...2. To what did the Latin religio refer? 3. Taoism and Confucianism are nontheistic religions, that is, religions for which belief in God or gods is nonessential. While gods are not alien to either Taoism or Confucianism, belief gods is not central to either tradition. What are a couple of other religions that can be called nontheistic religions? 4. What is Paul Tillich's definition for religion, and why do Hopfe and Woodward consider its development too broad? Theories of the Origin of Religions, pp. 5-9 5. Explain E. B. Tylor's theory concerning the origin and evolution of religion. What is animism, and to what, "ultimately" and "finally," did Tylor think it evolved? 6. To what does the term "mana" refer? 7. Explain Max Müller's theory concerning the origin and evolution of religion. 8. How does Wilhelm Schmidt's theory differ most from those of Müller and Tylor (hint : the answer has something to do with which came first, monotheism or polytheism)? 9. Explain Sir James Frazer's theory concerning the origin and evolution of religion. 10. According to Ludwig Feuerbach, who created whom? 11. For Karl Marx religion consisted of the idea of heaven, so what did Marx mean when he wrote that religion, or the idea of heaven, "is the opium [a pain killer] of the [oppressed] people"? 12. Sigmund Freud argues that "the younger males" who "joined together in killing" their father experienced enough...
Words: 1363 - Pages: 6
...Buddhism is a religion based on the teachings of a man called Siddhartha Gauthama. He lived for about 25 centuries. Siddhartha Gauthama came to be called Buddha. In his life Buddha traveled and taught, he did not teach people what he had realized when he became enlightened. He taught people how to be come enlightened themselves. He taught them that awakening comes through your own direct experience, not through their beliefs. Buddhism spread throughout Asia to become one of the dominant religions in the continent. It is over 350 million people who practice Buddhism, which would make Buddhism the fourth largest of the world’s religions. Buddhism is different from other religions and some people question if it is really a religion. For most religions the focus is on God. For Buddhism, they are taught that believing in gods was not useful for people who were seeking enlightenment. In most religions, they are defined by their beliefs. Buddha said that we should not accept doctrines just because we read them in scripture or are taught them by priests. Buddha taught people how to realize truth for ourselves. The focus is on practice rather than belief. The foundation of Buddhism is the Four Noble Truths, which are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, the truth of the path that frees us from suffering. The fourth of Buddha’s Noble Truths is The Noble Eightfold Path, it consists of eight factors, which are right view, right...
Words: 655 - Pages: 3
...Seaton Johnson Religion 220 Report #1 In the first day of class we looked at a video which gave us a brief incite of some of the most popular religions of Asia today which includes but not limited to Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Shinto, Islam and Sikhism. In the film I felt that more emphasis was placed on Hinduism and Gandhi, which is only logical giving the importance of Gandhi in the east, he preached of peace and equality, he also played an important role in helping to calm the India Pakistan feud. It should also be noted that we looked at the four stages in life or ashrama which include a student, house holder, forest dweller, and sannyasa. Another important religion that caught my attention however it really isn’t a religion is Buddhism, Buddhism is a nontheistic religion or more so a philosophy of living that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on teachings attributed to Gautama Buddha, commonly known as the Buddha ("the awakened one"). According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha lived and taught in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, He is recognized by Buddhists as an awakened or enlightened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end their suffering through the elimination of ignorance and craving. Buddhists believe that this is accomplished through the direct understanding and perception of dependent origination and the Four Noble Truths. It should also be noted that in some area female...
Words: 251 - Pages: 2
...Exam Hum130 – Religions of the World Instructor Cynthia Stewart March 2013 Student Name: Date: March 21, 2013 Directions: For Sections I-IV, type your answers in the gray spaces provided, which will expand as you type. For Section V, type your answer in the white space as you normally would. You may use your textbook to complete this exam. In the essay sections of the exam, you will need to properly cite your source, including page number, if you use a direct quotation. Example: (Fisher, 2005, pg. 207). You may not use other sources, including the Internet, in answering these questions. You may of course bring any knowledge of your own to bear in answering, but if you copy or paraphrase information from any source other than our textbook, you will receive a grade of zero for the entire exam. Section I: Definitions (5 points each, 30 points total) Define these pairs of words immanent and transcendent - Immanent is believing that a sacred being(s) exist within the world and are present among us. Transcendent is the belief that a sacred being(s) exist outside of our world. sacred and profane - Sacred is a connection with God or a religious purpose that deserves veneration. Profane refers to the mundane things that exist in the world. cult and sect - A cult represents a distinct break from other traditions. A sect is a splinter group or a subgroup associated with a larger tradition. theistic and nontheistic - Theistic is a religion that is based...
