The Religious ImpulseThe Religious Impulse

Unit OneUnit One

Imagine A Country Where Young Imagine A Country Where Young People Rise To Greet The Day In People Rise To Greet The Day In

The Following Ways:The Following Ways: Turn to the rising sun and pray.Turn to the rising sun and pray. Walk to the neighborhood synagogue.Walk to the neighborhood synagogue. Lay out your prayer rug in the Lay out your prayer rug in the

direction of Mecca.direction of Mecca. Twisting your hair and covering it Twisting your hair and covering it

with a turban.with a turban. Sit in the lotus position and mediate.Sit in the lotus position and mediate. Burning sweet grass for a smudging Burning sweet grass for a smudging

ceremony.ceremony.

That Country Is Canada!!!That Country Is Canada!!!

The United Nations has declared Canada The United Nations has declared Canada the most multicultural society on earth.the most multicultural society on earth.

The interaction of today’s major The interaction of today’s major religions, with the positive attitude of religions, with the positive attitude of Canadians, is called Canadians, is called Religious PluralismReligious Pluralism, , and is an ongoing feature of Canadian and is an ongoing feature of Canadian society.society.

What better place to study the world’s What better place to study the world’s major religions than in an Canadian major religions than in an Canadian classroom.classroom.

At The End Of This Unit You At The End Of This Unit You Should Be Able To…….Should Be Able To…….

Identify the diverse religions found in Identify the diverse religions found in Canada.Canada.

Understand the common features and Understand the common features and questions associated with religion and the questions associated with religion and the search for spiritual meaning.search for spiritual meaning.

Explain the relationship between religion Explain the relationship between religion and ethics.and ethics.

Evaluate religion’s place in our highly Evaluate religion’s place in our highly technological world.technological world.

Understand religion’s place in Canada.Understand religion’s place in Canada.

The Religious ImpulseThe Religious Impulse Religion has probably been around even Religion has probably been around even

longer than humans! Neanderthals showed longer than humans! Neanderthals showed an understanding of a supernatural force.an understanding of a supernatural force.

The common thread among countless The common thread among countless human religions is the instinct or impulse human religions is the instinct or impulse to worship something.to worship something.

Religious ImpulseReligious Impulse is therefore the is therefore the universal urge to believe in something universal urge to believe in something beyond ourselves.beyond ourselves.

It seems to be thriving, even in our It seems to be thriving, even in our modern age of scientific advancements modern age of scientific advancements and technological wonders.and technological wonders.

So What IS Religion?So What IS Religion? The belief in a superhuman controlling power, The belief in a superhuman controlling power,

especially in a personal God or gods entitled to especially in a personal God or gods entitled to obedience and worship.obedience and worship.

Religion is the worship of higher powers from the Religion is the worship of higher powers from the sense of need.sense of need.

There are three aspects to every great religion…There are three aspects to every great religion…faith , hope and charity. faith , hope and charity. FaithFaith is the theology, is the theology, hopehope is the ritual and is the ritual and charitycharity is the ethics. is the ethics.

The belief in the conservation of values.The belief in the conservation of values. Religion is any specific system of belief about Religion is any specific system of belief about

deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, a deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, a philosophy of life, and a worldview." A worldview philosophy of life, and a worldview." A worldview is a set of basic, foundational beliefs concerning is a set of basic, foundational beliefs concerning deity, humanity and the rest of the universe.deity, humanity and the rest of the universe.

The Common Features of ReligionThe Common Features of Religion

Belief in the supernatural and life after death.Belief in the supernatural and life after death. The existence of a soul.The existence of a soul. Sacred writings and scriptures.Sacred writings and scriptures. Organized institutions.Organized institutions. A strong sense of family and community.A strong sense of family and community. Answers to pressing human questions.Answers to pressing human questions. Rules of conduct.Rules of conduct. A system of ethics.A system of ethics. Founders and inspired leaders.Founders and inspired leaders. Search for salvationSearch for salvation A life of faith and worship.A life of faith and worship.

What Factors May Lead People To What Factors May Lead People To Turn to Religion?Turn to Religion?

FearFear – of death and what lies beyond it. – of death and what lies beyond it. WonderWonder – of our existence and a spiritual – of our existence and a spiritual

realm beyond everyday life.realm beyond everyday life. QuestioningQuestioning - our life’s purpose! We don’t - our life’s purpose! We don’t

want our lives determined solely by want our lives determined solely by chance, like a lottery.chance, like a lottery.

IdentityIdentity – lives that have purpose and are – lives that have purpose and are meaningful. A meaningful. A soulsoul, the spiritual or , the spiritual or immaterial part of a human.immaterial part of a human.

