Introduction To World Religions and Belief System: Learning Competencies

INTRODUCTION TO WORLD
RELIGIONS AND BELIEF SYSTEM
Module 1
Concept, Elements and
Characteristics of Belief Systems,
World View, Religion,
and Spirituality
Learning Competencies:
 Differentiate the concept, elements and characteristics of belief

system, worldview, religion, and spirituality;
 Understand the dynamics of the different elements and characteristics

of the belief system, world view and religion;
 Appreciate the importance of one’s own beliefs and views as a

believer of God.
Digital Communication and Technological College Inc.

Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems
Prepared by: Ms. Mary Ley Ann Valencia, LPT 1
Week 1
WORLDVIEW, BELIEF SYSTEMS AND RELIGION
Lesson 1
WORLDVIEW, BELIEF SYSTEMS AND RELIGION
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, students are expected to:
 understand the concept of worldview, belief systems and religion;
 differentiate worldview, belief systems and religion and;
 discuss the characteristics and elements of religion.
Since childbirth there are rules or traditions that are imposed to you by your parents
and society where you belong. “Do this because this is right.” “Be good to others!” “Huwag
kang gumawa ng masama kung ayaw mong ma-karma.”. These are simple reminders of our
parents. When you are brought to the school for your education, same values or beliefs are
being strengthened. In some period of your life, you have become a member of a religious
organization or perhaps by tradition. The beliefs and values that you have learned from your
parents and school are reinforced by the teachings of that specific religion. All that you have
learned from your parents,school, religious affiliation and other influences became your
belief system and your worldview. Carol Hill describes worldview, as “By worldview (or
belief system) I mean the basic way of interpreting things and events that pervades a culture
so thoroughly that it becomes a culture’s concept of reality-what is good, what is important,
what is sacred, what is real. It is more than culture, even though the distinction between the
two can sometimes be subtle. It extends to perceptions of time and space, of happiness and
well-being. The beliefs, values, and behaviors of culture stem directly from its worldview.”
(Hill, 2007)
Often times you are not conscious of your own worldview unless it is challenged or
dared by other belief system. A very simple definition of a “worldview” is given by Matt
Slick. According to him a worldview is a set of beliefs used to understand the world.
Everyone has a set of principles by which to judge right and wrong and which guides them in
everyday living. You stop at a red light and go at a green. (Cornejo, et al, 2019). Google has a
simple definition, it says,” Belief systems are the stories we tell ourselves to define our
personal sense of ‘reality’ (the way things actually exist). Every human being has a belief
system that he/she utilizes and it is through this mechanism that we individually “make
sense” of the world around us.” It could be a set of beliefs or a philosophy of life. Belief
system shapes your worldview about the world, your existence, and relationships with your
fellowmen. In other words, “a worldview whether religious or nonreligious, is a personal
insight about reality and meaning, often termed a “life understanding” which may call a
product of belief systems. Most often worldviews are shaped by religions. (Serapio,2016).

Understanding Beliefs and Worldviews
Worldviews are not all about God, but these are also about our views about reality, man, truth and
values. There are also economic, political and social worldviews.Moreover, the term worldview
refers to an individual’s overall perspective of the world. Hence, a person’s worldview may be the
same or different from another’s worldview. This worldview is also called belief systems. It refers to
the order or the way a person views the realities of the world which is relative to one another, due to
some individual, social as well as cultural factors.
Belief in god or gods is found in almost all religions. There is a good reason to presuppose that
religion had existed during prehistoric times and this has continued to the modern day. Human life
may have produced hundreds of religions and belief systems. There could be more unknown than
known religions in the world since recorded history covers only several thousand years of human
existence.
Kinds of Belief System Description

Monism There is no real distinction between god and the universe
Monotheism The doctrine/belief in one supreme god
Polytheism The belief and worship of many gods
Atheism Disbelief in or denial of the existence of a personal god
Agnosticism God cannot be known
Table 1. Kinds of Belief Systems or Worldviews
Theism is defined as “a belief in the existence of one god viewed as the creative source of the human
race and the world who transcend yet is immanent in the world” (Merriam-Webster, 2014).
Monotheism is the belief that there is only one (mono) Supreme God who created everything, while
polytheism recognize many (poly) gods. Examples of modern-day monotheistic religions include
Judaism, Christianity and Islam, while Hinduism is considered to be a polytheistic religion.
Monism, another belief system contends that God and the universe exist as one. There is no distinction
between god and the universe.
Atheists do not believe in any god or divine being, while agnostics neither believe nor disbelieve in
god for they deny the possibility for man to completely acknowledge the existence of God.
DEFINITION AND NATURE OF RELIGION
Religion may be defined as “an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to
worship a god or a group of gods” (Merriam-Websters Dictionary 2014). The Latin word religion
refers to “something done with overanxious or scrupulous attention to detail” (Bowker 1997). This
term may have probably been derived from the Latin verb religare which means “to tie together, to
bind fast.”
In its original sense, the word refers to expression of proper piety, that is, binding to god
(Grassie 2010). Quite later, religion was used to designate formal belief systems and tenets. The term
was eventually applied to what we now call as religion because of the manner in which people
performed rituals during those days. While religion may be universal in all stages of human history, it
does not follow that all individuals are religious or even religious to some degree (Parrinder 1971).

THE ORIGIN OF RELIGION
1. The Human Quest for Meaning
Understanding our world and our experience
2. The Quest of Purpose
The motivation to live a life which promotes human wholeness in accordance with the
meaning discovered.
3. The Quest for Salvation
The search to be free from the feeling of disharmony deep within the human person.
CHARACTERISTICS OF RELIGION
Most scholars agree that every religion has the same three basic elements:
1. Wisdom or Creed
 A creed is a set of truths that must be accepted and agreed to by those who wish to belong to
the religion, those who choose to be a follower or disciple.
e.g., The Nicene creed, Laws of Manu, Ten Commandments
 A creed is a summary of the principal beliefs of a religion.
e.g., The Nicene creed, Laws of Manu, Ten Commandments
2. Worship or Cult
 Refers to the way of worshipping, to the RITUALS that are practiced by followers of the
religion.
 This is often a difficult element to describe because it involves so many diverse elements.
3. Works or Code
 Refers to the ethical values and the system of moral practice directly
resulting from an adherence to the beliefs.
EIGHT ELEMENTS OF RELIGIONS

1. BELIEF SYSTEM or WORLDVIEW: Many beliefs that fit together in a system to make sense
of the universe and our place in it.
2. COMMUNITY: The belief system is shared, and its ideals are practiced by a group.
3. CENTRAL STORIES/MYTHS: Stories that help explain the beliefs of a group; these are told
over and over again and sometimes performed by members of the group. They may or may not be
factual.
4. RITUALS: Beliefs are explained, taught, and made real through ceremonies.
5. ETHICS: Rules about how to behave; these rules are often thought to have come from a deity or
supernatural place, but they might also be seen as guidelines created by the group over time.
6. CHARACTERISTIC EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES: Most religions share emotions such as

awe, mystery, guilt, joy, devotion, conversion, inner peace, etc.
7. MATERIAL EXPRESSION: Religions use things to perform rituals or to express or represent

beliefs, such as: statues, paintings, music, flowers, incense, clothes, architecture, and specific sacred
locations.
8. SACREDNESS: Religions see some things as sacred and some not sacred (or profane). Some
objects, actions, people, and places may share in the sacredness or express it.
The elements or characteristics of religions mentioned above are necessary for a particular religion to
perpetuate their worldviews and belief systems.

