World Religions Fall '25 Final

What is bias?

Bias is a preference towards someone or something

How do we study religions knowing that we have biases?

We must be aware of our biases and be conscious of how they affect our judgement.

What is critical tolerance?

Seeking to understand a religion, but do not have to accept them and allow them.

Why is it difficult to come up with a definition of religion?

Religions vary so widely across cultures and time.

What are beliefs?

Worldviews that adherents accept to be accurate, shape the rest of religious expression.

What are practices?

Outward actions, rituals, customs, etc. that people perform to express their faith. ex: food laws, dress code, marriage rights, etc.

What is sacred time?

Time set apart from ordinary time that is considered sacred, can be individual times during the day or special holidays or weeks.

What is sacred text?

Religions have stories that are considered sacred, which have been passed down from generations, added to, and converted into larger texts. May be from divine origin or human origin(religious leader, founder, etc.).

What is the Catholic Church's current view of non-Christian religions?

Church still sees itself as the fullest revelation of truth, but recognizes it does not have the full truth, other religions contain some truth.

Where does Hinduism rank in terms of the world's religions?

3rd largest

What percent of the world's population practices Hinduism?

15%

Where do the majority of Hindus reside?

India, but communities globally

When and where did Hinduism arise?

3000-1500 BCE, Aryan migration into Indus River Valley, no set origin date or founder

Give a spark notes version of Hinduism's origins.

Did not begin from a specific person or event, emerged from when aryans from central asia migrated to indus river valley, has no official teaching body

Problem in Hinduism

People want 4 things: pleasure, success, service, and moksha. Moksha is the only thing that will truly make us happy, other four things are only temporary. Samsara

Samsara

Infinite cycle of death and rebirth, reincarnation, we are trapped on earth and cannot truly be happy

Describe the concept of karma and how karma regulates samsara

Karma is good and bad. It is cause and effect law where good actions get rewarded and bad actions get punished. if you die with a lot of good karma you will reincarnate in a better life.

What is the solution or goal of Hinduism?

To end the cycle of reincarnation, to be one with the universe, to end suffering of human life.

Describe moksha.

Extinguishment from samsara, deprived of an ego, one with God.

How does one attain moksha?

No one way to reach moksha since people vary so widely, but 4 yogas are paths to moksha.

Why are there 4 different yogas?

To help various people reach moksha, people vary so there are paths for different types of people

Jnana Yoga

"the way to God through knowledge", for people with an intellectual bend, goal is to convince thinker that they are more than their actual self, (you are not who you think you are, you are Atman), detach from ego: refer to self in third person

Bhakti Yoga

"the way to God through love", for emotionally driven people, goal is to direct the love that lies at the base of the heart towards God, love God for no other reason than for loving God, do so through myths, rituals, prayer, etc. (christianity is seen as this yoga by hindus), keep God in forefront of mind

Karma Yoga

"the way to God through work", for active people, goal is to disassociate yourself with the rewards and disappointments of work, do acts for God not self, can approach through bhakti or jnana yoga

Raja Yoga

rarer of yogas, for those with a scientific bend, goal is to validate this estimate of the human self, try to train your mind to be one with God through reflections and extreme focus

Most modern Hindus consider Hinduism a monotheistic religion. Why?

All Gods considered a manifestation of the one Brahman (Divine), each God is meant to reveal something to an individual

What is Brahman?

The ultimate reality

What is Atman?

The God in you, the Self or soul, divine essence beyond body and mind

What are the 3 things people want (or think they want)?

Kama/ Pleasure, Artha/Worldly Success, Dharma/Duty or Service

Do Hindus think the three things people think they want are good or bad?

Not bad just not the Ultimate

What is Diwali?

Festival of lights, celebrates the return of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, after a 14 year exile, people light oil lamps to guide him and his companions home

What is Holi?

Festival of colors/love, celebrates the love between krishna and radha, people throw colored powder and liquids on each other, pranks

What is Puja? Common elements??

Central practice for Hindu's worldwide, prayer, usually involves a vegetarian food offering, involves oil lamps, incense, icon of God(s), can be done in a temple or at home, about being seen by Gods and seeing Gods

What are the Vedas?

Sacred texts, priestly books, most sacred scriptures

What are the Mahabharata and the Ramayana?

Tells stories of Gods, heroes, and moral dilemmas, very long

What is the Bhagavad Gita?

Hindu scripture, involves mainly Krishna, forms the first part of the Mahabharata

Where does Buddhism rank in terms of the world's religions?

4th

What percent of the world is Buddhist?

4-7%

Where are the most practicioners of Buddhism?

Southeast Asia

When and where was Buddha born?

563 BCE, Lumbini (modern day Nepal), to a wealthy family

Buddha's birth name?

Siddhartha Guatama

Buddha early life?

Prophet proclaimed he would be a great kingdom leader or religious leader, father brought him up in luxury, sheltered him, never let him go outside. Married a princess at 16 and had a son

4 sights

Siddhartha's dad let him go outside, he saw 4 sights that changed his life despite his father cleaning the streets

1. A sick man

2. An old man

3. A dead body

4. A monk

Buddha cause of death?

Food poisoning from bad meat in 483 BCE

How did Buddha view himself?

Ordinary human being

4 Noble Truths?

1. All life is suffering

2. Suffering has a cause (tanha = selfish desire or ignorant craving)

3. Suffering can be overcome by eliminating desire

4. To eliminate suffering is through the eightfold path

8 Fold Path

A practical set of guidelines for the ethical and mental development needed to free us from attachments and delusions

What is the Buddha's teaching on the self and soul?

There is no self or soul, there is nothing permanent about "you"

What is the Buddha's teaching on the impermanence of life?

