What is Religion??

Lizet Zambrano, Elisa Ugalde, Lucia Soriano, Starla Hendrix

Lizet Zambrano 2

Religion Provides…• Search to the question of being humans

−How did we get here?−How should we live our lives?−What is our purpose in the universe?−What will happen when we die?

Lizet Zambrano 3

Sacred…

• Writings/beliefs

• Rituals

• Temples

• Special days

• Food

• Worship of a deity(deities)

Lizet Zambrano 4

Religion• Monotheistic

− One God

• Polytheistic− Many Gods

• Atheists− No God

• Agnostic− Question of God existence is unanswered, do not

believe in any God.

Lizet Zambrano 5

Statistics…

Lucia Soriano 6

Religions that are going to be discussed in class

• Hinduism

• Jainism

• Sikhism

• Confucianism

• Taoism

• Shinto

• Buddhism

• Islam

Lucia Soriano 7

Religion as a Social Construction

• Prior to its modern definition religion came from the Latin word religio, which means "reverence for God or the gods, careful pondering of divine things, piety” philologist Max Muller, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion 

• A social construction is a notion that is created by a group of people living in a society. Therefore, it is constantly being shaped and changed solely by people as a result of their ongoing experiences and gain of knowledge.

• Religion as a modern concept

Lucia Soriano 8

1. Outdated

2. Harmful to the individual

3. Harmful to society

4. Delays the progress of science

5. Encourages immoral acts

Issues in Religion

Elisa Ugalde 9

Pluralism is…• Used in different ways, across a wide range of topics

to denote a diversity of views, and stands in opposition to one single approach or method of interpretation

• Religious pluralism is the acceptance of religions or religious tolerance

• There is a harmonious co-existence between different religions

• One's religion is not the sole and exclusive source of truth, and some truths and true values exist in other religions

Elisa Ugalde 10

Isaiah Berlin

“For all human beings must have some common values or they cease to be human,

and also some different values else they cease to differ, as in fact they do.”

Elisa Ugalde 11

Pluralism…• None of this was thought to be true before

the 18th century, religions were thought to be completely true and the idea of accepting the other was wrong

• Muslims, Jews, Catholics, and Protestants

• Believed others were irrational in their beliefs

Elisa Ugalde 12

Effects of Pluralism

• Pluralism became widespread

• Freedom of religion

Starla Hendrix 13

Relativism

• All points of views are equally valid

• All truth is relative to the individual

• No rules on what is right and wrong (what ever goes)

Starla Hendrix 14

Nationalism • My nation is better than yours

• You are inferior

Starla Hendrix 15

Monism• Enemy of pluralism

• Single truth

• One way of living

• Those who know should command those who don’t

• Old beliefs of kings giving them the authority to give orders to others

QUIZ TIME…..

1. Name one of the critiques mentioned in the issues in the religion part of this presentation.

2. How many Gods does monotheistic consist of?

3. What theory believes in one way of living?

4. What are the two most popular religions?

5. Pluralism means one's religion is not the sole and exclusive source of truth, and some truths and true values exist in other religions

True/ False

Questions & Comments