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Life with four noble truths
item that seems gratifying and lovable, thereon it is abandoned and made to cease. There are three aspects to the Third Noble Truth: ‘There is the cessation of suffering. The cessation of suffering should be realized. Last is the cessation of suffering has been realized.’
Millions of male and female Buddhists worldwide live their lives using the Four Noble Truths, but what are the Four Noble Truths? The first noble truth is the truth of suffering. The second noble truth is the truth of the origin of suffering. The third noble truth is the truth of cessation of suffering. The fourth noble truth is the way to the cessation of suffering. The aim of Buddhist teaching is to develop a reflective mind in order to let go of delusions this is why the four noble truths have The White Lotus been The white lotus is a Buddhist symbol which symbolizes Bodhi. developed to teach about letting go by investigating into contemplating: ‘Why is it this way? Why is it like this?’ Bodhi is the state of spiritual perfection.
The Second Noble Truth The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering states that suffering is craving, craving for sensual desired, craving for non-being, and craving for beings. The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering has three aspects, there is the origin of suffering, desire should be let go, and desire has been eliminated. The Second Noble truth also speaks of the origin of suffering which is attachment to three kinds of desires: desire for sense pleasure, desire to become, and desire to eliminate of (Sumedho). The Third Noble Truth The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering states that the Cessation of Suffering is the remainder less cessation and fading of your craving; the relinquishing, leaving, rejecting, and renouncing of it. The Noble Truth states that wherever there is an
T
he Blue Lotus The blue lotus is the Buddhist symbol for the victory of the spirit over the senses.
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as a shrine with a statue of Buddha such as anger. three parts to being and candles. Buda BudThe red lotus is the lotus of love and symbolizes the original nature of the dhist also go to dhist; heart. temples to worship, faith, Buddhist tempractice, ples are not esand study. sential for worship. Buddhist will visit shines and temples to pay their respects to Buddha and meditate with other people that share the same beliefs. Their religion does not Practices cause them to make changes to We all have our own way their everyday life they could have one of the busiest lives and still be of doing things, or an everyday plan we stick too. That’s the same able to practice Dharma. with Buddhism, Buddhist have A well-known Buddhist practices that they do every day or temple would be the stupa; it is a at least on days where it’s needed. stone like Everything a Buddhist does in structure. terms of practices and rituals is Many Budjust an aid for their journey to en- dhist will go lightenment and bring good luck there to medito others and themselves. All of tate with other the practices and rituals are all de- Buddhist to rived from the earlier teachings of make it closer Buddha. One of the most popular to enlightenpractices that Buddhist partakes in ment. Buddhist is meditation. Meditation is what temples are the whole religion revolves designed to simulate a number of around, meditation and treating different elements. Those eleothers the way you want to be ments include water, fire, earth, treated. That is the golden rule, wisdom, and air. All Buddhist which is what they all follow to temples will also contain either lead them to the path of enlighten- and image or statute of Buddha. ment. Most often Buddhist will Buddhist are taught to keep any 5 dedicate a room or place to make negative thought out of their head The Red Lotus
They try to develop positive minds with love happiness and wisdom. During meditation Buddhist wipe away all the bad and negative feeling they have and turn it into something more positive. During the meditation break I when they are out of meditation and then they develop wisdom through virtuous minds. This makes also makes their actions more constructive because meditation clears there
practices. This is called Gongyo
and during that Buddhist will recite portions from the lotus sutra.
mind and give them better more positive minds. Some Buddhist also does morning and evening
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The first noble truth Precious Umbrella The noble truth of sufferings has three aspects, there is sufferThe precious umbrella symbolizes wholesome activities to preserve ing. Suffering should be underbeings from harm. stood. Suffering has been understood. According to the first noble truth, suffering is a common bond in which we all share, suffering effects everyone who has lived, Right-Coiled White Conch lives today, and will ever live. The first noble truth states that there The white conch symbolizes the are five categories which are affar reaching teachings of the Dharma teachings. fected by clinging which are considered suffering. Examples of the five categories which are conWorks cited sidered suffering are birth, ag- BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 18 May 2014. ing, sickness, dissociation from "Buddhist Rituals & Practices." Buddhist Rituals and Practices. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May the loved, and not getting what 2014. one wants. "Daily Practice." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2014. "Rituals in Buddhism." Insight Meditation Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2014. "What Is Buddhism? Learn about Buddha's Teachings and Beliefs. | KMC New York." KMC New York RSS2. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2014. "The Eight Auspicious Symbols." Buddhist Studies. BuddhaNet, 13 May 2014. "The Symbol of the Lotus." Buddhist Studies. BuddhaNet, Web. 12 May 2014 Purple Lotus The purple lotus is the mystic lotus. The eight peddles represent the Eightfold path.
"The Eight-Fold Path." Buddhist Studies. BuddhaNet, Web.12 May 2014 "The First Noble Truth." The Four Noble Truths. BuddhaNet, Web. 16 May 2014. "The Second Noble Truth." The Four Noble Truths. BuddhaNet, Web. 16 May 2014. "The Third Noble Truth." The Four Noble Truths. BuddhaNet, Web. 16 May 2014. "The Forth Noble Truth." The Four Noble Truths. BuddhaNet, Web. 16 May 2014. "The First Noble Truth." Buddhist Studies. BuddhaNet, Web. 16 May 2014
Gnanarama, Pategama. Essentials of Buddhism. Singapore: Pategama Gnanarama, 2000. Print Sumedho. The Four Noble Truths. Hertfordshire, England: Amaravati Publications, 1992. Print.
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Making a Difference, One Religion at a Time
ing animals, or other human beings. But there is no dietary law that specifically says what you can and can not eat.
pf Buddha all in one day, the first full moon in May except in a leap year it is celebrated in June.
Some facts about Buddha also known as Siddhartha Gautama, when he was born it was predicted he would grow up to become a great ruler or a saint. His father rather him be a ruler and locked him in a palace and was not allowed outside. He was only provided with the knowledge he needed to become a great ruler. His last words to all his followers before he passed away were “To work toIn Christianity the holy book is the Bible, this allows wards their own deliverance as Christians to read and learn about nothing in this world is permatheir religion, and the followings. nent.” When he began teaching he But, in Buddhism, and in some had hundreds of followers that lisother religions, they do not have a Buddhists also wear mala beads set sacred text, or holy book. Bud- that they wear when they meditate. tened to him, and took in his words as advice, and the way to live their dhism has books that are published Commonly known holidays are Christmas, New Years, Easter and more. In Theravada countries; Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, and Laos, the new year is celebrated for three days, from the first full moon day in April. In Mahayana countries the New Year starts on the first full moon day in January. Bodhi Day honors the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautawhere you can read and follow the ma, The Buddha. Bodhi Day is lives. As you can see, Buddha has religion. One common book most usually celebrated on the eighth of a big impact on the Buddhism reliBuddhists do read is the Dhamma, December, this is celebrated with gion. which reads about Buddhism, and prayer, meditation, and teachings. its followings, and how to follow Traditionally, Buddha’s the right path of that religion. birthday is known as Vesak, or ViMost Buddhists are vegesakah Puja. Vesak is the biggest tarians according to the First Per- Buddhist festival, as it celebrates cept, they do not believe in harm- the birth, enlightenment, and death Buddhism began in India in the 5th century B.C.E. Siddhartha Gautama also known as “Buddha” the awakened one, is said and known to be the founder of Buddhism. Buddhism then began spreading to Nepal, China, Tibet, Japan, and Asia, where the Middle Way was accepted. The Middle Way allows them not to stress, if this is followed it is said to lead to enlightenment.
A traditional Buddhist also known as a monk wears an orange robe. It is orange due to the dyes that were available at the time. They wear these robes to symbolize simplicity and detachment of materialism. Monks also shave their heads to symbolize simplicity and detachment of materialism.