Week 1
Activity Sheet # 1
Student’s Name: _____________________________ Date: _____________________

Grade & Track: _____________________ Teacher: __________________
I. Match Column A with Column B. Write the letter of the correct answer on the space provided.
Column A Column B
_____ 1. a belief in the existence of one God viewed as the a. agnosticism
creative source of the human race and the world. b. atheism
_____ 2. relating or affecting the human spirit that is one’s
c. monism
personal integrative view of life
d. monotheism
_____ 3. the belief that there is only one God who could have
e. polytheism
designed and created the universe
_____ 4. the belief in many gods f. religion
_____ 5. the belief that there is no distinction between God and
g. spirituality
the universe
h. theology
_____ 6. the denial of the existence of God
_____ 7. the belief that God’s existence cannot be known i. theism
_____ 8. an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies and rules j. worldview
used to worship a god or gods
_____ 9. the overall perspective or view of life and the world
_____ 10. the systematic study of the existence and nature of the
divine

II. Instructions: If you do not feel comfortable answering these questions, or if you donot
practice a religion, you may find a friend or family member who will share his/herbeliefs and
practices with you. Or, if you like, find answers from doing your ownresearch on one specific
religion (it does not have to be Judaism, Christianity, orIslam).
1. BELIEFS: What is your religion and what is one central belief of your religion?
_____________________________________________________________.
2. COMMUNITY: How is your religion shared with others in your religious

community?
_____________________________________________________________.
3. CENTRAL STORIES/MYTHS: What is one of the myths or stories from your

religion?
_____________________________________________________________.
4. RITUALS: What rituals do you find meaningful in your religion?

_____________________________________________________________.
5. ETHICS: What is one rule from your religion that you are supposed to follow?
_____________________________________________________________.
6. EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES: Have you ever had an emotional religious

experience? What was it like?
_____________________________________________________________.
7. MATERIAL EXPRESSION: What is one thing used in your religion? What is it

used for?
_____________________________________________________________.
8. SACREDNESS: Can you think of a sacred place associated with your

religion? Why is it sacred?
_____________________________________________________________.

Week 2
Lesson 2
Religion, Spirituality and Theology
Learning Outcomes:
 Distinguish the characteristics of religion, spirituality and theology;
 Differentiate religion, spirituality and theology;
 Analyze the relationship of the three concepts.
Introduction
Human beings since time immemorial continue to raise questions that have been asked again
and again such as Does God exists? Why are you here? Where did you come from? Who created us?
And where are we going? Our longing for answer enables human beings to depend for a divine power
or supernatural being hopeful for some answers to the riddles of life. In the process, a person
searching for profound answers is the beginning of his encounter with the divine. Hence religion was
born.
Religion does not happen in a vacuum it develops in a certain space and time. In this lesson
we are going to explore the interconnectedness of geography and culture as the grounds for the
development of religion.
Explaining Religion
Religion, etymologically is defined as coming from the Latin world, “religare” or which means “to
bind” or “to tie”. However, Oxford English Dictionary points out though that the etymology of the
word is doubtful. Early writers like Cicero connected the term with “relegere” which means “to read
all over again.” (Cornejo et al, 2019). Some persons even gave a negative definition of religion like
Karl Marx, the founder of Communism. He said the religion is the opium of the people. It means we
become so dependent with God that we rely everything to him and we undermine our capabilities as
human beings.
Across the globe, with the existence of the different world religions, some of the common
characteristics among religions are as follows: it involves belief in a god or deity, their relationship
with the world and the ways to worship them, it comprises holy and sacred places and people, and
encompasses a set of rules to follow in line with the transcendental beliefs.
Other basic concepts that need to be understood in the study of religion, are theology and philosophy
of religion.
Theology involves the systematic study of the existence, nature and purpose of god. When religion is
man’s way to God, theology may be explained as understanding God’s way to man.
Philosophy of religion, on the other hand, involves studying the “concepts and belief systems of the
religions as well as the prior phenomena of religious experience and the activities of worship and
meditation on which these belief system rest and out of which they have arisen” (Hick, 1990 as cited
by Ong, 2016). It is not a branch of theology but a branch of philosophy, hence the study and analysis
of concepts like god, spirit, karma, creation, immortality, heaven, hell, and purgatory among others,
need not to be taken in a religious perspective.

Exploring Spirituality
What is spirituality and how does it differ from religion?
Derived from the Latin word spiritus, with its verb root spirare, which literaly means “to breathe”,
spirituality may be linked to a person’s longing for the value of life. While religion is viewed as set of
ideals practiced and followed by organized groups, “spirituality is something an individual can have
without being implicated in the ambivalent complexity of human societies and institutions” (Grassie
2010) as cited by Ong, 2016. Some may associate spirituality with religiosity but many asserts that
spirituality—inner peace, satisfaction and contentment—may be found independent of any religious
beliefs or doctrines. Thus, spirituality can be described as one’s holistic and integrative view of life
and involves a quest for meaning and ultimate value of life. Hence, one can be spiritual without being
religious
Religion and Spirituality
When you become a member of a religious organization, you normally sacrificed your personal
worldview in favor of the religious world view or set of beliefs offered by that organization. Religion
invites a person into a spiritual relationship with some divine entity. This spiritual relationship
stemmed from the belief that there is a life after this world which is more important than physical life.
Hence it is the role of religion to invite all persons to believe in God for them to be saved from this
world.
Popular view holds that you should become a member of a religious organization to cultivate your
spiritual life. Their views lead to the misunderstanding between Religion and Spirituality. The
question is: Is religion the same as spirituality? Can you become a spiritual person without being a
member of a religious organization? What is the difference between being religious and being
spiritual?
Deepak Chopra has a very interesting differentiation between religion and spirituality. He said,
“Religion is a belief to someone else’s experience while Spirituality is having your own experience.”
Let us take a look at this illustration below to emphasize their differences by starting with questions.
(taken from the book, “Fundamentals of World Religions” authored by Cornejo,Nigel,Ebia, Erlito and
Ferrer, Paciano, 2019.p16)
Religion Spirituality
For religion the questions are: For spirituality the questions are:
What is true or false? What is right or wrong? Where do I find meaning? What is my purpose?
Where do I belong? What rituals, sacraments Where do I find my direction in life? What are
should I do? my values?
Table 2. Difference of Religion and Spirituality
From the questions above you can deduce that religion and spirituality have different
concerns. Spirituality is more of a personal experience concerns with what are the essentials in life
while religion focuses more on membership, rituals, right and wrong or truth and falsity. Religion is
more legalistic in terms of practice of beliefs while spirituality entails more freedom in
exercisingwhat they believed.

