EOYE Y9 Flashcards
1
Q
What is agnosticism?
A
Being unsure as to wether or not god exists
2
Q
What is pantheism?
A
The belief that a god(ess) is found in everything, especially nature
3
Q
What is monotheism?
A
Belief in the existence of only one deity
4
Q
What is polytheism?
A
Belief in the existence of multiple deities
5
Q
What is atheism?
A
The belief that no deities exist; as it’s against science it’s illogical
6
Q
What is empiricism?
A
The belief in god due to experience of god in own life/ the the world around us
7
Q
What is indirect empiricism?
A
When you don’t experience something yourself, but you only rely on one piece of evidence
8
Q
What is direct empiricism?
A
When you experience something yourself
9
Q
What is cumulative empiricism?
A
When you don’t experience something yourself but you have lots of pieces of evidence to form an opinion from
10
Q
What is rationalism?
A
The belief in god because, after having thought about it, you logically believe that god exists
11
Q
Problems of just using rationalism
A
You may never believe anything that you see, even if it is real, if you can find a logical explanation for it
12
Q
Problems of using just empiricism
A
You don’t use your logic to check wether something really is right as relying on just your senses means that your senses can deceive you
13
Q
What does omniscient mean?
A
The believe that god is all-knowing
14
Q
What does omnipotent mean?
A
The belief that god is all-powerful
15
Q
What does omnipresent mean?
A
The belief that god is present everywhere all the time
16
Q
What does Omnibenevolent mean?
A
The belief that god is all-loving
17
Q
Explain Aquinas’ 1st proof
A
- proof 1 = the argument of motion
- Nothing moves without being moved, so there must have been a first mover that started this chain reaction of movement. This was god.
18
Q
Explain Aquinas’ 2nd proof
A
- proof 2 = the argument of cause
- nothing is able to cause itself as it would have had to exist before it existed
- the must have been something that was the first causer of everything in the universe
- this first causer is god, who however is the only uncaused thing
19
Q
Explain Aquinas’ 3rd proof
A
- proof 3 = the argument of necessity
- everything on earth comes into and eventually goes out of existence = possible existence
- this must mean that there’s something that’s always existed (necessarily existed) independently
- this something is god
20
Q
What does possibly exist mean?
A
Something that comes into or is born into existence then is dies out of or goes out of existence
21
Q
Explain Aquinas’ 4th proof
A
- proof 4 = the argument of degrees of excellence
- everything on earth has varying degrees of goodness in them (some have more good in them than others)
- there must be something with the highest degree of good
- that something is god, that causes good in other things
22
Q
Explain Aquinas’ 5th proof
A
- proof 5 = the argument of intelligent design
- all natural things have no way of knowing their purpose but they just do it
- if all natural beings just ‘know’ how to fulfil their purpose, then there must be an intelligent being that designed them to do this
23
Q
Reason to agree with AP1
A
- seems logical
- because everything moves and needs a mover (cause and effect) this mover could be god
24
Q
Reason to disagree with AP1
A
- makes no sense scientifically = the first movement, even if their was one, can either be the atoms that first reacted to cause the Big Bang, or the forces that act on all things in the universe
25
Reason to agree with AP2
- seems logical = everything must be caused and nothing can cause itself to exist. Without a fist cause, none of the other would be able to come into existence
26
Reason to disagree with AP2
You could use the same argument abt god being eternal and uncaused about the universe as well. The universe is eternal and infinite and requires no cause, even more so than god, so it always existed without external intervention from him
27
Reason to agree with AP3
Everything that we know of, including planets, stars and even the universe come into and eventually go out of existence. So it makes sense to believe that there must be one thing in the universe that has always existed
28
Reason to disagree with AP3
Why must god be the only exception? Why is everything in the universe (including the universe) possibly existing?
29
Reason to agree with AP4
The fact that everything on earth has different amts of goodness is true, so it a makes sense to believe that there must be a god who is 100% good and is the source of everything else’s good
30
Reason to disagree with AP4
If god is 100% good, then why did he let there be evil and suffering in the world
31
Reason to agree with AP5
When you plant something, you don’t need to tell it how to grow, it just germinates and does it. So it makes sense to believe that there must be an intelligent god who designed all these complex beings to do this
32
Reason to disagree with AP5
However, the ways that plants and organisms grow can be explained by then evolution over millions of years to adapt and become what they are today.
