Group-10

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Uy,Vergara,Villano,Villarama,Wang Major Religions I. Introduction Mans inquisitiveness helped paved the way for many inventions that led to innovations. However man still has the thirst for higher being. Centuries had pass but we still barely touched the surface of enlightenment.

a) Islam

i.

Origin

ii.

Prophets of Islam: Muhammad (Mohammed)

iii.

Muslim Beliefs

iv.

The growth of Islam Religion today

b) Hinduism

i.

Origin

ii.

Beliefs/Teachings

iii.

Hereditary Classes

c) Confucianism

i.

Origin

ii.

Beliefs

iii.

The Five Bonds

d) Causes of Religious Confusion II. Content a. Islam Islam, is based upon the belief that God (Allah) transmitted knowledge to Muhammad and other prophets (Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus).

The followers of Islamic religion, muslims, believe that this revelation to humanity was written down in the Quran, which is the flawless word of God.

The theology of the Islamic scriptures informs most aspects of muslim life and culture. Islam is a monotheistic faith and the world's second-largest religion. In Arabic, Islam means "submission" and is described as a Din, meaning "way of life" and/or "religion."

Etymologically, it is derived from the same root as, for example, Salam meaning "peace" (also a common salutation). A more precise translation of the word Islam would be the serenity that is created by submission. The word Muslim is also related to the word Islam and means "one who surrenders" or "submits" to God.

Islam / Islamic / Muslim Beliefs Followers of Islam, known as Muslims, believe that God (or, in Arabic, Allah) revealed his direct word for mankind to Muhammad (c. 570632) and other prophets, including Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Muslims assert that the main written record of revelation to mankind is the Qur'an, which they believe to be flawless, immutable and the final revelation of God. Muslims believe that some parts of the Bible and the Torah may have been misinterpreted or distorted by their followers. With that perspective they view the Qur'an as corrective of Jewish and Christian scriptures.

The basis of Muslim belief is found in the shahadatan ("two statements"There is no god but God; Muhammad is the messenger of God." In order to become a Muslim, one needs to recite and believe these statements.

The Qur'an is the sacred book of Islam. Muslims believe that the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel on numerous occasions between the years 610 and Muhammad's death in 632. In addition to memorizing his revelations, his followers are said to have written them down on parchments, stones, bones, sticks, and leaves. Muslims believe that the Qur'an available today is the same as that revealed to Prophet Muhammad and by him to his followers, who memorized his words.

There are six articles of faith shared by all Muslims:

Belief in God, the one and only one worthy of all worship.

Belief in the Angels.

Belief in the Book (al-Quran / Koran) (sent by God).

Belief in all the Prophets and Messengers (sent by God).

Belief in the Day of Judgment (Qiyamah) and in the Resurrection.

Belief in Fate or Predestination (Qadar)

The Five Pillars of Islam is the term given to the fundamental aspects of Islam. These are the most important obligations of a Muslim under Sharia law, and which devout all Muslims will perform faithfully, because they are essential to pleasing Allah.

The Five Pillars of Islam are:

"Shahadah": The Testimony that there is none worthy of worship except God and that Muhammad is his messenger.

" Salah": Establishing of the five daily Prayers (salah).

" Zakat": The Giving of Zakaah (charity), which is one fortieth (2.5%) of the net worth of possessions kept for more than a year, with few exemptions, for every Muslim whose wealth exceeds the nisab, and 10% or 20% of the produce from agriculture. This money or produce is distributed among the poor.

" Ramadhan": Fasting from dawn to dusk in the month of Ramadan (sawm).

" Hajj": The Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca during the month of Dhul Hijjah, which is compulsory once in a lifetime for one who has the ability to do it.

The Hadith is a collection of sayings and stories which are commonly related back to the life and sayings of prophet, Mohammed

Islam God / Allah The fundamental concept in Islam is the oneness of God. In Arabic, God is called Allah, a contraction of al-ilah or "the (only) god". Allah thus translates to "God" in English. The implicit usage of the definite article in Allah linguistically indicates the divine unity. In spite of the different name used for God, Muslims assert that they believe in the same deity as the Judeo-Christian religions. However, Muslims strictly disagree with the Christian theology concerning the unity of God (the doctrine of the Trinity and that Jesus is the eternal Son of God), seeing it as a kind of polytheism.