For Dejan Davchevski, religion and spirituality are two different phenomena:
Religion Spirituality
Religion makes us vow Spirituality sets us free
Religion shows us fear Spirituality shows courage
Religion tells us the truth Spirituality allows us to discover the truth
Religion separates from other religions Spirituality unites them
Religion makes us dependent Spirituality makes us independent
Religion applies discipline Spirituality applies destiny or faith
Religion makes us follow its journey Spirituality allows us to create our own personal
journey
Table 3. Phenomena of Religion and Spirituality
Going back to the question, “Can you become a spiritual person without becoming a member of a
religious organization? Definitely the answer is yes. The line between what is spiritual or religious
may not be always clear or distinct depending on the interpretation. (Serapio, 2016). At this point, I
think you can now describe the characteristics between religion and spirituality.
The descriptions above are not exclusive for each other. In fact, religion and spirituality can blend
harmoniously. The kernel of religion is spirituality, and the essence of spirituality is God or the
Supreme Being (Serapio, 2016). In addition, spirituality is: (1) Beyond all religions yet containing all
religions.(2) Beyond all science yet containing all science.(3) Beyond all philosophy yet containing all
philosophy.
Religion and Theology
Most often theology and religion brought confusion in terms of meaning and practice. Theology also
believes about God just like religion but it utilizes more the intellect to understand everything about
God rather than faith alone. Theology is a systematic study of God just like other disciplines such as
philosophy, psychology, sociology and other sciences. The priests, pastors, ministers or even lay
people must undergo theological trainings before they are ordained to become a priest or pastor or
minister. Theology is normally taken in the Seminaries or theological schools as an academic subject.
A priest who is a major in theology should undertake a four-year course to get an AB Theology
degree. Then he proceeds his masters and doctoral degree in theology to become full pledge
theologian. There is a saying that most theologians lost their faith in God because they use only their
mind in knowing God more than faith.
Philosophical theology: Philosophy uses reason to explain the essence or the ultimate reasons why
things exist and where they come from. Philosophical theology uses reason alone in knowing about
God. A famous theologian in the Catholic Church in the 13th century, St. Thomas Aquinas exemplify
this approach. His work is called the “Summa Theologiae” wherein one summa is devoted to the
“Five Ways of Knowing God.” Here the existence of God can be proven in five ways using logical
argumentation.

Week 2
Activity Sheet # 2

I. In the discussion of belief systems, religion and spirituality, define the following key terms:
1. Religion
2. Spirituality
3. Worldview
4. Theology
5. Philosophy of Religion
II. Reflect and Understand. Answer the following questions:

1. Why is it important to distinguish religion from spirituality?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. Can you give an example of a worldview? Describe this particular worldview.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. Why is it important to respect worldviews different from ours?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
4. Evaluate yourself: Are you more of a spiritual or a religious person? Explain your answer.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Week 3
Module 2:
Interconnectedness of Geography, Culture, and
Religion
Learning Outcomes:
 Analyze the interconnectedness of geography, culture and religion;
 Understand the influence of geography to religion and culture;
 Classify the Abrahamic religions.
INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF GEOGPRAPHY, CULTURE AND RELIGION

Hello there! Have you ever been to a mountainous place? What do you notice about the
topography? Do you feel the variations of climate in every specific location? How do you
think these climates affect the way people speak their language; create their own clothing
fashion, traditions, and economic activities? How do people live in the lowland; what about
those who are in the upland? Or near the riverbank, or those who are living along the shores?
Do you think there would be a proverbial difference in terms of their understanding about
life, about their surroundings, and about the existence of one Supreme Being?
Geography is the basis of understanding history. History is about the origin of life; how
every group of people live and develop their unique way of life. Culture simply means, any
way of life as shown by many attributes that you will find basically from this module which
will lead you to better understanding why you believe in something greater than the universe.
This belief defines the religion that manifests through your character.
You see, you’re already given the hint how all things are interconnected. All you need is
to discover the details for yourself for it will be fun, exciting, and very much enriching.
Word Definition
Adonai - ancient Hebrew God
Allah - the one God of Islam
Belief System - stories or ideas that define our personal sense of reality, and
through which we make sense of the world.
Buddhism - a path of practice and spiritual development that started in India.
It strives for a deep insight leading to the nature of reality.
Christianity - a monotheistic faith based on the life, works, and teachings of
Jesus Christ.
Confucianism - both an ancient religion and philosophy of China; it originated
as a philosophical system founded on the teachings of Confucius.
Confucius - a Chinese philosopher whose teachings are the basis of
Confucianism.

Culture - a system of vital ideas that contains, energizes, and directs
virtually every aspect of social life and a person’s relationship
with the world, and the matrix from which values, attitudes,
motivations, and skills emerge.
Cultural milieu - the term comes from the French word milieu, meaning
“middle”. Refers to the setting and environment in which a person
lives, including social and cultural aspect of life.
Dharma - Buddha’s teaching and the inner realizations that are attained in
dependence upon practicing them.
Elohim - ancient Hebrew God
Hinduism - a religion considered a product of spiritual, religious, and social
practices of the people from a large portion of South Asia,
including the countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
Islam - a major monotheistic religion which originated in the Arabian
Peninsula in the 7th century CE.
Mahayana Buddhism - a branch of Buddhism which is widely practiced in Vietnam,
Japan, South Korea, and China: known as a “Greater Vehicle”, it
has given rise to various offshoots of Buddhism in other
countries.
Zoroastrianism - a Persian religion founded in the sixth century B.C. by the
prophet Zoroaster, characterized by worship of a supreme god,
Ahura Mazda who requires good deeds for help in his cosmic
struggle against the evil spirit Ahriman.
Table 4. Vocabulary List
Does Geography influence religion?

