religion matters

Reasons to study religion

• understand humans

• overcome ignorance

• understand culture

• achieve global perspective

• form own beliefs

what is religion? (graham’s def)

the ways humans have dealt with the leaning of life and what values they hold to navigate their personal and social lives. 

1. Focuses on inclusivity

2. And finding out the meaning of life

why are people religious?

1. Rationality: answers the question of why we are here and the meaning of life

2. Creativity: our ability to imagine and believe in the stories, symbols, and rituals 

3. Self-consciousness: Religion addresses concerns about life, death, and the purpose of life.

Graham’s reasons for arguing that the study of religion is important

• Regardless of whether it promotes peace or conflict, it will remain a powerful force in individual social and political life around the world, and we need to understand it. 

• a matter of social justice: The more we are educated and exposed to different experiences, the more empathy and compassion we have towards others and things that are different 

what does it mean when the lack of religious literacy and the rise of religious diversity intersect?

this intersection is ignorance which leads to fear and hostility

fundamentalism

• says that there are ideas moving away from tradition

• people with these contrary beliefs are not truly part of that community

• they stick to tradition

absolutism

• comes from fundamentalism

• there is only one right truth 

• any opposing idea is a threat and incorrect 

• enforcing og tradition 

• justifies punishment

who are the main characters in the Enuma Elish?

• Tiamat (mom)

• Apsu (dad)

• Ea (child, kills Apsu) 

• Kingu (child, Tiamat’s advisor)

• Marduk (child, kills Tiamat) 

what does Enuma Elish mean?

when on high

Tiamat is

saltwater

Apsu is

freshwater

Enuma Elish: explain when the first creation of life began

• saltwater (Tiamat) and freshwater (Apsu) come together and personify as gods

• this combination (sex) results in baby gods

Enuma Elish: Why does Apsu go after the children?

• he is jealous that Tiamat is paying attention to the children 

• he suggests that they kill the kids but she refuses 

Enuma Elish: Who kills Apsu?

Ea

Enuma Elish: What does Tiamat do after Apsu is killed?

• Kingu advises her to kill the children to avenge Apsu 

• she goes on a war path 

• she’s angry

Enuma Elish: Why kills Tiamat and why?

• Marduk

• sees it as an opportunity to have the other gods serve him  

Enuma Elish: explain what happens under Marduk’s rule

• Marduk creates the sky and the earth from Tiamat’s carcass

• gods complain about the work 

• Marduk creates humans from the intestines of Kingu as a source of entertainment for the gods

Explain Genesis 1

• God creates the world in 6 days

• Humans are created in God’s image and are given dominion over the earth

• All creation is good 

• 7th day god rests (sabbath)

Explain Genesis 2

• God breaths life into Adam out of dust

• God creates Eve from Adam’s rib to be his partner

• They can’t eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil 

Explain Genesis 3

• Serpent convinces Eve to eat from the tree (it will make her like god)

• They both eat 

• They realize they are naked and feel shame 

• Curses to remind them that they are not like god 

What are the curses that God gives after the fall of humanity?

• Eve: pain in childbirth. 

• Adam: cursed ground, hard labor to survive 

• Nature: humans unleashed onto nature (myth of dominion: nature is ours to use) 

Explain Genesis 4

• Adam and Eve sons: Cain and Abel 

• Cain offers crops to god

• Abel offeres meat to god 

• God favors Abel’s meat 

• Cain kills Abel

• When god confronts cain, he lies (am I my bother’s keeper?)

• God casts him out, but marks him for protection so no one will kill him

Explain the story ooff Buddha

• king’s son witnesses the world outside the kingdom and witnesses illness for the 1st time

• he seeks enlightenment after being kept up in the kings for so long

• sits under a tree and receives enlightenment and becomes Buddha

• here he receives the 4 noble truths 

What are the 4 Noble Truths (dharma)?

• there is suffering / life is suffering (dukkha)

• suffering has a cause (tanha) - desire

• suffering can cease - by ending desire

• there is a path out of suffering - the eightfold path

explain the medical analogy for the 4 Noble Truths

• there is suffering / life is suffering = symptoms 

• suffering has a cause = diagnosis

• suffering can cease = prescription

• there is a path our of suffering = prescription

what are the focuses of the eightfold path?

• wisdom

• ethical conduct

• concentration

• right knowledge/liberation

explain the parable of the (farmer) good and the bad

• farmer has a horse that runs into forest 

• “could be a good or bad thing, who’s to say”

• horse comes back with 3 other horses 

• “good or bad, who’s to say”

• farmer breaks rib due to horsekick 

• …

• son breaks leg

• …

• soldiers come to get people to fight, son can’t fight

• …

what is the point of the parable of the good and the bad

understanding tanha

a person’s ethos is…

the tone character, and quality of their life

a person’s worldview is…

their concept of nature, self, and society

religious ethics

the pursuit of the good (ethos) in light of the limits and the possibilities of the real (worldview)

How does Jesus’ sermon demonstrate his participation in his Jewish tradition? 

• he affirms the value of the Torah

• he reinterprets the scripture and applies it to new concepts 

• focuses on ethical behavior

• alludes to Hebrew scripture

what are the themes of the sermon on the mount?

• internal state vs external actions: whats inside (heart, intentions)  matters just as much as outwards behavior

• spirit of the law vs letter of the law: following the intent behind gods law is more important than just literal or superficial obedience 

• the law of love (agape): selfless, unconditional love os the highest guiding principle of the law and moral life

explain the beatitudes and the reversal of perspective

• saying things are good that we don’t usually think of as good

• this is a reversal of what the roman empire values (power, pride) vs the values of god’s kingdom (humble, righteousness)

who was the intended audience for the sermon on the mount?

• disciples

• jewish crowd