33
Explain Anselm’s argument for the existence of the god
1. God is the greatest conceivable being
2. This means that even those who deny god’s existence still have the thought of god in their minds
3. Things that exist in reality are better than those that just exist in the mind. This means that we could imagine a greater conciveable being than god. But, this would contradict our definition of god, as he is the greatest conceivable being
4. Therefore, god exists!
34
Reason to agree with anselm
- if the person is religious, then god really would be the greatest conceivable being so the rest of the argument would be true for them
- makes logical sense to believe this, even for an agnostic
35
Reason to disagree with anselm
- when anselm says that things that exist in reality are always better than those that exist in thought, this is not always true as things in reality don’t always live up to the expectation
- the idea of the greatest conceivable being is subjective ; everyone doesn’t have the same idea of the greatest conceivable being
- if god is so great, then why did he let evil and suffering happen inthe world
- if someone can’t accept that something is more perfect in reality than in the mind, then that disproves god as he’s reduced to an idea made by humans
36
Is Hinduism monotheistic or polytheistic?
Polytheistic, as there are around 1M different deities worshipped
37
Why can Hinduism also be interpreted as monotheistic?
All the deities are representative of the different aspects and qualities of one spiritual power, Brahman
38
What is the syllable Om used to represent?
Brahman
39
Why is the OM syllable used to represent bramhan?
- using a name can restrict who Brahman is as an ultimate power
- the sound encapsulates the power of a syllable better than a name
- when you say Om, the sound echoes around the room, symbolism that Brahman is everywhere
40
What are the 3 parts of the Trimurti?
- Brahman = the creator
- Vishnu = the preserver
- shiva = the destroyer
41
What is the Hindu idea of reincarnation?
Hindus believe in reincarnation. Death isn’t the end and your soul goes into another form. If you do good deeds in your current life, you will be happier and richer in your next life.
42
What does puja mean?
Worship
43
What happens during puja at home?
- all the family come together for worship
- offerings of food (Prashad), flowers, and incense as well as holy fire are made to the deity
- families tend to have a decorative shrine at home with idols in it which they perform the puja to
44
What happens in puja at temple?
- food and flowers are offered to the deity by the priest
- special mantras are chanted to bring the deity to the idol
- a bell is rung to get the deity’s attention
- the priest hold up aarti (holy fire) to the deity so they can bless it
- the priest then brings the article around for people to get its blessing
- prashad is offered to everyone there
- people sing, chant and clap whilst saying the mantras
45
What is the story of Ganesh?
- Parvati made a boy from the dirt of her body to protect the house whilst she went to bathe
- when shiva her husband came back, he was infuriated to see a little boy stopping him from coming in, so beheaded the boy
- when Parvati came back, she was sad as she regarded Ganesh as her son
- shiva, eager to please his wife, ordered the guards to go to the forest and get the head of the first animal they saw.
The first animal was an elephant so Ganesh has an elephant head
46
What are the names of the 3 universal truths?
- anicca
- annatta
- dukkha
47
What are the names of the 3 universal truths?
- anicca
- annatta
- dukkha
48
What is anicca?
- the Buddha wanted people to stop relying on things as the only constant of life is change
- everything in the word, is constantly changing, nothing in the world is permanent
49
What is annatta?
there is no unchangeable, permanent soul
50
According to annatta, what are we made out of?
1) the physical body
2) feelings/sensations
3) awareness of the things around you
4) thoughts, ideas, wishes and dreams
5) our consciousness
51
What is dukkha?
Everything in life changes, even if life is good now,change must lead to suffering
52
What are the four noble truths?
- all life is suffering
- the cause of suffering is Desire
- there can be a release from suffering
- All people must follow a middle way (eightfold path)
53
Explain the section of VIEW in the eightfold path
Committing to dharma (the teachings of the Buddha) and training all thoughts to be positive
54
Explain the section of INTENTION in the eightfold path
Also known as right thought, intention is the commitment to positivity
55
Explain the section of SPEECH in the eightfold path
Speaking in a truthful, positive way :
- no lying
- no slander
- no gossip
- no negative talk
56
Explain the section of RIGHT ACTION in the eightfold path
Don’t steal, don’t kill (animals or humans), don’t lie, don’t take harmful substances (alcohol and drugs) and no sexual abuse
57
Explain the section of LIVELIHOOD in the eightfold path
- Buddhists must only take jobs that uphold right action
- they can be : a teacher (educates people) or a fireman (saves peoples’ lives)
- they cant be : a bartender ( involves handling alcohol) or a pharmacist (involves handling drugs)
58
Explain the section of EFFORT in the eightfold path
A Buddhist must put 100% effort into all they do
59
Explain the section of MINDFULNESS in the eightfold path
Being aware of your body, mind, and Buddhas teachings all the time
60
Explain the section of CONTEMPLATION in the eightfold path
To train the body and the mind to focus, usually by sitting and meditation in the lotus position which is perfect for meditation
61
What does Mahayana mean?