All religion and culture are based on Geography. There are other things also which
are affected based on Geography. Without lands, or geography, religion would not exist.
Geography is everything about people (and their lands) and nature – religion is part of human
environment. Geography is human environment and natural environment. Human
environment is made of regions, countries etc., Humans spread their ideas, concepts, and
religions where they can reach. Religious people would not just spread their religions but try
to convert others. You don’t need animals follow your religions but other humans. Humans
compete with other human beings – that’s normal. A species is always competing among
itself for all reasons. Peoples of a region are constantly contesting. That’s geography. When
they can reach faraway lands, their religions spread faraway lands too.

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A. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
 Prehistoric humans, such as the Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons, have practiced a set
of belief systems like in burying their dead, painting on the walls of caves and carving
images from stones.
 The existence of humankind for so long a time has resulted in the formation of
religion and belief systems. It is certain that many religions may have been
unrecorded in the past. Others may have gradually died down like Zoroastrianism that
once flourished in South Asia but is now only confined in Iran, India, and Central
Asia
Important Dates on The Origin of World Religions
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Table 5. Date Significance of the Origin of World Religion
 Played a major role in the establishment of the three monotheistic religions: namely,
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, which account for more than half of the world’s
total population. As such, these organized religions are collectively known as
ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS.
 The importance of Abraham in these three religions lies in the fact that the patriarch
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appears as an elemental (primary) figure for monotheistic belief system and a paragon
(exemplar) for extreme devotion.

The Genealogy of Abraham
Commonalities in Abrahamic Religions

1. They all worship one supreme being.
 Ancient Hebrews – Elohim, Adonai, or Yahweh
 Present day Judaism – “Lord” or “God”
 Muslims – Allah
2. Prophets and apostles play major roles
 Judaism has 48 prophets and 7 prophetesses.
 Early prophets include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, and Joshua.
 Christianity has 12 apostles, some of whom wrote parts of the New Testament
 Islam believes that Muhammad is the final prophet or the “Seal of the Prophets.”
3. Prior to the establishment as organized religions, the role of divine revelation or
intervention is associated among their progenitors (ancestors).
 God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac at Mount Moriah.
 God presented the 10 Commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai.
 God sacrificed His son Jesus Christ through crucifixion as the plan to salvation.
 God commanded Muhammad to establish a new religion at a cave in Mount Hira.
Then and now, the followers of the three Abrahamic religions are presented with a choice
between good and evil.

The Indian Mosaic
 India is one of the oldest surviving civilizations, with its history dating back to at least
6500 BCE. The many conquerors that came to India were gradually absorbed into the
native Indian religions.
 The Harappan civilization, Aryan influence, local dynasties, and the Muslim conquest
all had their fair share in building the intricate Indian mosaic. As a result, variety and
complexity characterize Indian culture.
 Four great religions originated in India – Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism–
and a myriad of minor cults and local sects.
Hinduism
 It perfectly reflects Indian heterogeneity with its eclectic (diversified and assorted)
ways of religious expressions that are quite confusing to outsiders.
 It has no specific founder, no one sacred book, and with innumerable gods and
goddesses that any Hindu can venerate. As such, Hinduism can be considered as
museum of religions.
 It was during the Vedic Period that Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma became
systematized as a religion that preached order and purpose to the cosmos and human
life.
 During this period, universal order became equated with a stable society as evidenced
by the establishment of a centralized government and the integration of collective
traditions into Indian lives.
Buddhism
 It centers its attention on the figure of the Buddha, who was not a god but a human
being who came to discover how to terminate sufferings in order to escape the painful
and continuous cycle of rebirth.
 Buddhist followers revere Buddha in the same way that the members of other world
religions worship their gods.
 The Mahayana sect of Buddhism differs from Theravada school because of its rich
array of buddhas and bodhisattvas who have attained spiritual enlightenment.
 These beings are already eligible to enter nirvana but choose to delay this glorious
path to guide others to the path of salvation.
 Born near the end of the 6th century BCE, Siddhartha Gautama’s life is closely linked
with the historical and religious development of Buddhism in India. Gaining new
converts due to its mass appeal as compared to the exclusivity of Hindu beliefs,
Buddhism spread far and wide from India to Sri Lanka and to Southeast Asia.
 The religion was transported to China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Across the
Himalayas, it reached the Tibetan lands.
 Presently, Buddhism has become more popular outside its place of origin while
Hinduism has remained entrenched (rooted) in India throughout many centuries.
Confucianism
 Even during the olden days, the Chinese had already endeavored to establish and
attain good governance. China adopted Confucius’s ideals and ethics as the nation
developed meritocracy (power goes to those with superior intellects) as a basis for
government officials.
 Confucius is regarded as China’s greatest philosopher and teacher who lived at the
same time as Siddhartha Gautama in India.

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Daoism
Confucian ideals aspire to harmonize human relations and serve as guide to social
behavior. An ideal human society it the utmost concern for the Confucian followers.
Confucius dwell upon the theme of the Dao as being the truth or way things out to be
done concordant with specific view to life, politics, and customs.
Confucian Dao concerns human affairs.
 Mysteries abound the birth and life of Laozi (Lao-tzu) who may have written Dao De
Jing (Tao Te Ching or The Book of the Way and its Power.
 Believed to be a contemporary (modern version) of Confucius, he once worked as a
record keeper at the time of Zhou Dynasty but soon left the service due to his
frustration with corruption.
 Around 142 CE, Daoism began as an organized religion with the establishment of the
Way of the Celestial Masters sect by Zhang Daoling during the Han Dynasty.
 The writings of Daoism centers on the concept of Dao, as a way or path signifying
appropriateness of one’s behavior to lead other people.
 Dao in Daoism means road, path or way in which one does something.
 Daoist Dao means the way the universe works.
Shintoism
 It is a loosely organized local belief in Japan, somewhat an ardent (dedicated)
religious form of Japanese patriotism. Its mythology highlights the superiority of
Japan over other lands.
 Japanese people believed that their emperors literally descended from the sun goddess
Amaterasu.
 Conscious effort is done to revere the beauty of Japan’s lands, especially
mountains.15
 The term ‘Shinto’ was coined around the 16th century CE to distinguish native belief
system from the imported religions of China and Korea, including Buddhism, Daoism
and Confucianism.
 The term came from the Chinese words ‘shen’ and ‘tao’ roughly translated as the
‘way of the gods’.
 Of primal importance were the kami that were often defined as the gods but could
also refer to deities of heaven and earth, or even spirits in human beings, animals,
trees, seas, and mountains.
B. GEOGRAPHY OF FAITH
Su
T
Est
Wesb
he
T he
T he
Front
End
ern
tern
I nd
co nt
ier
The Western Frontier
 West Asia is the home of three great religions (J, C, I).
 Religions have increasingly become involved in domestic politics of West Asia,
resulting in prolonged conflicts among countries that have claimed thousands of lives.
 The Levant: Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Syria, and Palestine.
 Israel remains the only country in the world with a Jewish-majority population
comprising almost 75% of its citizens.
 The Arabian Peninsula, the world’s largest peninsula, consists of countries that are
predominantly Islamic in character. (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, United
Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Oman). Most West Asian countries follow Shi’a and
Sunni denominations of Islam. Iran and Iraqassociate themselves with the Shi’a sect
while Muslims in Saudi Arabia belong to Sunni branch.
 The topography of West Asia is characterized by vast areas of mountainouserrains
which played significant roles in many religious beliefs as these landforms provide
ideal settings where gods live or wherein gods and mortals meet.
SACRED MOUNTAINS in the Judeo-Christian Traditions

