December 5

Today in class we took more notes from the slide show, and learned facts about religion. Here are the notes I took:

Examples of Spatial Divisions

Political alliances

-North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

-Commonwealth of Nations

-Organization of American States (OAS)

Christianity

-around 2.2 billion (largest in the world)

-called Christians

-located in Europe, the Americas, Southern Africa

-one denomination 

-Catholic Church (biggest), Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and more

-founder is Jesus Christ

-holy book is the bible, new testament 

-belief: Jesus is birth human and divine- the son of god

-crucified, died, wand was buried

-ascended into heaven where he reigns with God the Father

-clergy: Pope is head of the church, priests are local authorities

Islam

-1.5 billion (second largest)

-called Muslims

-located in Indonesia, Middle East, and North Africa

-denominations: Sunnis (75- 90%), Shiites (10-20%)

-founder Muhammad (570-632)

-holy book is Qur'an

-belief: monotheistic, Abrahamic

-five pillars (testimony, prayer, alms-giving, fasting, pilgrimage)

-Muslims see their purpose in life as serving and submitting to Allah (God), and observing Islamic law

Hinduism

-1.1 billion (third largest)

-called Hindus

-located in India, Nepal

-holy books the Vedas- eternal truths revealed to ancient sages; not written on paper but comprised

(meant to be sung and easily memorized)

-no distinct founder- series of intellectual or philosophical points of view, rather than a rigid, strict set of beliefs- probable the oldest religion, although Hinduism is less a religion than a way of life, or a faith

-in other words... reincarnation

Buddhism

-500 million to 1.5 billion 

-called Buddhists

-located location Southeast Asia, China, Nepal, Japan (there are 1.2 million Buddhists in the United States)

-founder is Siddhartha Gautama

-denominations; Tibetan, Zen, Theravada, Amidist