Transcript “Religion is the Opiate of the People” -- Karl Marx & Frederick Engels

“Religion is the Opiate of
the People”
-- Karl Marx & Frederick Engels
Communist Manifesto
1848
Symbols
Religion
An Academic View
Christianity
Judaism
Buddhism
Islam
CHRISTianity
• Main Branches (Denominations)
of Christianity:
• Catholicism (Universal) – Roman and Eastern
Orthodox (Correct
Belief)
• Protestantism: Lutheran, Methodist,
Baptist, Episcopalian, Anglican,
Pentecostal
Inherent Belief:
Trinity:
God
Jesus
Holy Spirit
Christ
(Anointed)
• Arrested for His teachings
• Tried and Crucified on a Friday
• Found missing from the tomb on
Sunday
• Rose from the dead
• 40 days later ascended into Heaven
Denominations
• Jesus Dies on Easter
• Paul takes on the mission of spreading the “Good News”
• Catholicism is Born in 29 – 33 A.D.
» (Anno Domini – Year of God)
• Eastern Orthodox Branches Out In 330 A.D.
• Martin Luther “Protests” doctrines and practices of the
Roman Church
Denominations Con’t
• Protestant Movement is born
• Denominations of Protestantism are created:
† Lutheran – emphasis on faith and authority of Bible
† Calvinism – God as judge – human nature is basically sinful
† Anglican – compromise between Catholicism and
Protestantism. Basic difference from
Catholicism - divorce
† Sectarianism – independent churches:
Anabaptists – baptism as adult
Baptist – inner conversion, adult baptism
Pentecostal – emotion in worship
Methodist – methodical nature of prayer and study
Nontraditional Christianity – “Sect” or “Cults”
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
(Mormon) missionary church, inspired bible, God has
glorified body like Jesus, humans sent to
physical world to perfect themselves.
• Christian Science - positive thinking, growth
through a belief in inner power.
• Unity Church – seeks wisdom in every religious
tradition, inspirational talks, peaceful music
and guided meditation.
Nontraditional Con’t
Jehovah’s Witnesses - literal interpretation of
Bible, after God punishes evildoers and
nonbelievers, He will create a paradise-like
world for virtuous believers.
• Unification Church – Reverend Sun Myung
Moon – evil forces will overtake the world
unless they are opposed, and against these
forces he hopes his church will help create
“the kingdom of heaven on earth.”
Sacraments
• Baptism – cleansing with water –
initiation rite
• Eucharist – (Greek: “Good Gift”)
– early days imitation of Last
Supper, shared bread and
wine
Other Rituals
• Confirmation – (“Strengthening”) - a
blessing of believers, believer ‘confirms’
his/her belief in God and the Trinity.
• Reconciliation – (“Penance”) – repentant
person admits his or her sins
before a priest and is absolved.
• Marriage – two people publicly commit
themselves to each other for life.
Judaism
• Dates back over two thousand
years
• Trace their origins to Abraham
• Often called Hebrews
• Hebrew Bible made up of
individual books
Hebrew Bible
• Torah – 1st five books – sacred core of
Hebrew Bible
• The Prophets (Nevi’im) – principle prophets
of Judaism – main historical aspect of
bible
• The Writings (Ketuvim) – short stories,
proverbs, reflections of life, hymns
(psalm) lyrics, and poetry
Moses
• Hebrew population grows large
• Egypt worried about power struggle
• Hebrew midwives ordered to kill all baby
boys right after birth.
• Baby Moses spared by being hidden.
• At 3 months of age, he is placed in a basket
and floated down the Nile river
Moses Con’t
• He is discovered by Egyptian princess who
raises him as her own.
• As an adult he sees the injustices against an
Israelite slave.
• Kills the foreman who mistreated the slave.
• He flees from Egypt.
• Lives outside of Egypt.
Moses con’t
• One day he stumbles against a burning
bush.
• He hears the voice of God.
• God commands Moses to return to Egypt
and help free the Hebrews.
• Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt
across the Red Sea.
• They establish the land of Israel.
Major Holidays
• Passover (Passed Over) – believed that by putting a mark on their door
their sons have been spared death by plague.
• Rosh Hashanah – Jewish New Year – a celebration to allow Jews to
consider their obligations and pay off their debts.
• Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement – a day of prayer and strict fast.
• Sukkot – Shelters – joyful harvest celebration, families sleep outdoors
which allow them to be close to their fields and subsequently to
work harvesting early.
• Hanukka – The Feast of Dedication - Feast of Lights – 8 day period
celebrating the miracle of the small bit of oil lasting for 8 days,
allowing the rededication of the Second Temple.
• Purim – a type of Halloween – very happy celebration of when Esther
saved the Hebrews from extinction.
Buddhism
• One of the oldest known religions.
• Siddhartha Gautama – a very pampered son of a
prince in what is today Nepal.
• Siddhartha kept away from miseries outside the
palace walls.
• At 29 he escapes the palace and visits a nearby
town, sees the suffering of ordinary life.
• He seeks teachers of meditation and philosophy.
Siddhartha con’t
• Sought answers for 6 years, wanted to know how
to avoid suffering and death.
• Lived on little food and sleep.
• He passed out from weakness and as a result of his
Awakening, discovers Enlightenment.
• He saw suffering, aging and death as an inevitable
part of life but also seeing the possibility of
release.
• Went from town to town teaching what he had
learned.
Four Noble Truths
•
•
•
•
To Live is to Suffer
Suffering Comes from Desire
To End Suffering, End Desire
Release from Suffering is Possible and
Can be Attained by Following the
Noble Eightfold Path
Eightfold Path to Inner Peace
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Right Understanding
Right Intention
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Work
Right Effort
Right Meditation
Right Contemplation
All together lead to Nirvana – liberation from the
limitations of the world.
Islam
• Means to surrender one’s will
• Believe in the oneness with God and the message of the
Qur’an
• Believe in an all-powerful, transcendent God who created
the universe and controls everything in it.
• Trace their heritage back to Abraham – just like the Jews
• Allah is God (al – “the” ilah – “god”), not the name of
God, simply means God
• Muhammad, Allah’s messenger and servant
• Followers are called Muslim
• Islam considered less of a religion and more of a way of
life
Five Pillars
• Shahdah – Declaration of faith
• Allah is the One and Muhammad is his messenger
• Salat – Prayer of a very high level – 5 times a day, before
dawn, at midday, midafternoon, sunset and nighttime
• Sawm – Fasting, especially at Ramadan
• Zakat – Alms giving, commonly 2.5% of earnings
• Hajj – Pilgrimage to the holy sites in Mecca
Muhammad
• Born in Mecca in 570 A.D. (C.E.)
• Spent much time pondering and meditating in caves.
• At 40 y/o during a religious retreat in a cave at Mount Hira, he received
his first revelation.
• In 620 A.D. he was going through a stressful time because few people
believed his claims of having received revelations. He dreamt of being
carried to Jerusalem and ascending from there into paradise. He called
the experience his “Night Journey” or Night of Ascent”
Muhammad con’t
• Believed the angel Gabriel guided him upward.
• He claimed that on the way up he passed angels and the great prophets
of the past, including Abraham and Jesus and finally entered the
presence of God.
• That experience confirmed for him his role as a prophet and messenger
of God.
• Muhammad is Known by More than 200 Names
• Muhammad is not divine or worshipped
• Muhammad is the model for what every Muslim hopes to be