No Muslim visual images or depictions of God exist because such artistic depictions may lead to idolatry and are thus prohibited.

Prophets of Islam: Muhammad (Mohammed)

The Quran speaks of God appointing two classes of human servants: messengers (rasul in Arabic), and prophets (nabi in Arabic and Hebrew). In general, messengers are the more elevated rank. All prophets are said to have spoken with divine authority; but only those who have been given a major revelation or message are called messenger. Notable messengers include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, all belonging to a succession of men guided by God. Islam demands that a believer accept all of the Judeo-Christian prophets, making no distinction between them. In the Qur'an, 25 specific prophets are mentioned. Mainstream Muslims regard Muhammad as the 'Last Messenger' or the 'Seal of the Prophets' based on the canon. Muhammad (also transliterated Mohammad, Mohammed, Muhammed, and formerly Mahomet, following the Latin) is revered by Muslims as the final prophet of God. His name is Arabic for "he who is highly praised".

Muhammad is said to have been a merchant who travelled widely. Early Muslim sources report that in 611, at about the age of 40, he experienced a vision. He described it to those close to him as a visit from the Angel Gabriel, who commanded him to memorize and recite the verses later collected as the Qur'an. He eventually expanded his mission, publicly preaching a strict monotheism and predicting a Day of Judgement for sinners and idol-worshippers such as his tribesmen and neighbors in Mecca. He did not completely reject Judaism and Christianity, two other monotheistic faiths known to the Arabs; he only claimed to complete and perfect their teachings. He soon acquired both a following and the hatred of his neighbors. In 622 he was forced to flee Mecca and settle in Medina with his followers, where he established legal authority as leader of the first avowedly Muslim community. War between Mecca and Medina followed, in which Muhammad and his followers were eventually victorious. The military organization honed in this struggle was then set to conquering the other pagan tribes of Arabia. By the time of Mohammed's death, he had unified Arabia and launched a few expeditions to the north, towards Syria and Palestine.

Under Muhammad's immediate successors the Islamic empire expanded into Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, North Africa, and Spain. Later conquests, commercial contact between Muslims and non-Muslims, and missionary activity spread his faith over much of the globe.

The growth of Islam Religion today Based on the percentages published in the 2003 CIA fact book, Islam is the second largest religion in the world. According to the World Network of Religious Futurists, the U.S. Center for World Mission , Islam is growing faster numerically than any other religion. It is a matter of great controversy whether this is due in large part to the higher birth rates in many Islamic countries, or whether a high conversion rate may also be a factor.

The Muslim population today comprises over 1.3 billion people; estimates of Islam by country based on US State Department figures yield a total of 1.48 billion, 22.82% of the world's population. However, only 18% of Muslims live in the Arab world; a fifth is found in SubSaharan Africa, about 30% in the Indian sub continental region of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, and the world's largest single Muslim community (within the bounds of one nation) is in Indonesia. There are also significant Muslim populations in China, Europe (especially in the Mediterranean countries), Central Asia, and Russia. There are approximately 5 million Muslims in North America. The world population is growing at about 1.10% per year, but the percentage of Muslim population is increasing by 1.4% per year, mostly due to higher birth rate of African and Asian countries. Birth rates in many Muslim countries have begun to decline, although more slowly than in other nations, which also may be a factor.

