World religions

Question 1

Modern Judaism

Answer 1

• Ethnicity and religion become very important (blood line), no evangelizing, ties to ethnicity.
• Judaism is a religion of Deed not Creed: it’s about what you do (laws and customs) This determines where you fall as a Jew (Orthodox, conservative, reform).

Question 2

Judaism afterlife

Answer 2

• Orthodox believes there is a heaven (“The place to come”)
• Reformed does not believe in an afterlife
• Conservative may or may not believe in an afterlife.
  * If you are born Jewish you are automatically on path to afterlife, as long as you don’t do anything really bad.

Question 3

Who is God to the jews

Answer 3

• Orthodox: God is transcendent (above the line), he is personal and relates to people.
• Reform: Atheist (no God).
• Conservative: He is a spirit that will help think correctly and live ethically

Question 4

Jewish practices

Answer 4

Circumcision, bar mitzvah, shiva, Muzzafuzza (reminder)

Question 5

Muhammed

Answer 5

• 570 A.D: Muhammad was born, 632 A.D Muhammad dies
• He marries a rich widow. He is in high economic status , so he very significant. He then tries to spread islam, but many people get mad at him so he flees to medina. He the builds an army and conquers mecca and it becomes Muslim. It grows rapidly after that.

Question 6

Ka’bah

Answer 6

Cube that houses gods/ idols of all the tribes in the Arabian peninsula.

Question 7

two main branches of Islam

Answer 7

Sunni (80%) - Goal: convert or die, Next elected: who best follows koran, Civil and religious leaders are fine
Shi’ite - Blood line, Mary church and state, Goal: Islamic state

Question 8

5 doctrines of Islam

Answer 8

God: God is Allah: no one is like him, no one is equal, saying that someone is equal is a great sin without forgiveness. He is holy, just, and powerful. He is not merciful or loving He is distant and would never become man
-Angels: Angels are very important: Gabriel - Angels - Jinn, Every one has two angels, one to keep track of good and one to keep track of bad

-Prophets: There have been many prophets: Prophets in Israel wrote the Torah and the Psalms. Jesus was a prophet, and his stories developed the gospels.
The ultimate prophet was Muhammad: the final understanding of Allah, he is the greatest prophet. He receives the koran which is the only uncorrupt scripture.

• Revelation: The Gospels and the Torah were given by Allah, but were corrupted by Jews and Christians.
• Judgement: Judgment day, Your book of good, and book of bads are weighed. Good deeds fill the good book.

Question 9

Islam doctrines

Answer 9

• The creed: There is no God but Allah and Allah is his prophet
• Prayer: pray 5 times a day, Once a week you must go to the mosque and pray with each other.
• Fasting: Ramadan -during daylight no eating, drinking, smoking, sex: reminder to submit to him.
• Almsgiving: giving to the poor and needy, 1/40 of what you have.
• Pilgrimage: All muslims who are able should go to Mecca during hajj. Worship at Kaba. Reminder to submit to Allah.

Question 10

Hinduism History

Answer 10

-Hinduism is a very old religion and is interwoven with the country of India
-In the 1500s hinduism was polytheistic (many gods) and ritualistic (lots of rituals to appease those gods.
(800-300) Hinduism changed forever, Upanishads (scriptures) - no longer polytheistic. These scriptures speak of Brahman - one deity.
-The priests were wealthy and oppressed the Hindus so they rebel which changes the religion. It becomes much more about internal meditation. (the people took ownership of their faith.

Question 11

Brahman

Answer 11

The Hindu God, Formless and impersonal, “it” links everything in the universe together

Question 12

Ishvara

Answer 12

Because Brahman is so impersonal there is reincarnation so that people on earth can connect with Brahman.

Question 13

Brahmin

Answer 13

Priest that Show how to do rituals - Vedas (scriptures), Lead the people.

Question 14

3 big categories of Brahman

Answer 14

Brahma: Creator
Vishnu: Preserver
Siva: destroyer
These sometimes appear as things on earth (avatars) - can be people or animals. (Jesus is an avatar that leads to Brahman).

Question 15

categories of hinduism

Answer 15

Non-dualist: Only one reality and that s Brahman everything else is and illusion.
Qualified non-dualist: reality is all Brahman
Dualist- Brahman is real and the physical world is real, they are different.

Question 16

The four Vedas

Answer 16

“Shruti” - 1st set of scriptures. Most Authoritative

Question 17

All scriptures beside the four vedas

Answer 17

“smiti” - tons of stories, most hindus live like this.

Question 18

The five beliefs of Hinduism

Answer 18

• Impersonal nature of Brahman: Not a person who will talk or listen just the oneness of everything
• Brahman/ Atman Unity: Your persona is in unity with Brahman.
• The laws of karma: The “problem in the world” is that we have forgotten that we are Brahman - you believe you are unique and when you believe this you are subject to the law of karma
• Samsara (reincarnation): every revolving circle of life death and rebirth. Hopefully come back better. Come back at different species/ gender/ person. End goal is -Moksha (liberation).
• Moksha (liberation): you finally get it and die, you don’t come back you merge isto moksha, merge with Brahman.

Question 19

3 ways to seek enlightenment

Answer 19

Way of ritual and action
Knowledge in meditation: clear mind of yourself
The way of devotion: passionately following avatar

Question 20

Siddhartha Gautama’s life

Answer 20

• (563 - 483 B.C):
  Period of enlightenment
  1. Good life, wealthy, lived at families palace, protected from old age, sickness, death, poverty.
  He then leaves and sees all suffering and can’t go on
  2. Period of Enquiry (534-528)
  Leaves palace life behind, abandons family
  For 6 years he pursues an ascetic (choosing hardship) life, Almost starves to death
  3. Period of enlightenment (528-483)
  Achieve enlightenment or die
  Sat under fig tree and meditated, he was tempted by mara and he resisted, when he resisted he became Buddha (enlightened one).
  The answer to suffering is the middle way (managing desires)

Question 21

How Buddhism spread

Answer 21

• Ultimate reality is to merge into nothingness because life is suffering. Strive for peaceful rest
• Anyone can achieve enlightenment even peasants (gov. Does not like this)
• Specific way to get enlightened - missionary

Question 22

The four noble truths

Answer 22

1. Life consists of suffering
2. Everything is impermanent and we suffer because we desire these things (desire leads to suffering)
3. Get rid of desire , and you’ll get rid of suffering.
4. Desire can be limited via the 8 fold path

Question 23

The 8 fold path

Answer 23

-Widom (foundation)
Right understanding (understand truth of the world)
Right thought (push away desires)
-Ethical conduct
Right speech (speak well of others)
Right action - don’t take life, don’t steal, don’t be sexually immoral, dont lie, dont get intoxicated
Right livelihood (be moral in job).
-Mental discipline
Right effort (anytime you have and evil thought push it away)
Right awareness - don’t let guard down, you could start having desires
Right meditation - clearing mind of everything