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Buddhism’s laws are very important to them and the way they live. The Buddhists golden rule is the five precepts. The five precepts are a main part of their laws. The five precepts are,1. To abstain from taking the lives of living beings. 2. To abstain from taking that which is not given. 3. To abstain from sexual misconduct. 4. To abstain from telling falsehoods. 5. To abstain from distilled and fermented intoxicants, which are the occasion for carelessness, which also includes drugs. The purpose of them having the five precepts is to prevent bad karma and to reach Nirvana. Another important law to the Buddhists is the law of karma. The purpose of the law of karma is teaching the responsibil-
permanent states, either physical or animate, exists. Dukkha states
from the selfishness and passions. He makes no promises for the sake of power, individual or collective. Beginning with the regular observance of the Five Precepts positively and negatively we reduce our greed and hatred. We develop good habits of kindness, compassion, honesty, and truthfulness. Steady habits are the base of good character, without. A person is rightly trained in body, speech, and mind it would have to be a disciplined, well minded, well that all complexes of phenomena, being human being, able to live in are in the final analysis unsatispeace and harmony with himself factory. Anatta is the third law and others. Dharma is the teachand it states that there is no perings of Buddha. The reason why manent essence soul. The goal of they are taught about Buddha inBuddhism is the meaning of stead of a god is because Buddha life. It is to maintain from taught them the sufferings and misgreed, freeing your mind from enmity and anger because they eries living beings face every day in want to free themselves and the life. reason why they follow those laws is to shape their own nature and influence others by their moral actions.
Culture comes from a word meaning to grow. In Buddhism, the arahant, a person who has attained enlightenity for any unpleasant actions by ment, is the perfect mash up of the person who commits them. culture. He has emptied himself The three fundamental laws of Buddha are, Anicca, Dukkha, and of all selfishness, greed, hatred, delusion, purity and selfless comAnatta. Anicca is the law of impassionate serving. Things of the permanence asserts that all phenomena are subject to constant world do not tempt him, he is free change, to rise and fall, and no
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Buddhism: Origin and Impact on quires disciples to become monks Society and concentrate on reaching nirvana, the state of bliss that transBuddhism originated in Northern cends suffering. A new Buddhist sect,Mahayana, was created in the India in the 5th century. Origins trace back to Siddhartha Gautama first century A.D. It prowho saw the suffering in the moted the world and set out to find a cure. He is believed to be born in what Buddha Shakyamuni is now Nepal. He served as a prince for 29 years. When he was to the status of a deity 29, he traveled to meet his subjects. While traveling, he saw an and expandold man. When his charioteer ex- ed the pantheon. Boplained to him that all people grew old, the prince went on fur- dhisattvas were Buddhists who postponed ther trips beyond the palace. On their own nirvana to help humanthese trips he encountered a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and kind on the path to salvation. Maan ascetic. These depressed him, hayana Buddhism spread from India, to Central Asia and was and he initially strove to overcome ageing, sickness.After leav- especially popular in the Far East, including China, Korea, and Jaing his life as a prince, he practiced under two hermit teachers of pan. yogic meditation. After meditatBuddhism has had an important, ing and analyzing, he reached a state of enlightenment and, when peaceful impact on society. Its teachings awaken the self-respect he died, was released from the and feeling of self- responsibility cycle of rebirth. Buddha teaches of many people. It gives life a the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Siddhartha’s ver- sense of meaning by giving people hope of reaching Nirvana and sion of Buddhism teaches that being released from the realms of there is no supreme deity, and, through concerted individual ef- existence. It teaches its followers fort and action, could achieve en- that their destiny lies in their own lightenment. This sect is practiced hands. To reach Nirvana, Budin most of Southeast Asia. It re- dhists must follow the Four Noble
Truths and The Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths are the first things that Buddha taught his followers. They are the reality of Dukkha as part of conditioned existence, that Dukkha has a casual arising, the end of Dukkha, and the Path that leads to Awakening. The reality of Dukkha is realizing that there are things like suffering, pain, and affliction in the world. The Eightfold Path is the heart of Buddhism. It consists of the complete or perfect vision, perfected emotion or aspiration, perfected or whole speech, integral action, proper livelihood, vayama, sati, and full integral or holistic samadhi. If people were to follow the teachings of Buddha, the world would be a much better place. People would stop fighting and find better ways to solve their problems. People would try to live a better life because they would have the hope of reaching Nirvana. Buddhism has had a major impact on society. It has had the same impact on Eastern countries as Christianity has had on Western culture.
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Siddhartha Gautama was Found the truth of suffering born in Lumbini Gardens, Nepal, and found a way to end it. India. Queen Maha Maya gave birth Dharma to Siddhartha on a full moon day of Vesak. He lived a life of luxury as a Dharma is the teachings Prince and was kept from all probtaught by the Buddha. lems outside of his palace by his Sangha father, King Suddhodana. SiddharSangha is a group of ordained tha finally decided to visit out of monks. the palace and after seeing the sufIn order to find a way out of fering everyone has to go through suffering, you must follow the in life, he decides to find the truth. eightfold path. Siddhartha earned the title of Eight Fold Path “Buddha” after becoming enlightened. 1. Right understanding He is the founder of BudMeans to have a positive minddhism and discovered the truth set of oneself and the world about suffering through his own 2. Right Thought experience while trying to find a way to end misery and find peace in Means to think in the right way life. Buddha shared his teachings to 3. Right Speech help people find a way out of suffering. Buddha was not a god or Means to avoid lying, gossipcreator nor did he claim to be one. ing, frivolous talk and harsh After becoming enlightened, he words helped other sentient beings in an 4.Right Action effort to reach enlightenment. He Not to harm any life and to not came up with the conduct of life to avoid the extremes of luxury and steal asceticism called “The Middle 5. Right Livelihood Way”. It is the gentle path to leadTo not live on work that would ing true enlightenment. bring any harm to living beings How to become a Buddhist in any way To become a Buddhist is simple, you must have devotion. You must 6. Right Effort also practice daily on the three imTo do your best to become a portant things such as doing good better person deeds, avoid committing bad, and to purify your mind. Follow the 7. Right Mindfulness Buddhist Golden Rule. Be respectTo be always aware and attenful at all times and treat others the tive way you would want to be treated. You must take refuge in the Tri- 8. Right Meditation ple Gem: To keep your mind purified and
Buddha
remain serene in order to see the
true nature of things. The daily activities Buddhists do in their everyday life are praying, meditating, listening and studying the dharma, and practicing mindfulness. Daily Buddhist Practices Do good Take refuge in the triple gems: Buddha, Dharma,Sangha, Pray everyday, Practice offering and sharing, Avoid doing bad, Follow the 5 precepts: Abstain from killing, Abstain from stealing, Abstain from lying, Abstain from sexual misconduct Abstain from doing any drugs/ alcohol, Purify your mind, Meditate everyday. Learn from right from wrong Buddhists must take refuge in the triple gem. Monks Life Have you ever wondered what monks do in their everyday lives? Monks lives are very secure. Monks, also called Bhikkhus, are offered food/meals between dawn and midday. They are not allowed to consume food after midday, only any liquid or water can be taken during that time. Donations such as clothing and medicine are offered by lay people to the monks.Most of their time is spent doing activities such as:Studying in either groups or individually, Meditation, Performance of religious services for the lay community (Teaching and Passing on the Dharma)
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Historical Fact Christianity is a religion full of many interesting facts and historical information. Just like Islam and Judaism, Christianity started from the roots of Abraham. The main aspects that differentiate Christianity from the other two can be their concepts of Jesus and the New Testament. Jesus was a Jewish man who was born in the corner of the Roman Empire. He was born from the Virgin Mary and was soon after labeled the King of the Jews. From here was where most of the New Testament had started.
the soldiers which of the men were Jesus. Jesus was then sent to court to await his inevitable execution. Judas had hung himself soon after it had happened. Jesus was crucified before his own mother and was later buried within a tomb. Three days later, it was discovered he had risen and continued on to preach to his disciples.