Greater vehicle
62
What does Hinayana mean?
Lesser vehicle
63
Which is older Mahayana or Theravada Buddhism?
Theravada
64
Which type of Buddhism is perceived to be ‘better’? Why?
- Theravada Buddhism = symbolic of lesser vehicle therefore less likely to get enlightened
- Mahayana Buddhism is better as it has deified bodhisattvas that give merit to humans = helps them get enlightened
- Mahayana also has prayer wheels which when spun give good luck and compassion to all around it
65
What is a deified bodhisattvas?
Enlightened beings who have put off entering nirvana to help others attain enlightenment
66
Ushnisha
- Wisdom bump on Buddha’s head
- Buddha was wise and by listening to his teachings we can also become wise
67
Elongated ears significance
- buddha can hear everything
- Buddhists should listen to Buddha’s teachings
68
Closed eyes significance
Symbol of meditation
69
Mudras significance
Hand positions that all have different meaning and can aid different things
70
Story that explains why Mahayana is better than Theravada Buddhism
- monastery was burning down with monks on the top floor
- a monk saw this and went to get a large vehicle to save them
- another monk saw this and offered to take them on the bicycle, but this only fit one monk
- Mahayana = larger vehicle
- Theravada = bicycle
71
What does the flower offering in a Buddhist temple symbolise?
Shows the teaching of annica; nothing is permanent as flowers are perishable
72
What does the incense offering in a Buddhist temple symbolise?
- Incense smell fills the room
- symbolic of spreading Buddha’s teachings
73
What is the seat for the Buddhist meditation teacher like and why?
The seat is wide and low, allowing for the teacher to sit as close to the ground as possible to show that the teacher and students are equals
74
What is light in a Buddhist temple symbolic of?
Buddha’s teachings dispel the darkness of ignorance and suffering
75
What do the statues in Buddhist temples do?
Aid meditation
76
What is tawhid?
There is only one god (allah) and he is supreme
77
How does following tawhid affect a mulims’s life?
- generous/charitable = god gave u all possessions, u are only borrowing them from him - 2.5% of wealth goes to charity as zakat
- humble = talents were given to you by god, you didn’t chose them, so they don’t brag about themselves
- eco-friendly = god made you to take care of the world so therefore Muslims are eco-friendly
- responsible = they don’t take wrong actions as god’s always watching them
78
How do you break tawhid?
- thinking you can fool god - god is omniscient
- pride or arrogance in your talents
- superstition
- thinking that you ‘own’ anything
79
What is the sin of shirk?
God is compared to any created being in the universe as if they share god’s power
80
What are some shared beliefs between Christianity and Islam?
- Jesus could raise the dead
- monotheistic
- Jesus was born of a virgin
- Jesus was a miracle worker
- heaven and hell exist
- no such thing as reincarnation
81
What are some differences between Christianity and Islam?
- Islam believes thta Jesus was a prophet of god whereas Christianity believes that Jesus was the son of god
- Islam believes that the Holy Spirit is god’s actions in the world whereas Christianity believes that the Holy Spirit is part of the trinity
82
What is the name of god in Judaism?
Yahweh
83
What are the 2 alternative names thta Jews use for god?
- Adonai = ‘my lord’ in Hebrew
- hashem = ‘the name’ in Hebrew
84
What do British Jews write instead of the word god?
They can say the word god but can only write it as g-d
85
Why do Jews write g-d instead of god?
- rubbing out, writing, burning and throwing away god’s name is considered very disrespectful
- if you accidentally get rid of a piece of work with the word god on it, it would almost be like throwing away god himself
86
What is shekhina?
The belief that god has a personality and presence and that this presence is present everywhere
87
Describe the first sighting of shekhina in the Old Testament
When the Israelites escaped the slavery of the Egyptians to travel to the promised land, they were guided by a pillar of cloud, which became a pillar of fire at night. This was called the shekhina
88
What are the 3 places in which shekhina can be felt?
- synagogues
- western (wailing) wall of Jerusalem
- promised land of Israel
89
What do Jews believe the messiah will be like?
- descendant of the family of David = Jew
- kind man, treats all w/ fairness, doesn’t judge by appearance/impressions
- wise man who’d have great knowledge of god
90
What changes do Jews believe that the messiah will bring?
