Who is my Neighbor?

A study of world

religions

October 31, 2012

First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh

Week 2: What is a Cult? OCT. 10 - Megan• Scholarly vs. Popular Definition • Common Traits • Examples Week 3: Hinduism Brief History OCT. 17 – Megan (Kittie will contribute TM materials)• Vedas• Shaivas, Vaishnavas, Goddess followers• Beliefs & Practice

Week 4: Buddhism OCT 24 – Megan• Brief History • Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana • 4 Truths, Eight-fold Path • Mahayana Sects (Zen/Chan, Pure Land, etc.) • Beliefs & Practice

Week 5: "Minor" Religions OCT. 31 - Megan• Zoroastrianism • Sikhism • Jainism• Taoism• Shinto

Week 6: Judaism NOV. 7 – Kittie• Brief history• Ancient vs. Modern• Orthodox vs. Reformed• Beliefs and Practices

Week 7: Christianity NOV. 14 - Kittie • Brief History • Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, Other • Beliefs & Practice  NOV 21 – NO CLASS, BREAK FOR THANKSGIVING Week 8: Islam NOV. 28 - Kittie• Brief History• Four pillars• Shiite vs. Sunni• Sufism

Week 9: New Religions (post 1800) DEC. 5 - Kittie• Mormonism • Jehovah's Witnesses • Scientology • Neo-Paganism/Wicca • Various New Asian Religions

Week 10: Overview/Summary: What Does All This Mean for Christians?

Jainism, Taoism, Confucianism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism

“Minor” Religions

Hindu Jain TempleZoroastrian Association of Pennsylvania -

PittsburghPittsburgh Sikh Gudwara – Monroeville

(below)

Minor Religions in Pittsburgh

Began in India between the 9th and 6th centuries BCE. Has about 6 million followers in India alone. Mahavrata (“Great Vows”): 5 principles by which Jains live.

Ahimsa – non-violence; applies to animals as well as people, even insects and microorganisms

Satya – truthfulness; second to ahimsa. In a situation where telling the truth would lead to violence, one should remain silent.

Asteya – non-stealing; one should always give a fair wage to laborers and a fair price for products, in addition to not taking something belonging to another.

Brahmacharya – celibacy; monks and nuns are completely celibate, lay people are prohibited from being in sensual contact with anyone besides their spouse.

Aparigraha – non-possession; one should not seek after possessions, and should not possess more than one needs.

Jainism

24 Tirthankaras – lit. ‘ford-builder’; 24 people who became ‘pure souls’ who can help others achieve liberation. Only the last two are considered to have been historical by scholars.

Karma – in Jainism, karma is conceived of as a sort of soot-like substance which clings to the soul and keeps it from rising out of samsara.

Jainism

Monks carry small brooms and sweep the ground ahead of them so that they do not accidentally step on any insects.

Vegetarianism – Jains are strictly vegetarian; they also do not eat root vegetables.

Fasting, prayer, offerings, and meditationSallekhana – when a Jain is close to death,

they may willingly chose to abstain from food and drink. This is seen as a way to remove a lot of karma.

Jain Practices

Approximately 400 million adherents in China

Part philosophy, part religionMain texts: the Daodejing and

the ZhuangziDates back to the Han Dynasty

in China (c. 200 BCE – 200 CE)Not a single, coherent,

organized religion

Taoism (Daoism)

Tao – ‘the way’; both ‘path’ and ‘doctrine’Te – the expression of Tao; ‘power’ or ‘virtue’

Wu-wei – ‘nonaction’; one must be like water, in harmony with their surroundings/the universe

Ziran – ‘naturalness’; the original state of all thingsSanbao – ‘Three Treasures’; compassion, moderation,

and humilityQi – ‘life force’Yin and Yang – the two main components of all things;

nothing can be reduced to pure yang or pure yinYin – cold, wet, dark, feminineYang – hot, dry, bright, masculine

Taoist Beliefs

Pantheon – differs between sects, but generally mirrors the traditional Chinese bureaucracy, with deities being promoted/demoted based on their actions; headed by the Jade Emperor.

