Five Pillars of Islam Questions

1. Why is the pronouncement of the shahada central to a Muslim’s identity and
practice of the Islamic faith?


The pronouncement of shahada is cental to a Muslim’s identity and practice of the Islamic faith because it is the affirmation of the belief of one God and His prophet. Such as the National Anthem unifies spectators along with opposing teams during a sporting event, the pronouncement in one true God does the same.


2. How does the practice of the salat both mentally and physically help Muslims to
live in obedience to the will of Allah?


The pronouncement of salat is central to a Muslim's identity and practice of the Islamic faith because slat(prayer) unifies Muslims all over the world. For example, during the five times Muslims pray during the day, they are to face the holy city of Mecca. This unifies all that pronounce salat. God commanded the prophet Muhammad to pray five times a day thus making prayer a central practice because Islam is submission to the will of God. Prayer mentally rests Muslims.


3. In what ways does the practice of zakat influence Muslims as a community of faith? In other words, what does this practice say about the Muslim community and its commitment to the poor and marginalized?

The practice of zakat shows that Muslims are a people of giving. Muslims have made a commitment to helping their fellow human beings by donating 1/40 of their total income to the poor. This may seem small but with millions of Muslims doing this the whole world can benefit from their example.


4. How does the practice of sawm both mentally and physically help a Muslim to live in obedience to the will of Allah?


I must say that the pillar of sawm is my favorite pillar because it is the one that I am most intrigued by. Sawm is fasting. I find especially admirable that Muslims fast during Ramadan to personally experience what it feels like to be hungry. This is both a mental and physical way Muslims live in obedience to the will of Allah.


5. Why do you think that the hajj is a pillar of the Islamic faith? How is this practice similar and different from other world religions?

I believe that the hajj is a pillar of Islamic faith because Muhammad performed a hajj known as the hijra. Also, Muslims pry to the kabba in Mecca everyday therefore it is only fitting to visit the center of their faith. This practice is similar to other world religions because all religions have holy sites and all world religions have pilgrims. It is different from other world religions because unlike Christians going to St. Peter's Basilica and walking around, Muslims go to Mecca for many days with specific events for each day and all rituals must be done correctly.

6. What do you think are some of the challenges of practicing a life in relationship to the Five Pillars?

Some challenges to living a life in relationship to the five pillars would be finding time to practice salat. In such a busy world where we barely have enough time to ourselves I believe that it would be hard to find time to pray five times a day at specific times. Another challenge would be taking the hajj because it is very expensive to travel to Saudi Arabia.

Ninety-Nine Names of God

When looking at the ninety-nine names of God there are four that stick out to me that I think are used a lot when God is being mentioned. They are the Compassionate, the Vanquisher, Life-Taker, and Acceptor of Repentance. The Compassionate is one of God’s feminine names because for Him to be compassionate, he cares about us, through high and low situations that we put ourselves in. God cares even if we do not know it, like a mother with her child. Through everything we do or say that can go against God or what he plans for us to accomplish, he always forgives us and is filled with love for us even during the challenging times of our lives.

            A masculine name for God is Life- Taker because no matter how much control we think we have over ourselves it is God who truly rules over use. He already knows our past, present and future as well as knows our faults before they even happen. We, as humans, may think we take control of our lives so we can make it of what we want but ultimately, God is the one who has a real control over what will happen in our lives. God has everything under control, even though some people might not believe it He cares and loves us and we will always be under his protection because He will always be with us step by step in our lives.

             Another feminine name for God is Acceptor of Repentance because He wants us to forgive each other for what we have done. He know that no human is perfect and it’s for that reason that God wants us to repent because again He shows His care and love toward us as well as our faults. All of us sin because it’s natural and as I said before no human is perfect. Nonetheless, when we sin, God wants us to come and talk to him to ask for forgiveness because he wants us to be forgiven and to move on. He is called the Acceptor of Repentance a lot of times because he is open as well as understanding to the fact that we all make mistakes and sin; talking to God and asking for repentance is big because we are accepting our faults to him and he is giving us the chance to renew ourselves, like a mother forgiving their child when they have done something wrong.

            One last masculine name for God is the Vanquisher because even though God has created life he can destroy it just the same. Meaning that God can destroy man and destroy evil as well. He has the power to do so if he finds it necessary and because of that vanquish comes off to me as very masculine when referring to God. This is because I believe that God being the Vanquisher adds to the effect of how people are to fear him and not think that God is a push over just because he forgives all of our sins.

            All four of these names are only a few of the ninety-nine names that God is mentioned as. Each of them are linked to each other because they refer to the same God. He is everything, when we need something or want to talk to someone he is there. He is compassionate, a vanquisher, a life-taker and an acceptor of repentance. God is loving towards us as well as protective. He looks after us and wants us to always better ourselves in his name. He gave us everything on this Earth and even though he is to be loved, God should be feared just the same. He rules us and controls our lives and even though he gave us free will he knows what we will do before us. We are under his protection and guidance helping us to move forward. Nobody’s perfect so when we sin, we ask God for forgiveness. However sometimes, asking for forgiveness can be hard; but still he welcomes us to do so to show his love and care he has towards his creations.

Blog Post 24: Islam Webquest

Task #1:

1.     What is the highest estimate for the total number of Muslims that live in the world today? 2.1 billion

2. List 10 countries who have a Muslim population of 86% or greater. Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Gambia, Iran, Iraq
3. What country has the largest Muslim population? Morocco
4. How many Muslims are there in the Unites States? 2,595,000

Task #2:

5.     Summarize each key beliefs below in a complete sentence:

·      Belief in God:  Muslims believe in one unique God, who has no son or partner. No one shares his divinity.