Words: 1242 - Pages: 5
...the world there have always been many different religious and ethnic groups with varying views and ways of life. Here one from each category will be looked at. Buddhism has origins in Indian subcontinent with shared and unique beliefs. These beliefs have no doubt have caused discrimination and conflict throughout time. The same is true for Asians. They are people that were vary separated from the world, and when trade lines were opened so were their differences. What makes these groups different has caused pain, but their experience has been much like any other group through history. Buddhism has a unique set of beliefs and principles that are adhered to by its followers. The religion is nontheistic that is comprised of many practices, traditions, and beliefs based on Siddhartha Gautama, who is known as the Buddha (Buddhism, 2014). Buddha itself means the enlightened one. Gautama had a privileged upbringing and eventually grew tired of that life style. He searched for a greater meaning of life, and in that search he developed the four noble truths. They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering (Basics of Buddhism, 1999). Suffering and how to end that suffering are the center ideas of the religion. Buddhists meditate in search of nirvana, the higher state of understanding where suffering stops. They follow the Eight Fold Path to work through the understanding...
Words: 1173 - Pages: 5
...Comparison of Two Religions Amanda Sutton Prof. Josiah Harry World Religions There are many different religions today all over the world. Particularly in India there are several religions that have impacted India and other areas deeply. There are two religions that originated and populated in India that has several similarities and also has their individualities. Buddhism and Jainism are two different religions that also share some common values and practices. JAINISM BEGAN Jainism began in India during the sixth century. (Ajmera, 2008)Many signs of Jainism have been traced back to the Indus Valley civilization; just as well as many other Indian religious traditions have developed also. Jainism is a religion of non-violence in its entirety. It is an ascetic religion, therefore is practiced in its fullest by monks and nuns. Although Jainism was believed to be created before, Jainism was taught and delivered from its main teacher Mahavira, The Great Hero. Mahavira, was the prince of a Kshatriya clan that renounced his responsibilities to wander off and seek his spiritual being. Mahavira achieved liberation and perfection after extensive and extreme meditation, fasting, and silence. After this liberation Mahavira was able to lead many followers to help deliver the message of these spiritual practices. JAINISM RELIGIOUS PRACTICES Jains believe that the world has no beginning and no end, no creator nor a destroyer. They also believe that they are the ones to decide their...
Words: 885 - Pages: 4
...and Jain views of karma? Jains can escape the cycle of karma where as hindus can not 4.What are the two monastic orders in Jainism? Name one difference between the two. There is the Svetambara and the digambara. The digambaba is for males and the svetambara is for females Sikhism: Adi Granth (Guru Granth Sahib): received authority from guru gobind singh when he died. Guro granth sahib means living guru. Adi granth= kritan raga. Also is a holy scripture. Amrit: Amrit means nectar. Amrit is prepared from ground sugar and water. In Sikhism, Amrit, also known as Khande Ki Pohul, means taking the sublime essence of God to purify yourself and live a moral and just lifestyle. Receiving or drinking Amrit means getting baptized in Sikh religion. Amritsar: golden temple ( Amritsar darbar sahib), located in Amritsar. Gurdwara: holy worship center; need to take...
Words: 1387 - Pages: 6
...Buddhism – Week 3 | World View Chart | Origin of All Things | One of the first views on the origins of the Universe came from the Buddhist sūtras, and was formulated in the Abhidharma texts. In the sutras it states that the world was created from the collective karma or actions of living beings in the form of a primordial wind. From the Book of Dzyan the account of the origin of the universe describes it as a light or luminosity,” the actual moment of manifestation is described with the words, “darkness radiates light.” The book goes into more detail explaining that the whole world is dependent on a cause [for creation] because something cannot rise by itself, the cause here is light. From the light comes knowledge, from knowledge comes air, from air the fire, from fire the water and from the water the earth is born. If quoted in reverse this tantra also explains the dissolution of the world. (Reigle, 2013)The origins of the religion itself explain the if we can understand where our suffering comes from we can become free. This means that a person must take responsibility for their own lives, and dutifully practice the religious teachings of Buddha in order to achieve the ultimate goal of liberation from suffering or Nirvana. (Fisher, 2011 p. 135) | Nature of God/Creator | Buddhism is a nontheistic religion, which means they do not believe in any supreme being or God. Many People believe that Buddhists worship Buddha; this however is not the case. The Buddha was a human...
