NTA Coexiste 2014 by Melissa Cox

NTA

Come together

Table of Contents Christianity

pgs. 4-6

Origin and History

Pg. 4

Stories and Followers

pg. 5

Impact of Christianity

pg. 6

Hinduism

pgs. 8-11

Worship

pg. 8

The understanding

pg. 9

Symbols

pg. 10

Reincarnation

pg. 11

Islam

pgs. 12-13

The culture

pg. 12

The five pillars of Islam Judaism

pg. 13 pgs. 14– 19

Beliefs

pg. 14

Prayer/ circumcision

pg. 15

How well do you know Judaism ?

Pg. 16 –17

Impacts on society/ important figures

pg. 18 –19

Voodoo History/ origin

pgs. 20 –22 pg. 20 - 22

Buddhism

pgs. 22– 25

Stereotypes

pg. 23

Diets

pg. 24– 25

History of Christianity By: Melissa Watson The religion of Christianity has loads of history behind it. Christianity developed out of the religion of Judaism. This religion started in Jerusalem and ended up spreading worldwide. Christianity is now 2.1 billion followers strong. Judaism started in about 2 thousand BC, while Christianity started in 33 CE. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is what started the religion of Christianity. There are quite a few branches of this religion; including Methodist, Catholic, Baptists, Lutherans, Amish, and Mormons. Altogether, there are 96 different sects/religious groups. Even though Jesus Christ is the creator of Christianity, he was a Jew; Jewish scriptures are used as the Old Testament. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity have always had the same, one God. Christianity has quite a few important events that make it the most widely practiced religion in the world today. First off, there was the calling of Abraham in 2100 BC. This was not the actual start of Christianity, but if it wasn’t for the calling of Abraham, there would be no Christianity, Islam, nor Judaism. Abraham is the father of Judaism but he is also crucial and significant in the religions of Islam and Christianity. In 4 BC, Jesus Christ was born. He was born in Bethlehem and this was primarily what started the religion. Jesus is the son of God and also the founder of Christianity. From birth, all the way up until death, Jesus was making miracles happen and spreading the words and holy spirit of God. In 30 AD was the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This marks the actual start of the religion Christianity all by itself. This religion started in a little town in the continent that we now call Europe. Right off the bat Christianity rapidly spread around the whole world, making its way to the very top of the leader board in number of followers. Jesus is arguably one of the most import individuals to the religion of Christianity; under God of course, who is the deity/supreme being. He is the son of God, and he was born to his mother, Mary and his father, Joseph. Jesus had 12 disciples by the names of Andrew, Bartholomew, John, Peter, James, Phillip, Matthew, Thomas, James, Judas, Simon, and Thaddeus. Once he started making miracles happen, like healing a man with Leprosy and healing a paralyzed boy, some people flocked to him while others didn’t believe him one bit. The people that had no faith in Jesus wanted him gone forever and would not stop until he was dead. God sacrificed his very own son just to show all of the believers how much he cares and loves them. Even though Jesus had very many followers, he had even more people that hated him. The people that did not like him became so desperate to capture him that they offered a massive reward to whoever would help them. One of his 12 disciples, Judas, gave into temptation and sold out Jesus. Even though what Judas did was very detrimental, Jesus forgave him just like God will forgive his followers for all of their sins. Before his last day, Jesus had “The Last Supper” with all of the 12 disciples. Then on his very last day, he was captured and crucified on the cross; the symbol of Christianity. Top right: Jesus’s crucifixion After Jesus’s resurrection, the followers knew that Jesus and God were real and Left: Is Jesus and his disciples. that is where Christianity generated.

Stories and Followers

By: Zackary Etter

During the time when they were at Jericho and two blind men shouted “Lord, Son of David please have mercy on us.” The crowd who followed Jesus told the two to be quiet. Then the shouted again the same thing and Jesus asked them why. They said we want our sight back. Jesus touched their eyes and gave it back. Thomas was one of the twelve apostles. When Jesus appeared the first time after he had risen, Thomas was not there. When the other eleven tried to tell Thomas he didn’t believe them. They kept trying to convince him, but he said he wants to touch the wounds in order to believe it was Jesus Christ. Later Jesus Christ appeared to the apostles. Then Jesus invited Thomas to inspect the wounds. Thomas was with the disciples at the Sea of Galilee when Jesus Christ appeared again. St. Peter and St. Paul were martyred for following Christ. Peter was very strict in his teachings and became the first Pope. Jesus gave him the nickname rock. The reasoning behind this was because he was going to be the rock of the Church of Christ. Before the Crucifixion of Jesus, Peter was talking to him. Jesus told Peter that he would be crucified and Peter would deny Jesus three times. Later after the resurrection, Peter became pope and led the church. In 64 A.D Rome Peter was crucified. He wanted to be put upside down because he

Paul

Peter

Thomas seeing the wounds of Jesus.

Peter being Crucified.