·      Belief in Angels: Muslims believe in the existence of the angles and that they are honored creatures. The angles worship God alone.

·      Belief in God’s Revealed Books: Muslims believe that God revealed books to His messengers as proof for mankind as guidance for them.

·      Belief in the Prophets and Messengers of God: Muslims believe in messengers of God starting with Adam, including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Jesus.

·      Belief in the Day of Judgment: Muslims believe in the Day of Judgment when all people will be resurrected for God’s judgment according to their beliefs and deeds.

·      Belief in Al-Qadar: Muslims believe in Al-Qadar, which is Divine Predestination, but his belief in Divine Predestination does not mean that human beings do not have freewill.

6.     Go to the following website and put 3 of Muhammad’s sayings in your own words:

·      “ Struggling is going against oneself and submitting themselves to Allah (God).”

·      “Honesty and staying pure while moving forward is the best way to live life and makes up the Divine words of wisdom.”

·      “Anger, dictatorship and being bias are sins, meaning going against God’s purpose.”

Task #3:

7.     What does the Quran provide? It deals with the subjects that concern human beings: wisdom, doctrine, worship, transactions, law etc.

8.     In what language(s) does the Quran exist? Why? Only Arabic because it was revealed in that language. But in English translation as well.

9.     During which month was the Quran sent down from Heaven? 9^th month

10. What did the angel Gabriel command Muhammad to do? What happened next? Commanded Muhammad to read and then he taught Muhammad some verses from the Quran, which Muhammad memorized.

Task #4:

11.  List and explain the 5 pillars of Faith:

·      Shahada (Testimony of faith): Most important pillar. One is required to say with conviction at least once in his or her life.

·      Salat (Prayer): Muslims pray 5 times a day- dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. Prayer often occurs in a mosque, but Muslims may pray anywhere.

·      Zakat (almsgiving): Charitable giving is a requirement of faith for all Muslims. Used to benefit the poor.

·      Slyam (Fasting): literally means any ritual fasting, but is generally understood to refer to ritual fasting during the month of Ramadan. From dusk to dawn for the entire month, Muslims must refrain from eating, drinking and engaging in sexual relations.

·      Hajj (Pilgrimage): During the last month of the Islamic calendar, about two million Muslims ascend to the city of Mecca for the Hajj.  Every able-bodied Muslim is required- if finances permit to make it at least once in their life.

Why are they important?:  Helps to strengthen their faith in and service to Allah.

Why is cheating on the 5 pillars impossible?: Because all Muslims strive to perform, regardless of anything.

Compare the 5 pillars with similar activities in other religions: In Christianity, we have times of lent where we do not eat meat. Asking God for forgiveness. The Quran is similar to the Bible in Christianity.

Task #5:

12. What is Ramadan? 9^th month of Islamic calendar

13. What restraints are placed on Muslims during Ramadan? Not allowed to eat or drink during the daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during fasting.

14. What can destroy the good acquired during Ramadan? Telling a lie, slander, denouncing someone behind his back, a false oath and greed or covetousness.

15. Why is the 27^th day of Ramadan significant? Muslims celebrate the Night of Power. It is believed that on this night Muhammad first received the revelation of the Holy Quran.

16. What happens when Ramadan ends? It is celebrated with one of two Islamic festivals.

17. What are 3 reasons Ramadan is important? Constitutes a period of atonement. The gates of Heaven are open. And the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained up in Hell.

18. Why is easier to do good during Ramadan? Good actions keep the devil away since he is chained in Hell.

Task #6:

19.  List 5 interesting facts you learned from the websites above:

·      Muslims account for one-fifth of the world’s population.

·      Islamic art isn’t restricted to religious work, but includes all the artistic traditions in Muslim culture.

·      Islam means “submission” from a word meaning “peace”.

·      Islam and Judaism go back to the prophet and patriarch Abraham and their three prophets are directly descendents from his sons.

·      When pilgrims go to the Kaaba, they say, “At Thy service, O Lord” in response to Abraham’s summons.

Monastic Community Extra Credit

       The Buddha was the founder of the first Buddhist monastic community. It was a place for his followers to work to obtain nirvana as well as to spread the Buddha’s teachings. In monastic communities, monks and nuns work to expand themselves spirituality an as an addition they help newer members to the community to do the same. Monastic communities have rules that include celibacy as well as not taking the life of others. If these rules were to be broken, a member of that community would be ask to leave. In the community, monks and nuns participate in both individual and group in order to study and learn their faith. In that community, each person is assigned a specific duty to perform and to ensure that the community runs smoothly and problem free. For the lay people of their faith Buddhist monk and nuns serve as spiritual counselors.

       It may be slightly easier to practice Buddhism if a person is a monk or a nun because Buddhist monks and nuns live in special faith-centered communities. In these communities, they are surrounded by others who share the same faith and beliefs. Their companions are also in search of spiritual enrichment and enlightenment, and because they are living together as a group, the monks and nuns are able to support their peers who share a common goal.

       Theravada monks and nuns mostly focus on themselves and being able to better themselves to reach nirvana. Theravada monks and nuns spend basically all of their free time meditating. Tibetan monks focus primarily on the beauty of life as a way to reach nirvana. They work for countless hours to produce beautiful sand mandalas only to destroy them completely when they are done to show no attachments. It also teaches them about the impermanence of beauty and life.