Moving forward, those were the historical facts that all Christians believe in. It is believed that when Jesus was crucified, he was dying for the sins of everyone who chooses to believe in the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity, as described in scripture, consists of three main entities. All these entities make up one God. A major misconception that people make is that the Holy Trinity makes Christianity monotheistic. This is false as The life of Jesus was full of many struggles. all three make one. To know the truth of Christianity, it is good to look back on the historical facts of the reliAs soon as he was born, the Roman king had orgion. “Jesus died for the sins of many. Without Him, dered the slaughter of every baby boy in hopes of removing the threat of a new Jewish king. Jesus had we would have no hope.� said Pastor Mark while being obviously escaped and went on with his life and be- interviewed. came a carpenter until it was time to start his teachSo overall, it is important to know the historical ings. At that time, Jesus had recruited his own per- facts in order to completely understand the religion of sonal followers and taught them himself. These fol- Christianity. The historical facts that revolve around the lowers were later called his disciples. Jesus traveled life of Jesus is key to understanding scripture, and more with his disciples, teaching and performing many specifically, the New Testament. The historical facts miracles along the way. Eventually, word got out of that revolve around the Old Testament and Abraham his accomplishments. The King wanted Jesus to be can also be a good way of getting knowledge of not onturned in as he did not believe Jesus was truly the ly Christianity, but also Judaism and Islam. Reading the son of God. similarities between the three can really show how close the three religions really are. It shows how astonAfter the iconic Last Supper, Judas had betrayed ishing life can be as these very similar religions are Jesus by kissing him on the cheek, which signaled constantly at war in our world. It is proven that learning the historical facts of religion can prove to be beneficial in multiple ways.
Stereotypes
What are your first impressions when you see a Christian? Do you assume they are judgmental and way too superficial? Just because you have came across a Christian and noticed some characteristics does not mean that all of the Christian faith would fall into one or all of the stereotypes of that one person.
- Brendan Oechsle bic. But not all of them feel that way about them but mostly all would say that gay marriage is wrong. So that stereotype is a common misconception.
People would also say that Christians are hypocritical because it is said that Christians still sin but look at the outsiders as evil. It only matters if you repent and do not do it again. Also, people believe that Christians sin but think Most people would say that Christians a feel certain way about homosexuals which may be true to that God will forgive them. According to scripture, it is a certain extent. It depends more on the individual ra- actually a sin to think that Jesus will automatically forgive ther than the faith. The bible says that men should not you when you sin because every sin comes with a consebe with men; they made men for women. That would quence. be a reason why some of the Christians are homopho12
Impacts of Christianity
Christianity is one of the most influential religions in the world. With over two billion followers, Christianity leads the world for the highest population for a single religion. The religion establishes positive and friendly morals for people to live by in order to obtain good character. Today, Christianity’s influence covers regions all over the world. From America to parts of Asia, Christianity can be considered a significant factor in many peoples’ lives. The calendar that society uses even comes from Christian influence. Some of the most celebrated holidays such as Christmas, Easter, Good Friday and even Thanksgiving came from Christian roots. So it is safe to say that the religion has had influence on both the world and everyone as individuals.
Impact On
America today? (Page 2)
To continue on, Christianity can be considered a factor of governmental institutions. The concepts of liberty, justice and equality all originated from Christian laws and biblical patterns. The influence even goes outside the government and even into economic freedom, science, art, architecture, literature and even symbols. Expanding from institutions, Christianity has also had a huge impact on the music of today. The whole genre of “gospel music” was introduced through churches wanting to have a musical sense in their worship. That theory was what eventually evolved into the well-known artists of today such as Lecrae and the band Skillet. Moving from music to science, many make the misconception that all Christianity does is slow the progress of the scientific fields. The fact is that
many scientific advances were because of the concept of religion. These advances can range from Newton, who was a Christian, to modern day discoveries with particle physics. No doubt that without Christianity our progress of science would hugely differentiate from where it is now.
What Is a
Distracted To add onto the field of science, Christianity Driver?has had a
significant role to architecture. Within many local areas, it can be easy to recall many different churches that are around. Many of these churches can include cathedrals which have architectural designs that can put anybody who observes them in awe. Early churches even had a significant impact on revolutionizing the way we design homes and buildings today. Even in this generation some of the most impressive architecture can be found in Christian-based cathedrals and even museums.
(Page 2)
Lastly, let’s consider what Christianity has done for our country. Not only was it the base of our amendment rights, but it also was the whole reason that drove travelers to finding this country. If it was not for religion in general, the pilgrims would have never been motivated into coming to America. No doubt that without Christianity America would have never been the same. So overall, it is safe to say that it is impossible to overestimate the influence Christianity has had on our world. The Golden Rule, which is to treat others the way you would like to be treated, is taught in both Christianity and many other religions alike. Christianity positively influences the morals of people and has had significant influence in the holidays and concepts all citizens see today. - Brendan Oechsle
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Beliefs, Practices and Laws
EIGHT: 'You shall not steal.' NINE: 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.'
When Christians pray, no matter what race or beliefs they all come together as one to thank God for giving us light and life. As a Christian they live To relation of God. Practices make us think about who we truly are as they created and newly created children of God. All people engage on most or all of the practices in practicing our faith in one way or another. Most Christians will follow the Ten Commandments, I’m not being stereotypical I didn’t say all ONE: 'You shall have no other gods before me.' TWO: 'You shall not make for yourself a carved image--and likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.' THREE: 'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.' FOUR: 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.. FIVE: 'Honor your father and your mother.' SIX: 'You shall not murder. SEVEN: 'You shall not commit adultery.'
TEN: 'You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’ They follow what they grew up to learn, different prays, different ways to life, don't believe in homosexuality etc. The Golden rule is a big part of Christian’s life. Treat others how you want to be treated. Don’t steal from people, because you don't want them to steal from you. Don’t kill people, because you don't want to kill you. It’s like a boomerang, what goes around comes back around. If you treat people right it will come back to you someday. So if you see someone, like an old lady walking help her across the street. One day a train could be going and you drive on the track and you barely beat the train because of the good you did in the past. Christians also believe in the second coming of Jesus. Jesus is going to have a second coming when the time is right. Beliefs say that it won't be long for him to come back for the second coming. If you receive good make sure you give good back. Stuff that Christians believe in may be crazy but it was how they were raised. They only believe in on God. In the bible Isaiah 43:10 “There is only one God.” Which means that Christians believe that Jesus is God? Christians also believe that those who reject Jesus Christ will go to hell forever after they die (Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8).Those who accept Jesus Christ will live for eternity with him after they die (John 11:25, 26; 2 Corinthians 5:6). - Damon Payne
Works Cited "Christianity." World Religions Reference Library. Ed. Julie L. Carnagie, et al. Vol. 1: Almanac. Detroit: UXL, 2007. 119-149. Student Resources in Context. Web. 12 May 2014. "Bible." World Religions Reference Library. Ed. Julie L. Carnagie, et al. Vol. 5: Primary Sources. Detroit: UXL, 2007. 203-212. Student Resources in Context. Web. 12 May 2014. Grizzard, Carol, and Tandy McConnell. "Religion in the 1990s: Overview." American Decades: 1990-1999. Ed. Tandy McConnell. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. Student Resources in Context. Web. 12 May 2014. Gonzalez, Justo L. "To All the Nations of the World." Washington Post 24 Dec. 2000: T3. Student Resources in Context. Web. 12 May 2014
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Effects on daily Life Christianity has widely impacted the world in many ways. The worlds calendar is based on Jesus crucifixion. Also Christianity has one of the most widely known holiday in American culture. Christmas is the celebration birth of Jesus. Even the non-Christian’s even respect Christmas few people would argue that he has not widely impactOn ed the world after his crucifixion. In ancient times, a wife was property for her husband. They America today? say that women were between a slave and a free man. According to the book of Reasons For God by Tom Keller, (Page 2) Christianity has a huge impact for the way our society is organized. Christians are also a contribution to our laws, the worlds economics, politics, arts, calendar, and holiday also our culture.