Words: 1433 - Pages: 6
...John Edwards Research Paper Dr. Ritchey February 26, 2014 Buddhism In Our World In our world we face many religions without a relationship with their gods. But have you heard of a religion without a god at all? Buddhism is a nontheistic religion that began with the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama also known as the Buddha, “the awakened one”. This religion began with his teaching spreading across the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent through the 4th and 6th century. This religion stemmed from Hinduism, similar to Christianity coming out of Judaism. Striving to gain more and more enlightenment religion always seems to evolve that’s why there are even branches in specific forms of religion in Buddhism; these two branches are Theravada “The School of the Elders” and Mahayana “The Great Vehicle”. In order to fully examine this religion I wish to address the founder’s life, Buddhist concepts, practice, and Buddhist text. Life of the Buddha Buddha was no god, he was a “student of philosophy and seeker of truth” (9,TQ). He was born Siddhartha Gautama, the prince of Nepal. When he was twenty-nine years old he left his position as prince to become a mendicant monk to gain enlightenment. He desired such enlightenment after seeing the state of people near where he lived. These are known as the “Four Sights” which include: an old man, a diseased body, a decaying body, and a monk. Following the sight of these things, “the end of suffering” ran ramped in the mind of Siddhartha...
Words: 961 - Pages: 4
...World Religions Report HUM/130 November 30, 2012 The religion Buddhism is a religion with approximately 300 million adherents worldwide. Buddhism comes from 'budhi', meaning 'to awaken'. It is one of the largest religions in the world, just behind Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. For this study, I conducted an interview and researched the religion to gain a better understanding of their practices and beliefs. I also included a comparative section to help understand the differences and similarities between this religion and Christianity, one of the largest known religions. Buddhism is different from many religions because they there is no belief in a supernatural deity, known as nontheistic (Fisher, 2005, pg. 134). Buddha is not a God and is not worshipped as one. Buddha was the man that founded the religion based on his desires to end human suffering. Instead of worshipping a God, Buddhists follow beliefs that will eventually lead them to an enlightened life and Nirvana in the afterlife. The beliefs that they follow are known as the Eight Fold Path. This path is used to help humans end the suffering in their life and achieve liberation. It is based on The Four Noble Truths that Buddha set forth in his first Sermon (Fisher, 2005, pg. 135). The Four Noble Truths speak of suffering as an inevitable part of life. It states that suffering can be ceased through the ending of wants and desires, because these things cause our suffering in life. By understanding...
Words: 1966 - Pages: 8
...WORLD RELIGIONS – REL 212 World Religions | | | BUDDHISMWEEK 3 | | Cosmogony - Origin of the Universe | For traditional Buddhist cosmology, the life cycle of a universe is cyclical. There is a period of its formation, a period where it endures, a period where it disintegrates and a period of void before a new universe forms from the luminous space that remains. That space, according to the Kalachakra Tantra (Wheel of Time) is inseparable from beginning less and universal consciousness. | Nature of God/Creator | Buddhism is a nontheistic religion, which means they do not believe in any supreme being or God. Many People believe that Buddhists worship Buddha; this, however, is not the case. The Buddha was a human being; he is revered by Buddhist because he achieved what all Buddhists wish to achieve someday, enlightenment.Buddha’s name was Siddhartha Gautama, meaning “wish fulfiller” or “he who has reached his goal.” It is said that he lived for over eighty years during the fifth century BCE. At the age of 29 Siddhartha renounced his wealth and went on a search to find liberation from suffering. Siddhartha spent many years searching, learning and wandering on his journey and one night of the full mon in the sixth lunar month, it is said that he sat in deep meditation beneath a tree, and finally experienced supreme awakening. He spent decades walking and teaching ever-increasing groups of followers all over northern India. Out of the abundant and varied scriptures later...