Holy Location Significance
Mountains
Mount Ararat Eastern part of Turkey Traditional landing place of Noah’s Ark as
narrated in the book of Genesis
Mount Sinai Sinai Peninsula in The peak where Moses received the Ten
Egypt Commandments
Mount Zion/ Jerusalem Known as Known as the city of David and Temple Mount
Mount Moriah the city of Site of transfiguration of Jesus Christ
Mount Tabor Israel
 One of the most sacred sites in the world revered by JCI. Three structures are found in
the present site: Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock, and the Domen of the
Chain. The Jewish people consider the Temple Mount as their holiest shrine. Mount
Moriah is also believed to be the site of sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham.
 Vast expanse of deserts and bodies of water also played important roles in biblical
history such as:
 Yam Suph (Red Sea) – Israelites crossed this as they escaped from Egyptian
lands
 Sinai Desert – Israelites lived here and route the Promised Land (Spiritual
cleansing).
 Presently, followers of Abrahamic religions place high regard on the city of Jerusalem
in Israel because of the numerous sites that are central to their belief system.
 There are more than a thousand synagogues, more than a hundred churches and more
than 70 mosques.
 The Western Wall (Wailing Wall or Kortel), one of the four remaining walls that
surrounded Temple Mount, is the second holiest shrine for the Jews.
 Jerusalem has been sacred for the Christians for almost two thousand years now.
Important sites include Mount Zion and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is
the site of the Golgotha (or the place of crucifixion) and the empty tomb of Jesus
Christ.
 Lastly, Jerusalem has been sacred for the Muslims for almost 1400 years now. For the
Sunni Muslims, it is their third holiest city.
 Located at the Temple Mount, the Islamic Dome of the Rock is the most recognizable
structure in Jerusalem. It is believed that the rock is the spot from which Muhammad
ascended to heaven. Likewise, the First and Second Temples are believed to lie
beneath or near the shrine.
 Another Islamic structure is the Al-Aqsa Mosque associated with the night journey
undertaken by Muhammad.
The Indian Subcontinent

 The subcontinent of South Asia covers an area more than one and a half million
square miles stretching from the Hindu Kush and Baluchi Hills on the west and the
Great Himalayan mountain range on the north, to the Burmese mountain on the east
and the Indian Ocean on the south.
 More than 4000 years ago, a civilization emerged along the Indus River that
developed a unique culture long before the dawn of the Christian era.
 Invasions from people originating in Macedonia and Central Asia have added
diversity to India’s population and complexity to its culture.
 Because sweltering heat is one major feature of India’s ecological setting, it is no
wonder that Hindus revere the sun (Surya) and fire (Agni).
 Water also plays a major role as evidenced by Hindus venerating a god of water and
celestial oceans (Varuna).
 The South Asian countries of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh depend on the rivers of
Indus, Ganga-Yamuna, and Brahmaputra. Traversing the great plains of north India,
the Ganga (Ganges) is the holiest river for the Hindus. From its point of origin to its
confluence with the ocean, many ancient pilgrimage sites and cities line up along the
Ganga that include Rishikesh, Haridwar, Prayag and Varanasi.
 Even Buddhists consider Varanasi as an important religious site. During the olden
days, there was once a deer park in Samath which is now a residential area in
Varanasi. In this park, Siddhartha Gautama gave his first sermon about the principles
of Buddhism. It is presently marked by the Dhamek Stupa shrine.
 The Buddha also met his first disciples at this place which is now commemorated by
the Chaukhandi Stupa monument.
The Eastern End

 At the eastern end of the great Asian continents, one finds the cultural andpolitical
dominance of China.
 The location of China proper in the valleys of two great bodies of water, theHuang He
and Yangtze, is quite favorable because of the support thesestreams provide to the
Chinese people that made historic China the center ofculture.
 From these river valleys emerged small states now controlled by the firstrecorded
dynasties, the Shang and the Zhou. It is within this context that thegreat Confucius
became fascinated with ethical questions and morality ingovernment officials.
 It was only during the second millennium after the death of Confucius in 479BCE that
the teachings and ideals identified with his philosophy spread inChina. By the time of
the Handynasty, Confucian teachings had become thestate religion. In Korea, it began
to bedisseminated extensively around the15th century. In Japan, it was accepted by
the majority during the 18th and19th centuries.

 Daoism emerged in response to the widespread warfare and social turmoilthat
besieged the Zhou dynasty.
 The entry of Buddhism in Japan between the 4th and 8th centuries had adirect effect
in their religious traditions.
a. Shinto was introduced (to distinguish native from foreign religion).
b. Shinto followers acknowledged that the numerous buddhas and bodhisattvaswere
revelations of the kami.
c. Fusion between Shintoism and Buddhism.
d. Japan developed a unique form of Buddhism taking its fullest meditative
formunder Zen.
C. CULTURAL MILIEU
World religions can be regarded along the lines of their exclusivity or non-
exclusivity.Exclusive religions are oftentimes monotheistic with Judaism, Christianity,
andIslam.Meanwhile, non-exclusive religions are Hinduism, Buddhism,Confucianism,
Taoism andShintoism.
On Monotheism and Universality

While Judaism and Islam affirm the presence of one god (Unitarian creed)Christianity
acknowledges one God in three persons (Trinitarian creed): The Father,the Son and the Holy
Spirit.The basic principles of the Muslim faith are reflected in the “Five Pillars ofIslam”.Both
Christianity and Islam are considered universalizing religions because
they both attempt to operate on a global scale.On the other hand, Judaism can be
consideredan ethnic religion because itdraws members from a specific group of people from a
definite locality withmost of its practices and rituals performed continuously throughout
generations.
On the Concept of Dharma

The concept of dharma is integral in religions that emerged in India,
includingHinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.
In Hinduism, dharma could mean duty, righteousness, and ethics. In allhumanity, this
is common and evident in virtues such as peacefulness,empathy, and kindness.
For Buddhism, it means cosmic law and order, or the teachings of Buddhaand the
truth of the way things are.For the Theravada sect, dharma is sometimes used to indicate all
the factorsof existence.Dharmic religions do not compel their adherents to profess their
devotion tobe a believer or a practitioner. Meditational and yoga rituals lead to rightbehavior
and ultimate understanding of the universe.While the Hindus and Buddhists share similarities
in their ideas concerningenlightenment and liberation, they differ in: Hindus believe in
trimurti or the three forms of god.Buddhists do not believe in the existence of any god
thereforeintermediaries for humans and gods are not necessary along with themany rituals
that go with venerating them.