Impact
Before Christianity homosexuality and pederasty and fornicating was accepted. But when Christianity was introduced and they taught about men being for women Christianity has a very important role on marriage today. And staying abasement and having long term relationships. Also, the American culture is heavily impacted by Christianity by the pledge of allegiance. “One nation under god Indivisible with liberty and justice for all”. Also on our currency “In god we trust”. And as well as our politics such as the Republican are based on Christianity
What Is a Distracted Driver? (Page 2)
Quick Facts About 1/3 of all people in the world are considered Christian. Christianity, Judaism and Islam all share Abraham in their scripture. Christians consider Sunday a day of rest.
-Armani Lewis
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The Growth and Spread of Hinduism Anthony Black In many countries, Hinduism has been noted as a phenomenon. This year we have learned a lot about Hinduism. In my article, I will be explaining the spread and growth of Hinduism. I will also explain why Hinduism is important to this world. Today Hinduism is practiced around the world, by millions of people. Originally it began in India, and it spread through time. Hinduism has spread to China, Japan, Burma, and plenty of other countries. Did you know that Hinduism was actually the first religion to be recognized? Nobody really knows who started this religion. After Hinduism, other religions popped up in this order ; Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. The spread of Hinduism and Buddhism
The Hindu population has grown tremendously since 1940. In 1940 there were about 40 million followers. Today there is a total of 828 million followers of the Hindu faith. This religion has had more of an impact on the world than any other has. Hinduism gave birth to both Buddhism and Taoism– which are two very important religions in China and Japan- as well as many other well known religions. How could Hinduism be compared to other religions of the world? Hinduism and Buddhism are similar in many ways. In both religions, they may pray whenever they please. These two religions are very popular throughout the world today. Hinduism and Buddhism both believe in reincarnation, and neither of them believes in polygamy. That would be a disgrace to their religion and relationship. Jewish people go to a synagogue on Saturday. That is their Sabbath day. Jews pray over their Hebrew bible, which is their sacred book. When a young woman becomes 13, she celebrates her adulthood. They have a total of 50 holidays. Hindus and Jews are very similar. Hindus, like Jews, celebrate for many different reasons. Both Hindus and Jews pray over sacred objects. On the other hand, Hindus have idols, and Jews don’t. Hindus have temples and shrines, while Jews have church. Comparing Hinduism to other religions isn’t all that difficult. All of the religions are similar in many ways. They all use the golden rule. Most of them worship one or more gods or goddesses. All of them practice some sort of religious ritual. Their religion is how they base their whole life. The main difference between all the religions is how they practice their faith. Sources Buitenen, J.A.B. Van. "Hinduism outside India." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 16 May 2014. "Hinduism Growing in Africa without Proselytizing." Drishtikone. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2014.
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Important Figures in the Religion of Hinduism Connor Higgins There are many figures in the religion of Hinduism that have shaped the way that we see this religion today. One of the beings that have done that in the past was Sri Ramachandran. He is known as being the seventh avatar of Vishnu. Vishnu is the primary God of Vaishnavism, which is one of the three primary sects of Hinduism. Another being that shaped Hinduism was Sri Krishna who is considered a full incarnation of Vishnu, meaning he was a fully alive representation of Vishnu. This would mean that the followers of Vaishnavism would see him as the Jesus of Hinduism. Mirabai were a great saint that left a legacy of devotional Bhajans for Krishna. Sai Baba was a great saint, guru, and fakir. This meant that he was able to follow, teach, and present the religion of Hinduism. Mahatma Gandhi was nationalist and politician from India during the early 1900’s. He led India to independence from Great Britain by leading nonviolent protests. He became the leader of India after they gained independence but was assassinated not long after. Arjuna was a great and talented warrior during his time. He fought many religious battles to save the meaning behind his religion. Sri Auribondo was a well-known teacher, philosopher, and poet. This meant that he would teach new followers coming to the religion. He would study new terms about the religion. He would also write poems about some of the important events and people from the religion. Sri Chaitanya was a devotee of Lord Krishna. His followers saw him as the true Incarnation of Vishnu. This is the point that the religion split into different sects. The followers of Krishna saw him as an incarnation of Vishnu, but the followers of Chaitanya saw him as the incarnation of Vishnu. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The ISKCON’s goal is to spread the knowledge of Vaishnavism, which is based upon the veneration of Vishnu. All of these beings have supported and helped grow the religion of Hinduism. Krishna was someone the followers saw as a god on earth, and he would be the equivalent to Jesus to Christianity. Sai Baba was a man that could teach any newcomer all there was to Mirabi learn about the religion of Hinduism. Mahatma Gandhi was a leader http://www.biographyonline.net/ that was born in the Nineteenth century. He led the nation of India to independence from Great Britain. If not for his peaceful nonviolent protests, India may still be under British control, which would make their lives more colonial than cultural. If not for Arjuna, the religion of Hinduism may have ended long ago. He fought many important battles to keep the ideas and beliefs alive. Mirabai was an important saint that created many devotional Bhajans for all of the followers of today. If not for these people the beliefs and ideas could have been wiped out decades or centuries ago. Sources: “Famous Hindus." Biography Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014.
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Worship of the Hindus Samantha Farley Hindus are encouraged to worship at least once daily, although the time at which they worship is entirely up to them. Hindus are allowed to worship however and wherever they please. They might have a favorite park where they go to worship. They might visit a temple. They might stay home and worship at their own private shrine. During a session of worship Hindus use prayer, offerings, and a variety of other ways that help them to make a spiritual connection to their gods. Worship at home: Worship at home is sometimes directed by the head of the family, although it is normal for each member to conduct their own sessions. This is because each member of the family may choose to worship their own god or goddess. It is expected that at least one member of the family worships a day. These sessions of worship may include a time of offering, and a time of prayer. All offerings given will later be divided among the members of the family.
Pic from https://www.asia.si.edu/pujaonline/puja/ images/permanent.jpg
Worship at an outdoor shrine: Outdoor shrines are popular in India. They don’t usually look like much. There might be that specific rock, or that particular root of that exact tree, marking the place of worship. At an outdoor shrine, gods are often worshipped through natural features. Mountains, trees, rivers, and large rocks are examples of such features. Worship at a temple: A temple is often devoted to one specific god or goddess. At a tem- Temple ple a Hindu can come and go as he or she pleases, although there are http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/ some services held at regular intervals throughout the day A temple is a sacred place. It is seen as proper to take off your shoes when entering the temple. This is respectful to the god for whom the temple was built. When an offering is given at a temple, a small portion may be taken to help maintain it. Interesting facts: During some sessions of worship, sculptures may be used as a tool to symbolize a direct connection to a specific god or goddess. For instance, you might wash the feet of a sculpture to symbolize washing the feet of the god, goddess, or saint that the statue represents. Hindus believe that it is their place to serve the servants of the greatest power, rather than serving the
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greatest power itself. Their gods and goddesses are the servants of the greatest power. The most important of the Hindu ceremonies are the ceremonies that mark the rights of passage. A few of these occur when a child is born, when the child is old enough to eat solid food, the first haircut for guys, the first period for girls, marriage, blessings for pregnancy, and funerals. Sources: "Puja | What Is Puja?" Puja | What Is Puja? N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <https://www.asia.si.edu/pujaonline/puja/background.html>. "Reasons For Idol Worship in Hinduism,." Reasons For Idol Worship in Hinduism,. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. <http://www.hinduwebsite.com/idols.asp>. "You Matter: Hinduism." You Matter: Hinduism. N.p., 11 Feb. 2011. Web. 13 Mar. 2014. <http://moodle.citybathcoll.ac.uk/moodle/mod/page/view.php?id=682>. "Hinduism." Hinduism. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. <http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/phil_of_religion_text/CHAPTER_2_RELIGIONS/Hinduism.htm>.