IntuitionIntuition – that something is missing from – that something is missing from the materialism of modern life. the materialism of modern life.

Religion And EthicsReligion And Ethics

Both religion and ethics are concerned Both religion and ethics are concerned about doing the right thing. One does not, about doing the right thing. One does not, however, have to be religious to be ethical.however, have to be religious to be ethical.

Humanists, Humanists, who have system of thought who have system of thought that humankind is the source of all value that humankind is the source of all value and meaning, believe that leading a good and meaning, believe that leading a good and useful life should be the central goal of and useful life should be the central goal of our existence.our existence.

Being good is a significant concern for Being good is a significant concern for most people, religious or not.most people, religious or not.

Science And ReligionScience And Religion

Creation vs. EvolutionCreation vs. Evolution Both science and religion are concerned with Both science and religion are concerned with

truth and understanding.truth and understanding. Scientists and the religious seem to have a Scientists and the religious seem to have a

growing acceptance of the value of each other.growing acceptance of the value of each other. Both play a role in understanding the universe.Both play a role in understanding the universe. Science can’t answer the questions: Who am I? Science can’t answer the questions: Who am I?

Why am I here? How should I live my life? How Why am I here? How should I live my life? How and why was the universe created?and why was the universe created?

Religion and CultureReligion and Culture

EthnicityEthnicity – one can’t assume someone’s – one can’t assume someone’s religion by their ethnic background.religion by their ethnic background.

Popular CulturePopular Culture – Arabs seen as – Arabs seen as terrorists! Our understanding of the terrorists! Our understanding of the world is heavily influenced by our world is heavily influenced by our exposure to pop culture.exposure to pop culture.

A great example of the influence of A great example of the influence of popular culture is the meaning of popular culture is the meaning of Christmas.Christmas.

Christmas has become Christmas has become commercialized as we spend 40% of commercialized as we spend 40% of our yearly spending during that time. our yearly spending during that time.

Many Canadians are not Christian Many Canadians are not Christian and therefore Christmas has a and therefore Christmas has a different meaning for them.different meaning for them.

Christmas is suppose to be the Christmas is suppose to be the celebration of Christ’s birth, but we celebration of Christ’s birth, but we don’t know when he was born and it don’t know when he was born and it most likely is not December 25most likely is not December 25thth..

The Nativity vs. Santa Claus.The Nativity vs. Santa Claus.

The The NativityNativity generally refers to the birth of generally refers to the birth of Jesus in Bethleham, in a lowly stable, Jesus in Bethleham, in a lowly stable, attended by shepherds and three Magi or attended by shepherds and three Magi or wise men. It also has the added drama of wise men. It also has the added drama of King Herod trying to kill the child because King Herod trying to kill the child because of the prophecy that the child would of the prophecy that the child would become a king.become a king.

Santa Claus or St. Nicholas, has origins in Santa Claus or St. Nicholas, has origins in Turkey as the patron saint of children. In Turkey as the patron saint of children. In Holland he was known as Sinter Cleas. The Holland he was known as Sinter Cleas. The tradition of hanging your stockings to be tradition of hanging your stockings to be filled with goodies was brought to North filled with goodies was brought to North America by Dutch settlers.America by Dutch settlers.

In 1822, Clement Moore wrote “The Night In 1822, Clement Moore wrote “The Night Before Christmas” to give Santa an Before Christmas” to give Santa an American feel.American feel.

Religion In Canada TodayReligion In Canada Today Freedom of conscience and religion is Freedom of conscience and religion is

guaranteed and entrenched in our constitution.guaranteed and entrenched in our constitution. Canadians could be Canadians could be atheistsatheists and believe there and believe there

is no God, or is no God, or agnosticsagnostics, and believe that , and believe that nothing can be known about the existence of nothing can be known about the existence of God. God.

Canadians are Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhists Canadians are Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhists and Christians.and Christians.

From the Canadian constitution ……. Whereas From the Canadian constitution ……. Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God….recognize the supremacy of God….

From “O’Canada” …. God keep our land From “O’Canada” …. God keep our land glorious and free…….glorious and free…….

Websites To Check OutWebsites To Check Out

www.visiontv.cawww.visiontv.ca www.nain.orgwww.nain.org www.multiculturalcalender.comwww.multiculturalcalender.com

Consider this question…… Why are Consider this question…… Why are married couples, senior citizens, rural married couples, senior citizens, rural Canadians and recent immigrants Canadians and recent immigrants most likely to attend religious most likely to attend religious services?services?