       None of the rules that govern the lives of monks and nuns could be changed or taken away because these rules lead the simplistic lifestyle that the Buddhists live and expierence. If these rules were changed, the monks and nuns would be following the same rules as the lay people and they would not have anything that could set them apart and show uniqueness. Lastly, if these rules were changed or removed, the understanding of monastic life would not be the same.

 

Ancient Western Religions

1. It arose and flourished in ancient Iran, known today as Persia during the Persian empire of the 5th and 6th centuries.
2. Zoroastrianism spread beyond its origin after Persia conquered by the Greek and Alexander the Great in 328 BC which caused it to spread far
3. Zarathustra had the religious experience at age 30 of that an angle called good Thought appeared and brought him before Ahura Mazda who Zarathustra recognized as the one true god which drove him to spread the idea of monotheism.
4. The Sacred Text of Zoroastrianism is the Avesta and the oldest part is the Gathas, which are Zarathustra’s seventeen hymns
5. Ahura Mazda is eternal and universal goodness and controls the cosmos and the destiny of human beings
6. Ethical dualism is the belief in universal forces of good and evil
7. The Lie is the evil spirit. The Lie was chosen by the hostile spirit who was one of the Ahura Mazda’s twin children
8. Humans must choose between truth and the Lie, the beneficent spirit or the Hostile spirit
9. Zarathustra’s understanding of human destiny is that after death individuals undergo judgment. The good go to paradise and the bad to a dark abyss. Stress individual responsibility of a person in their passing of judgment.
10. The general ethical demands of the traditional Zoroastrian life and caring for livestock and fields lead by example, tell the truth, and avoid evil people.
11. The Parsis are today’s Zoroastrians that mostly live in India.
12. “The Bible” of the ancient Greeks was Homer’s The Illiad and the Odyssey.
13. “The gods of the Olympian pantheon are anthropomorphic” means that they have human attributes and none of them are all knowing but rather each has their own talents.
14. Aeschylus main contribution to the understanding of the gods was to focus on divine justice and have an emphasis on the characteristic strengths each god had rather than the humanistic ones. For example, he focused on Zeus’ power and strength.
15. An oracle is a sanctuary favored by a particular god who communicated to morals who were at the site. The most famous oracle was at Delphi where they sought the wisdom of Apollo.
16. The three basic aspects of the mystery religion are that individuals had to choose to become initiates and they went through some sort of initiation ritual, initiates experienced a personal encounter with deity, and initiates gained spiritual renewal through participation in the religion and hope for better afterlife.
17. The mystery religion that honored Demete, and Pesphore was that celebrated at Eleusis near Athens.
18. The god Dionysus is associated with fertility, vegetation and wine. He is often depicted in Greek art with vines and grapes.
19. The goal of the ascetic practices of the Orphics is to release the soul from the body and fully realize its divine nature.
20. Plato’s theory of knowledge is that we know things in life partially because we experienced them in a previous lifetime. This is known as recollection
21. Platonic dualism is how truth exists outside of any physical thing and is in ideas therefore perfect and eternal.
22. Jesus seemed to have much in common with Asclepius because they were both god and mortal at the same time, had the power to heal, and both encouraged a closer relationship between the worshipper and the worshipped.
23. Numina were supernatural powers that were in charge of specific functions. They were thought to inhabit homes, towns, fields, the countryside, streams, doorways, altars, shrines, and many other things.
24. The most powerful Roman deity was Jupiter
25. The six planets named after Roman deities are Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn.
26. Official worship practices were essential because it was believed such worshipping ensured the welfare of the Roman state
27. The mystery religions that were the major threats to Christianity were those from Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, Palestine, and the Greeks.
28. The Egyptian myth of Isis and Oriris is that Orisis was killed and hacked into pieces by his brother. Isis, his wife, searched all over until finally finding Oriris’s body parts. She mummified him and he came back to life and was a god of the underworld.
29. The sort of emperor worship that was encouraged by Augustus was that he be worshipped as a god by the people he conquered.
30. Christians and Roman rulers clashed over emperor worship because Christians only believed in their one god and therefore refused to worship the emperor.

What is Judaism

1. The synagogue is a House of Assembly, House of Study, and House of Prayer. Jews use the synagogue as a place for meeting with other Jews. It is also used to study the Torah and other holy texts. The synagogue is also used to pray to God.


2. The Ark is located on the eastern wall of the synagogue. The ark is the repository for the Torah scrolls when they are not in use. It also serves as the focus for one's prayers. The Torah is handwritten by a trained scribe on parchment made from a kosher animal. The Torah has to be written with no mistakes; the letters must be clear, the writing must not be faded. If there is something wrong with the Torah it cannot be used until it is repaired by a scribe. The scrolls themselves are covered by cloth mantles, or covers, elaborately designed on the front. The Ten Commandments are kept



3. A rabbi is a teacher of the Torah. The requirements to become a rabbi are different from each sect of Judaism. For example, the entrance requirements for an Orthodox yeshiva include a strong background within Jewish law, liturgy, Talmudic study, and attendant languages such as Yiddish. In a nutshell, being a rabbi requires years of study and being able to know the Torah in and out. The rabbi differs from other clergymen because he has no power over the people. The role of the rabbi is to teach the people the meaning of the Torah.


4. Shabbat is the most important ritual observance in Judaism. It is the only ritual observance instituted in the Ten Commandments. It is also the most important special day. The Shabbat occurs on the day of rest from sundown Saturday to Sunday.


5. The Torah is the Jewish sacred book. It is the first five books of the bible that includes Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers. The Talmud is known as the “Oral Torah” and this is how the stories of the Torah should be interpreted.