Impacts of Christianity Global Impact There are 2.2 billion Christians worldwide! That is 31.5% of the world’s population. This makes Christianity one of the largest religions in the world, but that does not mean that it is favored all over the world. In China, even though most people don’t believe in Christianity, they have quite a few followers.China’s government forced the people to go to Christian churches. Now the young openly believe in the Christian religion. In 2011, the Northern part of Africa had very few to zero Christians. This is also true in the Eastern part of North America. Back in 1910, most Christians lived in Europe. The other location with the most Christians were the Americas, but back in 2010 they were all quite equally spread out, except for in the Middle East/North Africa. The largest group of Christians is Catholics they are 50.1% of the Christian group. The second largest group of Christians would be Protestant, which is 36.7%. Then it is Orthodox and that would be 11.9%. All of those added together leaves 1.3% for other types of Christianity. 47.5% of Catholics live in the Americas. Of the entire Protestants 32.9% live in the Americas, but the most live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Only 1% of the Orthodox Christians live here in the Americas. 63.2% of other Christian groups live in the Americas. Earlier I gave you percentages now it’s time to put percentages into the amount of people in the world. There are 804,070,000 American Christians. That’s more than anywhere else on the planet! The location with the least amount of Christians is the Middle East/ North Africa area. The one in the middle of everything has 516,470,000, and this is the Sub- Saharan Africa area. In Brazil there are 175,770,000 Christians. Local Impact The U.S. might have a lot of Christians, but Fort Wayne is another story. In Fort Wayne, there are 7.9% Christian churches. Altogether there are 4,850 Christian followers in Fort Wayne. Of the 4,850, 2,743 go to United Church of Christ. 1,375 people go to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). 95 people attend the Community Church of Christ. The International Churches of Christ have 51 followers or adherents. Fort Wayne is, also, known as the city of churches.There is a church for every 700 residents. That would mean there are 364 churches in Fort Wayne. A large amount of those churches are the Christian belief, too. Christianity impacts Fort Wayne more than people think. In Fort Wayne there is Chick-Fil-A not allowing gays, but that is a food franchise so it’s not only in Fort Wayne. Some of the most powerful people are Christian and that has a huge influence on what happens in Fort Wayne. In Fort Wayne there are seven Christian schools. A couple of these schools are Blackhawk Christian School, Sum-

Work Cited

Works Cited "Allen County, Indiana (IN) Religion Statistics Profile - Fort Wayne, New Haven, Leo -Cedarville, Huntertown, Woodburn." Religions in Allen County, Indiana. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2014. BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 15 May 2014. "How One Apostle Got the Nickname 'Doubting Thomas'" About.com Christianity. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2014. "Jesus Christ." CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA:. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2014. "Library." Christianity Origins, Christianity History, Christianity Beliefs. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. "Regional Distribution of Christians." Pew Research Centers Religion Public Life Project RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2014. "Story of Saints Peter and Paul." Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2014.

Just like any other religion Hinduism also has a place of worship. When Hindus pray, they pray to a murti, which is a sacred statue of God. The murti is placed in a shrine. A shrine is located in any room in the house that contains statues, picture and a small altars most of the time. A family usually would worship together in the shrine. While

they worship, offer water, and flowers. weekends they

they fruit On gather

is also a huge part of their religion just like the bible is important to Christianity. Hindus pray every day to their God Vishnu. Hinduism has many gods. They are considered polythetic even though all of their Gods are one. Hinduism has in important parts of their worship. One important part is primlage. Popular pilgrimage places are rivers. Rivers are not the only important place of pilgrimage, its also the temples, mountains and other sacred text in India. Primlage is a place where Gods may have appeared or become manifest in the world. Every 12 years up to 10 million people share in ritual bathing at the Kumbha Mela festival at Allahabad where the waters of the Ganges and Jumna combine. Hindus walk from all over walk or drive to be purified and to bless their deity.

Hinduism is also filled with many famous figures. Not all of these figures are Gods or Goddess. Some of these famous figures are actual people. One example is Gandi. Gandhi promoted peace to his followers and made the Hindus traditions more recognizable. However Hindu gods are a important part of their religion. There are three important Gods which names are Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva, but all of these Gods are actually one God, which name is Brahman. He has different names because when he is happy he is, Vishnu. When he is mad he is Shiva, but the creator is Brahma. Hinduism has many god, all with different meanings and reasons why they are Gods. The Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gautama, is the central figure of the Buddhist religion, but he is also a famous Hindu holy figure and fits into the Hindu religion. An all-around holy man, the Buddha achieved enlightenment and helped others seek it for themselves. Many Hindus view the Buddha as an avatar or incarnation of their god Lord Vishnu. Though interpreted differently by different sects, the Buddha is often credited with condemning animal sacrifice as the will of Vishnu. The term bhakti simply means worship of the Gods, and is used in Buddhism as well as Hinduism. Some of the most revered Hindu holy figures of all time are the Bhakti Saints, who mostly hail from the fifteenth century. These saints are historical figures who spoke out against the hereditary caste system. The Bhakti saints preached their views on practice and prayer to large audiences and have devoted followings to this day. They were often poets, painters, singers or musicians. Some of the most famous Bhakti Saints are Kabir, Surdas and Tulsidas. They are known for their poetry and their works are read today Hindus revere and even worship many saints and historical figures who impacted Hinduism and the world.

Did you know that Hinduism is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third most popular religion? They have around 750 million followers. There are about 1 million Hindus around the world today. Hinduism is the oldest existing religion. It started about 4000 years ago near the Indus River. The top three countries that believe in Hinduism are India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. About 80% of Indian population call themselves Hindus. There are Hindus in places everywhere in the world. They believe Hinduism is just a way of life or a family of religions rather than just a single religion. Back in 1946 there was fight against the Hindu and the Muslims. This fight was called the direct action day. This day was a day of riots and manslaughter between the Muslims and Hindus. Muslims represented the majority of the population with 56%. They fought against the Hindus with 42% of the population in Calcutta. The Hindus exact world religion of Hindus is 961,966,420. The Hindus population increases a lot every day. The only two religions that is larger than Hinduism is Christianity and Islam. Christianity and Islam population increase at a faster rate than the Hinduism religion does. As I said before the Hindus population is always going to increase. was called the direct action day. This day was a day of riots and manslaughter between the Muslims and Hindus. Muslims represented the majority of the population with 56%. They fought against the Hindus with 42% of the population in Calcutta. The Hindus exact world religion of Hindus is 961,966,420. The Hindus population increases a lot every day. The only two religions that is larger than Hinduism is Christianity and Islam. Christianity and Islam population increase at a faster rate than the Hinduism religion does. As I said before the Hindus population is always going to increase.