According the Isaiah (one of the greatest Jewish prophets) :
- babies will play safely near snakes’ nests
- little children will shepherd baby goats
- carnivores such as wolves, leopards and lions will live in harmony with their prey + adopt a vegetarian diet
91
What are the 2 reasons that Jews believe that the messiah will come?
- the world is getting better in preparation for the messiah’s arrival
- the world is getting worse and the messiah will come to save it
92
Explain fundamentalist Christian view
- the bible is god’s word; god created the world as specified in genesis
- the world was made in 6 days + god rested on the seventh
- this is possible as god is omnipotent and doesn’t need to conform science
- world is only a maximum of 10,000 years old
93
Explain the apparent age theory
- did Adam and Eve have navels? He thought so!
- this is because he thought that god created everything to look older than it is
- so if Adam and Eve were to cut down a tree, they would see rings in it as if it were really old
94
Problems with the fundamentalist Christian view
- there is more evidence that points to an older rather than younger world such as fossils
- if god is all-powerful + created world in 6 days, then why did he need a day of resting after?
- apparent age theory presents god as deceptive + trying to confuse us
- goes against big band and evolution theory
95
Explain the conservative Christian view
- story in genesis is just a list of all god made
- Hebrew word yom means day but also a long period of time
- this means that god could’ve created the world over many long periods of time
96
Good and bad things about conservative Christian view
- GOOD = allows for evolution + older world
- BAD = doesn’t allow for big bang
97
Explain the liberal Christian view
If the original fireball that caused the big band was a millionth of a millionth of a second slower or faster, or a degree hotter or cooler, we wouldn’t be here today
98
What are the good and bad things about the liberal Christian view?
- G = links religion with science (big bang + evolution)
- G = precise conditions suggest the involvement of a designer god
- B = so called precision may just be chance
- B = quantum physics suggests that the first elements that created the Big Bang could just appear, eliminating the need of a creator god
99
What are the 2 words that make up the trinity?
- tri = three
- unity
100
What is the trinity made out of?
The father, the son and the Holy Spirit
101
Problems with the trinity
- how is god both the father and the son?
- how can there be 3 separate parts to the trinity, yet Christianity is still monotheistic?
- god is meant to be immortal, but Jesus dies
102
Good things about the trinity
- makes god more personable with people = Christians believe the holy.spirit is still on earth today so god is close to them
- as god was made human in the form of Jesus, he knows what’s it like to be human and has experienced pain, betrayal and temptation, so ppl can pray to god knowing that he understands
103
What did Jesus say that people should call god by? Why?
- god should be called Abba, meaning ‘daddy’ in aramic
- god should be seen in the same way a child sees their dad (protector, role model, hero, provider)
- god loves them unconditionally as a father does his child
104
Give 3 names of god in Sikhism and why Sikhs would use them
- daata = giver - used when a Sikh hopes to recieve something
- raaka = protector - used when a Sikh would like protection
- pritam = lover - may be used when a Sikh is grateful to have received something
105
What are the 5 K’s?
Kangha, Kesh, Kara, Kachera, Kirpan
106
Kangha practical and symbolic use
- used to comb hair every morning and evening + fixed bun of hair under the turban
- represents self-discipline that god requires of all of Sikhs
107
Kesh practical and symbolic use
- men + women = cannot cut or trim hair (facial hair, some don’t even shave body hair!)
- symbol of holiness and respect of the body that god gave everyone
108
Kara practical and symbolic use
- worn on dominant wrist to remind the Sikh that everything you do is for god
- steel = strength of god + circle shape = eternity of god
109
Kachera practical and symbolic use
- worn by all Sikh men and some Sikh women
- symbolises how god calls them to be modest in dress
- tied by a knot called a nala = sexual restraint = men and women should treat each other with respect and see sex in marriage alone
110
Kirpan practical and symbolic use
- blunt knife strapped in a leather strap across the body
- symbolic of Sikhs being called to fight (not literally) for justice + god protects his people
111
What is the dabar sahib?
Prayer hall - doesn’t have to face a specific direction
112
Where do worshippers sit in the gurudwara? Why?
- worshippers sit on the floor, facing the scriptures
- symbolises the attitude of humility that worshippers should have as all are equal and sit on floor no matter of wealth, age or gender
113
What is the langar?
- kitchen of the gurudwara
- represents service towards others, an important aspect of worship
- considered a privilege to help and prepare the food
114
What is sewa?
- translated as ‘selfless service’
- practical worship of god who is present everywhere in everyone
115
What is kirtan?
- Devotional singing of shabads and musical accompaniment
- helps worshipper to become less self-centred and more god-centred
