1. Three months ago I had to choose a class from the elective list for this semester/term so I could/can fulfill the requirements needed for the degree that I am seeking to complete in the far future. I decided to choose Religions of the World because I thought this would be a nice change of pace and something new to learn about. Since the beginning of the course my understanding of religion in general has definitely opened my mind to see religion in an entire different light. I have a lot more knowledge now than I did prior to taking Religions of the world. I still have so much more to learn about. This class has enlightened my awareness of many worldwide religions that are out there to this current day that I was not aware of prior to taking this course. I am so delighted that I have chosen to participate in this course.
2. There a plenty of Indigenous religion throughout the world. The religion that one does have depends on their location. This location can/will dictate how a
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My understanding of all of these religions have changed very much because I wasn’t aware that there are so many religions out there in the world. I was only aware of a handful of these religions. The religions I am aware of such as Catholicism, Protestantism among more have changed through how I look at them. These religions are so old that date way back to the Neanderthal days on to have such an impact in today’s world. They impact on just about everything in life from the time a person is born to the time of death. Depending on what religion one is this may already be in the making. I understand now just how delicate a person’s religion can/will be. I do feel no matter what religion a person is born into or not born into is their religion. No matter how their beliefs are in their culture to cherish their god. That all people should unite as a whole because at the end of the day I feel that only one God exist no matter who or how one chooses to call their god is for them to
In the Light of Reverence is a film about the destruction and exploitation of the sacred lands of the people who have worshipped them for years: the Native Americans. Freedom of religion is something Americans take pride in. However, many religions are still looked down upon for their practices which is displayed clearly in this film. It upsets me greatly to hear how ignorant many people are about the Native American religion. They call the prayer bundles “dirty laundry” and say nature has no “similarities with the church at all” (In the Light of Reverence). Religion has never had a specific definition. All religions have different practices and themes. It just so happens that Native Americans practice their religion in regard to nature. Nature is sacred land to Native Americans and as one women said in the film, “you can’t have a religion without the land” (In the Light of Reverence). Native Americans have always believed that natural world is holy. Destroying the Earth will never lead to world peace (Lyons 11). I agree with the Native Americans that we need to have more respect for the Earth we live on. Chief Oren Lyons said in his essay, “we need to learn how to respect nature” (Lyons 6). If we keep treating the
Religion reinforces the beliefs of individuals within a society. Additionally, religion has played a vital role in society since it influenced the way they lived and the rituals they may or may not have practiced. Different regions of the world during ancient time held a distinct set of beliefs, each based on different or similar principals. Deriving from the polytheistic set of beliefs, monotheism came in place of many Gods, holding just one god accountable for the creation and the existence of mankind. Christianity and Buddhism share similarities and differences, but most importantly the impact that each had on the culture is what is mostly referred to.
I vividly remember sitting in my ninth grade world history class, only six short years ago, when my teacher announced that next week we would begin a four week study on world religions. A nervous murmur swept through thirty students, all thinking the
The fact is that no matter where you turn, religion is a major part of culture and influences everyone on some level. While I don’t agree on any particular religion, it is important about learning what types there are in the world.
Religion is a symbolic representation of society. The sociological approach to religious belief looks at how society behaves on a whole, to answer the question, “Why are people religious?” We express our participation in religious events through plays, acts of confession, religious dances, etc. To begin to understand why we have such term, let’s understand the common elements of religion. There are different types in which people believe in or follow and that is: animatism, animism, ancestral spirits, god and goddesses, and minor supernatural beings. Beyond these different elements, such one is to have religious leaders to follow.
