World Religions Module 2

Secular Humanism

"Having repudiated monotheism, they imagine they stand outside the view of the world that monotheism expressed. But while they may have rejected monotheism beliefs, they have not shaken off the monotheistic way of thinking. The belief that humans are gradually improving is a central article of faith of modern humanism."12

Modern Political Religions

"Partisans of revolution, reform and counter-revolution think they have left religion behind, when all they have done is renew it in shapes they fail to recognize...Modern politics has also been shaped by an older way of thinking."14

Religion from Science

"There have been many modern cults of science." Many believe the world can be saved through knowledge (or the sciences) instead of a deity.13

The Five Works

- Five classic Chinese manuscripts that Confucius was associated with. These include the Book of Odes, the Book of Changes, the Book of Rites, the Book of History, and the Spring and Autumn Annals.

Mystical Atheism

An atheist who has a mystical experience that doesn't involve a god or deity. Such experiences can awaken feelings that are sacred or holy.17

remains a primary worldview of the Shamanistic belief system.

Animism

Which of the following world religions are considered to be polytheistic?

Answer 1: Buddhism Answer 2: Hinduism

Shamanism is a religious practice by which a trained expert is believed to interact with and influence the spirit world through a trance-like or meditative state.

Answer 1: a trained expert Superb! Answer 2: spirit world

Because Shamanism stems from tapping into the power of nature for healing and spiritual knowledge, there is a higher significance placed on sacred locations than there is on sacred texts.

Answer 1: nature Answer 2: locations

Canaanite gods

Asherah -Associated with the morning star. Anath - A major goddess, associated with sexuality and violence. Baal - The most important deity, associated with storms, rain, and fertility. El - The elderly, wise father of the gods. Kothar - Associated with the underworld.

Mesopotamian gods

Assur - Patron deity of the Assyrian civilization. Ea (Enki) - Master of the primeval water abyss. Enfil - A powerful god and father of many gods. He guards the sacred Tablet of Destiny, which records the fate of everything. Ishtar - Goddess of fertility and war. Marduk - The God of the city of Babylon. Shamash - Mesopotamian sun-god (not to be confused with Ra, the Egyptian sun-god).

Astrology is the belief system that considers the positioning of planets and stars as having an effect on earthly events.

Astrology

The Holy Books of Confucianism

Main goal is to capture what having a good moral character means and how to live in harmony with the world.

Modal Argument

Modal statements typically convey what could be or must be the case. Therefore, a modal argument takes its shape from concluding what is possible, necessary, or even impossible. In many cases, modal arguments consider what could be or must be. This argument tries to prove a higher being's existence by establishing the necessity of a higher being. Another word for this viewpoint is the Ontological Argument.12

God is viewed as holy and supreme according to the _______________.

Monotheist

What is the "central component of religious beliefs that originates around astrology?"

Mythology

The gods Zeus, Apollo, Athena, Aphrodite, and Poseidon are all part of a well-known group called the Greco-Roman Pantheon .

Pantheon

According to the Monotheistic view, God is regarded as the Creator of the world and all of humanity in it. So, not only did He create the world, but He also did what?

Set the world in motion and gave it social order.

Which of the following became commonplace in ancient Mesopotamia?

Temple worship

The Four Books

The Four Books of Confucianism include the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean, the Mencius, and the Analects

Cosmological Argument

The basic claim is that all things found in nature depend on something else for their existence. By default, the entire world (or cosmos) must depend on an independent being for its existence too. Therefore, the existence of a god (or supreme being) is inferred.9

Which statement best describes the concept of "Theism?"

The belief in the existence of a god or gods.

Match the following to their best definition: cosmos God(s) monotheism polytheism Atheism

The entire world supernatural beings there is only one God There are many gods Absence of belief in God or gods

The Analects

The main source for Confucius's thoughts. The Analects can also be called the Lunya. They address what makes a man good and what makes a good government.

The Three Holy Ones

The most recognized Chinese religious leaders which include Confucius, Gautama Buddha, and Lao Dan.

Jen

The principle that true goodness is shown by the treatment towards others. This is the most important Confucian virtue.

Confucianism

The set of beliefs, politics, ethics, and morals that left an impression throughout Asian countries. Confucianism could mean something different to each individual.

Tian

The sky-god or deified ancestor referenced in the Analects.

The term henotheism is a branch of polytheism, and it basically means what?