b. Hinduism Hinduism is generally regarded as the world's oldest organized religion. It consists of "thousands of different religious groups that have evolved in India since 1500 BCE." 1 Because of the wide variety of Hindu traditions, freedom of belief and practice are notable features of Hinduism. Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic religions. They recognize a single deity, and view other Gods and Goddesses as manifestations or aspects of that supreme God. Henotheistic and polytheistic religions have traditionally been among the world's most religiously tolerant faiths. As a result, India has traditionally been one of the most religiously tolerant in the world. However in 1998, a Hindu nationalistic political party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) controlled the government of India. The linkage of religion, the national government, and nationalism led to a degeneration of the separation of church and state in India and a decrease in the level of religious tolerance in that country. An escalation of anti-Christian violence was one manifestation of this linkage. With the subsequent change in government, the level of violence has diminished, and India is once more a country of relative religious tolerance and peace. Hinduism has grown to become the world's third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam. It claims about 950 million followers -- about 14% of the world's population. It is the dominant religion in India, Nepal, and among the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Hinduism is a syncretic religion, welcoming and incorporating a variety of outside influences. The most ancient sacred texts of the Hindu religion are written in Sanskrit and called the Vedas (vedah means knowledge). There are four Vedic books, of which the Rig-Veda is the oldest. It discusses multiple gods, the universe, and creation. The dates of these works are unknown (1000 B.C.?). Present-day Hindus rarely refer to these texts but do venerate them. They introduce the doctrine of karma and recommend meditation and the practice of yoga.

According to Hindu beliefs, Brahman is the principle and source of the universe. This divine

intelligence pervades all beings, including the individual soul. Thus the many Hindu deities are manifestations of the one Brahman. Hinduism is based on the concept of reincarnation, in which all living beings, from plants on earth to gods above, are caught in a cosmic cycle of becoming and perishing. Life is determined by the law of karmaone is reborn to a higher level of existence based on moral behavior in a previous phase of existence. Life on earth is regarded as transient and a burden. The goal of existence is liberation from the cycle of rebirth and death and entrance into the indescribable state of moksha (liberation). The practice of Hinduism consists of rites and ceremonies centering on birth, marriage, and death. There are many Hindu temples, which are considered to be dwelling places of the deities and to which people bring offerings. Places of pilgrimage include Benares on the Ganges, the most sacred river in India. Of the many Hindu deities, the most popular are the cults of Vishnu, Shiva, and Shakti, and their various incarnations. Also important is Brahma, the creator god. Hindus also venerate human saints. Orthodox Hindu society in India was divided into four major hereditary classes: (1) the Brahmin (priestly and learned class); (2) the Kshatriya (military, professional, ruling, and governing occupations); (3) the Vaishya (landowners, merchants, and business occupations); and (4) the Sudra (artisans, laborers, and peasants). Below the Sudra was a fifth group, the Untouchables (lowest menial occupations and no social standing). The Indian government banned discrimination against the Untouchables in the constitution of India in 1950. Observance of class and caste distinctions varies throughout India. In modern times work has been done to reform and revive Hinduism. One of the outstanding reformers was Ramakrishna (18361886), who inspired many followers, one of whom founded the Ramakrishna mission. The mission is active both in India and in other countries and is known for its scholarly and humanitarian works. c. Confucianism Confucianism originated in China that later spread to Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, etc. The founder of Confucianism is Kong Tze The name Confucius was created by 16th century Jesuit missionaries in China He lived during the Zhou dynasty, an era known for moral laxity He opened a school and his success in teaching led to his appointment as minister of justice of Lu. Because of a conflict with a marquis of Lu, he wandered around China, giving advice to their rulers. He accumulated a small band of students during this time.

He taught an attitude toward one's fellow humans of respect, particularly respect for one's parents, teachers, and elders. He also encouraged his students to learn from everyone they encountered and to honor others' cultural norms. He spent his last years in Lu, teaching students The social ethics and moral teachings of Confucianism are blended with the Taoist and Buddhist concepts of afterlife to form the Chinese Traditional Religion The values/ virtues of the Confucian ethical teachings: Li- includes ritual, propriety, etiquette, etc Hsiao- filial piety and reverence Yi- righteousness Xin- honesty and trustworthiness Jen- benevolence, humaneness towards others, the highest Confucian virtue Zhong- loyalty to the state Relationships are central to Confucianism; particular duties arise from ones particular situation in relation to others. The great goal of Confucianism is social harmony; every individual must know his/her place in the social order and must perform their part well. The Five Bonds: Ruler to subject Father to son Husband to wife Elder brother to younger brother Friend to friend d. Causes of Religious Confusion Things that do cause Confusion and Disagreement. A. Lack of Knowledge My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Ignorance causes confusion and division. Consider some of them. 1. Some people simply have never had opportunity to learn the truth. This was the case of Cornelius (Acts 10:1-11:18) and the Ethiopian treasurer (Acts 8:26-39). Such people need to hear words whereby they can be saved (Acts 11:14).

