...Topic: Compare and contrast the customs and laws of TWO world religions on ONE of the following topics: A sacred text is used by a religion to understand their worldview and their religion better. A sacred text is what a religion believes is holy and authoritative. Religious texts help its followers to worship and pray. Both Christianity and Judaism are monotheistic and as such there are similarities but also differences within each religion. The sacred text for Judaism is the Tanach while Christianity has the Bible. The essay will explore the structure of each sacred text, what type of literature is in each canon, authorship of the text and how it is used in practice. Structure of each canon Christians believe the Bible is their sacred text. The Bible is a library of 66 books and is made of two parts, Old Testament (39 books) and New Testament (27 books). The Old Testament...
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...Running head: A Framework for Understanding A Framework for Understanding and Comparing Jainism Jacoven M. Staton Grand Canyon University INT 43 April 20, 2009 A Framework for Understanding and Comparing Jainism Jainism was the first religion that was formed from Hinduism. Jainism bares some similarities to Hinduism it eventually managed to become a religion all of its own. This reformation movement turned independent religion was based upon the teachings of its founder Mahavira. With the lessons taught by Mahavira and my interpretation of his lessons I was able to create the following framework for understanding and comparing of Jainism. What Does It Mean To Be Human? In Jainism the soul is thought of as uncreated and eternal, and is capable of obtaining a perfect divinity. Followers of Jainism should gain liberation from the continuous cycle of rebirth, by not stirring up any bad karma, particularly any bad karma stemmed from causing harm to any and all conscious beings. What Is the Basic Human Problem? The basic human problem as seen by the followers of Jainism is finding a way of finally stopping the continuous wheel of reincarnation. In short, how does one impede this circle of endless lives and come to an end so that they can live? What Is the Cause Of the Problem? The cause of the basic human problem is the continuous wheel of reincarnation, viewed by followers of Jainism, is the karma that they create. What Is the End or Goal of...
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...Burns- Sikora Religion has in the past and will continue to be in the future one of the main forces that has constantly shaped and drives the world. Throughout many centuries, wars were fought, laws were made, towns and countries were built and broken down all in the effort to make known or protect many of the different religions that exists in the world today. In this paper I will be comparing and contrasting the different western religions which are Hinduism and Buddhism and the eastern religions which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The country of origin for Hinduism is India and Southeast Asia. Hinduism was originated from the word “India” which has the very similar spiritual and cultural practices; this was developed in India more than one thousand years ago. There are several societal and cultural influences that made the religion of Hinduism vital to the region in which it originated. The Hindus of India tends to follow several traditions and social standards. When it comes to culture, the Hindus have several myths indicating that there are multiple faces of the divine, and also myths indicating that the divine interacts in many forms with the believers Hinduism is a religious belief system that lacks unity; it is also referred to as the Santana Dharma. The Santana Dharma means the “eternal religion” (Fisher, 2005). The Hindu religion is made up of several religions that were placed under the same or one category. In the Hindu religion, the people or...
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...Title: Course Project – Islamic Religion. Name: Oluwatosin T. Ajibola Institution: DeVry University The only way one will be able to have much knowledge about the Muslims is through the researching from different sources, academic research, traveling, knowing what is going on around you, and reading – accepted books or journals that talks about Islam. Gale says the meaning of Islam as the submission to God. He also talks about the history of Islam that the founder/restorer of Islam is Prophet Muhammad. Newberg misconception of belief towards Islam is that Muhammad is God fearing but Muhammad did not know how to escape the future vengeance for the Muslims. Malik argues the Islam cultural diversity and thinks there is no democracy in Muslim societies, but still Islam societies are modernizing and developing economically and their literacy rates are increasing steadily which makes the democratic movements in Islam societies to be picking up at different speeds in different countries. Teachings about Muslims teaches by Gale when he said there are two main branches of Islam; Sunni and Shia, there will be further clarification of the two main branches. Islam is one of the types of religion that the worshippers are very good believers, very submissive, and there are some words in Islam that really means a lot to the worshippers of Islam. Islam means submission to God. Muslims express their submission to their God by following the five pillars of Islam. The five pillars of Islam...
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...An Argument for Israel-Palestine Resolution: Comparing and Contrasting Factors of Religious and Non-Religious Arguments Avoiding a historical discussion of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict might be advantageous for now given this paper is meant to argue, while comparing and contrasting the two nations, that resolution to the conflict in contemporary times can not be achieved so easily, as simple as it may seem to supporters on both sides of “the cause”. The situation between these two highly conflicted states is complicated by elements that must be addressed. These warring nations have a rough history tracing back all the way to before the time of the Islamic Caliphate in the 7th century[1]. However, “putting aside their differences” is an idea that does not seem as practical as it sounds. It is my assumption that both states are threatened by and threatening to each other so long as they act out of religious intolerance. Struggling to determine which side is more or less at fault only further complicates the issue and does little to actually help resolve the conflicts. It is my argument that, instead of a resolution coming externally, the struggle must begin with issues of cultural and ethnic identity at the state level and among its constituents. This concern reinforces the necessity to understand one’s own culture before the door can be opened to allow for improvement and more favorable conditions on both sides of the conflict. It would be unreasonable to suggest...