On Nature and Ancestors
The elements of cult of heaven and ancestor worship are features of ancientChinese
culture integrated into the Confucian philosophy and belief.Confucius had a firm conviction
in a natural order that was moral order.Apart from having a harmonious relationship between
humans and heaven,the establishment of an ideal human society is also key to
Confucianfollowers. The five basic social relationships are:
1. Ruler and subjects
2. Father and son
3. Husband and wife
4. Older and younger brothers
5. Friends or members of the community
In Shintoism, divinities are closely linked to nature and natural forces. Thesacred Mount
Fuji, an abode of Japanese gods, is surrounded by temples andshrines. It is one of the three
holy mountains along with Mount Tate andMount Haku.
Shrines are erected to venerate or remember ancestors, an occurrence, andnatural
phenomena, such as mountains, rivers, rocks and trees. Shintofollowers carry out
ritualisticpractices diligently in order to establish union with the present society and the
nation’spast. Majority of its followers also practiceBuddhism.

Week 3
Activity Sheet # 3.1

I. TRUE OR FALSE.
Directions:Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if otherwise. If the statement
is FALSE, underline the word(s) that make it wrong.
_____ 1. The term ‘Shinto’ came from two Indian words, shen and tao.
_____ 2. Confucius is regarded as India’s great philosopher and teacher.
_____ 3. Judaism has 48 prophets and 7 prophetesses.
_____ 4. Islam believes that Muhammad is the seal of the prophets.
_____ 5. Christianity has 16 Apostles and some of them wrote parts in the New Testament.
_____ 6. God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac at Mount Hira.
_____ 7. The Analects and Dao De Jing are sacred texts in Chinese religions.
_____ 8. The Ganga is the holiest river for the Muslims.
_____ 9. India is one of the oldest surviving civilizations, with its history dating back to
atleast 2000 BCE.
_____ 10. The Hindus believe in the trimurti or the three forms of their god.
_____ 11. Dharma is sometimes used to indicate all the factors of existence for the Theravada
sect.
_____ 12. The holy mountains in Japan are Mount Fuji, Mount Tate, and MountMoriah.
_____ 13. Christianity acknowledges one God in three persons, the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit.
_____ 14. The Al-Aqsa Mosque is another Islamic structure associated with the night journey
undertaken by Muhammad.
_____ 15. Japan developed a unique form of Buddhism taking its fullest meditative form
under Zen.
II. COMPLETION TEST.

Directions: Fill in the correct word in each blank to complete the statement.
1. Geography is the basis of understanding _____________________.
2. Confucius is a Chinese ________________ whose teachings are the basis of
Confucianism.
3. _________________ is a monotheistic faith based on the life, works and teachings of
Jesus Christ.
4. The term _________ is a French word meaning middle.
5. A Persian religion founded in the sixth century B.C. by prophet Zoroaster is called
_____________________.
6. The Hindu book, _____________________________ was written during 200 BCE.
7. Lao Tzu is the founder of __________________________.
8. _____________ is the Hebrew leader of Exodus.
9. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are collectively known as ________________________.
10. God presented the 10 Commandments to Moses at Mount ________________________.

Activity Sheet #3.2

Concept Map
Based on the readings, what are the 3 things that are related to World
Religion? Fill out the concept map below.
Read and answer the following questions.

1. What concepts have you learned from this module?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.
2. What have you discovered about yourself in relation to this module?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.
3. Why is Abraham important to the development of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.

Week 4
Module 3:
Influences of Religion to Culture and Society
Learning Outcome:
 analyze the influences of religion to culture and society
Introduction
“Faith is like a Wi-Fi, it’s invisible but it has the power to connect you to whatwe
need.” Do you agree with that? If you do, this module will help you learn howreligions pave
way to attaining the things we need and how it provided significantpositive impact to culture
and society. You will learn how religion through faith andpositive beliefs and practiceshelped
in influencing a person’s life. Aside from itspositive impacts, you will also learn the
downside or the negative influences ofreligion.
The most important aspect of religion is its relentless struggle to focus on
thedimension of depth in our lives. We are subjected every day to the pressure toattend to the
things we thought more important. We, humans have a need to makesense of our
experiencein and of the world in which we live. Starting with humanexperience, both
objective and subjective, we seek to understand causes and effectsand their significance in
our lives. Stemming from this search for meaning, anyparticular religion is a culturally
evolved system, in which the persons involveddevelop and share common understandings,
beliefs and practices and formcommunity bonds of identity and support. Many religions
claim a "mentor" who isrevered and remembered as an "exemplar" for their beliefs, values,
and practices.Mentors are called in many names; Priest or Pastor for the Christians, Rabbi for
theJews, and Imam for the Muslims to name a few. At its best, a religion can provide
thefollowing:
1. Meaning, Purpose and Hope, based on the beliefs, traditions, and values,
oftenexpressed in myths and stories. These traditions are so diverse that they presenta
wide range of responses and a variety of answers to the perennial questioningof human
existence. When we participate in these traditions, we joinexperientially the on-going
journey of discovery of what it means to be human.
2. Community gathering for rituals of worship and symbolic celebrations ofreligious

holidays. Observances like festivals and pilgrimage (a journey donefor a religious
purpose) focus on the stuff of everyday life and set it in theframework of more profound
dimensions of life. One example of a pilgrimage isthe Hajj which lasts approximately 5
to 6 days depending on the lunar Islamiccalendar, is a mandatory religious duty for
Muslims that must be carried out atleast once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who
are physically and financiallycapable of undertaking the journey, and can support their
family during theirabsence.
The Seder meal reminds Jews that they are shaped by a very long history, ahistory
that gives them identity; the Eucharist which people share bread and wineas a symbol of
the last supper and the death of Christ, signals to Christians thatthe center of life’s
meaning is giving oneself for the welfare of others; in the Eid ulFitr, Muslims give
thanks after the month of Ramadan-fasting that teachespatience, spirituality, humility,
and submissiveness to God.
3. Personal identity as part of a group with similar world views, beliefs, values,
practices, and lifestyles relationships of commitment to giving support and
caringcritique to one another. Buddhists cultivate practices of mindfulness,peacefulness,
and compassion. In one form or another, all religions inculcatethese practices. The
Jewish teachings about mitzvoth, the obligations to performmoral acts, particularly acts
of kindness, and Tikkun olam (repairing the world)have inculcated over the centuries an
intense commitment to socialjustice. Giving to charity is a fundamental mark of Islam.
Such practices areconstant reminders that there is more to life than the moment, more
than individual, selfish “getting ahead.” Opportunities in community to identify
andprovide needed action and service to meet needs of the wider community and
theworld. Lastly, religion provides the opportunity to live within an ethical framework,as
a way of putting the world and modern life within the perspective.
4. Rituals of giving thanks and appreciating one’s blessings that helps withemotional
health and happiness and celebrating the goodness of life andpractices experienced in
community for life transitions of birth, commitment,forgiveness, and death.
5. Educational opportunities providing history and understanding of religious andcultural