Reality is impermanent, nothing is the same from moment to moment, when we try to cling to it we suffer

What is Nirvana?

To extinguish suffering, not a place you go but a state of being that can be achieved in this lifetime, nirvana is beyond expression, often described as pure freedom from selfish desire

Do you need a god or savior to save you in Buddhism?

No, all you need is yourself

Did Buddha write anything?

No

What is the Tripitaka?

Foundational collection of Buddhist scriptures

What is Theravada?

Monastic tradition, retreat into celibate life is the only way to achieve nirvana, we awaken on our own

What is Mahayana?

Most popular form, bhakti style buddhism, claimed theravada was selfish to focus on individual enlightenment and ignore those around suffering, not just one buddha but many buddhas, we awaken in relationship with others, key virtue is compassion

What is Vajrayana/Tibetan?

Name means thunderbolt and diamond, mix of theravada and mahayana, famous for its leader Dalai Lama

Who is the Dalai Lama?

The leader of Tibetan buddhism

What is Zen?

Meditative, students are presented with puzzling questions

Which branch is most popular?

Mahayana

Where does Islam rank in the world's religions?

2nd

What percent of the population is Muslim?

24%

Muhammed's birth/death date?

570 AD- 632 AD

Muhammed life story?

Father died before he was born in mecca, mother died at 6, grandpa at 8, moved in with uncle, early life characterized by loss, became a caravan driver at 25, met wealthy widow Khadjia, they fall in love and get married, have 4 daughters, concerned about conditions in mecca, traveled to mt. hira to reflect, experienced night of power in 610 AD, angel gabriel appeared to him and commanded him to recite, God spoke through him despite him being illiterate, people had violent reactions to his teachings, migrated to medina, where he becomes a great leader, battles for mecca, becomes a great warrior, dies in 632

Problem in Islam?

Self sufficiency, not relying on God

Solution in Islam?

Complete and total submission to God

Technique to acheive solution?

5 pillars

What are the 5 pillars of Islam?

1. Shahadah → faith

2. Salah → prayer

3. Sawm→ fasting, Ramadan

4. Zakah→ almsgiving

5. Hajj → pilgrimage to mecca

Is there original sin in Islam?

No

What does the word "Allah" mean?

The God

What is a hijab? In what ways is it cultural?

A head scarf worn by muslim women to cover the ears, hair, and neck, an act of religious modesty, women get the choice to wear one

What does the term "Islam" mean?

Submission or surrender

What does "Quran" mean?

Recitation

What is the Quran's equivalent in Christianity?

Jesus, not the New Testament

What language must the Quran be in and why?

Arabic, it is the word of God and is tainted by human error when translated

How is Jesus viewed?

A great prophet

How is Mary viewed?

Conceived Jesus as a virgin, mentioned more in the Quran then in the NT

Biblically, who are Muslims traced back to, and through which son?

Abraham, through his son Ishmael

Why is Mecca important?

Sacred birth place of Muhammed, location of the Grand Mosque and the Kaaba

What is Ramadan? What does one do during Ramadan?

celebrates the coming of the revelation to Muhammad

Sunni Branch

Believed Abu-Bakr, Muhammed's father in law, is Muhammed's successor, invested political power and social power in a series of caliphs, religious authority for community, 85-90% of Muslims

Shia Branch

Believed Muhammed's son in low, Ali, is his successor, invested political, social, and religious power in an Imam who must be a direct descendant from Muhammed, 15-10% of Muslims

Sufi Branch

19% (??) Stress experimental religion, want to meet God now, real Islam has nothing to do with law and everything to do with experience

What percent of the world identifies as Jewish?

0.2%

What percent of the U.S. identifies as Jewish?

2%

Is Judaism an ethnicity? Why or why not?

No, many people are born into Judaism giving them ancestral traits, but there are people from all ethnicities who are Jewish

What is the problem in Judaism?

Exile, Jews have been exiled from God and Israel and other nations historically

What is the solution in Judaism?

Return, primarily to God but also to Israel, Jews will fully return to God in the dawn of new creation

What is the technique to reaching the solution in Judaism?

Keeping the commandments, retelling stories of past Jews

What is the Tanak?

"Tanak" is an acronym for each of the books it contains, it is foundational Jewish scripture

What is the Torah?

Section of the Tanak that contains the 613 commandments and other laws

What is the Nevi'im?

Section of the Tanak that contains all of the prophetic books

What is the Ketuvim?

Section of the Tanak that contains all of the other writings, Psalms, Wisdom, etc.

What is Shabbat? How is it tied to Torah? When does it occur?

Shabbat is the seventh day, a day of rest, since God rested on the seventh day in the Torah. Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. families read the Torah and spend time together on Shabbat

What does Hanukkah celebrate?

Remembers the victory of the Maccabean revolt and the miracle of oil (only enough for 1 day but lasted 8 days), big in the U.S. as a counterpart to Christmas, celebrated with menorah lighting and eight days of gifts

What does Passover celebrate?

Remembers the freeing of Jews from Egyptian slavery, celebrated with a ritual meal and an exodus reading

What is Yom Kippur?

Day of atonement, day is spent in a synagogue praying for forgiveness, white to symbolize purity, holiest day of the year

What is Rosh Hashana?

Celebration of the New Year, 10 day period of fasting which leads to Yom Kippur

What is the Jewish position on converts and creeds?

No creeds, converts are accepted and respected, but Jews do not seek out converts

What is the Shema?

Central declaration of faith in Judaism, closest thing to a creed, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God the Lord is One"

What are the laws of Kashrut?

Dairy and meat must not be cooked together, meat must be killed in a certain way and blessed by a rabbi, must come from an animal that "chews its cud" and has split hooves (no pig), no birds of prey, sea creatures must have fins and scales