Q4- Content Test

Basic Tenants of Taoism

Basic Tenants of Taoism

-There is no god

-There is always a balance of good and evil in the world

-Government should govern lightly

Historical Setting / Origins of Taoism

604 BC - 570 BC (Battle of Carchemish 605)

Yin Yang (Taoism)

Symbol of religion. Yang is the active force, Yin is the passive force. One is not good and the other bad but rather they are both essential for balance.

Yang (Taoism)

Bright, dry, male, and high

Yin (Taosim)

Dark, moist, female and low

Wu Wei (Taoism)

"Make it look easy" or "Go with the flow," symbol is water

Founders of Taoism

Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu

Three Taoist Beliefs

1. Compassion - This leads to courage

2. Moderation - This leads to generosity

3. Humility - This leads to leadership

Tao Te Ching

"The Way And Its Power." Religious writing, the philosophical basis of Taoism.

I Ching (Taoism)

This is the book of changes, used for divinations.

Historical Setting / Origins of Confucianism

550 BC, Han Dynasty - High-point of Chinese and Confucian existence. (Medes and Persians rise to power)

Yin-Yang (Confucianism)

A process of never ending change

Fend Shui (Confucianism)

Everything has its place

Ren (Confucianism)

The highest principle of Confucian theory. The goal is self-cultivation.

Li (Confucianism)

Social guidelines to live by. By mastering ethics in all five relationships.

Founders of Confucianism

Kung Fu Tzu (aka Confucius)

The Five Relationships (Confucianism)

1. Prince (kindness) to subject (loyalty)

2. Father (love) to son (filial piety) (interpersonal etiquette, reverence, obedience, respect)

3. Elder (Benevolence) to younger (reverence)

4. Man (justice) to woman (obedience)

5. Friend to friend (faithfulness)

Religous Writings (Confucianism)

1. The Wu Jing (The five classic Confucius writings)

2. The Analects

3. The Book of Menicus (Written by Menicus, a follower of Confucianism who really made it clear)

Birth (Confucianism)

Mom is protected by baby rests a month after birth, she is given all needed for baby for first year

Shinto Historical Setting

500 BC (Medes and Persians rise to power)

Prince Shotoku

(574-622 AD) United Buddhism Shinto and Confucianism (not the founder)

Shin Tao (Shinto)

The way of the gods, this is where we get the word Shinto

Makoto (Shinto)

Goal of religion it means sincere

Kami (Shinto)

A person, thing, or power that was awesome and possessed superior power was described by the ancients as this

-Sometimes referred to as deities

-Three groups of spirits: clan, ancestors, powers of nature, or souls of dead leaders or heroes

Founders of Shinto

No founders, came from mythology

Bushido (Shinto)

Samurai code; loyalty, courage, man of honor, polite, gentleman (suicide over dishonor)

Religious writings (Shinto)

1. None are inspired

2. Kojiki - records of ancient matters

3. Nihongi - History of Japan

Bon Festivals (Shinto)

a time to honor ancestor spirits. It is a time to clean graves, altars, and hand straw festoons (dancing, parades, and bonfires)

Great Purification (Shinto)

Time to purge sins twice a year (June and December)

Zoroastrianism historical setting

1500 BC (Egyptian Captivity)

Amesha Spentas (Zoroastrianism)

Seven Ideals of morals goodness, Good, Mind, Truth, Power, Devotion, Perfection, and Immortality (three areas: good thoughts, good words, good deeds)

Fresho-Kereti (Zoroastrianism)

Making the world fresh (purification)

Sadre (Zoroastrianism)

Sacred shirt given when old enough

Kushti (Zoroastrianism)

Sacred belt made of 72 threads to symbolize the chapters in the Yasna

Founder of Zoroastrianism

Zarathushtra/Zoroaster

Basic tenants of Zoroastrianism

-Monotheistic

-god called "Ahura Mazda" (all good god; no evil in him)

-Evil counter (god) Anghra Mainyu

-Since the body is the most contaminating element what do you do with it at death to not impact the other elements

(corpse is cleaned, purified, put in a tower of silence (dakhma), and vultures eat it) (or put in a sealed casket or cremated)

Religious Writings (Zoroastrianism)

The Avesta and the Yasna

Holy days (Zoroastrianism)

Gahambars - seasonal feasts (six feasts that are to celebrate creation five days each not fire)

Zoroastrianism Conversion

No one may convert into the religion they must be born into it

Islam Historical Setting

600 AD in Mecca

Founders of Islam

Muhammad

Islam meaning

Submission to the will of god, contraction of "I" and "Salaam" peace and security with god as a result of submission

Ramadan (Islam)

9th month of Muslim year, when they fast

Hadith (Islam)

Authenticated sayings of prophet at Mecca and Medina

Jihad (Islam)

Striving for the way of faith, there are two forms of lesser or greater

Greater Jihad (Islam)

Bombings, the beheadings, 9/11

Lesser Jihad (Islam)

Concerned with the self; purify your own heart

Halal (Islam)

What is permitted in Islam

Haram (Islam)

What is forbidden in Islam

Five Pillars of Islam

Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj

Shahadah (Islam)

Salat (Islam)

Pray five times a day facing Mecca

Zakat (Islam)

Purification of wealth: give 2.5% of your money to the poor

Fasting (Islam)

Fast from dawn to dusk during Ramadan

Ends with Id al Fitr a major holiday, celebrated with feats

Hajj (Islam)

Pilgrimage to Mecca, if financially able

Religious (Islam)

The Koran (Quran) - the only infallible revelation of Allah to Muhammad; it was not written by Muhammad since he was illiterate

Hadith - sayings of Muhammad

Sunnis (Islam)

Majority of Muslims; only the Quran and Hadith are authoritative

Shi’a (Islam)

Minority of Muslims; other books have authority in life, some of the Imams are waiting to return to earth, there is a Messiah to come, read the Quran allegorically

Judaism Historical Setting/Origins

Abraham/Moses

2200BC-1400BC

YHWH (Judaism)

Means "I am who I am" Jews do not speak this name

Elohim (Judaism)

Common name for YHWH, derived from Adonai and YHWH

Diaspora (Judaism)

Time when Israel was conquered and dispersed

Founders of Judaism

Moses, Judges

Religious writings (Judaism)

Torah - First five books of the Bible given to Moses

The Bible - The Old Testament

The Talmud - Books that explain the Torah, much like a commentary

The Mishnah - A compilation of commentaries from the days of Ezra

Passover (Judaism)

Holy day to celebrate freedom from slavery, eight day festival, clean house, only eat unleavened bread, Seder meal

Feast of the Weeks (Judaism)

Called Pentecost in NT, celebrates the first grain harvest and when Moses received the commandments

Rosh Hashana (Judaism)

New Year

Yom Kippur (Judaism)

Day of Atonement, 24 hour fast

Chanukah (Judaism)

Festival of Lights, Judas Maccabeus, re-dedication of the temple

Feast of Lots (Judaism)

To celebrate the provision of safety through Esther, they read the book of Esther make food and give gifts

Succoth (Judaism)

Also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, a time to reflect on the provisions of the Lord during the time of Exodus

Baha'I Historical Context

1844, Darwinism

Founders of Baha'I

Baha'u'llah - Means "glory to god," this is the founder of Baha'I. Since most of his ministry was in prison he wrote many books (more than 100), it is from these books that the Baha'I gets their belies

Basic Tenants of Baha'I

-Monotheistic

-Beliefs are always changing (due to new prophets)

Religous writings (Baha'I)

Baha'u'llah's books

Baha'i Pilgrimage

One trip to Baha'u'llah's grave