Which faith tradition do you think each verse came from?Buddhism (the Dhammapada)Christianity (the New Testament)Hinduism (the Baghavad Gita)Islam (the Qur’an)Judaism (the Torah)

Question 1How can I have a son,” she said, “when no man has

touched me, nor am I sinful?” He said: “Thus will it be. Your Lord said: “It is easy for Me,” and that: “We shall make him a sign for men and a blessing from Us.” This is a thing already decreed.”

Qur’an: 19:20-21

Question 2I am the Way and the Master who watches in

silence. Thy friend and thy shelter and thy abode of peace.

Bagavad Gita 9:18

Question 3 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to

him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

Torah: Genesis 22:1-2

Question 4 For hatred can never put an end to hatred.

Love alone can. This is an unalterable law.

Dhammapada 1:5

Question 5It was also said, Anyone who divorces his wife must

give her a written notice of divorce. But now I tell you; if a man divorces his wife for any other cause other than her unfaithfulness, then he is guilty of making her commit adultery if she marries again and the man who marries her commits adultery also.

New Testament: Matthew 5:31

Question 6On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred

assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets. As an aroma pleasing to the Lord, prepare a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect.

Torah: Numbers 29:1-2

Question 7Go ye forth for the good of the many, the

welfare of the many, in compassion for the world. Proclaim the doctrine, glorious in the beginning, glorious in the middle, glorious in the end. Preach ye a life of holiness, perfect and pure

Dhammapada

Question 8And any woman who prays or proclaims God’s

message in public worship with nothing on her head disgraces her husband; there is no difference between her and a woman whose head has been shaved. If the woman does not cover her head, she might as well cut her hair. And since it is a shameful thing for a woman to shave her head or cut her hair, she should cover her head.

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 11:5

Question 9 And We said to Adam: “Both you and your

spouse live in the Garden, eat freely to your fill wherever you like, but approach not this tree or you will become transgressors.”

Qur’an: 2: 35-36

Question 10Making a fair provision for women who are

divorced is the duty of those who are God-fearing and pious.

Qur’an 2:241

Question 11 If a man commits adultery with another

man’s wife – with the wife of his neighbor – both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.

Torah: Leviticus 20:10

Question 12You tell them: “In all the commands revealed

to me I find nothing which men have been forbidden to eat except carrion and running blood and flesh of the swine for it is unclean.”

Qur’an: 6:145

What is religion?Religions change and evolve over timeReligions are spread through interaction

Cultural LandscapeThe cultural landscape reflects religious

preferences, by houses of worship, cemeteries, shrines, and statues

It is reflected in the sale of alcohol, dress, and personal habitsEx: Pakistan requires judges to wear a beard

ReligionA system of beliefs and practices that

attempts to order life in terms of culturally perceived ultimate priorities

It determines how people “should” behaveIn some societies, religion determines

behaviors during waking hours, and even in sleep (some sleeping positions can be sinful)

Most religions have prayers and rituals

RitualsRituals mark important events in people’s

livesBirthsDeathComing of ageMarriageCelebration of holidaysPrayer

SecularismSome societies are predominantly secular, or

non-religiousEven then, religion seeps into art, history,

customs, beliefs, and even the calendarWhether secular or not, it is important to have

a basic understanding of religionReligion is one of the most complex and

controversial aspects of culture

Diffusion of Religion

Early ReligionsMost religions can be classified into one of

three broad groups:Monotheistic: belief in a single deityPolytheistic: belief in more than one deityAnimistic: belief that inanimate objects have

spirits

History of ReligionUp until 3500 years ago, most religions were

polytheistic or animisticZoroastrianism was the first monotheistic

religion and laid the foundation for Judaism, Christianity, and IslamZoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy

based on the belief that there is a single all-powerful good god (Zoroastro), and there is also an evil being trying to destroy good

Diffusion of MonotheismJudaism was the second (or first) great

monotheistic religionHowever, it was not until Christianity and

Islam emerged that monotheism spreadBy 500 BCE, there were four hearths of

religion:Greece (Greek Philosophy)India (Hinduism)Israel (Judaism)China (Chinese philosophies)

Religions TodayChristianity and Islam have the highest

number of adherents (followers)Christianity has the largest number of

adherents, but Islam is the fastest growing religion

They are both influenced by Greek philosophy and Judaism

World Distribution of Religions

Fig. 6-1: World religions by continent.