traditions and beliefs translation of religious symbols based in thescriptures, metaphors
and language into contemporary experiences andlanguage.
All of them have a negative side that needs to manage well for human
community mental health. Example of which are as follows:
1. Promotes backward and harmful policies. Religion has been used to defendslavery,
just like how the Spaniards took advantage of some our ancestors, racialsegregation, and
sexual discrimination. Although these policies have nojustification aside from religious
dogma that was invented centuries ago toaddress a very different context than the one,
we face today. Absolute ideals notonly lead to fanaticism but are unrealistic in a
complicated world.
2. Dissuades Societal Improvement. Other religious leaders argued againstimprovement

as it distracts from spiritual priorities. Believers are encouraged toaccept the fatalism of
human suffering as part of the cosmic order or the will ofGod.
3. Participation in religion supports harmful regimes and institutions. It oftenrequires

financial or moral support to be given to countries and institutions thatuse this influence
for questionable purposes. For instance, performingpilgrimages in some countries
provided wealth into the economy that can be usedby repressive regimes that export
extremism and terror.
4. Resource consumption. The Philippine Constitution grants religious andcharitable

institutions exemption from real property tax on all lands, buildings, andimprovements.
This creates a bias of benefit for the religious, since other socialgroups may not be tax
exempted or have a higher burden to attain tax exemption.

5. Religious Wars. For example, Holy crusade for Christianity and Jihad for Islam.During
the Marawi siege, the primary aim of the Isis is to establish an Islamicestate in the
Philippines. This therefore threatens the Christians living in the area.
They even burned and wrecked a Catholic Church and kidnapped a priest along with
its staff. Another example is the Holy Crusade. These events took many lives and
properties which sometimes over acts the principles and dogma of their religion and
sometimes commonly sees their religion superior to the other.
Some of the evidences that religion brought about events in history:
1. The Reformation or Protestant Reformation

The Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century religious, political,intellectual, and
cultural upheaval that splintered Catholic Europe, setting in placethe structures and
beliefs that would define the continent in the modern era. InNorthern and Central
Europe, reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin and HenryVIII challenged papal
authority and questioned the Catholic Church’s ability to defineChristian practice. They
argued for a religious and political redistribution of powerinto the hands of Bible- and
pamphlet-reading pastors and princes. The disruptiontriggered wars, persecutions and the
so-called Counter-Reformation, the CatholicChurch’s delayed but forceful response to
the Protestants.
It was the greatest religious movement for Christ since the early church. Itwas the
revival of Biblical and New Testament theology. “The Reformation of thesixteenth
century is, next to the introduction of Christianity, the greatest event inhistory. It marks
the end of Middle Ages and the beginning of modern times. Startingfrom religion, it
gave, directly or indirectly, a mighty impulse to every forwardmovement, and made
Protestantism the chief propelling force in the history ofModern Civilization.” (Philip
Schaff, History of the Christian Church).
Counter-Reformation, also called Catholic Reformation or CatholicRevival, in the

history of Christianity, the Roman Catholic efforts directed in the 16thand early 17th
centuries both against the Protestant Reformation and toward internalrenewal. The
Counter-Reformation took place during roughly the same period as theProtestant
Reformation, actually beginning shortly before Martin Luther’s act ofnailing the Ninety-
five Theses to the door of Castle Church in 1517. Pope Paul III isconsidered to be the
first pope of the Counter-Reformation. It was he who in 1545convened the Council of
Trent. The council, which met intermittently until 1563,responded emphatically to the
issues at hand. Its doctrinal teaching was a reactionagainst the Lutheran emphasis on the
role of faith and God’s grace and againstProtestant teaching on the number and nature of
the sacraments.
2. Badri Masjid or Mosque Case (1992)

It was a particularly important event that happened in Indian History whichtaught
people that how can the base of religion dispute of Hindu and Muslim in Indiacan
destroy kindness and humanity of people. The dispute arose, as the previousEmperor
“Mir Banki” destroyed a temple of Hindu god “Lord Rama” and built amosque after
Emperor Babar “Babri Masjid” the place called Ayoshya which is lordRama birthplace.
This issue was taken up strongly by Bhartiya Janata Party which isa political party in
India to win in elections. But as the religious sentiments werearoused in the people, riots

were created, and the mosque was demolished by the people itself and more than 20,000
innocent people lost their lives in this disputewhich mostly included Muslims.
3. People Power Revolution

People Power also called “Rosary Revolution” refers to nonviolent popularprotests
that took place in our country leading to the removal of PresidentFerdinand Marcos in
1986 and President Joseph Estrada in 2001, and onemanifestation of Filipino
participation in civil society and liberal democracy. The catalyst for the 1986 protests
was the arrest of defected military leaders and buoyedby public calls to protest by
Catholic Cardinal Jaime Sin. Hundreds of thousands ofprotestors blocked the Epifanio
De Los Santos Avenue, also known as the EDSA.Marcos called for military action
against protestors on the second day ofdemonstrations, but soldiers refused to fire on
non-violent protestors; iconic imagesof nuns praying the rosary and offering flowers to
soldiers captured globalimagination. Marcos resigned the following day. The 2001
protests, in which CardinalJaime Sin again played a prominent role, were organized in
opposition to corruptPresident Joseph Estrada, who was subsequently impeached.
Here are some of the practices of the different religions that promoted community
gatherings and brought positive impact to the society.
The Seder meal reminds Jews that they are shaped by a very long history, ahistory
that gives them identity. Seder, (Hebrew: “order”) religious meal served inJewish homes on
the 15th and 16th of the month of Nisan to commencethe festival of Passover.
ThoughPassover commemorates the Exodus, the historicaldeliverance of the Jewish people
from Egyptian bondage in the days of Moses, Jewsare ever mindful that this event was a
prelude to God’s revelation on Mount Sinai.For each participant, therefore, the seder is an
occasion to relive the Exodus as apersonal spiritual event. The religious nature of the seder
with its carefully prescribedritual makes the dinner quite unlike family dinners held on civil
holidays. ReformJews and Jews in Israel omit the second seder because they limit Passover to
seven. days.
The Eucharist which people share bread and wine as a symbol of the lastsupper and
the death of Christ, signals to Christians that the center of life’s meaningis giving oneself
forthe welfare of others. Another one is Christmas, the longest andhappiest of the Filipino
festivals. Christmas in the Philippines commences onDecember 16 and ends in the first
Sunday of January (or the feast of Epiphany).Forthe nine days preceding December 25
(Christmas Day), masses popularly knownas Simbang Gabi or Misa de Aguinaldo are held
starting at four o’clock in themorning. After the mass, the people hurry to the tiny stalls
which sell fresh rice cakesand other native delicacies, with free steaming cups of tea. On the
eve of ChristmasDay, families dine together in what popularly called Noche Buena. On the
eve ofNew Year’s Day (December 31st), the families make as much noises they can
bylighting firecrackers, beating pans and cans, and blowing horns and whistles up
tomidnight. They then dine together again for the Media Noche. The Lantern or Parolhas
become the most popular symbol of Christmas in the Philippines. It is a visualexpression of a
creative and imaginative mind. In the evenings especially, you cansee displays of beautifully
lighted Christmas lanterns.