Work sited http://hinduismfacts.org/hindu-symbols/ http://www.pamf.org/preteen/share/celebrations/hindu.html http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/holidays.htm http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/holidays/diwali.htm http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/holidays/holi.htm http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Hinduism/Religious_Symbols_of_Hinduism http://www.faithology.com/holidays/hinduism

Symbols The symbol in Hinduism is called Aum or Om Well the symbol of Hinduism is known for its an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right -facing form or its mirrored left-facing form. Some people call it a negative religion. Cause people say they believe in more than one god but really they god has many faces. And that they pray to more than one god but they really do not. And they also believe along with the christians they believe they life is like a big time weal and when that time wheel stops or life stops. It represents several important triads such as the three worlds, which are earth, atmosphere, and heaven. And when you die they believe that you either go to heaven and become something biter or stay the same. But if you were bad when you were alive you become something bad like a Sometimes the crossing lines are horizontal and vertical and other times they are an angle, forming a central "x" shape. Sometimes they have dots on each arm of the symbol. And also the symbol is known around the world. Its name comes the Sanskrit word svasti meaning good fortune, luck and well-being. This original meaning of the swastika is a far cry from Western associations of the symbol, which are largely negative. The right-hand swastika is one of the 108 symbols of the Hindu god Vishnu as well as a symbol of the sun and of the Hindu sun god, Surya. And some people believe that their symbol represents the nozy symbol but they are round and the symbol in their hats bin around a lot longer their almost anything else. Holidays Hinduism is a religion that originated in the subcontinent of India. It has no known founder and is a mix of diverse beliefs and traditions. Hinduism is considered the world's oldest religion and has approximately a billion followers. Approximately 890 million Hindus live in India, placing it as the world's third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. Other countries with large Hindu populations include Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia. Holi also called Halacha or Phagwa is an annual festival celebrated on the day after the full moon in the Hindu month of Phalguna (early March). It celebrates spring, commemorates various events in Hindu mythology and is time of disregarding social norms and indulging in general merrymaking. Holi is probably the least religious of Hindu holidays. During Holi, Hindus attend a public bonfire. Spray friends and family with colored powders and water, and generally go a bit wild in the streets. The central ritual of Holi is the throwing and applying of colored water on friends and family, which gives the holiday its common name "Festival of Colors." This ritual is said to be based on the above story of Krishna and Radha as well as on Krishna's playful splashing of the maids with water, but most of all it celebrates the coming of spring with all its

Do you know what reincarnation is? Reincarnation is the rebirth of a soul in a new body. Hindu believes in a death and after death. That basically means a new life to the believers of Hinduism. They also believe that a human has two bodies. They have a gross and subtle body. The gross body is the physical body and the subtle bodies consist of the mind and body organs. Hindus think that when you die your gross body is left behind and your soul is left with your subtle body.

Reincarnation Hindus believe that reincarnation gives them a chance to evolve spiritually. In the Hindu religion you have to know about reincarnation. In Hinduism you should know about the death and after death. Some people ask why Hindus talk about reincarnation. Well, Hindus talk about it because it says that their unfulfilled desires are primarily responsible for their rebirth. Hindus also believe in karma. Karma is the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences. Karma is where good and bad deeds happen .Good karma is where good thoughts and commands lead to good things. Bad thoughts and commands leads to bad things that happen in between your life. This effect doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen right then but can be visited upon a soul in future lives through reincarnation. Reincarnation and karma connects in the Hindu believes of the religion. The Ganges River is part of reincarnation too. The Ganges River is supposed to wash away sins. The Ganges River is where many Hindus go to take a dip or bath. Some Hindus even believe life is incomplete with going to take a dip or bath in the Ganges River. The Ganges River is very important to the Hindus religion. The Ganges River is so important itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like a god.

CULTURE The Muslim culture is used to cover many different Islamic religious groups. The Asian Muslim culture, the Middle Eastern, the African, the European and the American Muslims, each with their own variations on customs and traditions. In our class, we had a guest speaker come in named Amina, who was Muslim. She explained in the beginning of the presentation that her ways of her religion may be different from others because of her culture. We asked, “Why don’t you wear the head covering? Why aren’t you wearing the full body coverage?”. She answered, “Why? Because of culture.” She described how her family was never really too strict on the way of dressing even though in the Islamic religion, clothing is of importance. Sometimes if you’re Muslim, your culture may override the religion. Clothing in the Muslim culture are different since it has to do with a certain person’s way of doing something. For example, one family might follow the head to toe covering with only the eyes showing for the women while one family might not even follow that at all. The requirements of covering for the Islamic religion is that the dress must cover the whole body except for the areas specifically exempted. If one Muslim group follows exactly what the Quran says, then they believe that men should lower their their gaze and guard modesty and that it will make for greater purity for them and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. -Dr. Jamal Badawi. For women, it states that women should lower their gaze and guard their modesty also and they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons or their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments. -Dr. Jamal Badawi Due to culture, you may not see much people in this sort of dress code. Yes, they might wear a headscarf but I myself have yet to see a Muslim woman wear a full head to toe covering. When Amina came to our school and explain what she knew about her religion, she wore her hair down and showing with a dress that exposed her legs and arms. She explained that men also have a dress code which they usually don’t follow. In the Islamic religion, they have a month called Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim year. During this time, Muslims are required to fast, or not eat from sunrise to sundown. This means no drinking or eating until the sun is gone. In an interview, John Perry answers questions about fasting. He tells that he bites his nails and naws on his cuticles but spits everything out. When told that he should definitely swallow that stuff, he states that normally he does, he just doesn’t want to cheat. On his 13th day of fasting, he’s cinched his belt up a notch more. Other than fasting during Ramadan, they have other dietary laws that they follow. They can’t eat pork, frogs, dogs, cats, ducks, anything that’s been dead, or meat that wasn’t butchered by Muslims.

FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM The Five Pillars of Islam are the duties that Muslims must perform to show their faith to God or Allah. In Arabic, it is called arkan ud-Din, or Pillars of the Faith. It is expected to every Muslim to do. Each of the five pillars are mentioned individually throughout the Qur’an and Muhammad listed them together in the Hadith when he was asked to define Islam. The first pillar is Shahada, or confession of faith. It expresses the two simple, fundamental beliefs that make one a Muslim. “La ilaha Allah wa-Muhammad rasul Allah.” (There is no god but God and Muhammad is the prophet of God.) The second pillar is Salat, or ritual prayer. This is performed five times a day: at dawn (al-fajr), midday (al-zuhr), afternoon (al-’asr), sunset (al-maghrib), and evening (al-’isha). When praying, it is always directed in the direction of the Ka’ba shrine in Mecca. Sajjada, or a prayer mat, is commonly used during salat. This prayer may be performed individually, but it carries special merit when done with other Muslims. The midday prayer at the mosque on Fridays is the focal prayer of the week. Salat must be preceded by ablutions of ritually washing the face, hands, and feet. The third pillar is zakat. The zakat is an alms tax which is required of every adult Muslim with sufficient means. In many ways, it resembles the modern welfare state. The fourth pillar is sawm (or siyam), which is fasting during the month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic year. During Ramadan, all adult Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse when the sun is out. The final pillar is the Hajj. In a Muslim’s lifetime, they are expected to undertake a pilgrimage to Mecca, the sacred city of Islam. The holy journey is called the hajj in Arabic. It must take place during the month of Dhu alHijja (the last month of the Islamic year) to fulfill the requirements of the hajj.

THE BELIEFS

The belief of Islam is to worship Allah which is in Arabic or God which he is the sovereign ruler of the universe. When each Muslim surrenders to God (Allah) they will Find peace in their souls. Islam is more than just a religion; it is also a way of life. When Muhammad was spoken by and angel to preach the Ideas of Allah being the only god to worship and to reject false Idols and false gods, so Unfortunately he had to flee to Yathrib to avoid prosecution. Since Muslims believe in Allah they should believe that Allah is the only god to worship, Otherwise Muslims who don’t believe in Allah go to hell which sounds similar to Christianity. This rule means that no anger, greed, violence to Allah which disgraces him, Allah chooses humans who get to be prophets, angels who send messages to the people on Earth about faithfulness in Allah. To prove that Muslims are faithful to Allah, they must show themselves at the Mosque On time. Both men and women must cleanse themselves everywhere on their bodies. After they find a Sajida, or a prayer mat and must bow down to Allah. In order for Muslims to enter the Haji they must bathe and put on Ihram, which is a sacred state that a Muslim must perform the major pilgrimage or the minor pilgrimage. In order to enter in paradise with Allah, Muslims must declare that there is no God but Allah and also that Muhammad is the messenger of God. The Five lars process on how Muslims perform in their own lives from sunrise to sundown. The only don’t Muslims have is don’t touch anything that has Muhammad on it, The Qur'an must not be soiled. Every Muslim feels that the Qur’an is more

Pil-

PRAYING/CIRCUMCISION In the Muslim Community they believe that Men should be circumcised. In Moslem Families the Shahadah meaning Profession of faith is whispered into the right ear of a newborn, and the call to prayer into the left ear. But this doesn’t determine whether a child is a member in the Islamic community. Also the Shahadah should be the last thing said to someone who is dying. The circumcision of boys is an obligatory thing meaning it is required by the way they live it’s a rule. When a male child is to get circumcised it’s usually done between the ages of 5-7. There is a festival event that dates back to the days of Abraham. There’s clothing, presents, and Candy for the pain and suffering the boys had to go through. In the Sunni Islam among Muslim legal scholars, there are different opinions about getting circumcised In the Islamic law they say it’s not obligatory but it’s highly recommended. The Shia Islam traditions they say that when you become Muslim regardless if you’re like 90 years old you would have to get circumcised. It is also said that when you get circumcised early as 7 days after your born it is cleaner and that the urine of the uncircumcised is impure and that the earth hates the urine of the uncircumcised. The Shia say that if one prays with unclean genitals their prayer man not be accepted even if you are praying with someone who is circumcised. There is no mention of female circumcision in the Quran In the Muslim Community they have wedding ceremony they say that money should be given to the bride. During the ceremony, participants should be merry, but not transgress the boundaries set by the Islam. The only type of Musical instrumental that is allowed to be played is the Tambourine. Men and women must sit apart and there is no drinking of alcohol, mixed dancing or dancing of women in front of men is forbidden. It is not custom to put on wedding rings on each other’s fingers.

How Well Do You Know Jews? Jewish Beliefs

beliefs, the same with any religion, but three major beliefs of theirs are that you should not kill a person because someone forcNot many people really know who the Jewish people are es you to, worship idols, or act immorally. Nor should you stand idly by while a brother’s blood is being spilt. and what they truly believe in. They are alike anyone else and their religion is actually quite similar to others believe it or The Torah does not mention much on the subject of the not. They have many of the same beliefs as other religions, but afterlife. It is centered on concern with the physical world as it is many are also entirely their own. How well do you really know now and creating peace among its inhabitants. Jews believe it is the Jews? best to leave the afterlife in G_d’s hands for he is good and just Judaism is a religion that has existed in humanity since and to find peace and holiness during your lifetime rather than worrying about the afterlife. G_d rewards the good and punishes the time of Abraham (“History of Judaism”). The followers of the bad. They believe that there is no Hell for G_d is forgivJudaism are commonly known as Jews and believe that there is ing. He will punish you in your lifetime if you are evil, but your one divine G_d. They have many beliefs based upon their holy sins will be forgiven when death arrives. Jews believe to always book, the Torah, as common in religions. Their traditional language, as written in the Torah, is Hebrew. Everything a Jew does forgive because it causes stress and anxiety to hold onto anger and it distracts them from worshipping G_d (Telushkin, Joseph). revolves around worshipping G_d, what he stands for, and following a path to holiness. The Jewish G_d punishes the guilty, rewards the holy, and forgives those who sin. Their G_d is neither male nor female and possesses no body (“Jewish Beliefs”). Their G_d’s name may not be written fully on anything that can be discarded or erased for G_d’s name is too divine and holy to be disrespected in such a way (Rich, Tracey). Jews believe G_d plays a role in each person’s life by having the ability to be everywhere at once and listens to the thoughts of his subjects. They believe G_d cares about each and every one of them and is just and forgiving. Jews believe they are G_d’s chosen people sent by G_d to teach others of G_d’s greatness and to set an example of ethical behavior for others in the hopes of creating peace among people (“Jewish Beliefs”). Jews believe that it is not the actions a man has committed in his lifetime, but the reasons for his actions that decide whether he is a holy man. They also believe that Jesus is not the Messiah, like Christians believe, but that the Messiah has not come yet and will be a descendant of King David when he does. It is their belief that the Messiah will arrive and usher in a world of peace and prosperity. He will gather all the Jewish people and bring them to Israel, the holy land, and return them to the full glory of the Torah law (Telushkin, Joseph). There are different sects of Judaism, as with other religions. The Jewish people have variant ways of worshipping G_d or in their interpretation of specific events that have occurred in the Torah. This, in turn, leads to variances in their beliefs as well. Three divisions of Judaism are the Reform, Conservative, and Hasidic sects. However, despite their differences, they all follow the Golden Rule. The Golden rule is the Jewish code of conduct that tells them to treat unto others as they would have others treat unto them. This is how the Jews follow a holy path and remain good in the sight of G_d. Jews possess numerous