Words: 1703 - Pages: 7
...Sociology Report — Religion — Date: 3rd December 2014 Contents 1. Introduction…………………………………………………………..3 2. 3 Perspectives………………………...……………………………….4 Functionalist perspective Conflict perspective Feminist perspective 3. Muslim in Cham tribe in Vietnam…...……………………………. 4. Mahayana Buddhism...……………………………………………... Buddhism Mahayana Buddhism in Korea and Vietnam Differences in Mahayana Buddhism of Korea and Vietnam Trend towards Buddhism in Western countries 5. References………….......……………………………………………. 1. Introduction A religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence. According to some estimates, there are roughly 4,200 religions in the world. The five largest religious groups by world population, estimated to account for 5 billion people, are Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. There are some functions of religion. Firstly, it gives explanation for things that we do not understand such as seasons and supernatural things. So many religions have narratives, symbols, and sacred histories that are intended to explain the meaning of life and/or to explain the origin of life or the Universe. Secondly, it provides sense of morality and ethics. It sets the guideline for people to behave in right ways. Lastly, it supports people to have power to overcome. Religion often courage people and give strengths. That is why people seek religion when they are depressed...
Words: 2998 - Pages: 12
...A religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence.[note 1] Many religions have narratives, symbols, and sacred histories that aim to explain the meaning of life, the origin of life, or the Universe. From their beliefs about the cosmos and human nature, people may derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle. Many religions may have organized behaviors, clergy, a definition of what constitutes adherence or membership, holy places, and scriptures. The practice of a religion may include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration (of a deity, gods, or goddesses), sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, public service, or other aspects of human culture. Religions may also contain mythology.[1] The word religion is sometimes used interchangeably with faith or set of duties;[2] however, in the words of Émile Durkheim, religion differs from private belief in that it is "something eminently social".[3] A global 2012 poll reports 59% of the world's population as "religious" and 36% as not religious, including 13% who are atheists, with a 9% decrease in religious belief from 2005.[4] On average, women are "more religious" than men.[5] Some people follow multiple religions or multiple religious principles at the same time, regardless of whether or not the religious principles they follow traditionally...
Words: 7947 - Pages: 32
...according to the text refers to the fear or awe a person feels in the presence of a spirit or a god. 2. Taoism and Confucianism are nontheistic religions, that is, religions for which belief in God or gods is nonessential. While gods are not alien to either Taoism or Confucianism, belief in/of gods is not central to either tradition. What are a couple of other religions that can be called nontheistic religions? a) A few additional examples of some nontheistic religions are Agnosticism, Atheism, Buddhism, Secular Humanism and Scientology. 3. What is Paul Tillich's definition for religion, and why do Hopfe and Woodward consider its development too broad? a) Paul Tillich defines religion as, “that which is of ultimate concern”. Hopfe and Woodward consider the development of Tillich’s definition of religion too broad for a world religions course because a philosophical exploration of Tillich’s definition of religion, yields many an individuals personal belief of what is of ultimate concern hardly lending to the general understanding of popular or mainstream religions they hope to accomplish in this text. 4. Explain E. B. Tylor's theory concerning the origin and evolution of religion. What is animism, and to what, "ultimately" and "finally," did Tylor think it evolved? a) E.B. Tylor’s theory regarding the origin and evolution of religion is that primitive people developed a sense of other or soul from their experiences with death and dreams. Animism is the belief that nature...
Words: 17463 - Pages: 70
...WORLD RELIGIONS – REL 212 World Religions | | | HINDUISM & JAINISMWEEK 2 | | Cosmogony - Origin of the Universe | Hinduism: Brahma: Birth of the universe, Vishnu life of the universe, Shiva: Destruction of the universe.P.87,89Jainism-Universe has no beginning or end has no creator or destroyer. P.124 | Nature of God/Creator | Hinduism: Cycles, Brahman the supreme spirit.Jainism: God is not the creator, no such thing as a heavenly father. Do not believe in Gods and demons. P.124 | View of Human Nature | Hinduism: Karma-Means action and the consequences of action. Every act we make, every thought and every desire we have shapes our future experiences. P.Jainism: Until it frees itself from karma the mundane soul wanders through the universe in an endless cycle of deaths and re-births. P.125 | View of Good & Evil | Hinduism: Good, light, balance, order virtue; Evil: darkness, impurity, imbalance, selfishness.Jainism: Karma: Minute particles that accumulate as we act and think. P.123 | View of Salvation | Hinduism: Moksha-The liberation from the cycle of life and death and become one with God. P101Jainism: | View of After Life | Hinduism: Samsara-Cycle of death and rebirth ends when the soul realizes it’s true nature P.101Jainism: Believe we are born again and again until we free ourselves of samsara. P.133 | Practices and Rituals | Hinduism: Birth, name giving, time of conception, braiding of pregnant mother’s hair, birth, starting education, beginning...
Words: 4866 - Pages: 20