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...Ancient Connections Julia Wilson Kaplan University RELG-2001-5 October 27, 2013 This paper is a reflection on Ancient Connections. It contains a discussion on two ancient religions and four resemblance characteristics, which I compared to my own belief system. The paper ends with a summary of how ancient religions still connect to today’s modern beliefs. Concept of Ultimate Reality The practices of Egyptian religion were efforts to provide for the gods and gain their favor. These gods included the royal patron Horus, the sun god Ra and the mother goddess Isis. According to Nigosian (2008), “The worship of one god (monotheism) took place during the reign of Pharaoh Amen-hotep.” They concept of ultimate reality was that dead components passed into a dark bleak realm that represented the opposite of life. Pharaoh when he was deceased was believed to ascend to the sky and dwell among the stars. Mesopotamian religion referred to the religious beliefs and practices of Assyrian, Babylonian and Chaldean people living in Mesopotamia. There was one supreme god or absolute lord of the city.(Nigosian 2008, p.45) Their concept of ultimate reality was known as the great below. When comparing these tw0 religions with my own belief system, I recognize the similarities. My concept of ultimate reality is that I believe in one God, and I believe that the deceased go to dwell in either Heaven (above the earth) of hell (beneath the earth). Survival after Death According to...
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...Throughout Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Divinity School Address, he has composed an essay that speaks of his unique perception of the natural world, but promptly diverts to discussing his take on the religion status of the world. Many of his essays, including this one, have continuously addressed controversial topics and discussions amongst society throughout time. Divinity School Address is an essay that many Christians have discussed, using its comparing Emerson's contradictory and harsh accusations and statements to their own Christian worldview. My goal of this essay is to discuss the reasons why I disagree with the claims that Emerson makes about his worldview and his view of religion as they starkly contradict with a Christian's worldview, as I contradict them when in comparison with a Christian’s worldview....
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...The main reason I chose this case study is because with the use of the Structural-Functional approach, the author is objective on religion and does not demonize or romanticize it. The author of the article is determining the state of religion in Canada by using the Structural-Functional approach. This is evident by the use of quantitative found throughout the article. With the Structural-Functional approach, the author is conveying information from a macro level by providing statistics found in Canada and comparing said statistics. The author is relaying how religion affects individuals on a social level based on more of a philosophical end rather than a set of rules that govern society. An example would be how the author is generalizing how...
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...12/03/2012 Globalization Question Religion has always been a sensitive subject in any society. In fact, we’ve all heard the old saying “The two things you never talk about around the dinner table are religion and politics”. I came into this class very closed-minded, thinking that the only religion that is “true” and makes the most sense is Christianity. However, after closely studying and learning the concepts of Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Chinese religions I began to question myself. How can one say that there is only one true religion and the rest are false? And who gets to determine which one is true? Whether one religion has the absolute truth or not - is a difficult question to answer. In fact, in my opinion it is impossible to answer. I agree with what Mortimer Adler wrote in his book “Truth in Religion” that “All the great religions claim truth for their beliefs whether they deny that there is truth in other religions or acknowledge that there is some measure of truth in some or all of the others”. Every religion will always claim to be the true one. However, since there is only one reality, it is logical to say that only one religion can be true. W. L. Craig has said in his debate that world’s religions conceive of God or Gods in so many contradictory ways that they cannot all be true. For example, concept of God in Islam and Christianity is so different that both religions cannot be true. Both religions can be wrong, but they cannot be both...
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...The novel Things Fall Apart is a classic novel that was written in 1958 by African author Chinua Achebe. This timeless novel about the Ibo people of Nigeria mirrors society in many different ways. Two recurring themes in the novel are colonization and superstition, and they each mirror society in their own individual way. Many of the superstitions that we are familiar with today do not seem to be as far-fetched as the ones depicted in the novel, and yet the society we live in is still very superstitious. One may argue that colonization is a thing of the past, but the affects of colonization are still being felt in many places around the world to this day. Colonization and superstition are major themes illustrated in the novel Things Fall Apart and they also mirror life in our society today. The affects of colonization in Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart are very prominent towards the end of the novel. After the missionaries have settled in Umuofia, the dynamic of the villages change. Obeirika, Okonkwo’s closest friend comments on the smarts of the “white man” in this excerpt from the novel: “The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on things that held us together and we have fallen apart” (Achebe, 176). This quote heavily demonstrates the effects of colonization on the Ibo people. The...