Jewish Practices Jewish practices are where the Jews distinguish from other religions. There ceremonies, rituals, and practices are unique, as in every religion. All religions perform these acts to honor their God, but the Jewish way is as distinctive as each person is from each other. Some of their ceremonies and practices are well known, but there is always more to it that can be learned. The Jewish people follow a covenant that was created between G_d and Abraham to portray their commitment to one another. The covenant relationship with G_d means that G_d does good deeds for the Jews and the Jews hold the laws of G_d and fill their lives with holiness. The covenant made between Abraham and G_d was an agreement between the two parties. The Jewish people were to keep his covenant and abide by its laws (“Covenant”). G_d bestowed upon them the religious rite of circumcision. This is performed on the male Jew eight days after his birth as an act of purification (“Circumcision”). The laws of G_d that Jews were meant to keep are the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are written in the Old Testament and instruct the Jewish people on how they should live. The Ten Commandments are as follows: 1.

You shall have no other Gods but me.

You shall not make for yourself any idol, nor bow down to it or worship it.

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy.

Respect your father and mother.

You must not kill.

You must not commit adultery.

You must not steal.

9. You must not give false evidence against your neighbor. 10. You must not be envious of your neighbor's goods. You shall not be envious of his house nor his wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor (“The Ten Commandments”). Jews follow only the Old Testament and not the New Testament. The New Testament is part of the Christian religion and speaks of Jesus as the son of G_d and the savior. Jews don’t believe Jesus is the savior or that he is the son of G_d. For them, G_d does not have a physical form (“Jewish Beliefs”).

Rabbi’s are the Jewish religious teachers and preach Jewish beliefs. Jews pray in synagogues and must recite prayers/instructions properly or the prayers are considered invalid. Prayers require proper concentration and must be recited in Hebrew, for that is the language their holy books/scriptures are written in (“Jewish Worship and Prayer”). A Jew must prayer three times a day. Once in the morning, afternoon, and during the evening service. The morning prayer is to thank G_d for what they have and blessings are uttered throughout the day to friends and neighbors. A Jew can not consume food or drink until a blessing has been spoken. During services it is common for a Jewish man to wear a prayer shawl and a Yamaka, which is the Jewish religious headwear. A Yamaka is worn to remind Jews that G_d is always with them. The Jewish people have dietary laws that they follow and numerous holy days and holidays where certain practices/rituals are performed. One of these, for example, is the Sabbath, a holiday written in the Ten Commandments. MLA Citations “Circumcision.” Jewish Encyclopedia. Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906. Web. 13 May 2014. “Covenant.” Jewish Encyclopedia. Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906. Web. 13 May 2014. “History of Judaism.” BBC Religions. External Sites, 1 July 2009. Web. 13 May, 2014

Judaism Impacts and History Overtime There is a striking point in time where the Jewish community was hugely impacted. This impact could of lead to wars for power and even death amongst the community. The Western civilization was born in the Middle East and the Jews along with it. In the early days of Rome, the Jews were close to the Empire’s center. When power shifted eastward, the Jewish center was in Babylon. When it skipped to Spain, there again were the Jews. During the Middle Ages, the center of civilization moved into Central Europe, the Jews were waiting for it in Germany and Poland. The rise of the United States into the leading world power caused Judaism to be focused there. This all started by one little word, power. The Holocaust took place in 1933 where millions of jews were murdered because of their race/ religion. Adolf Hitler is the individual behind the horrifying history of the Holocaust. When Hitler became chancellor, or dictator, in 1933, the German government began passing laws removing the rights of the Jews as citizens. From there, the Nazis deported many Jews to labor camps, death camps, and ghettos. In December of 1942, a single Nazi decree ordered Gypsies from all over Europe to be deported to the death camp in Auschwitz where 16,000 were immediately murdered. Such crimes as these finally stopped when American troops liberated the camps in 1945 and ended the Nazi regime. This was such a big impact on the Jewish community when World War II took place. Countries wanted to control Israel and take over the Jewish community. The Jewish people lived in Europe and did not leave when the Russians started to move into their territory. Before 1880, almost all the Jews in the world lived in Europe with most of them in what was called, The Pale of Settlement. The Pale Settlement was an area that is now partly in Russia and partly in eastern Poland and the Ukraine. In 1881 the Jews were expelled from the area and two million of them came to America while others went to Germany or Australia. This is why the war started, all because the Russians started to take control of

the Jewish civilization. As a result of World War II, the Jews were sent to camps where they were murdered. Jews were separated into groups and split from their families. As a result of the murders and the war, the Jewish community was severely destroyed . The history of Judaism dates back thousands of years as chronicled in the Old Testament of the Bible. Israel, the promised land bestowed upon the Jewish, became a state in 1948, after the end of World War II. People of Jewish faith reside in countries globally, they are not contained to any certain locations. However, Israel is their holy land and it holds spiritual value for the Jewish. They have toiled for years in an attempt to repossess their people’s promised land. Their struggle to regain their rightful land has made history, and it’s a history that we won’t soon forget. The two major impacts of Judaism in history are the Holocaust and the Russian expansion during World War II. The Jewish community still fights for their freedom today. Judaism is a religion that is still expanding despite all the horrors they have faced throughout the years. Works Cited: Berman, Ellie. "The Holocaust: An Introductory History." An Introductory History of the Holocaust. Copyright © 2014 American-Israeli

