Week 9 10/24 - 10/28 - Blogs

Monday - We are talking about forum post leader tips

Studying Religion

Academic - versus theological perspective.
- The academic perspective does not make values judgments about the validity of a religion.
- The academic perspective does not preach one religion over the other.
- The academic perspective focuses on the history and beliefs of the religion.

Animism

Animism is the belief that all living and nonliving things in nature have spirit.
Animism was the belief system of many early civilizations.
Animism in early civilizations was often combined with ancestor worship.

Religion

Organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, practices and worship that center on one or more gods.

Numbers

Judaism

Judaism is a monotheistic and the first major monotheistic religion in history.
Some believe Judaism dated back to Adam and eve.
Many historians say that is was established around 1800 B.C. as part of a covenant between God and Abraham.
- Abraham would leave Ur (Babylonia) and go to Canaan (Israel).
- He would be blessed with many sons and his family would be given Israel.
- Moses led the Jews out of Egypt (slavery) around 1500 BC.
The Torah is the first five books of the bible an contains the laws and teaching of Judaism.
The ten commandment are the foundation of Judaism.
The Sabbath is observed as a day of rest, starting at sundown on Friday evening.
2.6% of U.S. adults identify as Jewish.

Judaism Place of worship

The universal symbol of Judaism is the Star of Davis, the emblem of King David who ruled the Kingdom of Israel from 1000 - 962 BC.
A Yarmulke/Kippah is worm during prayer to show respect to God.
Menorah - It is a symbol of the nations of Israel and a Mission to be "a light unto the nations."

Ritual, Worship and Celebration

Many Jews make the pilgrimage to the "wailing wall in Jerusalem.
- Built in the 2nd century BC.
- Remains of a temple that had stood for close to 500 years.
  - Destroyed by the Romans.
- Thought to be the most sacred of places.
Pray at the wailing Wall signifies being in the presence of the Divine.

Judaism Beliefs

Jews believe that there is a single God (Yahweh) who not only created the universe, but with whom every Jew can have a personal relationship.
They await the Messiah, who will be an earthly king.
They believe in heaven, but the Torah doesn't say a lot about it and focuses more on how to live your lives.
Ten commandments is the basic code of law.

Kosher Foods

Food are kosher when they meet all criteria that Jewish law applied to food.
Characteristics that make a food non-kosher -
- The mixture of meat and milk.
- The use of cooking utensils which had previously been used for non-kosher food.
- The type of animal it is.
Leviticus 11:3 says that Jews may eat all animals that have cloven hooves and chew their cud.
Six mammals are specifically not allowed:
- Camel
- Hyrax
- Hare
- Pig
- Whales
- Dolphins
Kosher animals are as follows:
- Cows, goats, sheep, antelope, deer, bison, ect.
- Most fish.
- Chicken, duck and turkey.
- Milk and cheese are kosher but cannot be eaten with mean or mixed with meat.
Preparation
- The slaughter of animals is designed to minimize the pain - usually done by a slice across the throat.
- This eliminates the practice of hunting for food unless it can be captured alive and ritually slaughtered.
- All blood and veins must be removed from meat.

7 holy days

Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New year.
Yom Kippur - A day of fasting and praying which occurs 10 days after the first day of Rosh Hashanah.
- The holiest day in the year.
Sukkot - 8 day festival of thanksgiving.
Hanukkah - the Feast of Lights is an 8 day feast of Dedication
- It recalls the war fought by the Maccabees in the cause of religious freedom.
Purim - The Feast of lots recall the successful plan to save all of the Persian Jews from slaughter by the Persians, circa 400 BC.
Pesa (Passover) - The 8 days festival recalls the exodus of the Israelite from slavery in Egypt circa 1300 BCE.
- A holiday meal, the Seder, is held at home.
Shavuot - Pentecost recalls God's revelation of the Torah to the Jewish people.

Problems Facing Jews

Tuesday -

Christianity

Christians are divided into three main branches
- Roman
- Catholicism
- Eastern Orthodoxy
- Protestantism
Beliefs are based in the life, teachings, and death of Jesus Christ and founded in 33 AD.
The Cross is a symbol used to represent life, death, and resurrection.

Jesus Christ's death made salvation and forgiveness of sins possible for everyone.
Three days after his death he was resurrected and later ascended to Heaven.
The resurrection of Christ is celebrated in Easter, Which is considered Christianity's most important holiday.
The first Christians were Jews who came to believe Jesus was the Messiah.
78.4% of U.S. adults identify as Christians.

Christians Beliefs

Christians believe that they can have a personal relationship with God, and that they are saved by faith, and good works (according to some).
They believe in heaven and hell.
They believe that the bible is the word of God.

Christian way of life

Hinduism

Hinduism is derived from a Sanskrit word that means "dwellers by the Indus River."
There is no single founder of Hinduism.
It consists of thousands of different religious groups that have evolved since 1500 B.C. in that area.
The Hindu belief is that gods can take many forms, but all form one universal spirits called Brahman.
There is no single Hindu book of Doctrine, but many
- The Vedas are the primary literary works, containing sacred verses and hymns composed in 1500 B.C.
- Two other important texts are the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita.
0.4% of American adults practice Hinduism.

Hinduism Beliefs

Wednesday -

Thursday -

Friday - No School