Culture and Tradition Caleb Pederson Hinduism started in India. One of their major traditions is having a dot in the middle of their head. This red dot is called a Bindi. The Bindi is a religious symbol. The Bindi is made of red powder and fresh lime juice. Bindi represents divine sight and shows that one is a Hindu. For women, it is also a beauty mark. The Bindi can also show a sign of marriage. Before a marriage women usually wear a black dot instead of a red one. This is supposed to get rid of the evil spirits. The dot worn between the eyes or in the middle of the forehead is a sign that one is a Hindu. The women tend to wear the dot on their head more than men; this is because the women are more faithful. The dot worn on Hindus head represents the third eye of spiritual sight, which sees things the physical eyes cannot see. Bindi is similar to what Christians do. Christians wear a necklace with a cross on it to represent that they are Christian. Hindus also like to express themselves through yoga. The four major sects are Saivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism, and Vaishnava Hindus. Vaishnava Hindus wear a v-shaped tilaka made of white clay. These tilaka are usually worn at a religious event. Hindus also believe in Karma and dharma. Karma is an action, work or deed. It also refers to the principle of causality where intent and actions of an individual influence the future of that individual. Dharma is the principle of cosmic order, virtue, righteousness, and duty, especially social and caste duty in accord with the cosmic order. The religious leaders in Hinduism were called gurus. For example in Christianity we have presets that teach others, Gurus are considered teachers. Once in a while on this Earth there arises a soul who, by living his tradition rightly and holly, perfects his path and becomes a light to the world. Gurus are a living example of awakening and wisdom; they are smart and full of knowledge. Diwali is a holiday in Hinduism that is celebrated on October or November, but the date is different each year because it is based on the Hindu calendar. Diwali is the festival of lights for Hindus and Sikhs. The celebration lasts for five days and is marked by sweets, fireworks and lights. It celebrates the triumph of good, light and knowledge over evil, darkness and ignorance. Diwali celebrates a good year of harvesting and honors the Goddess of Wealth. Another holiday that is celebrated by the Hindus is the Maha Shivaratri. Maha Shivaratri celebrates the honor of Shiva, destroyer of the universe. Unlike other Hindu celebrations, this one is celebrated the night and day before the new moon. Hindus prepare certain types of foods to offer Shiva and the next morning they eat the offerings. Young women hope that by fasting in honor of Shiva, he will give them nice husbands.
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Stereotypes Judging , jumping to conclusions , we all do it. Every single day we come up with ideas of how people are just by the way they look. Not only is this done with people though ,we do it with religions as well. Think of a Christian. The first image that popped into your head was probably a Caucasian individual holding a bible, and you thought that they were a goody two shoes. Right there is you example of stereotypes. You didn’t even have to think twice about it did you? The sad aspect about it is that this keeps so many people from meeting amazing individuals just because of the way they look or if they have a different religion from you. Hinduism is a very popular religion that gets stereotyped all the time. Based on what you see on T.V. , magazines, and on the internet you probably think that all Hindu women dress like Jasmine from Disney’s, “Aladdin.” People have this misconception that they always wear belly shirts and puffy genie pants, along with an arm full of bangles and a face veil. It is a fact that there are traditional Hindu dances and festivals where the women would dress up like this, but this is not an everyday custom, not in the least. Women typically wear simple colored shirts or dresses and pants, not much different than the way you dress. Sometimes you’ve got to listen to your parents and teachers when they tell you not to believe everything you see on the internet and T.V, and this is one of the many examples why.
There will be individuals that are not going to be calm , cool , and collected. They could be crazy and out of their mind for all you know , so try not to think that all Hindu followers are going to be that way. More misconceptions of the Hindu religion is that they are a polytheistic religion. Hindu’s do in fact have more than one deity which is why it is understandable that people think that stereotype is true. The truth is that Hinduism is a monotheistic religion because their God is said to take shape in many different forms and have a large number of personalities. However, if you believe that this makes them a polytheistic religion, then you could say the same for Christianity. In Christianity, there’s the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, where God is taking different forms. You can’t have this double standard where one religion is this but in the same sense another one is not. In the end when meeting anyone, not just a Hindu, don’t jump to conclusions based on the way that they look. Not only could you offend them but you could of just met the most amazing person in the world but you went and stereotyped them just because of their appearance. Think of this famous and overused quote when seeing people on the street or meeting new people, “Never judge a book by it’s cover.” With that I leave you now with more knowledge about Hinduism and the reasons to not stereotype people.
People assume that Hindu’s greatly worship cows. This is a huge stereotype. Hindu’s do believe that cows are a sacred object, however, but this does not mean they worship them. Hindu’s even consume beef, but if they make the decision not to eat beef it is believed to bring great rewards to that individual. When you imagine a Hindu in your mind you probably think of someone that is wise and calm one hundred percent of the time. Not all people of the Hindu religion are going to be like this.
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Architecture Have you ever wondered how a major attraction was built? Have you ever thought about the architecture of another religion? Hinduism is one of the top religions, the oldest religion, and they have amazing architectural attractions; especially their temples. Some outstanding temples are the Tanah Lot and the Angkor Wat. The Tanah Lot is one of the most famous temples that is located in Bali. It has been apart of Bali of many centuries, and it’s one of the seven sea temples! The seven sea temples form a chain along the southwest coast of Bali, and they are within eyesight of the other sea temples! The Angkor Wat is located in Cambodia, and it features the beautiful remains of multiple capitals of the Khmer Empire. During it’s long history, Angkor went through changes in religion. It converted religions between Hinduism and Buddhism multiple times.
ues to worship the sacred body of water.
The temples and the rivers of Hinduism are very much appreciated and well worshiped. Hindus bathe in the river for multiple reasons, most believe that it removes all the curses and sins in their life. They believe that the river came from heaven, and if they worship and praise the river, it wouldn’t dry. The Hindu temples are architectural attractions because they are simply beautiful. Some are hand crafted, and made especially for certain gods. Different temples are built for multiple reasons, and many are man made. There is lots of architecture in the Hindu religion, as there are in any other religion. Buildings and attractions that are made of stone and other materials are very common in the Hinduism religion. The Ganges river and Believe it or not, many temples are built for Kings and Royalty, which explains why a lot of temples are ma- temples in India are major deal for the Hindu religion. jor geographical points. A Mandir is the temple name for Hindu followers, or a place where Hindus go to worship God in the form of various deities or god/ goddess. Many temples are located near a river, a hill top, a cave and etc. Most older temples are built of brick, wood, and stone. Stone temples are more common now a days where as brick and wood no longer exist. There are other Hindu attractions other than temples. For example, The Ganges River, It’s known as the river of India. The Ganges River is located in India and Bangladesh, and it’s over 2,000 kilometers long (1560 miles). The Ganges river basin has the highest population of any river basin in the world, containing over 400 million people, and its sacred to the Hinduism culture. Hindus also worship the river, and they actually also bathe in its holy waters. They still bathe in the river even though its heavily contaminated by humans and industrial waste. The Ganges river threatens the life of humans who uses it as a source of drinking water. The river is home to over 100 species of fish, but yet the Hindu religion contin21
The Caste System Origins
Rules, Laws, and Duties in the Caste System
In an ancient text called the Rigveda, a Hindu god named Brahma creates what is now known as the Caste system. In case you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know, Brahma is the Hindu god of creation with four heads and four hands. According to the text, there was a divine manifestation of Brahma. Priests and teachers spilled from his mouth, rulers and warriors came from his arms, merchants and traders from his thighs, and workers and peasants from his feet. This text is what the Caste system is based off of. It has divided Indian society by social ranking.
In religious Hindu texts, the roles and laws of the four varnas are described. People thought that these roles were inherited. Because of this, people were concerned that if intermarriages took place, the next generation of children would be confused on what their role is. These concerns resulted to the prohibition of intermarriage of different castes and is still a central rule in many Hindu communities. The four varnas each have their own roles and laws to follow. Some are more tedious than others, and some are left taking out trash.