Important Religious Figures in Judaism Moses is born during the Jewish enslavement in Egypt, during a terrible period when the Pharaoh decrees that all male Hebrew infants were to be drowned at birth. His mother, Yocheved, desperate to prolong his life, floated him in a basket in the Nile. Hearing the crying child as she walked by, the Pharaoh's daughter pitied the crying infant and adopted him. Moses is an important figure in Judaism because he freed the Jews from slavery and he took them to the holy land. Abraham was born under the name Abram in the city of Ur in Babylonia in the year 1948 BC. He was the son of Terach, an idol merchant, but from his early childhood he questioned the faith of his father and sought the truth. He came to believe that the entire universe was the work of a single Creator, and he began to teach this belief to others. Abraham set off with his wife Sarah to find the Promised Land that the Creator guaranteed him. Abraham is an important figure in Judaism because he was the first Jew and spent his life spreading Judaism.

and Ephraim. Jacob is an important figure in Judaism because his sons started 12 branches of Judaism. The Jewish population was growing until 1939. In 1939 the holocaust was starting. The holocaust lasted until 1945. That’s why the Jewish population decreased. When the holocaust ended the population decreased by 9,327,200 people. Over the years the Jewish population has grow. The Jews has a big population is Israel. Joseph in his

“Coat of Colors”

At the age of 17, Joseph was a shepherd alongside his brothers. Jacob loved Joseph more than he loved his other sons. Joseph would report his brothers’ misdeeds to his father and Jacob gave Joseph a "coat of many colors." The other brothers were jealous of Joseph and hated him. Joseph only further provoked this hatred when he told his brothers about two of his dreams. In the first, sheaves of wheat belonging to his brothers bowed to his own sheaf. In the second, the sun, moon, and 11 stars bowed to him.

One day, Jacob sent Joseph to Shechem to check on his brothers. Joseph went to Shechem and, when his brothers were not there, followed them to Dothan. When the brothers saw him, they plotted to kill him and throw him into a pit. The oldest brother, Reuben, suggested that they merely throw Joseph into the pit, so Reuben could secretly save Joseph Jacob fathered 12 sons: later. When Joseph approached, the brothers took his coat Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebuand threw him into the pit. They sat down to eat and saw a lun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, caravan of Ishmaelite traders from Gilead in the distance. Naphtali, Joseph and Benjamin. Judah came up with the idea to sell Joseph into slavery. JoThey are the ancestors of the tribes seph was sold for 20 pieces of silver. The brothers then of Israel, and the ones for whom the tribes are named. Joseph is the father of two tribes: Manasseh dipped his coat into the blood of a slaughtered goat and brought it back to Jacob. Jacob recognized the coat and concluded that a beast had killed his son. He mourned for many days and was inconsolable. Works cited: "Vital Statistics: Jewish Population of the World." Jewish Population of the World. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May

Voodoo History The practices of voodoo originated in the West Indies country of Haiti during the French Colonial Period. The foundations of Voodoo are the tribal religions of West Africa, brought to Haiti by slaves in the seventeenth century. They were mainly captured from the Dahomey. The word Voodoo derives from the word 'Vodu' in the Fon language of Dahomey, which means spirit God. Because Haiti was mainly isolated, this allowed Voodoo to develop with its traditions and their beliefs in gods. About 250 years ago, Voodoo came to the Americas. They were worked and beaten until those who survived were considered tame enough to be sold to plantation owners. Not only were the slaves punished if caught gathering for dancing, or anything else out of routine but sometimes their owners would suffer being faced with consequences from the Americans. Meeting for Voodoo or any rites was nearly impossible in that time period. In superficial conversion to Catholicism, some masters did not allow their slaves to practice any religion at all. In 1782, the governor of Louisiana prohibited the importation of blacks from the West Indies because he considered them to be steeped in Voodooism and threatening to his citizens' safety. Many of the French who were able to escape fled to Louisiana, some accompanied by their French speaking, occult -practicing slaves. This was the beginning of organized Voodoo in Louisiana. He sought to outlaw the practice of Voodoo fearing that its evil forces would serve as a rallying point for slave uprising, especially as white colonists were greatly outnumbered by those they held bondage. It was not until the successors of James Monroe had concluded the purchase of Louisiana from France in 1803 that some of these restrictions were lifted. In addition, by this time, a new generation of Africans had grown up, a generation that spoke the language of their owners and were more obedient, and who, for the most part, accepted their status as slaves. Consequently, a new generation of less despotic owners had developed. Most of the fear of uprisings had dwindled. Discipline and punishment were less severe and it seemed that slave owners had finally realized that slaves were a valuable property. It was at last recognized that the slaves required recreation. They now were allowed to gather on the plantations for dances, weddings, and religious celebrations of various sorts on Sundays. In 1803 the prohibition against blacks from the West Indies was lifted. Approximately at the

same time, slaves in Haiti ultimately used their African-born rituals to fuel their own rebellion. Between 1791, and 1804, a series of slave revolts, which were inspired by spirit worship, finally culminated in the expulsion of the French from the island.