6. Sephardic, Ashkenazic, Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Humanistic, and Zionist. Orthodox Jews follow Jewish law as laid down in the Torah . 5 million American Jews are Orthodox. Reform Judaism began after the Enlightenment. They believe that while the Torah is a valuable cultural and philosophical body of work, it was not delivered by God at one time, but developed over centuries. Reform says Judaism must continue to evolve. Conservative Judaism arose due to a break between Orthodox and Reform. Some Conservative synagogues are similar to Reform, while others are close to Orthodox. Finally, Theodore Herzl created the Zionist branch of Judaism. Historically, some Orthodox Jews had opposed Zionism because the Messiah had not appeared. But there were many religious Zionists as well.

7. Hebrew is a member of the Canaanite group of Semitic languages. Hebrew is the national language of Israel and it is said that the bible was written in Hebrew.



8. Yiddish was the primary language of Ashkenazic Jews in the shtetl, found throughout eastern and central Europe. One of the Germanic languages, Yiddish is written in Hebrew characters. It began between the 9th and 12th centuries in southwestern Germany as an adaptation of Middle High German dialects to the special needs of Jews.


9. Mazal Tov means Congratulations, Shalom means Hello,Peace,Goodbye, and Mitzvah means party


10. Birth includes the ceremony of circumcision, by which a boy enters the Covenant of Israel on his eighth day of life, goes back to Abraham, who was commanded by God to circumcise himself. Following the circumcision, the child's Hebrew name is announced. Bar/Bat Mitzvah- Every Jew becomes a Bar Mitzvah automatically. It is a change of legal status; it has nothing to do with how much an individual knows or has learned. No ceremony, certificate, or special service is required. However, it is a change of status that affects the entire community, since now there is an additional member to count in the minyan, and thus it has been customary to celebrate this milestone since the 1300's, though celebrations have always been small and modest until this century. The centerpiece of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebration is the child's first aliyah: the first time the child is permitted to recite the scriptures from the Torah. Wedding- In Jewish tradition, a marriage is termed Kiddushin which connotes that the husband and wife are sanctified to one another and enjoy an exclusive relationship. This relationship also has legal ramifications. The actual marriage ceremony is originally kinyan, one of acquisition, modeled on the transfer of property in the ancient world. In the case of marriage, the woman accepts a ring from the man, and thereby accepts the terms of the marriage. A ketubah is read during the ceremony. Witnesses are required not required for the signing of the ketubah but they are required for the kinyan ceremony. In the United States, when a rabbi officiated at a wedding, it is a legal wedding by the law of the United States. Go Jews!



11. Rosh Hashanah occurs on the first and second days of Tishri. In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "first of the year." Rosh Hashanah is commonly known as the Jewish New Year. Yom Kippur- The name "Yom Kippur" means "Day of Atonement," and that pretty much explains what the holiday is. Jews don’t go to work and some fast. A fun fact is that on Yom Kippur, the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. is closed. Jews may also go to the synagogue to pray. First off, Hanukkah is not a very important religious holiday in Judaism. Hanukkah is the celebration of the menorah staying lit for eight days. There was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle. Passover is the most observed Jewish holiday even by secular Jews, so it can be interpreted as Christmas for Atheists. The day before Passover is the Fast of the Firstborn, a minor fast for all firstborn males, commemorating the fact that the firstborn Jewish males in Egypt were not killed during the final plague. In a nutshell, Passover celebrates God freeing his people from slavery in Egypt.


12. Before this assignment, I knew what the Torah and the Talmud were. Jews take very special care in their scripture. Also that at age 13 the jewish boy becomes a man.



13. The most surprising thing I found was the rigorous amount of work and significance of a bar mitzvah.




14. Passover is a Jewish tradition similar to mine because during Holy Week in the Catholic church, this very story is the Old Testament reading.




15. One aspect of Jewish life that is different from mine is the language. Hebrew and Yiddish are Jewish languages but I guess this isn’t very different from my religion because Latin is the main religion of Christianity.

Buddhism Questions

1. His name is Siddhartha Gautama
2. He sees an old man, an ascetic, a corpse, and a diseased man. All four of these sites were sufferings that happen to everyone in life and this was the first time Siddhartha had seen them.
3. The Doctrine of the Middle Way was developed by Gautama to teach others that finding true self is in the middle of total asceticism and indulgences.
4. Gautama attained enlightenment when he overcame the distraction of Mara.
5. The Sangha is the first Buddhist monastic community that consisted of men and women.
6. Buddha, Dharma, Sangha
7. Both believe in samsara, the wheel of rebirth, this make Buddhism and Hinduism both believe in a cyclical system.
8. Buddha disagreed with Hinduism's structure. He didn't agree with the fact that only Brahmin men were allowed to do rituals.
9. Anatta, Anicca, Dukkha. They are interrelated because all help discover change.
10. Anatta is the doctrine that the same self is reborn. This relates to Hinduism's belief of Atman because both involve inner self.
11. In Buddhist doctrine energy is transfered during rebirth. Karma affects the status one is reborn to.
12. Do not take life, do not take what is not given, do not engage in sensuous misconduct, do not use false speech, do not drink intoxicants. For monks and nuns: Do not eat after noon, do not watch dancing or shows, do not use garlands, do not use a high or soft bed, do not accept gold or silver.
13. It means suffering. Dukkha means to be without comfort in life and feeling out of place.
14. Tanha is desire. It is related to dukkha because both are unavoidable.
15. The steps of the Eightfold Path are right views, right intentions, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right meditation.
16. The Buddha is different from all others who have been enlightened because he became enlightened while still alive.
17. Arhat is translated as "worthy one" and it is a title used to describe the living enlightened. Arhats are compassionate.
18. Nirvana literally means total censation and this helps us understand nirvana by giving a sense of what it feels like.
19. They are Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana
20. Theravada focuses on the teachings of the Buddha
21. Mahayana means the Great Vehicle. This name implies that they focus on the Buddha themselves.
22. Vajrayana Buddhism fights fire with fire.
23. The Dalai Lama is the head of the hierarchy of Buddhism. Each Dalai Lama is chosen by people who search for his reincarnation.
24. Theravada- Sri Lanka, Mahayana- India, Vajrayana- China

