reconciliation – (“Penance”) – repentant

person admits his or her sins before a priest and is absolved.

• Marriage – two people publicly commit themselves to each other for life.

Judaism

• Dates back over two thousand years

• Trace their origins to Abraham• Often called Hebrews• Hebrew Bible made up of

individual books

Hebrew Bible

• Torah – 1st five books – sacred core of Hebrew Bible

• The Prophets (Nevi’im) – principle prophets of Judaism – main historical aspect of bible

• The Writings (Ketuvim) – short stories, proverbs, reflections of life, hymns (psalm) lyrics, and poetry

Moses

• Hebrew population grows large

• Egypt worried about power struggle

• Hebrew midwives ordered to kill all baby boys right after birth.

• Baby Moses spared by being hidden.

• At 3 months of age, he is placed in a basket and floated down the Nile river

Moses Con’t

• He is discovered by Egyptian princess who raises him as her own.

• As an adult he sees the injustices against an Israelite slave.

• Kills the foreman who mistreated the slave.

• He flees from Egypt.

• Lives outside of Egypt.

Moses con’t

• One day he stumbles against a burning bush.

• He hears the voice of God.• God commands Moses to return to Egypt

and help free the Hebrews.• Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt

across the Red Sea.• They establish the land of Israel.

Major Holidays

• Passover (Passed Over) – believed that by putting a mark on their door their sons have been spared death by plague.

• Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year – a celebration to allow Jews to consider their obligations and pay off their debts.

• Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement – a day of prayer and strict fast.• Sukkot – Shelters – joyful harvest celebration, families sleep outdoors

which allow them to be close to their fields and subsequently to work harvesting early.

• Hanukka – The Feast of Dedication - Feast of Lights – 8 day period celebrating the miracle of the small bit of oil lasting for 8

days, allowing the rededication of the Second Temple.• Purim – a type of Halloween – very happy celebration of when Esther

saved the Hebrews from extinction.

Buddhism

• One of the oldest known religions.• Siddhartha Gautama – a very pampered son of a

prince in what is today Nepal.• Siddhartha kept away from miseries outside the

palace walls.• At 29 he escapes the palace and visits a nearby

town, sees the suffering of ordinary life.• He seeks teachers of meditation and philosophy.

Siddhartha con’t

• Sought answers for 6 years, wanted to know how to avoid suffering and death.

• Lived on little food and sleep.• He passed out from weakness and as a result of his

Awakening, discovers Enlightenment.• He saw suffering, aging and death as an inevitable

part of life but also seeing the possibility of release.

• Went from town to town teaching what he had learned.

Four Noble Truths

• To Live is to Suffer

• Suffering Comes from Desire

• To End Suffering, End Desire

• Release from Suffering is Possible and Can be Attained by Following the Noble Eightfold Path

Eightfold Path to Inner Peace

• Right Understanding• Right Intention• Right Speech• Right Action• Right Work• Right Effort• Right Meditation• Right Contemplation

All together lead to Nirvana – liberation from the limitations of the world.

Islam

• Means to surrender one’s will• Believe in the oneness with God and the message of the

Qur’an• Believe in an all-powerful, transcendent God who created the

universe and controls everything in it.• Trace their heritage back to Abraham – just like the Jews• Allah is God (al – “the” ilah – “god”), not the name of

God, simply means God• Muhammad, Allah’s messenger and servant• Followers are called Muslim• Islam considered less of a religion and more of a way of life

Five Pillars

• Shahdah – Declaration of faith

• Allah is the One and Muhammad is his messenger

• Salat – Prayer of a very high level – 5 times a day, before

dawn, at midday, midafternoon, sunset and nighttime

• Sawm – Fasting, especially at Ramadan

• Zakat – Alms giving, commonly 2.5% of earnings

• Hajj – Pilgrimage to the holy sites in Mecca

Muhammad

• Born in Mecca in 570 A.D. (C.E.)

• Spent much time pondering and meditating in caves.

• At 40 y/o during a religious retreat in a cave at Mount Hira, he received

his first revelation.

• In 620 A.D. he was going through a stressful time because few people

believed his claims of having received revelations. He dreamt of being

carried to Jerusalem and ascending from there into paradise. He called

the experience his “Night Journey” or Night of Ascent”

Muhammad con’t

• Believed the angel Gabriel guided him upward.

• He claimed that on the way up he passed angels and the great prophets of the

past, including Abraham and Jesus and finally entered the presence of God.

• That experience confirmed for him his role as a prophet and messenger of

God.

• Muhammad is Known by More than 200 Names

• Muhammad is not divine or worshipped

• Muhammad is the model for what every Muslim hopes to be