World Religions

Religion

Early Civilizations

• Practiced animism (Zoroastrianism) and polytheism

• Animism: the belief that spirits are present in animals, plants and other natural objects

• Polytheism: a belief in many gods

• Believed that the success of their harvest depended upon the blessing of the Gods.

• Religious priest were considered as a link between the gods and people and held a lot of power.

• Priests collected the crops as taxes for their service to the people.

India

• Practiced Hinduism and Buddhism

• No real founder of Hinduism

• Hinduism developed from Vedas, collections of old sacred writings

• Hinduism is polytheistic. Ex: Vishnu the Creator and Shiva the goddess of destruction.

• Caste(class) System was formed out of Hinduism

• Buddhism developed as a counterpart to Hinduism.

• Founded by Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) around 580 B.C

• Beliefs all summed up in the Four Noble Truths

• Did not support caste system or religious ceremonies

• Lost popularity in India and later on spread to China

• Both religions did share some similar beliefs such as nonviolence and

China

• Practiced Daoism(Taoism) and Confucianism

• Daoism: a philosophy focusing on people living in harmony with the laws of nature.

• Founded by Chinese thinker Laozi in 6th century B.C.

• Confucianism: a secular belief in ethical conduct and social harmony.

• Founded