For many people, religion is a very touchy subject. For most, it is a personal decision; people choose a faith that aligns with their beliefs, ideas, and faiths. Although people would like to think that religion is a personal decision, and they can adapt it to how they feel and what they believe, in practice, that is not the case. Religion represents a commitment to a set of principles that are not moldable, adaptable, or flexible. Religion, although it may be a personal belief, it is extremely defined, with little to no room for flexibility. If people try to modify their religion to their own beliefs or ideas, the pushback can be severe. The lines in religion and faith as to what is acceptable and what is not acceptable are clear, and crossing them can bring serious consequences.
arguably the best approach for understanding the role of religion in one’s daily life. The
In discussions of the world would be a more peaceful place without religions, one controversial issue has been placing blame on one 's own religion when wars or conflict ending in violence has occurred. The question is asked. Does religion play a role in the violence going on around the world? On the one hand, many people may agree with this belief and argues that religion in a way always has played a role in the amount of violence in our society. On the other hand, the public contends that as humans we know what were are doing and our religion has nothing to do with the violence that we create. Others even maintain that we use religion as an excuse or as an answer to why we created so much violence. My own view on this topic is taking away
Indigenous religions exist in every climate around the world and exhibit a wide range of differences in their stories, language, customs, and views of the afterlife. Within indigenous communities, religion, social behavior, art, and music are so intertwined that their religion is a significant part of their culture and virtually inseparable from it. These religions originally developed and thrived in isolation from one another and are some of the earliest examples of religious practice and belief. The modern world; however, has taken its toll on these groups and many of their stories, customs, and beliefs have been lost to, or replaced by, those brought in as a result of popular culture and the missionary work of Christians and Muslims.
As far back as I can remember I have been raised in a Christian setting. Upon coming to Williams I knew I would be entering another world in which I would have to learn to view and accept other individuals inputs and values regardless of our differences. It is interesting to see the diversity of the campus religiously despite the predominance of certain ethnicities. Like Hegel, Schleiermacher, Nietzsche and Kierkegaard I actually have my own ideologies behind the concept of religion.
Religion can be defined as a system of beliefs and worships which includes a code of ethics and a philosophy of life. Well over 90% of the world 's population adheres to some form of religion. The problem is that there are so many different religions. What is the right religion? What is true religion? The two most common ingredients in religions are rules and rituals. Some religions are essentially nothing more than a list of rules, dos and don 'ts, which a person must observe in order to be considered a faithful adherent of that religion, and thereby, right with the God of that religion. Two examples of rules-based religions are Islam and Judaism. Islam has its five pillars that must be observed.
How do we define religion? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of religion is as follows: “the belief in a god or in a group of gods, an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods, or an interest, a belief, or an activity that is very important to a person or group” (Merriam-Webster.) My personal definition of religion is that it is a set of beliefs and practices that generally pertain to the worship of one or more than one spiritual being or representation of a spiritual power. Religion can be a personal belief or an organization or group of people who have similar beliefs and values. There are many different types of religions in the world and have been since the beginning of mankind.
My definition of religion has mostly stayed the same, but my perception of it has changed. At the beginning of the class, I assumed religion was something you believed based on your moral principles. I now believe that those moral principles are based on the religion that you believe in. Your religion changes your perception of the world and how to go about in it. Your religion tells you what is right and wrong in the world and answers all of the big questions one asks. Religion according to our book is, “A pattern of beliefs and practices that expresses and enacts what a community regards as sacred and/or ultimate about life” (Van Voorst 6). That definition was one thing that really got me thinking about my own personal idea of what religion
World Religions 110 has been such an amazing class to me. It will be hard to put into words how much I loved taking this class and learning about the different religions. Not only did we learn about religions, but also I feel we also learned about character, compassion, and actualization. Out of all the different topics to discuss, I feel the most important to me are: Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity.
It has been an outstanding five weeks. This was the course that I've been waiting to take since I started Capella back in April of 2004. Finally after weeks of reading World Religions by Huston Smith, I have developed an understanding of some of the world's religions. I can never be an expert in this field, and I don't want to, but at least I have an idea where these religions originated and have a general concept of the beliefs behind each religion. Each of the religions we covered have one thing in common that stick out, and that is promoting peace and harmony.