Introduction to Buddhism

The life of Siddhartha:

        Siddhartha was born into a royal family near India and as a child, he was very spoiled because his father wanted to shield him from the harsh realities and pains of life. As he became older, he wanted to leave the palace and see the outside world. When he went into the real world, he was shocked to find terrible things such as sickness, suffering, and death. After coming across these hardships, Siddhartha met a religious man. This inspired him to search for the meaning behind the hardships of life and so he decided to leave everything, including his wife and son, to find his answer. After wandering for years and practicing all sorts of strict meditation, he still had not found the answer to his question. He then sat under a tree and vowed to not move until he had come to an answer, this lasted for 40 days. After being tempted by many gods, he had finally become the Buddha, or “the enlightened” When he touched the earth because then he realized the answer to his question and banished all temptations that tried to persuade him to stray away from his enlightenment.

The Three Jewels:

       The Three Jewels are the Buddha (yellow), the Dharma (blue), and the Sangha (red). The Buddha is important because he serves as an example of how to live one’s life as well as how to achieve enlightenment. Dharma, the teachings of the Buddha, is important because it serves as a story on how to effectively become enlightened. Lastly, the Sangha is the practice of following in the footsteps of other Buddhists who have gone before you. This means you are learning from another Buddhist.

Threefold Way:

       The Threefold Way consists of ethics, meditation, and wisdom. Ethical actions are actions that bring about good, rather than harm, to oneself and others. Meditation is a deep, internal reflection of oneself and one’s life. Wisdom is the culmination or combination of all Buddhist efforts to become enlightened.

 

Four Noble Truths:

       The Four Noble Truths are the basic characteristics of humanity that everyone shares. They include: 1. All existence is suffering; 2. The cause of suffering is craving; 3. The end of suffering comes with the end of craving; and 4. There is a path that leads away from suffering.

Noble Eightfold Path:

       The Nobel Eightfold Path is the practice one must to to end all suffering and reach perfect Dharma. The path consists of the following teachings of Perfect Vision, Perfect Emotion, Perfect Speech, Perfect Action, Perfect Livelihood Perfect Effort, Perfect Awareness, and Perfect Meditation.

 

Hinduism Review Question

1. Moksha is a release from the confines of the reality and an entrance into the realm of the divine.

 

2. The doctrine that says all reality is ultimately one is called Monism. An analogy would be all rivers, lakes, and streams all flow into one ocean. Rivers, ponds, lakes and oceans appear to be quite distinctive, yet the share a common essence; they are all made up of water.

 

3. Brahman is a belief in which all things that make up the invisible and visible reality have something in common and are connected to the universe. Atman is the ultimate reality within the self. These two are related because the universe is connected with the eternal self and the eternal self is connected to the universe. These two terms are the same.



4. The General Function of Hinduism’s many deities is to serve as a connection between reality and the divine reality sense it is beyond the reach of mere humans. 

5. The Doctrine of Samsara states that an individual is reincarnated from one life form to another until the individual can reach Moksha.



6. The name of Hinduism's most popular sacred text is the Bhagavad-Gita.

 7. In Hinduism the two principles that connect the divine world to this world are karma and dharma. Karma is a moral law that states every action produces response which justifies the action committed. Dharma is a set of moral rules of life which must be achieved to reach Moksha. 

8. The four caste systems are the Brahmin which are the priest, the Kshatriya which are warriors and administrators, the Vaishya which are the farmers, merchants, and artisans, and the Shurdra which are servants and laborers.


9. Krishna encourages Arjuna to engage in war because it is Arjuna’s sacred duty to engage in war. Arjuna was born to battle as a warrior because it is a part of her dharma.


10. The first stage is that of a student in which one does intensive study if the Vedas and other sacred literature. This stage last until marriage. The second stage is Householder and in this stage a person pursues a career and raises a family. The third stage is the forest dweller (The stage ensues after the birth of a grandchild) and in this stage a man takes retreat to fully engage in a spiritual quest. The fourth stage is sannyasin and in this stage the forest dweller is ready to come back to society however he is completely detached from the material things this world ensues.


11. The first goal of life is sensual pleasure (Karma) and this is a legitimate aim to pursuit pleasures in one’s life. The second goal is Artha and this is an attempt to reach material success, social power and prestige that accompanies it. The third goal is Dharma and this is when a person tries to achieve living a moral and ethical life. The fourth goal is Moksha and in this the goal is to achieve the infinite being, awareness and bliss of liberation.


12. The three paths to liberation are the path of works, the path of knowledge and the path of devotion. People who are engaged into day-to-day task of earning a living and raising a family prefer the path of the works. People who have a talent for philosophical reflections and reasoning should follow the path of knowledge. People who get emotionally attached easily are best perceived to follow the path of devotion. 