Stereotypes of Voodoo There are many stereotypes of Voodoo. Images such as dolls stuck with pins meant to inflict instant pain and harm, zombies and human sacrifice all come to mind when the practice is mentioned. Black magic, curses and devil worship are an unfortunate product of Hollywood, based on severe lack of knowledge and understanding. Voodoo dolls" as seen in New Orleans have nothing to do with Haitian Vodou. These dolls, sold as souvenirs, are a large part of the de-

mands of tourist attractions. New Orleans Voodoo is not the same as Haitian Vodou. Although the two practices came from the same root, they have taken completely different paths. New Orleans Voodoo, or Hoodoo is not a religion or a way of life as it is in Haiti, but more of a magical practice which has its roots in African American folk beliefs, as well as a large blend of African Diaspora.

Origin The practices of voodoo originated in the West Indies country of Haiti during the French Colonial Period. The foundations of Voodoo are the tribal religions of West Africa, brought to Haiti by slaves in the seventeenth century. They were mainly captured from the Dahomey. The word Voodoo derives from the word 'Vodu' in the Fon language of Dahomey, which means spirit God. Because Haiti was mainly isolated, this allowed Voodoo to develop with its traditions and their beliefs in gods. About 250 years ago, Voodoo came to the Americas. They were worked and beaten until those who survived were considered tame enough to be sold to plantation owners. Not only were the slaves punished if caught gathering for dancing, or anything else out of routine but sometimes their owners would suffer being faced with consequences from the Americans. Meeting for Voodoo or any rites was nearly impossible in that time period. In superficial conversion to Catholicism, some masters did not allow their slaves to practice any religion at all. In 1782, the governor of Louisiana prohibited the importation of blacks from the West Indies because he considered them to be steeped in Voodooism and threatening to his citizens' safety. Many of the French who were able to escape fled to Louisiana, some accompanied by their French speaking, occult-practicing slaves. This was the beginning of organized Voodoo in Louisiana. He sought to outlaw the practice of Voodoo fearing that its evil forces would serve as a rallying point for slave uprising, especially as white colonists were greatly outnumbered by those they held bondage. It was not until the successors of James Monroe had concluded the purchase of Louisiana from France in 1803 that some of these restrictions were lifted. In addition, by this time, a new generation of Africans had grown up, a generation that spoke the language of their owners and were more obedient, and who, for the most part, accepted their status as slaves. Consequently, a new generation of less despotic owners had developed. Most of the fear of uprisings had dwindled. Discipline and punishment were less severe and it seemed that slave owners had finally realized that slaves were a valuable property. It was at last recognized that the slaves required recreation. They now were allowed to gather on the

plantations for dances, weddings, and religious celebrations of various sorts on Sundays. In 1803 the prohibition against blacks from the West Indies was lifted. Approximately at the same time, slaves in Haiti ultimately used their African-born rituals to fuel their own rebellion. Between 1791, and 1804, a series of slave revolts, which were inspired by spirit worship, finally culminated in the expulsion of the French from the island. Stereotypes of Voodoo There are many stereotypes of Voodoo. Images such as dolls stuck with pins meant to inflict instant pain and harm, zombies and human sacrifice all come to mind when the practice is mentioned. Black magic, curses and devil worship are an unfortunate product of Hollywood, based on severe lack of knowledge and understanding. Voodoo dolls" as seen in New Orleans have nothing to do with Haitian Vodou. These dolls, sold as souvenirs, are a large part of the demands of tourist attractions. New Orleans Voodoo is not the same as Haitian Vodou. Although the two practices came from the same root, they have taken completely different paths. New Orleans Voodoo, or Hoodoo is not a religion or a way of life as it is in Haiti, but more of a magical practice which has its roots in African American folk beliefs, as well as a large blend of African Diaspora.

About their Religion African Tribe Religions are not limited to beliefs in spirits or supernatural ritual acts of worship. Although all of their practices affect their lives in all aspects. Alongside other religions they primarily base their focus on the eternal questions of what it means to be human. - what is the meaning of life and what are the correct relations among humans, between humans and spiritual powers and the natural world. ?They look to explain the persistence of evil and suffering and they seek to portray the world as operating with some degree of order and predictability. They behave in ethical behavior. The ideas they create are expressed in sacred oral, and written, traditions handed down from generation to generation through the performance of ritual dance and music and through intensive periods of education including the rights of passage. African Tribes are all unique in their practices strongly believing that many factors are all necessary in life occurrences and experiences. A certain custom known as Lobola is when a groom pays the father of the bride to compensate for the loss of their daughter usually paid in cattle but also can be paid in wage. The tradition is still used and represents fostering mutual respect to bring the two families together. In African beliefs, evil is personified, it has form and person. Evil is defined as many things. Africans believe that nothing happens by chance or accident. Everything is caused by something or someone. It can either be human or spiritual in nature but to the african tribe, everything has a cause and it is up to the tribal people to find out what they cause was to not have misfortunes recur. They also believe in charms. Charms are objects in which hold great power and are representations of gods or spirits. They are said to offer healing or protection to the people who come in contact with the object. They are believed to come in many forms such as amulets, belts, scriptures, or statues. When a child is born the newly childs placenta is to be buried in a special place,

otherwise the child is considered to be a bastard and any evil and or misfortune stems from them. They also believe in oaths. Oaths are ways of forming good human relationships. They are used to bind people together. Through oaths, people that come from different families can consider themselves to be brothers and they are treated like family. Oaths are not taken lightly. It is believed that a god will come for vengeance upon anyone who breaks an oath.

