World Religions Overview

Buddhism

• Founder: Siddhartha Gautama
• Important document of the Catholic Church: Nostra Aetate, meaning "In Our Time" in Latin. Created in 1965.
• Guide of belief: The Three Jewels, Eightfold Path, Five Precepts
• Concepts: Karma, rebirth, Dharma

Polytheism vs Monotheism

• Polytheism: Belief in multiple gods
• Monotheism: Belief in one god

Hindu Caste System

• Brahmins: Priests, teachers, intellectuals
• Kshatriyas: Warriors, rulers, leaders
• Vaishyas: Merchants, traders, landowners
• Shudras: Laborers, servants

Indigenous People's God

• Kitchi-Manitou (Name used by some indigenous peoples for God)

Islamic Beliefs About Jesus

• Muslims view Jesus as Isa (peace be upon him) and a messenger of Allah.

Indigenous Rituals

• Pipe Ceremony: A spiritual ritual using a sacred pipe to symbolize unity, harmony, and truth. Used in opening negotiations and respectful conversations.
• Sweat Lodge: A purification ceremony; participants cleanse their body, mind, spirit, and heart in a dome-shaped structure where heated stones create steam.
• Sun Dance: A ceremony in June/July during the full moon involving fasting, purification, body piercing (sometimes), a symbol of renewal and dedication.
• Smudging: A cleansing ritual using sacred herbs like sage, tobacco, cedar, or sweetgrass for purification.

Holy Trinity

• The Christian Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Seven Grandfather Teachings

• Honesty
• Humility
• Truth
• Wisdom
• Love
• Respect
• Bravery

Five Pillars of Islam

• Salat (Prayer)
• Shahada (Declaration of faith)
• Hajj (Pilgrimage)
• Zakat (Charity)
• Fasting (during Ramadan)

Muslim Ancestry

• Muslims trace their ancestry to Abraham through Ishmael, Abraham's firstborn son.

Diaspora

• Diaspora: The dispersal of a group of people from their homeland and settling in various parts of the world.

Jewish Holidays

• Yom Kippur
• Sukkot
• Pesach
• Purim
• Shavuot
• Hanukkah
• Shabbat
• Brit milah or bris
• Bar/bat mitzvah

Atheism vs Agnosticism

• Atheism: Belief in no god.
• Agnosticism: Belief that the existence of god is unknowable.

Sacred Places for Religions

• Mosque (Islam)
• Church (Christianity)
• Temple (Hinduism, etc.)
• Synagogue (Judaism)

Buddhist Festivals

• Vesak
• Asalha puja
• Magha puja

Abrahamic Religions

• Islam
• Christianity
• Judaism

Genocide

• Genocide: Deliberate and systematic destruction of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.

Scripture Analysis - Hinduism

• "Both the eyes are one-sided.for the perfect balance, you need Shiva's third eye" - Meaning of harmony

Scripture Analysis - Islam

• "'All Mighty Allah SWT has said: 'O son of adam,so long as you call upon Me, and hope in Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and i shall not mind" - Mercy of God

Intention

• “This quote shows that Allah is the most merciful there is if you apologize with pure intention"

Suffering (Buddhism)

• "All conditioned things are impermanent. When one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from Suffering" - Impermanence, wisdom, and overcoming suffering

Oppression (Judaism)

• "You shall not oppress stranger, for you know the soul of the stranger, have been strangers to the land of egypt" - Kindness toward strangers, empathy.

Indigenous Spirituality

• "Perhaps that you have noticed that in the Slightest breeze you can hear the voice of the cotton tree;this we understand it its prayer to the great spirit, for not only men, but all things and all beings pray to him continually in different ways" - Spiritual connection in nature.