13. The three most important schools in Hinduism philosophy are Vendanta, Sankhya and Yoga. The basic task that concerns all three is that the attainment of knowledge is needed to rid oneself of the ignorance that binds the self to Samsara.


14. Three important gods and goddesses are Vishnu who is the preserver of the world, Shiva who is the god known for destruction, and Kali who is known for being a violent destroyer to her enemies.


15. Avatars are incarnations or living embodiment of a deity and two important Hindi avatars are Kirshnu and Rama.

16. The text that is most closely associated with Bhakti Marga is the Bhagavad-Gita.
17. The three aspects of Hindu devotional life are household and village rituals, pilgrimage to holy places and veneration of cows.


18. Mahatma Gandhi influenced Hinduism by stating that all wisdom lights the way to the divine.


19. The significant changes that took place in the caste system in the 20th century were the Indian government forbade the discrimination of any outcast and the government also instituted affirmative action plans that promote economic and social rights of the outcasts.



20. A sati is the suicidal burning of a widow because her death is seen as a sign of virtue for her love of her husband and since 1829 sati has been forbidden however it still rarely occurs in some places in India.



21. The significant development that occurred between Hindus and Muslims in 1947 was that the Muslim community created the country of Pakistan during the partition of India so that way Muslims could have a homeland in which they could live in without the fear of being discriminated against by the Hindus. As aq result this caused a bloody civil war and many followers of both religions were killed due to the fact that most were forced to move out of their homes.

 

Primal Religious Tradition Review Questions

1. Forms of religions are considered primal because they existed prior to the universal or formal religions such as Christianity or Hinduism. The primal religions exhibits the basic feature found in all religions and some characteristics of primal religions originated first, they are usually traditions of non-literate people, they tend to be used by small groups of people, and they are very diverse because not all primal religions will be the same.

 

 

 

2. During the period of dreaming the Ancestors created landscapes, various forms of life, and the first humans. They organized humans into tribes and gave them each specific languages, social rules, and customs.

 

3. The spiritual essence of the Ancestors remains in the various symbols they left behind.

 

4. A totem is a natural entity that symbolizes an individual or group and has special significance to the religious life of a group or individual. Taboo is the prohibition of certain behaviors or objects for fear of dangerous contact with spiritual powers.

 

 

5. For Aborigines, ritual is essential if life is to have meaning because it is only through ritual that Dreaming can be accessed and experienced.

 

6. The rituals originated from the Ancestors who created the world during dreaming and each ritual is a reenactment of a myth of the certain actions an Ancestor did during Dreaming.

 

 

7. Initiation rituals awaken young people to the spiritual identity and redefine their social identify in a tribe.

 

 

8. Two acts of the Dieri initiation ritual that symbolize death are the initiates two lower middle teeth were knocked out and buried in the ground, and the initiate is circumcised.

 

 

9. The Yoruba live in the western regions of Africa including Nigeria, Benin, and Togo.

 

10. The city of Ife has always been the center of Yoruba religion because the Yoruba believe that the god Orish-nla first began to create the world in Ife.

 

11. Yoruba cosmological view of the world depicts reality being divided into two separate worlds which were heaven and earth. Human beings are descended from gods and earth is also populated by deviant forms of human beings call witches and sorcerers who can cause chaos. The purpose of this religion is to maintain balance between the gods and humans and also to keep the sorcerers and witches from doing evil deeds.

 

12. Olorun is the supreme god of Yoruba religion and is the primary original source of power in the universe.

 

 

13. Orishas are lesser deities than the supreme Olorun however they can harm or help human beings depending on how a ritual is carried out. Orishas function as a mediator between Olorun and human beings.

 

14. One Orisha is Orish-nla and Yoruba believe that he created the earth. Another one is Ogun, the god of war and iron who was once a human but then died and became a god.

 

15. A trickster figure is a type of supernatural being who tends to disrupt the normal course of life.

 

 

 

16. Family ancestors gained supernatural status by earning a good reputation and living to an old age. They are worshipped by their own families. Deified ancestors were important human figures in Yoruba society who are now worshiped in large numbers.

 

 

 

17. The role of ritual practitioners is to mediate between the gods and ancestors in heaven, and human beings on earth.

 

 

18. Divination is the use of various techniques for gaining knowledge about an individual’s future or about the cause of a problem. Divination is important because knowledge of one’s future is essential for determining how to proceed in one’s life.

 

 

19. According to scholar’s human being came to North America either 20,000 or 30,000 years ago by migrating from Asia to the Bering Strait. They gradually spread out and inhibited both North and South America.

 

 

20. The religion of the plains Indians is of vital interest among native peoples because their religion represents Native American religion in general.

 

 

21. Wakan Tanka is the Lakota name for supreme reality and means most sacred. Wakan Tanka represents sixteen separate deities.

 

 

22. Inktomi is means spider and is the Lakota trickster figure taught the first human beings their ways and customs.

 

 

23. The Lakota believe that when someone dies one of their four souls goes on a journey along the spirit path of the Milky Way. The soul is judged and either becomes an ancestor or a ghost on earth. The remaining parts of the soul are reborn into new bodies.

 

 

24. The primary goal of a vision quest is for an individual to gain spiritual power to ensure greater success in hunting and warfare.

 

 

 

25. A sweat lodge is a dark hut made of saplings and covered in animal skins. The Lakota built it to represent the universe and they believe the sweating leads to purification.

 

 

26. The vision arrives in the form of an animal, an object, or a force nature. A message is often communicated in these visions and the individual tells the medicine man who then explains the vision.

