ReligionThe Way it was…

The Way it is… The Way it will be…

The Five Major World Religions

• Christianity

• Islam

• Judaism

• Hinduism

• Buddhism

Christianity

• Most widespread religion in the world

• Present in the USA, Canada, South America, Australia, and England, among others

• Various forms exist including Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist

Christianity’s Beliefs

• Originated as a cult, propelled by Jesus, Himself

• Monotheism-belief in a single divine power– Trinity: unique version of the Supreme Being:

God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit

• Believe in a final judgement by God

Judaism

• Something less than a world religion with only 15 million followers around the world

• Only in Israel do Jews represent the national majority

• USA has largest concentration of Jews (6 million)

• 3 main denominations: Orthodox, Reform, and Conservative Jews

Judaism Beliefs

• Covenant: special relationship with God by which Jews became the “chosen people.”

• Regard Old Testament as a record of their history and a statement of the duties of Jewish life

• Emphasizes moral behavior on earth

Hinduism

• Oldest of all world religions

• 14% of all humanity are Hindus

• Remains an Eastern Religion, located in India, Pakistan,Indonesia, and South Africa

• Not linked to the life of a single person

Hinduism Beliefs

• Dharma: moral force in the universe that gives everyone responsibilities

• Karma: a belief in the spiritual process f the human soul– All actions have spiritual consequences– Reincarnation

• No judgement by supreme being, only when a soul reaches Moksha (spiritual perfection) will it not be reborn

Buddhism

• 350 million Buddhists (6% of people)

• Located in Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, India, and China

• Resembles Hinduism in doctrine, but stems from the life of one person, Buddha

Buddhist Beliefs

• Believe much of life involves suffering

• Must transcend materialism through meditation to achieve Nirvana, spiritual enlightenment and peace

• No judgement by a supreme being, but every action has spiritual consequences– Reincarnation– Enlightenment frees a person from suffering

Islam

• The majority of people in the Middle East are Muslims

• 1.2 billion followers (20% of humanity)

• Follow the teachings of Muhammad-a prophet, not a divine being

Islam Beliefs

• Qur’an: word of God transmitted through Muhammad--submission to Allah as the path to inner peace

• 5 Pillars of Islam: – 1. Allah is one true God, Muhammad his messenger. – 2. Ritual prayer – 3. Give alms to the poor. – 4. Fast during Ramadan – 5. Pilgrimage at least once to Mecca

Islam Beliefs

• Final judgment by God

• Muslims must defend their faith--holy wars (jihad) against nonbelievers.– Many countries recently have tried to rid their

society of morally wrong Western influences

Historical Religious Conflict

Crusades

• Roman Catholic Christianity vs. Turks Muslim

• 1095 A.D.- 1099 A.D.

• Palestine and Israel (Mainly the Jerusalem region)

• Pope Urban II called for the Christians of Europe to battle the Muslims and regain Jerusalem for Christianity

Aftermath of Crusades

• Europeans carved out four states in Palestine

• Many castles and fortresses were built to protect the states from Muslim forces.

• The Muslims gradually recaptured the territory, and European presence in Palestine ended in 1291.

• These events would later come back to hurt relations in the future between these peoples.

Balkans Impact

The Balkan Wars profoundly influenced the European history. They created a strong and ambitious Serbia, and anti-Serbian sentiment in neighboring Austria-Hungary.

The conflict had severely damaged the European alliances and helped kindle the volatile conditions that led to the outbreak of World War I.

Palestinian Conflict

• Throughout history Palestine, located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, was conquered many times by invaders

• The Arab-Israeli Conflict is mostly a 20th-century conflict between Arabs and Jews in the Middle East over the land of historic Palestine.

• Zionism, the reuniting of Jewish people in Palestine.

Palestinian Conflict

• In 1922 the British separated Palestine into two territories: land east of the Jordan River became the Emirate of Transjordan which is now Jordan; land to the west, from Lebanon and Syria in the north to Egypt in the south, remained Palestine

Palestinian Conflict

• Both Jews and Arabs conducted terrorist attacks and intermittent, low-level warfare. Both groups resisted the British, particularly when a British policy was believed to benefit one side over the other. The struggle was reflected in political efforts to control land, institutions, and the economy.

Palestinian Conflict

• In the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 Arab forces had expected an easy victory over the small and isolated Jewish state, but despite heavy casualties Israel won

• Israel also increased the land under its control. The region just west of the Jordan River known as the West Bank

Palestinian Conflict

• The demoralized Arab world was unwilling to accept the Israeli victory, and shortly after the war the Arabs began to regroup for more fighting

• In 1967 several Arab states called for war. Assuming the Arabs would attack, Israel struck first, and caught the Arabs by surprise

• In the Six-Day War that followed, Israel demolished the armies and air forces of the Arabs. It also gained control of the West Bank, the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza Strip, the Golan Heights region of southwestern Syria, and all of Jerusalem

• Today, the United States continues to try and negotiate peace in the middle east and with every attempt there is a strong opposition from the public of the Arabs and Israelis.

Religious Terrorism

Muslim Beliefs

• Believe in one God “Allah.”

• Believe in the Prophets.

• Their holy book is the Qur’an.

• Believe in the day of Judgment.

• Believe in Angels.

JudaismJudaism

• Believe in a single God.

• Believe that God is continuously at work throughout the world.

• God is above and beyond all earthly things.

Jaish-e-MuhammadJaish-e-Muhammad

• The group is from Pakistan.

• Group has preformed many killings and suicide bombings.

• The latest was in Kashmir, India.

• A suicide bomber drove a car filled with explosives into the Kashmir legislative counsil building.

Irish Republican Army (IRA)Irish Republican Army (IRA)

They are national terrorists

Commit many bombings and suicide car bombings

Have performed many bombings in Ireland, UK, and Germany.

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)

• Have committed patterns of Global terrorism

• Composed of numerous guerrilla groups

• “Al Fatah,” the largest of the groups is lead by Yasir Arafat.

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In Conclusion

• Religion covers the world, it is hard not to be influenced by some type of religious group.

• The Historically Conflicts dealing with religion have been raging for eons.

• The fact that we consider ourselves more educated now does not influence religion.

• There are many people that have dealt with this in the past and we will have to continue to struggle to reach peace.

Conclusion

• The Future is unknown when dealing with the present conflicts

• The past shows us that this is not a simple who’s right and who’s wrong.

• The fighting may continue on for many many years to come

• The goals are to try to satisfy many different people with many views

• In the end what will happen in Ultimately unknown, but the future as of now holds the hope that some day this will be over.