Other Beliefs
The Brahmans: They are the highest of all classes, Some believe that in the 19th century, Aryans and as a result must live by the strictest rules. Since invaded the north in Asia and needed a way to control they are the embodiment of purity, they have many the populations, so they introduced the Caste System. rules to keep them clean and pure. Some rules include There were defined key roles for people and people that they must avoid contact with dirt, and cannot eat were assigned to them. In the 20th century, however, a food such as meat that is considered polluted. Because of all of the strict rules, Brahmans cannot complete scholar thoroughly disproved this theory. tasks of everyday life, like obtaining food, or use vioThe Classes of the Caste System lence to defend themselves. They depend on the other The different social rankings in the Caste Sys- castes to live. Without the other castes, there would be tem are known as varnas. The hereditary occupational no Brahmans. groups within the varnas are known as jatis. Four varThe Kshatriyas: This caste includes soldiers, kings, na categories were constructed to organize society and generals. Their most traditional role is to defend based on economic and occupational lines. Spiritual leaders and teachers are known as Brahmins. Warri- society from invaders and robbers and be brave. They ors and high leaders were known as Kshatriyas. Mer- are also expected to be high-minded and witty.They chants and producers were called Vaishyas. Laborers, are also expected to study Hindu scriptures under the teachings of a Brahman, and must go through with a the lowest of rank, were called Sudras.Many people lot of the same purity rituals that the Brahmans do. have immediately assumed that the different social groups and the prohibiting of intermarriage between The Vaishyas: The role of these caste members are the groups is an existence of a racist culture. Howev- agriculture and cattle raising.They also have differer, varnas are not racial groups based on race, inent roles with trading. For example, they bring farm stead they are classes. products to market and lend money to keep various What does Caste Mean
enterprises going.
Caste means race in Portuguese. In the 16th century when Portuguese travelers were in India, they encountered this hereditary system and named it based off of what they initially saw. Today, most Indian languages use the term, â&#x20AC;&#x153;jati,â&#x20AC;? to describe hereditary social structures. 22
The Sudras: In ancient law, the Sudras only had one role: to work as servants to the members of the, “twice born castes,” which are the Brahmans, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas. They mostly carry out the tasks for the other castes that involve, “pollution,” such as agricultural labor, leatherworking, disposing of garbage, and laundering. However, as time went on, many Sudras went on to become wealthy farmers or artisans, leaving the servile tasks for the untouchables.
“God’s Children,” and Mahatma Gandhi
The lowest class in the system, the, “peasants,” or the, “outcasts,” were left to do, literally, all of the dirty work. They carried out miserable tasks associated with disease and pollution, including cleaning up after funerals, dealing with sewage, and working with animal skins. The higher classes were considered the embodiment of purity while the untouchables were considered the embodiment of pollution. Any physical The Untouchables, or Harijans: Inevitably, there contacts between the two classes was forbidden. are people who fail to live up to their caste roles or Brahmins followed this rule so thoroughly that they violated the intermarriage rule. These people and their felt obliged to take a bath if even just a untouchable’s children are considered outcasts in the Hindu society. shadow fell across them. Gandhi was born in to the They were forced to live apart from the rest of the Vaishya caste. He experienced segregation first hand people and had to carry out the jobs that nobody else when he studied in London. When he returned to Inwanted to do. Because the tasks they had to do were dia, he led movements to change the mindset of considered polluted, they were believed to be deeply prejudice and fear towards the untouchables. He felt tainted and were avoided by the other castes. They it was his duty to aid them. Instead of calling them the untouchables, he renamed them the Harijans, became known as the untouchables because people which literally means God’s Children. Before Gandhi believed that the touch of them, or even the sight of took a stand, them would comprothe Harijan mise a Brahman’s pupopulation rity.
couldn’t enter temples, schools, or even hospitals because of their feared uncleanliness.
Brahmin, top of Caste System
Harijans, or God’s Children, bottom of Caste System.
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There are 54 characters in the Qur’an. The most famous name in Islam, Muhammad, is only mentioned five times in the Qur’an ironically. The most mentioned name in the Qur’an is Musa, or Moses in English. Some of the other most mentioned names in the Qur’an are Ibraham (or Abraham), Nuh, Hud, Adam, Harun, and Lut. Musa, or Moses was a prophet sent from God to save God’s people from Egypt. He saved the people by sending plagues onto the Egyptian people. Locusts, lice, toads, and water turning to blood were some of the plagues to happen. Moses left with God’s people during the night and was warned that they were going to be pursued. Moses then split the sea and took the people across and saved God’s people. Muhammad, the most famous Muslim Adam was the first man to be on earth. His importance in Islam was that he taught everything that God taught him to the people. He was the first to plant, first to learn the alphabet, and he was the father of 120 sets of twins. He gave birth to Cain and Abel which was the first murder in the world. Adam is the father of everyone. Ja’Far ibn Abi Talib was one of the prophets is talked to the King of Abyssinia and saved the Muslims in Abyssinia. The Quraysh tribe came after the Muslims after the left Mecca after they were discriminating against them. Ja’Far talked to the king and told him why they were there because of their religion and that they were not evil people. He saved the people of Islam by doing this.
He was the founder of the Religion and how they practice it. People used to think that Muhammad had gone mad, but then the Angel of Gabriel appeared to him. The angel told him to proclaim Allah’s name and he did. Now Islam has more than 1.6 billion followers. Ibraham was the father of three religions, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Ibraham had a covenant with God that he would have children that was as many as the stars. It was crazy though, because his wife was old, and she could not conceive. So he had a baby with his servant and it turned out that Ibraham’s wife could actually conceive. So he kicked out his servant and her son Ishmael and they started Mecca, the start of Islam’s holy city. Ishmael was the son of Ibraham and the founder of Mecca. Supposedly, he was walking around in the desert with his mother and complaining to his mother about how hungry he was. His mother was ignoring him, so he stomped his foot on the ground and yelled “I’M HUNGRY” and a stream of water appeared from the ground where he stomped. Him and his mother then settled there and travelers came by trading food for water. Thus the founding of Mecca. These are the most famous names in Islam. They show the way for the Islamic people and give examples on how they are A picture supposed to live. Ibraham Take example from and his these people because wife, they are famous for a Sarah reason. -By Christian Gerber
Muhammad is the most known name in Islam.
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The current population of Islam is 1.6 billion. The projected population 2.19 billion. Although in the graph, the population looks like it is going to soar in Asia, this is the least amount of growth in the population. While there is only a 7% growth in Asia, there is a 50% increase in the Americas! (Not shown on the Bar Graph because it is too small) So be expecting an Islamic population increase America!
There are two main Islamic sects, Shia and Sunni. Sunni, obviously shown by the graph, is the most followed sect in the Religion. Shia, is the second most followed. Although there are many other sects that would not even take up a percentage on the graph. Crazy, huh?
Muslims are worldwide, you can find them everywhereâ&#x20AC;Śbut they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as common everywhere. Muslims are most common in the Eastern Hemisphere. The most common place to find them in the Eastern Hemisphere is Asia. Not what you expected huh? Most people believe that Muslims live in the Middle East but they mostly live in Indonesia.
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Muslims believe in one god and only one god, Allah [Tawheed]. They live to die, to live in a better place [Heaven or Hell] depending on how they spent their lives on Earth. Allah taught them good and evil; going for good and going against evil. Muslims trust and believe in the Day of Resurrection, the day when Allah will wake them from the dead. The 5 Pillars is a big portion of their beliefs: Salah, Zakah, Sawm, Hajj, and Shahada. Muslims believe angels are an unseen creaAllah written in Arabic alture created by the mighty God himself. They believe that every person receives a messenger from God telling them to worship Allah and shun all false gods. The messengers and prophets include: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Jesus. Muslims believe that in the end God will judge humans for their terrestrial actions made on Earth. They believe in what the Qur’an says. The Sunnah (what the Prophet Muhammad said, did, or approved of) is the second source in Islam.
pact on the contemporary world for instance, it led to intermarriages thus bringing a new age group of Muslims who have the most excellent of both cultures and traits. In addition, it has led to the change in perception about Islam and Muslims. Cultural wise, Islam had an impact on Savevid, Mughal, Ottoman Empire include their architecture as well as their poetry.