Buddhism Stereotypes :

vegans or vegetarians, which mean they only eat vegetables, and they also like to stay healthy and fit. So no, not all BudBy: Jonathan Cornelio dhists are fat. Now not all Buddhists meditate, but meditating goes back when it all started back when Buddhism started. You see while Buddha was trying to find the state of peace otherwise What do you imagine when you hear the word Budknown as Nirvana (which the state of peace) he started to medidhist. You probably think of a man who is bald, wearing an tate under a orange robe, and who rubbing his belly. But that is just a stereoBodhi tree (the type. Stereotype is a widely fix or simplified image or idea of Bodhi tree is someone or something. Some examples of stereotypes are if you the funky lookare from Iraq you are a terrorist, or that if you are black/African ing tree). American you can run fast. The truth is that it’s all false, well most of it is. There are some stereotypes that are partly true. So you see Buddhists are not as they Well I’m going to state all the fats form seem from all stereotypes. You see there are different types of Buddhists, and stereotypes. depending on their culture is what they wear or how they look They are not all like. First some of the major stereotypes are that Buddhists are fat and bald. bald. Well that stereotype is partly true because some Buddhists They all also don’t wear oractually do shave their heads. You see some Buddhists shave of ange robes. The most important thing to remember is that not all their heads fully to show their commitment to the Holy Life (Brahmacariya). While some other ancestors or Buddhists with stereotypes are true and that some can be right but when it a different culture will tear out their hair, or they might just not comes to stereotyping religions you have to remember that it all depends on the touch their hair at all and let it tangle. So you see depending on culture which their culture is what they do. that person has come through. Another stereotype is that they all wear orange robes. You see Buddhists wearing robes dates back to many centuries ago. They wear the robes to show simplicity and to show detachment of materialism. They choose the color orange or saffron because long ago when they started to wear the robes the color orange was the most available to them. One thing you should know though is that not all Buddhists follow all the traditions. You see some Buddhists might meditate and follow the eightfold path but they might not wear the orange robes or shave their head. In fact they might look like an average American. Like I said earlier it all depends on their culture.

Another stereotype is that Buddhists are fat like the Buddha and they spend the whole day meditating under a funky looking tree. Well let me start off by saying that not all Buddhists are fat. You see, most or almost half of the Buddhists are

24 first day of a full moon in January. Another important holiday in the Buddhist community is Vesak or Visakah Puja day otherwise known as Buddha Day. This is the major Buddhist festival By: Jack Bixby of the year because it celebrates the life, Enlightenment, and Imagine if you had to beg for your food and had to eat death of the Buddha on the first full moon of May. There are whatever people gave you even if it was raw or rotten. This was many other holidays that are important in Buddhism which inthe way of the monks in the time of Buddha luckily, times have clude Magha Puja Day, Asalha Puja day and many others. changed. There are no completely set dietary rules in Buddhism Could you imagine sitting still with your eyes closed but, some sects follow different rules than other sects. For exdoing just this for fifteen minutes? Buddhist can, it’s a common ample, in the Mahayana school of Buddhism they do eat meat, practice in the religion called meditation. Meditation is an imfish and eggs. Since all these rules differ among the various portant part of the Buddhist beliefs because it makes you aware schools of Buddhism it of what bad actions you are doing. There are many types of makes for interesting meditation as well; each was created to overcome a particular practices. Most groups in problem. In Buddhism you are supposed to meditate 15 China and Vietnam don’t eat the Five Pungent Spices which consist of garlic, leek, onion, and others. Calm, quiet, peaceful people, these are the things that most Buddhist sects have in common. Aside from that push out what you knew because today we are diving into the schools of Buddhism. The first sect we’ll be talking about and the oldest is the Theravada. These monks primarily live in Sri Lanka, Laos, Burma and Thailand. This sect believes in the most traditional style and believes in eliminating all emotions of negative feelings. The more popular sect in the world is the Mahayana sect. This sect is described as the Great Way and is the largest most complex sect. They believe in the development of new Buddhist texts and a number of great ways to reach Enlightenment. Buddhism in the western world is known as Contemporary Buddhism. This sect is a mix of all the other sects and some stricter and looser traditions. There are many different Buddhist holidays which celebrate many different things. One of the most known is the Buddhist New Year which is celebrated by all Buddhist even though they celebrate it differently. In the Theravada culminutes each day of the week to help cleanse your mind of ture the New Year is celebrated for three days from the first full your problems. Meditation is one of the main ways to reach moon in April. In the Mahayana culture the New Year is on the Enlightenment, which is the main goal of Buddhist. This is why

The Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) lived between 563 and 483 BC in Indo-Nepalese region. For many years Buddha taught his knowledge about love and the destruction of all desire. Buddhist believes that there are “Four Noble Truths”. “(1) existence is suffering (2)this is suffering is caused by human craving (3) there is a cessation of the suffering , which is nirvana (4) Nirvana can be achieved, in this or future lives, though the “ eightfold path” of right views, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Buddhist believe that these are the steps it takes to understand the truth about life . ”The Four Noble Truths” teach, about suffering. It is believed by many Buddhist that, overcoming your desires would bring the suffering to an end. The process of connecting yourself to the Four Noble Truths runs through the stages of sanctity. The stages of sanctity are how people are cleansing themselves from the suffering, negativity, doubt, etc. 1.) They get rid of unnecessary rituals and ceremonies. 2.) They get rid of doubts about the things they taught, and doubts about the disciples. 3.) The complete removal of all hatred. 4.) a person gets rid of the desire for higher words and the desire to be born in higher places. Buddhism teaches that, people are continually reborn back in to this world, which in this case is Nirvana. The goal of Buddhism is nirvana. Nirvana is the state of final liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth. The image of the Buddha meditating under a tree is as important in Buddhism as just like the image of Jesus Christ on the cross is important to most Christians. The concept of Nirvana is also used in other religions like Jainism & Hinduism. A famous example can be found in the Pali Canon where nirvana is interpreted “as when a flame is blown out by the wind”. To Buddhist death is not the end of life; it’s just the ending of the body that the life is in. Morality is the starting point. All ethics and morals have one function, to control the speech and action of man. Basically, it’s saying that you should watch what you should say & watch how you complete your actions. That is the function of all ethics in Buddhism. So, you see, ethics is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. It is believed that it is left to the individual to follow the path that they believe in. This is called the eight fold path. What does the afterlife teach? Buddhist believes that death is a way back to earth. After death a person is either reborn into another body or enters nirvana. Buddhist believe that this is an important reason for us to watch the things we say and do. They believe that if we don’t pay attention to the decisions we make in this life then it’ll affect us in the next life. The “next life” has to do with reincarnation. Reincarnation is the taking on of a new body in the next life.

Learn before you

Judge