 

 

27. In the Blackfeet tribe a woman with outstanding moral character presides over the Sun Dance.

 

 

28. An axis mundi is an entity such as a tree or mountain that connects the heavens and earth. The axis mundi in the Sun Dance is the cottonwood tree.

 

 

29. The participants of the Sun Dance believe that their bodies is the only true thing they own so body mutilation is the only suitable sacrifice one can offer to the supreme being

 

 

 

30. The Aztec Traditions defy the description of a primal religion because they were highly developed and populated civilization with a population of about fifteen million. However the Aztecs were like other primal religions because they emphasized the interrelationship between myths and rituals.

 

 

31. The geographical area of Mesopotamia included most of present day Mexico and extended south ward to present day Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

 

 

32.The Aztec god who created and ordered the world was Quetzalcoatl. The ancient city Teotihuacan is said to be the origin of the entire cosmos.

 

 

33. Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl is the god’s earthy devotee and he ruled as a priest-king. Quetzalcoatl is significant to the Aztecs because they believed he presided over the golden age of Aztec cultural brilliance and he provided the Aztecs a perfect role model for their own authority figures.

 

 

34. The Aztecs called their present age the Age of the Fifth Sun and they anticipated that their sun would be destroyed like the other four suns.

 

 

35. The Aztecs understood the special world as having four quadrants extending outward from the center of the universe, which connected the earthly realm to the heavenly and underworld realm.

 

 

 

36. Aztecs regarded each human being as a sort of axis mundi because the head and the heart are regarded as potent for the nourishment for the sun and the cosmos. This potency creates a link between the earthly and heavenly realms.

 

 

 

37. The “Knower of Things” could communicate with the gods and make offerings through language which provided an alternative to sacrifice.

 

 

38. The historical coincidence that contributed to the fall of Tenochtitlan was that in 1519 the Aztec king Quetzalcoatl was supposed to return. The general of the Spanish army Hernan Cortez arrived that same year in a feathered helmet and the Tenochtitlan believed that Cortez was the return of Quetzalcoatl. However they were severely disappointed when Cortex began to conquer them.

 

 

 

39. The day of the dead shows the survival of Aztec religious culture because during this celebration modern day Aztecs set aside time each year to perform similar rituals devoted the same basic principle the ancient Aztecs used to practice.

 

 

 

40. Three themes that are shared by the primal religions studied in this chapter are boundaries between the supernatural and human worlds are thin and easily crossed, religion is encompassing in every aspect the primal religions society, and lastly primal religions are always changing. 

 

 

Yoruba Assignment

Group 1- Yoruba

1.      Where are they located, both in location and the type of geography.

 

The homeland of Yoruba is located in West Africa and expands from a savanna, or grassland, region in the north to a rain forest in the south. Most of the Yoruba are located in Nigeria as well as some that are scattered in Benin and Togo, which are small countries located in west Nigeria. The north and south of the Yoruba compared have different occupations as well as their living conditions.
      

 

            






2.      What is their cosmological view of the world?

 

The cosmological view of the world from the Yoruba is that the cosmos is singular, meaning they believe there is no this world and another world after we are gone. They only see a single world that contains visible and invisible elements.  The visible elements are the living people, plants, animals, rocks, stars, rain, the ocean and everything that can be precieved or seen. Now the invisible elements are the Orisha and Olodumare, which are those who have passed away as well as those waiting to be born. Ocasionally the visble elements or world are called Aiye, or earth, and the invisible world would be called, Orun, which is sky or heaven. The visble and invisible elements are all seen as a single piece and not two separate parts like they have been mistaken for in Western Cultures.

 

3. Explain and describe some of their sacred symbols (at least 3).

            A sacred symbol from the Yoruba is a calabash, which the Yoruba compared their visible and invisible world to. A calabash is a type of gourd, hard shelled fruit that is grown to use as a container. The calabash is suppose to symbolize, from its division, to form two halves containing the visible and invisible portions of the world. The two ways in understanding the calabash is the concept of ashé, or the energy of the universe and by looking at the different types of beings that live in the visible and invisible world as well as the interactions between them.

 Another sacred symbol is Yams because they are considered to be an important symbol of thanksgiving by the Yoruba. They offer the yams to divinites before they eat it themselves an example is from the Eje festival, which is an annual event in Itebuu-Manuwa, where the leader of the Yoruba offers yams to Malokum, the god of the sea, as well as to other local spirits and divinities. This is so that those gods can be responsible for making the crops do well on their land.

One last sacred symbol of the Yoruba are twins because they believe that twins contain th power to bring health and happiness to their families. Also twins can unfortunately bring the power of distress and destruction as well. The god that is the protector of twins is Ibeji and the tribe continues to have the highest twin birth rate from the amount of yams consumed. The people of Yoruba treat the birth of twins very different than just a single birth, instead they provide them with special names and the first born twin is considered the younger child and is called Taiwo, “having the first taste of the world.” Taiwo is said to be the younger child because the older sibling gives the order for Taiwo to see what it looks like in the outside world and when the child makes it out and cries it is a sign for the older sibling that it is ok. The older sibling is named Kehinde, “arriving after the other”, and is thought to be more cautious and intelligent. In the Yoruba tradition they believe that twins share one soul and three days after twins are born the parents go to a priest and he drives out any evil spirits. Also the priest then tells the mother how to raise them. Lastly if the priest believes that one of the twins are possessed he can have the power to tell the mother to starve the possessed twin.