In Eid ul Fitr, Muslims give thanks after the month of Ramadan fasting thatteaches
patience, spirituality, humility, and submissiveness to God. Ramadan,in Islam, is the ninth
month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting. Itbegins and ends with the
appearance of the crescent moon. Because the Muslimcalendar year is shorter than the
Gregorian calendar year, Ramadan begins 10–12days earlier each year, allowing it to fall in
every season throughout a 33-year cycle.Ramadan, however, is less a period of atonement
than it is a time for Muslims topractice self-restraint, in keeping with ṣawm (Arabic: “to
refrain”), one of the pillars ofIslam (the five basic tenets of the Muslim religion). Although
ṣawm is most commonlyunderstood as the obligation to fast during Ramadan, it is more
broadly interpretedas the obligation to refrain between dawn and dusk from food, drink,
sexual activity,and all forms of immoral behavior, including impure or unkind thoughts.
Thus, falsewords or bad deeds or intentions are as destructive of a fast as eating or drinking.
In a world where there are so many who demonstrate so much ego and self-
glorification,religion always allows individual to conquer their own sense of selftowards a
larger end. The idea of being able to do good for others in the name ofsomething larger can
only help to make society and the people within it better. Thecon or potential negative
attribute is when individuals believe that their form ofreligious worship compels them or
drives them to interfere with others. Some of thevery worst actions and human behavior has
been done in the name of religion, this ishere the potential bad side of religion sets in. It is
here where some level of changeis needed in terms of how people advocate and show zeal
towards their religion.Lastly, love and respect for each other’s belief and practices is the key
in attaining aharmonious and peaceful society.

Week 4
Activity Sheet #4

I. Direction: Read the following sentences. Write TRUE if the statement is

correct and FALSE if the statement is incorrect. Write your answer on the space provided.
_____ 1. Muslims call their mentor as Imam.
_____ 2. Eid ul Fitr reminds Jews that they are shaped by a very long history, a history
that gives them identity.
_____ 3. Muslims give thanks after the month of Ramadan-fasting that teaches
patience, spirituality, humility, and submissiveness to Allah.
_____ 4. Religion provides educational opportunities such as history and understanding
of cultural traditions.
_____ 5. Religion provides the opportunity to live within an ethical framework.
_____ 6. The Philippine Constitution does not grant religious and charitable institutions
exemption from real property tax on all lands, buildings, and improvements.
_____ 7. Religious wars provide livelihood and boosts the economy.
_____ 8. Participation in religion supports harmful regimes and institutions.
_____ 9. Some religious leaders argued against societal improvement as it distracts
from spiritual priorities.
_____ 10. The Mitzvoth is about the obligations to perform moral acts, particularly acts of
kindness.
II. Direction: Identify the word being described by the following sentences. Choose your
answer from the words inside the box.
Eucharist Mitzvoth Jihad Pilgrimage Tikkun Olam
1. It is a Jewish concept defined by acts of kindness performed to perfect or repair the

world. _________________________________
2. It is a journey performed for a religious purpose. ________________________________
3. It is a Jewish teaching where there is an obligation to perform moral acts, particularly
acts of kindness. _________________________________
4. It is a holy war waged on behalf of Islam as a religious. __________________________
5. It is the most important religious service in the Christian church in which people share
bread and wine. _________________________________


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INTRODUCTION TO WORLD

RELIGIONS AND BELIEF SYSTEM

 Differentiate the concept, elements and characteristics of belief

 Understand the dynamics of the different elements and characteristics

 Appreciate the importance of one’s own beliefs and views as a

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Kinds of Belief System Description

DEFINITION AND NATURE OF RELIGION

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1. The Human Quest for Meaning

Understanding our world and our experience

2. The Quest of Purpose

3. The Quest for Salvation

e.g., The Nicene creed, Laws of Manu, Ten Commandments

 A creed is a summary of the principal beliefs of a religion.

e.g., The Nicene creed, Laws of Manu, Ten Commandments

resulting from an adherence to the beliefs.

EIGHT ELEMENTS OF RELIGIONS

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6. CHARACTERISTIC EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES: Most religions share emotions such as

7. MATERIAL EXPRESSION: Religions use things to perform rituals or to express or represent

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Student’s Name: _____________________________ Date: _____________________

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2. COMMUNITY: How is your religion shared with others in your religious

3. CENTRAL STORIES/MYTHS: What is one of the myths or stories from your

4. RITUALS: What rituals do you find meaningful in your religion?

6. EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES: Have you ever had an emotional religious

7. MATERIAL EXPRESSION: What is one thing used in your religion? What is it

8. SACREDNESS: Can you think of a sacred place associated with your

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What is spirituality and how does it differ from religion?

Religion and Spirituality

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Religion and Theology

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Student’s Name: _____________________________ Date: _____________________

II. Reflect and Understand. Answer the following questions:

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INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF GEOGPRAPHY, CULTURE AND RELIGION

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Does Geography influence religion?

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Important Dates on The Origin of World Religions

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Commonalities in Abrahamic Religions

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SACRED MOUNTAINS in the Judeo-Christian Traditions

The Indian Subcontinent

The Eastern End

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On Monotheism and Universality

On the Concept of Dharma

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Digital Communication and Technological College Inc.

Student’s Name: _____________________________ Date: _____________________

II. COMPLETION TEST.

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Student’s Name: _____________________________ Date: _____________________

Student’s Name: _________ Date: _

Student’s Name: _________ Date: _

Student’s Name: _________ Date: _

Student’s Name: _________ Date: _

Student’s Name: _________ Date: _