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... |HUM/130 Version 6 | | |Religions of the World | Copyright © 2009, 2007, 2006 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course studies the major religions of the world. Topical areas include Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Indigenous Cultures, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism. Students will be objectively studying the origins and major figures and comparing and contrasting each of the major religions. During this course each student will visit a religious site and interview a person of an unfamiliar faith. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view...
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...Contemporary Issues in Eastern Religions Paper Serrita Daniels, Bismarck Perez, Jonathan Keyworth, Dennis Morales, Matthew Weed REL/ 133 May 3rd, 2014 Stephen Allen Contemporary Issues in Eastern Religions Paper Shinto began in a time when the religion had no name and it was just a way of life. Long ago, people lived close with nature and so the religion began in worshiping the spirits of nature as a reality of the world (Molly, 2010). Shintoism is one of the oldest religions in Japan and to keep its teaching alive Japan gave it its name when Buddhism came to Japan in the sixth century. Although, this did not stop people from coming to Japan to compare their religions, how this religion interacts with the modern world, and how Shintoism would influence other religions in the modern world (Molly, 2010). When comparing Shintoism to other religions such as, Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism many people may automatically say there are not comparisons between the religions. When researching comparisons between these religions, people can say they all believe in a higher power, but that is not where the similarities end. Shinto and Buddhism care two religions that taught and learned from each other by adopting beliefs from each other. The both believed in having a place of worship called shrines and temples. They also believed in more than one higher deity who were a loving and benign (Find the best, 2014). When China entered Japan, the Chinese introduced Buddhism...
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...Hum 130 Appendix A Axia College Material Appendix A Final Project Overview and Timeline Final Project Overview The final project for HUM 130 is a World Religions Report. For your project, you will choose a religion that is not your own and then visit a place of worship and interview a person of that faith. You will report your findings in an informative paper. Compare and contrast this religion with another one you are familiar with through this class. Your World Religions Report should be 2000-2,500 words in length, formatted according to APA guidelines, and contain the following elements: 1. Introduction of the religion 2. Name, location review of the site 3. Interview summary 4. Comparing and contrasting with another religion 5. Conclusion 6. References Final Project Timeline You should budget your time wisely and work on your project throughout the course. As outlined below, some CheckPoints and assignments in the course are designed to assist you o Suggested in Week One: Select a religion that you are not familiar with, and start the 7 Question Final Project Plan, Appendix B, which is due in Week Four. o Suggested in Week Two: Select the location of religious site, and schedule a visit. Locate 3 sources that you can use for your project on this religion. Work on Appendix B, due in Week Four. o Suggested in Week Three: Locate an individual of the faith you chose, and initiate contact. Ask if you can interview him or her, or if he or...
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...compare Karl Marx and Emile David Durkheim ideas on religion from a sociological and functionalist perspective. Functionalists’ belief that religion is beneficial for both the community and its members e.g. it unifies the society which in turn gives each individual member a source of support when they need it. It will begin with their brief historical backgrounds, definition of religion as well as their similarities and differences in studying it. Karl Marx Marx was born in Prussia on May 5, 1818. He began exploring sociopolitical theories at university among the Young Hegelians. He became a journalist, and his socialist writings would get him expelled from Germany and France. In 1848, he published The Communist Manifesto with Friedrich Engels and was exiled to London, where he wrote the first volume of Das Kapital and lived the remainder of his life (Engels, 1869). Marx is considered as one of the founders of economic history and sociology. Emile Durkheim According to Jones (1986) “David Emile Durkheim was born in France, on April 15, 1857 and raised in a Jewish family with his father as a rabbi. Emile was, thus destined for the rabbinate, and a part of his early education was spent in a rabbinical school” (p.12). Durkheim is considered the father of modern sociology and well known for his work on Division of Labour in 1912. Definition of Religion Both Marx and Durkheim have rather contrasting definitions of what religion is with the former describing it basically as the...
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...Religions are an important aspect of many lives of the people around the world. Religion is a cultural aspect in different countries, meaning different things to different people. When comparing religions there are six areas that are looked at these are; the absolute, the world, humans, the problem for humans, the solution for humans, and life after death. There are many religions around the world, some religions branch off of other religions. When looking into these religions I came to see why many are similar. They have the same beliefs but worship and view some aspects in different ways. Hinduism and Buddhism are sometimes mistaken as being the same religion, though they are similar. They both originated in India. Buddhism came to be by breaking off of Hinduism and now has their own beliefs....
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