4. What are their sacred locations?
         
                A sacred location for the Yoruba’s is the akoko tree, newboldia laevis. These trees are considered sacred trees and a symbolic marker to a sacred spot as well. Another sacred location is Osogbo city, that is located in the heart of Nigeria’s Osun region. This region is host to one of the most widely celebrated events in Western Africa, the Osun-Osogbo Festival. Osogbo city is considered to be known as the City of Peace. This city is a relaxed and blessedly peaceful place and every August, from the Yoruba calendar, the Osun-Osogbo Festival is taken place where it combines the natural beauties of Western Africa and spiritual journeys, prayers, and unity. The festival finishes in an energetic celebration of life on Earth as well as the connection to the divine that is filled with hope and joy. The festival is held in the city because it is a sacred place and just outside or near the city of Osogbo there is the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove. Sacred groves are areas of perfect untouched forest reserved for the worship of the gods and they once were dominated the homelands of the Yoruba people.

5. Identify their most important gods (good, bad, and trickster). More than the name of the god is needed here.

The Yoruba most important gods are Ogun which is considered to be the most important. This god is the god of war, of the hunt, and of ironworking, as well as serves as the patron divinity of blacksmiths, warriors, and all those that work with metal in their jobs.  This god is also in charge of deals and contracts. The Yoruba consider Ogun  as fearsome as well as terrible in his revenge. The belief is that if someone breaks a promise or pact in his name then vengeance will follow quickly after.

Another important god is the trickster god, Eshu. Eshu is a god that best illustrates damage. This god does this by disguising himself as a merchant and sells increasingly outstanding gifts to each of a man's two wives. As a result from the fighting for their husband's favor had broken the family apart. Unexpectedly, Eshu also serves as the guardian of houses and villages. When he is praised his followers call him Baba, Father, also he serves as the god of Ifa. This means that he is a complicated and difficult geomantic fortuneteller tool that uses nuts, signs, and increasing squares of the number four in order to be able to predict all aspects of the future. One more god that is important to the Yoruba is the god Olorun. This is the ruler of the sky as well as the father of other Yoruba gods. He is the god of peace, purity, harmony and justice. Olorun has been seen in some cultures to be representing principles of male and female in heaven and earth.

       

6. What are their totems, fetishes, and taboos?

 The Yoruba totems, fetishes and taboos are certain textiles were considered to be fabric totems and were very nicely crafted and in great condition, a shaman would wear a cheetah mask and square hat with diamond design, with two bird figures, that included colors like orange, blue, ivory, and yellow. The Yoruba fetishes were “love lock fetish” where people would place the name of a loved one in the fetish and magic and then release it to the ocean. Fetishes were active a lot in their religion for spiritual purposes. The Yoruba taboos are expressions that can be classified into four different groups: propriety-related taboos, which are meant to neutralize unpleasant things and make them more acceptable. The next is taboos for avoiding threatening consequences; veneration-type taboos, which are meant to tribute particular groups of people, most importantly the king, but also elderly and important people. The last taboo is the fear-centred taboos, which gain from the Yoruba belief in the supernatural forces.

 

                                                                     

 

7. What is the role of the shaman? How do they view magic?

 The role of the shaman for the Yoruba was that he leads all of the people. The shaman was the enlightened one and served as somewhat as priest. He used voodoo for healing the soul and lead people on spiritual journeys that they had taken previously. The Yoruba also had female shamans that were called shamaness. How the Yoruba viewed magic was that When magic was used it was to cure or prevent disease. Magic was considered to be called medicine. Magic was attempts to protect a person from sorcery, improve their financial situation, bringing good luck, and things like that etc. As a result of these attempts they were always referred to as magic.

  

8. Identify and describe at least 2 or 3 rituals.

Two rituals in the Yoruba tradition is the death ritual where the body is mourned over by family and friends with loud cry’s but then after that washed in rum or decorated in aromatic herbs as well as nice clothing. There are proper ceremonies that are held for the deceased as well as certain procedures that must be followed and if not it would be considered disrespectful on the person that has passed. There is also a feast for the person who has passed for a final respect. Another ritual involves a mask that is worn by men in complicated deception performances known as "Gelede." This ritual is taken place each year between the months March and May, at the beginning of a new agricultural season. The main purpose for this performance is to pay praise to the special power of women, both elders and ancestors. They are known lovingly as "our mothers” and women can use a spiritual life force, called  ase, which can either be creative or destructive. When these powers are used in a destructive way the women are considered to be called aje ,witch. If angered, they are believed to have the capability to destroy communities or individuals. The performances provide an opportunity where “our mother” is being treated or pampered so that she may encourage rain and fertile soil instead of destructive power against the Yoruba people.

   

 

 

9. Images that reflect the art of the people, the people themselves, and their geography.

 

          

 Links to websites that were helpful:

http://testaae.greenwood.com/doc_print.aspx?fileID=C9079&chapterID=C9079-137&path=books/greenwood

http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Yoruba.html

http://brockbaker.pbworks.com/w/page/8688074/Yoruba%3A%20Symbols%20and%20Icons

http://suprememastertv.com/services_subt.php?bo_table=download&wr_id=2804&subt_cont=ee&show=ee&eps_no=598&flag_s=&d=down


http://www.postcolonialweb.org/nigeria/yorubarel.html

http://mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/eng_yoruba_pantheon.htm

http://www.cyberrug.com/yoruba_beadwork_5803.htm

http://www.authenticafrica.com/yorlovlocfet.html\

http://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=134933567&DB=p


http://shamanportal.org/shamanism_african.php

http://www.religioustolerance.org/ifa.htm

http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/yor/yor10.htm

http://www.randafricanart.com/Yoruba_gelede_mask_birds.html