ExorcismsAlchemy – goal of prolonging

one’s lifeAstrology/Divination

Taoist Beliefs and Practices

Confucius (Kong Fuxi) lived from 551-479 BCE, during a period of political disunification.

Non-theisticSix books

Classic of Poetry – prophecyBook of Documents – historyBook of Rites – lawsBook of Music – ritualsClassic of Change – divinationSpring and Autumn Annals –

chronicle of the state of Lu

Confucianism

Five virtuesRen - humanenessYi – righteousness/justiceLi - etiquetteZhi – knowledgeXin – integrity

Sizi (four virtues)LoyaltyFilial pietyContinencyRighteousness

Confucian Ethics

Five RelationshipsRuler to RuledFather to SonHusband to WifeElder Brother to Younger BrotherFriend to Friend

The gentleman – typically described as a scholar/literate person, is supposed to cultivate morality, filial piety, and ren

Rectification of Names – the need for things to be properly recognized as they are

Confucian Ethics

Ancestor WorshipArgument between the Pope and Jesuits as to

whether Confucianism was a philosophy or a religion

Were ancestor veneration rituals worship or just to respect the dead?

Women and ConfucianismTraditionally constrained by gender roles

'three subordinations': be subordinate to her father before marriage, to her husband after marriage, and to her son after her husband died.

Considered virtuous to die as a widow

Confucian Controversy

30 million Sikhs worldwideFollow the ten gurus, first was Nanak Sahib

Born in the 15th cent., CEMain scripture: Gurū Granth Sāhib Ji

monotheistic

Sikhism

God is not fully knowableCan only be seen through the heart, by

meditationGod is genderless, formlessFinal destination is spiritual union with God

Maya – ‘unreality’Results in separation from GodFive evils: ego, anger, greed, attachment, lust

All are equal in God’s eyesWomen can lead in prayers

Sikh Beliefs

Langar – community mealServed at the Gudwara (Sikh place of worship)

to the entire communityNaming ceremony

All boys are given the last name Singh (‘lion’) and girls the last name Kaur (‘lioness’)

Guru Granth Sahib is opened randomly and the child is given a name with the first letter on the top left hand corner of the left page.

Sikhs are required to marry when they reach a certain age; divorce is prohibited

Sikh Practices

The Five K’s kēs (uncut hair) kaṅghā (small wooden comb) kaṛā (circular steel or iron

bracelet) kirpān (sword/dagger) kacchera (special undergarment)

Prohibitions: Cutting hair Intoxication Adultery Blind spirituality Material obsession Sacrifice of creatures

Sikh Practices

• Non-family-oriented living• Worthless talk• Priestly class• Eating meat killed in a ritualistic

manner• Having premarital or

extramarital sexual relations

Originated in Persia c. 6th-18thcent. BCEFounded by the prophet Zoroaster

Monotheistic – God is called ‘Ahura Mazda’ (means ‘Lord of light and wisdom’)

Zoroastrianism

Asha – truth/orderDruj – falsehood/disorderAgra Manyu – lit. ‘evil spirit’; the antithesis of Ahura

MazdaSaoshyant – a messiah-figure who will appear at the

end of time to resurrect the dead.The universe is egg-shaped, created to stop Agra

ManyuThe dead must cross the Bride of Judgement to

paradise or hellHell is unpleasant but not eternal; punishment fits

crimes

Zoroastrian Beliefs

Dead are exposed in ‘towers of silence’After some corpses poisoned birds of prey, some

communities have switched to cremation or burial.Do not want corpses to pollute creation

Free will is embraced, predestination is not acceptedWater and fire are seen as bringing about ritual

purityFire Temple – a Zoroastrian place of worshipWorship through fire, do not worship fire

Do not accept any form of monasticismMen, women, and children must all keep their heads

covered.

Zoroastrian Practices