Ancient Religions and Beliefs

Buddhism Christianity Confucianism Hinduism Islam

Judaism Zoroastrianism

Daoism Legalism

Zoroastrianism

Founded by Zoroaster. Persian prophet and religious reformer offered an answer to the basic question, “Why should so much suffering and chaos exist in the world?”

Purpose – to rid the world of suffering and chaos.

About 140,000, most in India

Relationships – Followers of Ahura Mazda, the God of Truth and Light also called the Supreme God, would receive paradise, and the followers of Ahriman, the God of Evil and Darkness, would suffer forever in a fiery pit.

Process – People’s own choices control their fate.

Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism Teachings – Avesta – Teachings of Zoroaster Gathas – Hymns and poetry

– Two spiritual armies fight for possession of a person’s soul.

– Developed ideas about heaven & hell, God & Satan, human soul and final judgment that had a great impact on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

– 1st Monotheistic religion, 6000-1500BCE– "Zoroastrianism is the oldest of the revealed world-

religions, and it has probably had more influence on mankind, directly and indirectly, than any other single faith." Mary Boyce.

Judaism Founded by

– Abraham was chosen as the “father” of the “chosen” Hebrew people.

– Moses led the Hebrews out of slavery.

Purpose – To be made a great nation, protected by god and blessed by him.

Relationships – – Obey God, Yahweh– Live justly with one another

Judaism Process –

– Monotheism, a belief in a single god.– A covenant was formed between God, Yahweh, and

the Hebrew people that if they obeyed Him, they would be protected.

Teachings – – Torah – 1st 5 books of the Old Testament– Talmud – Laws given to Moses by Yahweh– The Ten Commandments were given to the Hebrews

as civil and religious laws which regulated social and religious behavior.

Definitions The Ten Commandments

1) I am the Lord, thy God and Thou shalt not have any other gods before me.

2) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.3) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in

vain.4) Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.5) Honor thy father and thy mother.6) Thou shalt not kill.7) Thou shalt not commit adultery.8) Thou shalt not steal.9) Thou shalt not bear false witness.10) Thou shalt not covet.

Judaism

Judaism has influenced human behavior for thousands of years though Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Islam

Founded by Muhammad

Relationships – Belief in one God - Allah.

Muslim – One who follows Islam

Process – – Life long acts of worship

• The Five Pillars

Islam Teachings –

– Five Pillars of Islam• Faith – One God, Allah, Muhammad is his messenger.• Prayer – 5 times a day, facing Mecca (the east)• Alms or Charity – to the poor, a religious tax• Fasting – Month of Ramadan, one meal at the end of the day.• Pilgrimage – to Mecca, at least once in their life.

– Believe in the Bible and the prophets of Judaism and Christianity

– Qur’an – Words revealed to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel

– Shari’ah – Laws based on principles of the Qur’an, regulates religious, political and social aspects of life.

Islam

Two Main Divisions– Sunni – People of Tradition, quietists. Leaders are

elected, not blood related, majority

– Shi’ite – Activitists/radical, True leadership is passed through bloodlines, minority.

Belief in final judgment – Paradise or hell.

Christianity Founded by Jesus Christ

Purpose – To reach salvation by following the teachings of Christ

Relationships – Belief in one God– Often refer to God in three ways:

• God the Father, creator and Father of all humankind• God the Son, Jesus the Christ• God the Holy Spirit.;power of God experienced by people in their

lives, inspiring human beings all over the world. • This is not suggesting that there are three different Gods but one

God working in three different ways. It is how Christians explain that Jesus was God and a human.

Christianity Process –

– Live a good life, free of sins. – Repent of sins that you have/do.

• Through Jesus, it is possible for humanity to turn back to God and to be saved from sin. Anyone who has sinned and is truly sorry for what he or she has done can be sure of God’s forgiveness.

• Those who live a Christian life, believe in Jesus and turn back to God, can look forward to a further life of happiness after death, as they will be received into heaven.

Christianity Teachings –

– Teachings of Christ as recorded in the New Testament of the Bible.

– Nicene Creed - It is in three sections, states beliefs about God, Jesus and other aspects of Christianity.

– Belief in the resurrection. The Bible states that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was a sign that he had gained victory over the power of death. Because of this, death is not the end, and that after death there is eternal life.

– After death, the physical body dies but the spirit lives on. This spirit, or soul, is reunited with God (in heaven) and then finds eternal rest.

Branches of Christianity

Buddhism

Founded by Siddhartha Gautama

Purpose – Through meditation, find Nirvana, a refuge from inevitable suffering through living a moral and religious life. Avoid Extremes/conflicts.

Relationships – None, except with self, right thinking and good deeds.

Process – By understanding the Four Noble Truths, and mastering the Eightfold Path through a series of reincarnations, one could achieve ‘nirvana’.

Teachings – – Four Noble Truths– Eightfold Path– Five Precepts

Buddhism

Definitions Nirvana

– State of bliss, free from suffering and dissatisfaction. The release of selfishness and pain.

Ahimsa– Non-violence

Dharma– Religious and Moral duties

Karma– good or bad deeds – follows from one reincarnation to

another.

Definitions

Four Noble Truths1.Everything is suffering and sorrow.2.Caused by selfish desires of temporary

pleasures of the world.3.To end suffering, end desires.4.To overcome desires and attain enlightenment,

follow the Eightfold Path called the Middle Way between desires and self-denial.

• Right view• Seeing things as they really are, the truth of

things.• Right thought

• Think good things, free from selfish desires and ill will towards others.