There is one supreme god who rules over many gods.

Which book was considered the "holy book" of the ancient world?

There was no holy book of the ancient world.

Rejections of the idea of a creator-god

This can be through disbelief in, or denial of, the existence of God or gods. This is often accompanied by a predisposed belief towards structured religion or religious practices.16

Moral Argument

This viewpoint is based on a moral order of the universe. For instance, considering that some form of morality exists throughout nature, then God is the only explanation for its morality, which concludes that God must therefore exist.11

Hslao

This virtue commands respect towards parents and to care for their wellbeing. This virtue is about the love within the family.

According to the lesson, ancient Mesopotamia is the area developed between what two geographic features?

Tigris River and Euphrates River

Li

Traditional ceremonies or rituals passed down through generations.

Animism is the belief that all objects, places, and even creatures possess a unique spiritual soul.

True

Which word best completes this statement: Because I have a _________, I have a particular philosophy by which I live my life.

Worldview

Greco-Roman gods

Zeus - The chief god whose symbol was the thunderbolt. Poseidon - The brother of Zeus and the second-most powerful god who ruled the sea. Hades - The brother of Zeus and ruler of the underworld. Hera - Wife of Zeus. Aphrodite - The goddess of love. Apollo - The god of music, archery, and dance. Ares - The god of war and courage. Artemis - The goddess of the hunt. Athena - The goddess of war and wisdom. Hermes - The herald of the gods; god of trade, wealth, luck, and sleep. Hestia - The goddess of the hearth and home. Hephaestus - The god of trades: blacksmiths, metalworking, carpenters, craftsmen, artisans, and sculptors.

To understand the worldview of someone with animism, you should consider that they look at living things on the earth as being truly ______.

alive

What timespan does ancient history typically cover?

c. 3500 BC - c. 500 AD

Much evidence suggests that caves were used for conducting rituals by shamans. The most convincing evidence is .

cave art

Shamanism is characterized as being based on ritualistic healing ceremonies that include ,______ ,_____ and _____that lead to a shaman falling into a trance. The trance can be either the shaman inviting the spirits into a place or the shaman's soul traveling into the spirit world.

drumming dancing chanting

God-haters

fairly self-explanatory. Atheists under this regime typically attribute their hatred to some sort of experience that leads to a jaded mindset.15

The ancient world was known for worshipping millions of deities.

hundreds

In the world of shamanism, the Shaman is the key holder to this way of life because it is the Shaman who .

interacts with the spirit world.

New Atheism

sees "religion as a system of beliefs, they have attacked it as if it was no more than an obsolete scientific theory. Hence the 'God debate' is a tedious re-run (and...) squabble between science and religion."11

Shamanistic rituals often take on different performances based on .

the nationality or region of the native people

Hieroglyphics are inscriptions that were carved inside of pyramid tombs and became the "richest new source of evidence" for researching the ancient near east.

Hieroglyphics

Egyptians gods

Baal - "a Syrian storm and sky god." Benu Bird (Phoenix) - Said to be the oldest living creature, a type of heron. Isis is considered the "throne goddess" and the "mother of each Egyptian king." Maat - "goddess...(and) beloved daughter of Ra, the creator sun god." Magicians - "Ancient Egyptian heroes were usually magicians rather than warriors...At a time when reading was a rare skill, book learning of all kinds was associated with magic." Mut - "the Queen of the gods." Neper - "the god who personified the grain harvest." Osiris - "the 'great god' who ruled the Egyptian underworld." Ra - "The sun god who was the ultimate source of light, energy, and life...He ruled as King of the gods." Sokar - "the god of death" Sphinx - "a mythical beast with the body of a lion or lioness and the head of a different creature. The most common combination was the body of a lion and a human head with a face of a reigning king or queen." Thoth - "god of wisdom and secret knowledge who invented writing and the different languages of humanity."5

Design Argument

Based on intelligent design, a creator being must exist. For example, the universe is complex, like a machine or an eye; therefore, the universe must have a designer, God. Another name for this viewpoint is the Teleological Argument.10

Near-eastern mythology seven stages

Chaos (pre-creation) The emergence of the creator The creation of the world and its inhabitants The reign of the sun god (Ra) The period of direct rule by other deities The period of rule by semi-divine kings (history) The return to chaos3

What is the oldest written script that the Sumerians invented sometime around 3000 BC?

Cuneiform