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Chapter 6Religion

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ReligionWhere are religions located?Why do they have different distributions?Effects on landscapeWhy does conflict arise among religious groups?

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What is Religion?System of beliefs regarding conduct in accordance with either divine commands found in sacred writings, or declared by authoritative teachers

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What is Religion?Most involve a god or gods, but some are ethical or psychological belief systemsSome do not address the nature of god/s or an afterlife

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Types of Religions

UniversalizingUniversalizing has universal appealAppeals to all people

EthnicLocal appealAppeals mainly to group in one place

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Types of Religions

60% of world belongs to universalizing religion, 24% to an ethnic religion, 15% to no religion

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Types of Religions

Atheist – no godsMonotheist – one godPolytheist – many gods

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Why study?All religions have

HearthPattern of DiffusionCurrent Distribution

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BiggiesChristians 2 Billion

Catholics 1 BillionProtestants 500 MillionEastern Orthodox 200 Million

Muslim 1.2 BillionHindu 900 MillionBuddhist 350 Million

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Universalizing ReligionsChristianityIslamBuddhismSikhsBaha’i

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ChristianityBelief that God lived on Earth as JesusLargest religion in world3 main branches

Roman CatholicProtestantEastern Orthodox

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Diffusion patternsRelocation diffusion by missionariesContagious diffusion within Roman empireHierarchical diffusion by Roman Emperor Constantine in AD 313, also Emperor Theodosius in AD 380, also King Harald Fairhair in Norway AD 1000ish

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Spatial PatternsNorthwest Europe and its colonies largely Protestant, including USSouthwest and Eastern Europe and its colonies largely Roman CatholicEastern and Southeastern Europe largely Greek Orthodox

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Spatial PatternsUS mainly protestantBaptist in southeastCatholic in southwestLatin and South America Roman Catholic

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IslamSecond largest religion in worldFastest growingIslam means submission to will of AllahOne who submits is a Muslim

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5 Pillars of IslamThere is no god but Allah, and Mohammad is his prophetPray 5 times a day facing MakkahGive generously to charityFast during the month of RamadanMake pilgrimage to Makkah

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History and Diffusion of IslamMohammad born in 570 in MakkahAt age 40 got revelation from Angel Gabriel and wrote Q’uran

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Sects of IslamShi’a or Shi’ites 15%

Prince Ali, cousin of Mohammad12 ImamsImam Mahdi – the hidden Imam

Sunni 85%Abu Bakr – Father-in-Law of Mohammad

SufiMystical branch

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HinduismActually means “religions of India”One of world’s oldestTexts date to at least 1800 BCEReligion introduced by Aryan people

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HinduismOne God consciousness = BrahmanThree emanations

Brahma the creatorVishnu the preserverShiva the destroyer

1000s of other deities – Ganesh, Krishna, Hanuman, and on and on

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Brahma

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Vishnu

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Vishnu

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Shiva

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Shiva

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ShivaNatraj

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Ganesh

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Baby Krishna

Krishna asking for butter by Jamini Roy

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Krishna

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Krishnawith Radha

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Hanuman

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Kali Durga

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Kali Durga

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HinduismGoal (?) is to reach NirvanaEscape cyclical existencePresent is based on past = karmaKarma is simple causality, not active force

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Caste systemOutlawed by constitution of 1950Four castes

Brahmanwarriortradesmanservant

Dalit/untouchables

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SikhsGuru NanakWas Hindu and MuslimOpposed priesthood and caste systemsMen named Singh = lion Women named Kaur= princess

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SikhsGuru Gobind Singh10th Sikh Guru revised Guru Granth

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5 KsKeshKangaKirpanKachhKara

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5 KsKesh – Hair and beard not cutKanga – Hair neatly combedKirpan – Sword kept at all timesKachh – Soldiers shortsKara – Iron bracelet

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Khanda

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BuddhismFounded by Siddartha Gautama, born in 563 BCEBorn in Nepal/IndiaFather was KingBecame enlightened, not godBuddha means enlightened one

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Four Noble TruthsThere is sufferingSuffering has cause – attachment and desireSuffering ends when these endFreedom from suffering is possible by eight fold path

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Eight fold pathRight viewRight thoughtRight speechRight actionRight livelihoodRight effortRight mindfulnessRight concentration

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Big ideasIncorporated many Hindu beliefs

Karma reincarnation

Two main branchesTheravada/Hinayana – way of the elders or lesser vehicle (raft)Mahayana – greater vehicle

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Main branchesTheravada – way of the elders or Hinayana – lesser vehicle (raft)Southeast AsiaFull time monksEmphasis on knowledge

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Main branchesMahayana – greater vehicleTibet, China, JapanEmphasis on compassion

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ChenrezigOrAvelokiteshvara

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Six classes of beingsGods = universes or galaxiesDemi-Gods = like Greek or RomanHumans = bestAnimalHungry GhostsHell beings

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ChenrezigOrAvelokiteshvara

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HH the 14th

Dalai Lama

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Chinese invasion of Tibet1949-1950 China invaded1787 monasteries / 1780 destroyedPopulation was 6,000,0001,000,000 killed150,000 refugees

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Chinese invasion10th Panchen Lama died in Chinese custody11th identified by Dalai Lama on May 14, 1995May 15, 1995 Panchen Lama kidnapped by Chinese govt. Hasn’t been seen since

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K’ung Fu-TzeLived around 500 BCEWrote the AnalectsStrived for harmony in societyHarmony found by obedience, patience, sincerity, fulfillment of obligations between parents/children or rulers/subjects

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K’ung Fu-Tze1-1. The Master said, "Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance

and application? "Is it not delightful to have friends coming from distant quarters? "Is he not a man of complete virtue, who feels no discomposure though men may

take no note of him?"

1-2. The philosopher Yu said, "They are few who, being filial and fraternal, are fond of offending against their superiors. There have been none, who, not liking to offend against their superiors, have been fond of stirring up confusion.

"The superior man bends his attention to what is radical. That being established, all practical courses naturally grow up. Filial piety and fraternal submission,-are they not the root of all benevolent actions?"

1-3. The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue."

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TaoismFounded by Lao TzeName means Mr. Old ManStrived for harmonyMain text Tao Te Ching -

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Tao Te ChingChapter 63: Consider beginnings

Do without doing. Act without action. Savor the flavorless. Treat the small as large, the few as many.

Meet injury with the power of goodness.

Study the hard while it's easy. Do the big things while they're small. The hardest jobs in the world start out easy, the great affairs of the world start out small.

So the wise soul, by never dealing with great things, gets great things done.

Now, since taking things too lightly makes them worthless, and taking things too easy makes them hard, the wise soul, by treating the easy as hard, doesn't find anything hard.

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AnimismInanimate objects have spirits/awareness

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ShamanismDirect communication with spiritsUsually in trance state

DrummingDancingFastingEntheogens