• Right speech• Words have consequences; therefore, every

time a person speaks, they could be the cause of either good or evil. Avoid harsh words & lying, and try to say good things.

Eightfold Path

Eightfold Path• Right action

• Deeds have consequences. Actions are performed because they help a person attain Nirvana. Give up wanting anything.

• Right way of life• A person’s way of life must be the right one or

else it will be difficult to follow all the paths. • Example - certain types of jobs would interfere with

a person’s striving for freedom, some occupations are morally wrong. In order to have a chance, a person must have the right job and lifestyle.

Eightfold Path• Right effort

• Effort to rejecting anything which would interfere with a person’s progress towards right meditation.

• Right mindfulness• Pay full attention to what you are doing. Be

aware of what is going on and give attention to what is happening at present rather than thinking about the past or the future.

• Right concentration• Meditation. Concentrate the mind entirely on

one thing. The way to enlightenment is through attention not through fantasy.

Five Precepts

– Basic rules for the lay person– Five Precepts

• Refrain from destroying life – Don’t Kill• Refrain from taking what is not given – Don’t

Steal• Refrain from impurity – Stay Morally Clean• Refrain from Lying• Refrain from using intoxicating substances

• Both Buddhism and Hinduism involve a break from the chain of reincarnations once a perfect state of understanding is achieved. For Buddhism this is called Nirvana, in Hinduism, this is called Moksha.

Hinduism Founded by – No single founder

Brahman (or the world soul) has three main functions and these are portrayed by the three gods, Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu.– Sometimes these are referred to as the supreme

gods.– Brahma - Creator and source of all creation.– Vishnu - Preserver and keeps all good things on

earth.– Shiva - Destroyer and is needed because some

things are harmful and change is necessary for the creation of new things.

– Each of the supreme gods has a female partner (consort)

Purpose – To liberate the soul from the illusions, disappointments, and mistakes of everyday life. Attain Moksha. Non-violence

Relationships – When one understands the relationship between atman (the individual soul) and Brahman (the world soul), that person will achieve perfect understanding and release from life in this world (moksha).

Hinduism

Hinduism Process – Understanding does not usually come in

one lifetime, but through the process of reincarnation (rebirth), until moksha is achieved. Three different paths may be chosen to achieve moksha.– Path of Knowledge. Through meditation, it is

possible to know the truth and be released from the attachments of this world.

– Path of Self-Realization. Achieved by living free from the desire for selfish gain and dedicating everything one does to God.

– Path of Devotion. It is devotion to God, is achieved through daily worship, in prayer and in offerings. This path is God-centred, where a person's actions are performed for God and not for themselves.

Hinduism Teachings – Karma - every action has an

effect, and that there is a cause for everything that happens in life. – A person's karma will affect their future

lives: evil or selfish actions will result in an unhappy future while unselfish or good actions will bring benefits in the next life.

– Belief that every Hindu is born into a particular caste (varna/social status) as a result of their behaviour in a previous life.

– Ahimsa - Do not kill or do violence, especially cows

• Mother cow – Source of food and material goods– Vedas – Prayers and Hymns– Upanishads – Collection of writings, learn about

Brahman and the Universe.

Definitions

Atman - the individual soul Brahman – the world soul that contains

and unites all atmans. Karma – good or bad deeds – follows

from one reincarnation to another. Ahimsa - Non-violence Dharma - Religious and Moral duties

Hinduism

Hindus today are free to choose the deity they worship or to choose none at all.

Most choose to try and achieve moksha by following the Path of Devotion.

Confucianism

Founded by Confucius

Purpose – Ethics, to improve oneself morally, socially and politically.

Relationships – Social and Civic responsibility, order and harmony

Process – Education, Filial Piety.

Confucianism Teachings –

– The Analects– The Five Classics– Social order, harmony, and good government

could be achieved if society was organized by the Five Basic Relationships

– Education can transform a humbly born person into a gentleman.

Confucianism Education became critically important to career

advancement in the bureaucracy.

About 6 million (26,000 in US)

“If a ruler himself is upright, all will go well without orders. But if he himself is not upright, even though he gives orders, they will not be obeyed.”

Golden Rule : “Do not unto others what you would not want other to do unto you.”

Definitions

Filial Piety - Children should respect their parents and elders.

Five Basic Relationships: – Ruler and Subject– Father and Son– Husband and Wife– Older Brother and Younger Brother– Friend and Friend.

• Shows importance of FAMILY and the individual’s responsibility to community

Daoism

Based on the philosophy of Laozi.– A universal force called Dao, meaning “the Way,”

refers to the power that envelops, surrounds and flows through all living and non-living things (Animism).

Purpose – To gain knowledge and understanding of nature. Achieve balance in the universe, harmony of opposites (love/hate).

About 20 million, Taiwan. Relationships – Nature, scientific studies. Reject

Conflict.

Daoism

Process – – If you seek order and harmony, go up into the hills, and observe

that nothing in nature strives for fame, power, or even wisdom.

Influences – Acupuncture, Meditation, Tai Chi, Holistic Medicine.

Teachings – Its search for knowledge and understanding of nature led followers to pursue scientific studies such as alchemy, astronomy, and medicine.

Legalism No real founder

Purpose – Order

Relationships - Achieving a highly efficient and powerful government was the key to restoring order.

Process – Control ideas and actions. They suggested that a ruler burn all writings that might encourage people to think critically about the government.

Legalism

Teachings – – Ruler should provide rich rewards for people

who carried out their duties well, likewise, the disobedient would be harshly punished.

– It was for the prince to govern and the people to obey.

– Salvation depends on strict following of laws and ritual.