Religion Quiz Prep Flashcards
Define monotheism.
Religion that believes in only one god.
Which three major world religions are monotheistic?
Islam, Judaism, and Christianity
What is a sect?
A set of beliefs
What rules do Islam , Judaism, and Christianity all embrace to some degree?
The Ten Commandments
What is orthodoxy?
Fundamentalism; following the religious texts as literally as possible
Which 3 religions have roots in or around Jerusalem?
Islam, Judaism, and Christianity
Who founded Judaism, and when did he found it?
Abraham around 1300 B.C. (some sources say 2000 B.C.)
What are the 5 major beliefs followed in Judaism?
1) Monotheistic - one God created universe and rules over it
2) Be faithful to God and follow the Ten Commandments
3) Say daily prayers
4) Honor the Sabbath
5) Eat Kosher (food in accordance with ritual standards)
What is Judaism’s sacred text?
The Torah
What is written in the Torah?
The first 5 books of the Old Testament in a different order.
How many are in the Jewish population?
15 million Jews worldwide; largest group in Israel
Who founded Christianity and when was it founded?
Jesus in first century AD
How many are in the Christian population?
Over 2 billion worldwide; largest religion
What sect of Christianity has over one billion followers?
Roman Catholic
Who founded Islam and when did he found it?
Muhammad the Prophet in 610 AD
What are the two main Islamic beliefs?
Submission to god (Allah)
Muhammad is the prophet and law giver
What is the sacred text of Islam?
The Koran (Qu’ran)
What is the Koran?
Islamic holy book that contains messages from the angel Gabriel to Muhammad; some stories are variations on Biblical ones
What are the Five Pillars of Islam?
1) Faith - submission to god’s will
2) Prayer - 5x a day facing Mecca (kneel, bow, touch forehead to the ground)
3) Alms - giving of charity (wealthy should assist poor and weak)
4) Fasting - occurs during Ramadan (sunrise to sunset), call for prayer, then 3 day party
5) Pilgrimage - Hajj to Mecca; expected to make trip at least once
What is the population of Islam?
About one billion followers
What are the two sects of Islam and where are they located?
Sunni - 85%; considered orthodox; ISIS; live in Iraq
Shi’ite - 15%; disagrees with who should be the successors; live in Iran
Where do Muslims live?
Africa, Asia, Middle East
Where do Jews live?
Israel
Where do:
a) Protestants live?
b) Catholics live?
a) North America, South Africa, Northern Europe, Australia
b) South America, Central Africa, Western Europe
Where do Hindus live?
India
Where do Buddhists live?
Mongolia, Eastern China, Koreas
Where are the three traditional Indian beliefs?
1) All living things have souls (animals are sacred; killing is forbidden)
2) Reincarnation - rebirth of the soul that passes through life forms before spiritual perfection
3) Next life depends on Karma
Who founded Hinduism and when was it founded?
No particular person; founded around 1500 B.C.; one of the oldest major religions
When did Hinduism and Judaism reach their classical forms?
5th century AD
What is the Hindu sacred text?
No single religious text; great diversity of belief and practice; Vedas are one text
What do Hindus worship?
Divine reminders of gods and animals
What are the two most sacred animals?
Cows and peacocks
What day is the Hindu Sabbath?
No universally accepted Sabbath; every day is the Sabbath
What is reincarnation?
Path to spiritual perfection based on Karma
What is a common pathway to enlightenment?
Yoga
What is the Caste System?
4-5 class system that you are born into
What are the orders of the Caste system?
1) Priests and Academics (Brahmins)
2) Military (Kshatriyas)
3) Middle Class (Vaishyas)
4) Peasants and Servants (Sudras)
5) Untouchables (Dalit)
What are Hindus expected to do within their class?
Marry, eat, drink, smoke, etc.
What is the Hindu population?
850 million - 1 billion worldwide
Where is the largest grouping of Hindus found?
India (90%)
Who founded Buddhism and when did he found it?
Founded by Siddhartha Gautama in 525 B.C.
What is India’s 2nd religion?
Buddhism
What are the three major beliefs of Buddhism?
1) Reincarnation, but anyone can stop cycle by following the eightfold path
2) 4 Noble Truths
3) The Eightfold Path
What are the Four Noble Truths?
1) All people suffer and know sorrow.
2) People suffer because of their desires.
3) People can end their suffering by eliminating desire.
4) People can eliminate desire by following the eightfold path.
What is the Eightfold Path?
1) Know truth.
2) Resist evil.
3) Say nothing to hurt others.
4) Respect life.
5) Work for the good of others.
6) Free your minds of evil.
7) Control your thoughts.
8) Practice meditation.
What is the sacred text of Buddhism?
There is none; shares basic beliefs with Hinduism
What did Buddha teach?
Life is filled with suffering. To be free of suffering, believers give up their worldly possessions and goals in order to reach Nirvana.
What is Nirvana?
State of oneness with universe and freedom from rebirth.
How many are in the Buddhist population?
360 million worldwide
Where is the largest Buddhist grouping found?
Asia (98%)