Muslims have been put under a great deal of criticism since the events of 9/11, and a lot of the news is not particularly true. The acts of the terrorist group al-Qaeda had caused many to believe that Islam was an evil group of terrorists committed to destroying the United States, when in actuality, Islam is a peaceful religion. The words that would have been used in the religion have been twisted in a way so that they seem evil.
The attacks on the Twin Towers have changed the way many people have looked at Muslims, but what are they actually like? The Muslim religion is very peaceful, and do not believe in violence. In fact, the term Jihad does not refer to terrorist acts, but to a holy war they believe will happen when their Messiah returns. This shows that either the members of al-Qaeda misread the Torah Muslims believe in the Al-Qadar (Divine (the Islamic Holy book), they were taught wrong, Predestination), but this belief does not mean huor they didn’t care. The true Muslims do not see mans do not have freewill. They also believe in the them as actual Muslims, for they have strayed from Day of Judgement (the Day of Resurrection); when the path of God and have used his sayings in a difall people will be resurrected for God’s judgement ferent way. according to their beliefs and judgements. The terror attacks on 9/11 is People did not care much about Muslims and they treated like every other person. But after the 9/11 bombing in 2001, a majority of Muslims were known as terrorists. This is the main stereotype that they are remembered by. Islam had an im-
the main reason we believe Muslims are Terrorists
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Muslims are no different than other people, for they are everywhere. They live the same lifestyle as other people, they just pray more. They don’t really dress differently. An interesting fact, while Muslims are believed to wear turbans, they are not the only ones. Hundreds of Sikhs were killed after 9/11 for they were believed to be Muslim. That shows already that we believed people in turbans were Muslim, a clear stereotype. Another misconception about Muslims is that women must not show any part of their bodies, but this is also false. Although some parts of the Middle East may not agree, they don’t have to completely cover up.
derneath. they decided to stay there, and people who passed through stayed there. Over time it became as major trading hotspot, and became the Mecca that we all know and love today.
This story is also in other major religions, but the story of Ishmael is not. Abraham is the one who sparked Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. They all started from the birth of Isaac, and led separate ways. While Christianity and Judaism started from Isaac, Islam started from Ishmael. Christianity also split from Judaism when Jesus was sacrificed. This is the reason that Judaism and Christianity are so similar, and Islam is not. It is also what makes each Another stereotype we put on Muslims is the of these religions unique. fact that we just assume that they are from the Mid-By Nate Owen dle East. A lot of Muslim people are actually located in Indonesia in south-east Asia. 202.9 million Indonesians consider themselves Muslim, about 88.2% of their total population. It is said that as early as the 8th century Arab Muslim traders were coming to Indonesia, but the spread did not really begin until the 13th century. They were mostly Hindu and Buddhist before the spread began. Muslim spread like a wildfire and has made Indonesia the great Islamic hub it is today. A popular Islamic story is the one about Abraham. It tells how Abraham founded the main religions under one God. The main focus in this is the fact that he had a son with his servant named Ishmael. They did this for God told Abraham to have child. Many years later, Abraham’s wife was able to have a son, and they named him Isaac. They noticed that Ishmael was teasing Isaac, they sent Ishmael and the servant away into the desert. They kept walking into it and after many years Abraham went to search for them. What he had found where he had left them were not corpses, but a lively city. Abraham was amazed at the sight. What had happened was that they were traveling in the desert and Ismael was complaining that he was thirsty. He stamped his foot on the ground and water spouted up from un-
Ishmael and his mother, Hagar
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Some of the dietary laws that Jewish people have is that Jewish people keep Kosher if they follow Judaism dietary laws. Jewish dietary laws are derived from Biblical laws and rabbinical extensions. Only animals that have split hooves. Of the animals that may be eaten, they must be slaughtered according to the Jewish Law. Certain parts of animals they can eat cannot be eaten. All blood must be drained or boiled from the animal before it’s eaten. Meat cannot be eaten with dairy. Utensils that have come into contact with meat (while hot) may not be used with dairy, and vice versa. Utensils that have come into contact with non-kosher food (while hot) may not be used with kosher food. Grape products made by non-Jews may not be eaten by Jewish people. Similarities and Differences By: Nashaly Caldwell Christianity is very familiar to Judaism because of the way they start out. Like for instance women both in Christianity are equal in the same way as men. Both religions believe in the same God and that he is the one who created the world and the only God that is all powerful. Jesus is believed to be coming back for a second time to judge all that are going to heavens for both religions. Both
religions have Hebrew as one of their original languages, but Judaism uses it every time they meet in the synagogue for congregation. Well, since there are similarities they have more differences from each other. The Jewish days of worship are Sabbath and the Christians worship on Sundays and Christian Holy Days.
for the celebration of the female or male. One of the interesting things that happen at a bar mitzvahs is that you can get carried around on a chair. The only people that can be carried around on the chair are your mother, father, and siblings.
Another one of the Jewish traditions is that all holidays begin the night before the date specified on the calendar. Work is not permitted on the holidays of Rosh Hashanah or on Yom Kippur. The Jewish calenTraditions dar is lunar, making every By: Cinnamonth start with a new moon. mon Yates Lunar months are approximately One of the 29.5 days long. The Jewish most famonths vary. Some months have mous traditions that are in the 29 days while some last longer to Jewish culture is the bar mitzvah. 30 days. With this back and forth The term bar mitzvah means calendar this adds up to an aver“daughter of commandment”. age year of 354 days. Since the Even though the term says daugh- Jewish year is lunar, they vary 11 ter, bar mitzvahs are for males as days less than our solar year. well. Females get to have bar Some of the practices of Judaism mitzvahs at the age of 12, while are that Jews pray in a congregathe boys have them when they turn 13. At this age they are offi- tion three times a day. Every Sabcially recognized by Jewish tradi- bath is read religiously. Over the tions of having the same rights as course of a year Jews plan to read the entire Torah. The Torah will an adult. Also at bar mitzvahs be read on Sabbath and on festithere are ceremonies. Normally after the ceremony there is a party val days.
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The ancient Israelites were nomadic people who migrated from
Mesopotamia to Canaan (which is now Israel and Palestinian territories) which started the Judaism origin. The Israelites are the founders of the religion Judaism they are also called Hebrews; they believed that their God is allpowerful and had created the world. One famous Israelite name Abraham is known for his loyalty to God. Abraham’s wife Sarah was over one hundred years old and wanted a child. The only way they could have a baby was if Abraham was to have sexual intercourse with a maid in the town. And eventually he did and named the child Isaac. One day Abraham was awakened by an angel that was sent from God to sacrifice his only son Isaac to him. So Abraham took his son to the mountain, Isaac frightened by his father listened to what his father was saying. Abraham ready to kill his own son with a knife on top of a rock an angel from up above stopped him and assured him that God now knows how committed and loyal he was to him. Later Isaac has a son, Jacob who has 12 sons who founded the twelve tribes of Israel.
"World History." Origins of Judaism. Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School of Coventury, n.d. Web. 16 May 2014. Origin By: Nashaly Caldwell How much do you know about Judaism? Well the things you know may not be all that true.
Judaism believes that Jews are uniquely connected with each other. Judaism shares some beliefs with other world religions, like monotheism with Christianity and Islam. Jews believe that God appointed the Jews to be his chosen people in order to set an example of holiness and ethical behaviour to the world. Jews believe people should be judged not so much by the intellectual content of their beliefs, but by the way they they live their faith-by how much they contribute to their overall holiness of the world. To Jews there is no “Old Testament.” The books that Christians call the New Testament are not part of the Jewish scriptures. The Old Testament is known as the Torah. They believe they must follow God’s Laws which are for their daily lives. Beliefs By: Morgan Moriarity In the Torah is where you find the "Religion Library: Judaism." Juda- law. Their Ten Commandments ism Origins, Judaism History, Ju- that are in the Torah are: daism Beliefs. N.p., 2008. Web. 15 Worship no other God but May 2014. me. "Judaism 101: The Patriarchs and the Origins of Judaism." Judaism 101: The Patriarchs and the Ori Do not make images to gins of Judaism. Tracy R Rich, worship. 1998. Web. 14 May 2014
Do not misuse the name of God. Observe the Sabbath Day (Saturday) Keep it Holy. Honor and respect your father and mother.
