LESSON 7 | THE SPIRITUAL AND RELIGIOUS BELIEF

Religion

a set of cultural beliefs and practices of human beings in relation to that in which they regard as holy, sacred, absolute, spiritual, divine or worthy of special reverence.

Spiritual

is defined as relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.

Religious Person

 is someone who believes in a god or group of gods and consciously adheres to the beliefs of his religion.

Spiritual Person

places little importance on beliefs and traditions and is more concerned with growing and experiencing the Divine.

Contemplative Practice

a method to develop concentration, deepen understanding and insight and cultivate awareness and compassion.

1. Meditation

2. Prayer

3. Yoga

4. Journaling

Examples of Contemplative Practices (4)

Meditation

a practice where an individual uses a technique such as mindfulness or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought or activity

Meditation

train attention and awareness and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.

Prayer

a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration or confession.

Yoga

a type of exercise in which you move your body into various positions in order to become more fit or flexible, to improve your breathing and to relax your mind.

Journaling

is simply the act of informal writing as a regular practice.

1. Beliefs

2. Rituals

3. Spiritual Experiences

4. Unique Social Form of Community

The Four Dimensions of Religion

Beliefs

are generalized system of ideas and values that shape how members of a religious group come to understand the world around them.

Rituals

are the repeated physical gestures or activities used to reinforce religious teachings, elicit spiritual feelings and connect worshippers with a higher power.

1. Imitative

2. Positive and negative

3. Sacrificial

4. Life crisis

Classification of Rituals

Life crisis

the basic characteristics of life-crisis ritual is the transition from one mode of life to another.

Spiritual Experiences

feeling of immediate connection with a higher power. It could be a dream or vision where God speaks to a person or it could be a miraculous healing.

Unique Social Form of Community

frequently denominations, congregations, churches, parishes, synagogues or missions are identified as religious communities.

1. Judaism

2. Christianity

3. Islam

4. Hinduism

5. Buddhism

The Major Religions (5)

Judaism

It is characterized by belief in one transcendent God

Judaism

The oldest of the Abrahamic religion and the predecessor of Christianity and Islam

Judaism

Torah is their sacred scripture or the Law.

Torah

is Judaism’s sacred scripture or the Law.

1. Rosh Hashanah – new year

2. Yom kippur – day of atonement

3. Pesach – Passover

4. Shavout – pentecost

5. Sukkot – tabernacles

Five Major Festivals (Judaism)

Rosh Hashanah

new year

Yom kippur

day of atonement

Pesach

Passover

Shavout

pentecost

Sukkot

tabernacles

Christianity

Is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ

Christianity

Considered as the world’s largest religion

Christianity

The word of God is written in the Bible. 

Islam

The religious faith of Muslims who worship Allah as the sole deity and believes in Muhammad as his prophet

Islam

means willing submission to God

Salam

Root word of Islam is ____ which means peace

Koran.

 The holy scripture of Islam is the _____

1. Shahadah – statement of faith

2. Salat –the prayer that is practiced 5 times a day

3. Zakat – the monetary offering

4. Hajj – the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca 

5. Sawn – the fasting

Five Pillars of Islam

Shahadah

statement of faith

Salat

the prayer that is practiced 5 times a day

Zakat

the monetary offering

Hajj

the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca

Sawn

the fasting

Hinduism

Considered as the world’s oldest religion

Hindus

believed that existence is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth, governed by Karma

Karma

a concept where the reincarnated life will depend on how the past life was spent

Karma

Hindus believed that existence is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth, governed by _____

Vedas

The oldest ancient sacred texts of Hinduism are called the _____.

1. Diwali – the festival of lights

2. Navrati – the festival of nine nights

Festivals (Hinduism)

Diwali

the festival of lights

Navrati

the festival of nine nights

Buddhism

Refers to the teaching of Sidharta Gautama Buddha

Buddhism

believes that life is not a bed of roses

Buddhism

does not believe in Divine realm or God as a supernatural being, but instead follows the wisdom of their founder.

1. Samatha – is practiced as mindfulness of breathing and development of loving-kindness.

2. Vipassana – aim at developing insight into reality.

Meditation Practices (Buddhism)

Samatha

is practiced as mindfulness of breathing and development of loving-kindness.

Vipassana

aim at developing insight into reality.