2. Some people simply do not study the Bible diligently enough. To discern good from evil, we must have our senses exercised by reason of use.We must "search the Scriptures daily". Much religious error and division result from lack of study. 3. Some people do not handle the Bible properly. Other people take only part of the Bible teaching about a subject but ignore other verses on the same subject. As a result, they reach conclusions that contradict other Scriptures We can truly be made free from sin only if we know the truth. B. Human Religious Guides They may determine their beliefs by human guides such as the following: 1. Preachers Some people think, "It must be right, because Rev. so-and-so says so." Preachers are useful if they preach the truth, but many teach error. We must check out all teachings by the Bible. 2. Family or friends "I was brought up in this church. If it's good enough for my loved ones, it's good enough for me." It is wonderful if our family and friends really serve God. But most people's families are in error (Matt. 7:13,14). We must obey Jesus, even when loved ones disagree (Matt. 10:34-37). 3. Creed books, church laws, and traditions Most denominations have man-made rules that the denomination follows. These rules are often written down as official statements of church doctrine (manuals, catechisms, creeds, disciplines, etc.). But men have no right to make religious laws (Matt. 15:9; Eph. 1:22,23; James 4:12). No human writing or teaching should be viewed as an official, authoritative statement of church doctrine. 4. Other human religious guides People sometimes follow other human guides such as conscience, feelings, beliefs of the majority, etc. All such standards can lead us into error. Following human doctrines makes worship vain. Whoever goes beyond the teachings of Jesus, does not have the Father and the Son. Any one who preaches any doctrine other than the one true gospel, is accursed. The way a man should walk is not found within man himself. A way may seem right to men yet result in death. We must trust in God's word, not in human wisdom.

C. Preconceived Ideas, Pride, Lack of Love for Truth People often close their eyes and ears to the truth. They may have believed a certain way for years, so they refuse to consider evidence for other views and they reject the truth. People who do not love truth enough, will instead believe a lie and be condemned. Such attitudes invariably lead to religious disagreement and confusion. To accept the truth, we must "hunger and thirst after righteousness".We must honestly study what God's word says, then accept truth with "readiness of mind". D. Personal Desires and Self-Will. Serving God requires self-sacrifice and effort. Some people will not pay the price, so they justify themselves in disobedience. Some reject truth because they just enjoy unrighteousness. They want preachers to justify their sins. Other people just rebel against authority and seek to please themselves. III. Insights Mans thirst for a certain higher-Being maybe the cause why Religion had once again spread through the years. Even though many religions had spread, these religions respect and live harmoniously with the others. Religious disagreement, division, and confusion are not caused by God or His word. They are caused by people who do not obey God's word diligently.

IV.

Bibliography Information Please Database,( 2007)Hinduism, October 2, 2012, Hinduism Infoplease.com http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001469.html#ixzz286y12c3E Religious tolerance.org, Hinduism: The world's third largest religion, http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm Dr.Wolff, (September 2012), Islam / Muslim History & Beliefs of Islamic Religion. Quran / Koran, Muhammad (Mohammed), Quotes October 2, 2012, http://www.spaceandmotion.com/religion-islam-muslim-islamic-quran.htm

Religious Tolerance.org, Confucianism History of the religion. Number of followers, Symbols, October 2, 2012, http://www.religioustolerance.org/confuciu1.htm Patheos Library, Confucianism, October 2, 2012, http://www.patheos.com/Library/Confucianism.html

David E. Pratte (1998), Causes of Religious confusion, Disagreement and Division, October 2,2012, http://www.gospelway.com/bible/religious_confusion.php