Do not murder.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not accuse falsely. Do not tell lies about other people. Do not envy other’s possessions. There are three different types of Jews. They all have different meanings of the Torah. The three different types are: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform. The Orthodox believe everything that is written in the Torah. Conservative and Reform both believe that the ancient laws have to interpreted for modern life. Ethnic/laws/roles By: Morgan Moriarity
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Voodoo followers cast bad spells upon their enemies, or use witchcraft on them. This is not true. The only Stereotypes type of witchcraft is the voodoo doll, but is mostly Voodoo is believed to be started in Haiti, Africa as a used for good. Also the use of voodoo dolls is typicalsnake cult that worshipped many spirits pertaining to ly practice. Besides witchcraft, a lot of people typicaldaily life experiences. The practices were interminly think undead things like zombies when they hear gled with many catholic rituals and saints. It was first voodoo. There have been a lot of movies with voodoo brought to Cuban plantation owners who were disin them but they are more than likely completely false placed by revolution and brought their slaves with and have nothing to do with the religion itself. Every them. When a typical person hears “Voodoo” they time I’ve seen voodoo used in a tv show or movie it’s typically think something sinister or devil worship, been something bad. but this is not true. They do worship spirits, but they celebrate the good Possession is not what stereotypes make it out to be, ones. people think it’s demons possessing them and taking over their bodies to do evil.. Possession is used for They believe that connecting with divine spirits and also used for rethere is one supreme being, but that the supreme being is too far away for personal relationships between its believers. Here is an example of a voodoo doll. Mostly everyone I know thinks voodoo is sinister and something to be feared, but it is the exact opposite. It is actually the celebration of death, it is supposed to be uplifting. People see one thing they think is off about a religion and they judge it to a point where ceiving and sending messages. Now while it can be everyone thinks it’s completely what it is not, and in scary, it’s not as bad as people think it is. To them it’s my opinion Voodoo is the religion that gets stereothe only real way of seeing spirits and the divine powtyped the most. er. This is where most of the stereotypes come from about voodoo being evil, possession to a typical person One of the weirdest stereotypes by far is that all voois doo followers are African American. Although it was obstarted by slaves in Africa, it doesn’t mean every follower will be African American. There are more than 5 million followers in Haiti alone, so it isn’t really possible to give an accurate answer. But not all are African American. It is practiced everywhere, including Cuba, Canada, and America. Another big stereotype is Voodoo dolls. Everyone thinks that voodoo dolls are sinister, and are made to bring bad luck, pain and or death only to their target. But that’s not true. Voodoo dolls are typically used on yourself, to bring good luck and fortune. viously satanic or bad. But it is really one of their bigAnother big stereotype is witchcraft. People think
gest and most important rituals, next to animal sacrifice.
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and are open for the public to watch. The act of casting spells and cursing people is still a common act in Voodoo started in Haiti when the English used Voodoo. Haiti as a shipping port. Haitian Voodoo is a sect, or branch of, traditional African animism. During the slave trade, Catholics influenced voodoo. Now, vooVoodoo queens have been a huge part of New doo is a mix of African animism and the Catholic reli- Orleans Voodoo culture. One of the biggest Voodoo gions. Haitian Voodooists believe in animism, which Queens was Marie Laveau. She was born in the late is the belief that everything has a life-principle. They 1700’s and died in June of 1881. She had a total of 15 believe that animals, rocks, rivers, thunder, and trees daughters to help her practice the religion. She was a have a spirit, to name a few. Voodoos also believe hairdresser, so she knew all of the drama of the that there is no separation between the living world city. She used this to her advantage. She would and the spirit world. This means that they could talk blackmail the rich residents of New Orleans until she to and interact with spirits at any time. got what she wanted or needed. Recently, she has been a character in the Voodoos believe that there is no separation popular TV between the physical and spiritual worlds. This means show Amerithat voodooists can communicate and interact with can Horror spirits whenever they need or wish to. This means Story. that they could hold small rituals whenever they wanted without a doctrine. When a family member or friend passed away, the family and friends could hold Voodoo private death ceremonies before the Catholic services kings have that are in their religion take over. If a man’s wife got also been a pregnant, there were rituals for that also. In a religion big part of Voodoo culture. Fred Staten, also known as the Chicken Man was the most commonly known like Christianity, rituals and ceremonies that are like the voodoos rituals and ceremonies would have to be Voodoo King. He was born in Haiti in the 1930’s, and died in 1998. He was raised by his grandparents, done with a doctrine present. and his grandfather raised him a strict Baptist. When he was 9, his grandmother sat him down and told him Voodooists he was the decedent of a powerful Voodoo famihave several ly. From then on, he traveled the United States and Haiti learning about and practicing Voodoo under the traditions that they still name of Prince Keeyama. He got the name Chicken Man from his nightclub act. follow. A couple of theses tradi- In reality, Voodooists are like the rest of us. They tions are marriage cer- may believe in spirits and life purposes, but they are emonies and not witches. They are influenced by Roman Cathomatrimony lics, and believe in one god. They may not believe in blessthe same way somebody else does, but they really ings. Today, you can go to the Historic New Orleans aren’t sinister or mean at all. They may believe in Voodoo Museum to witness the ceremonies, or take part in them. Ceremonies are still practiced in Haiti, everything having a spirit, but they also believe in many of the Christian spirits.
Beliefs and Traditions
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Followers Remember Haiti? When their ground shook, and afterwards a tsunami followed and wiped out Haiti completely? Have you ever wondered what type of people live in there, their cultures and beliefs? Some of the people who live in
Haiti practice Haitian Voodoo, and they prefer to be called “voodooists” or “servants of the spirits”. Five million in Haiti practice voodoo. They become a part of the religion by initiating themselves. They do this by a series of symbolic acts, making one feel like they are dying and being reborn again. This is how they believe that they have become a part of the religion. Voodoo priests summon the spirits, while everyone in the religion starts dancing, and singing aloud making music. They celebrate the new coming season, but apparently scary things have happened to those who did not listen to what the spirit “demands”. They believe that rituals and singing songs can bring bad spirits into their town, so they do rituals that they believe will make the bad spirits go away. The basic belief of Haitian Voodoo is that
spirits or deities called Lwa, which are subordinate to a higher god called Bondye, can and do interact with the human world and can affect change beyond the spirit world in which they ‘live’. Half of the population in Haiti practices Voodoo, though they also provide the statistic that 80% of the population is Roman Catholic, suggesting a heavy influence of Catholicism on Voodoo. Though Voodoo has been practiced in Haiti since the late eighteenth century, it was not until April 2003 that Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the Catholic President of Haiti, sanctioned Voodoo as an official religion. For one thing, this meant that Voodoo ceremonies, like marriages and baptisms, were accepted as equally legitimate to Catholic ceremonies in legal terms. In his decree, Aristide stated “As an ancestral religion, Voodoo is an essential part of national identity.” The Haitian form of Voodoo is practiced not only in Haiti but also parts of the Dominican Republic, eastern Cuba, some minor islands of the Bahamas, the United States, and wherever there is a migrant Haitian population.
things people here today are just stereotypes. Haitian Voodoo followers even celebrate Easter, they put on a giant parade in the street, have people dress up for the occasion, and they feast and dance. They are just like any other people you will meet, but instead of believing in a God they believe in the natural world and rely on the natural world.
How do they celebrate their religion? They do this by playing loud music, singing along to it, and dancing. It is said that in some parts, they involve chickens, and they shave the ones head who is involved in the ritual. Although it is not certain if that is true or not, one thing for sure is that the followers of Haitian Voodoo do not perform witchcraft, spells, or anything along the lines of evil. Most of the
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