11 Key Theorists of Religion

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Islam

• Name five ways you see Islam tied to the
  environment.

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Ayers Rock (Uluru)
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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Oral
Religion

• Sacred Practices in Oral Religions
• Life-Cycle Ceremonies
• Taboo and Sacrifice
• Shamanism, Trance, and Magic
• Artifacts and Artistic Expression in Oral
  Religions
• artists
• artistic expression
• totems
• effigy

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Oral
Religion

• Taboo and Sacrifice
• social order guidelines
• sex
• birth
• social behavior
• food
• antisocial
• restoration
• Atonement
• Libation
• Sacrifice

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Oral
Religion

• Oral Religions Influenced Today by
• western technology
• environment
• language
• proselytizing religions
• restored practices
• whole lives holistic traditions

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HINDUISM
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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Hinduism

• BRAHMAN spiritual essence of the universe
• divine reality in all
• god in forms infinite
• beyond time space
• ATMAN individual soul
• deepest self
• sacred within oneself
• MAYA illusion
• matter
• mystery
• magic
• KARMA to do
• moral law of cause and effect
• force of nature
• directs rebirth
• SAMSARA wheel of life
• constant rebirth
• circle of life
• one life is to short

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama

• At 29
• Pleasant prison
• Witnessed suffering
• Depression
• Escapes
• Great Going Forth
• Looks at family
• Rides to edge
• Leaves jewels clothing
• Cuts hair

• Seeks teacher
• Teacher to teacher
• Unsatisfied
• Six years
• Questions
• Death?
• Suffering?
• Age?
• God?
• Soul?
• Afterlife?

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Buddhism
Practical

• Refused to talk about anything else
• Noble silence
• Concentrate on
• Minimizing suffering
• Inner peace
• Doctrines not dogma
• Experienced as truth
• Three marks of reality
• Constant chance
• No permanent identity
• Existence of suffering

• Change (anichcha)
• Impermanence
• Nothing remains the same
• Sameness is illusion
• Expect change
• Zen (Chan) meditation
• Satori - unity with universe
• Zazen sitting meditation
• Koan public discussion
• Manual labor
• Samurai - not in fact a true religion by
  definition, does not worship any god

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Buddhism
The way to inner Peace

• Right work
• Job does no harm
• Right effort
• Moderation
• Striving to improve
• Right meditation
• Discipline of meditation
• Right contemplation
• Inner peace

• Right understanding
• Impermanence of life
• Right intention
• Pure motives
• Right speech
• Honesty
• Kindness
• Right action
• Do no hurt

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Jain
Ethical Recommendations

• AHIMSA (ahi?sa) Nonviolence
• Gentleness, harmlessness
• NONLYING Absolute Truth
• No Falsehood exaggeration
• NONSTEALING Receive only what is given
• Improper desire causes pain
• CHASTITY - Fidelity
• Celibacy for the religious fidelity in marriage
• NONATTACHMENT Spirit of Generosity
• Family, possessions, clothing

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Sikh
Belief and Practice

• TRUE NAME of GOD
• No god of Hinduism or of Islam
• One God of all
• KARMA AND REINCARNATION
• From Hinduism
• Rejected ritual
• Rejected polytheism
• SOUL AND BODY
• God dwells in each person
• Social responsibility
• ADI GRANTH original collection SCRIPTURE
• Japji (first part) long poem
• There is only one God whose name is true, the
  Creator, devoid of fear and enmity, immortal,
  unborn, self-existent.
• Second part - 39 rags (tunes)
• Third part - poems and hymns Hindu, Muslim,
  Sikh
• LINE OF TEN HUMAN GURUS
• Nanak was first of these ten

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Overview of Worlds Major ReligionsCHINESE
BELIEF

• Veneration of ancestors
• become spirits at death
• to be placated by family
• Patterns in nature
• must work with seasons to survive
• cycles waves
• represented by Yang Yin (1000 BCE)

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Overview of Worlds Major ReligionsCHINESE BELIEF

• Yang Yin (1000 BCE)
• Not opposite, but complementary principles
• light/dark, hot/cold, sky/earth, odd/even
• not good evil balancing between forces
• dynamic perfect balance in change
• dot presence of the other becoming it

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - TAOIST

• Laozi (Lao Tzu) old master or old child, born
  to virgin as old child
• Tao
• origin of everything
• not personal
• does not care for humanity or dislike either
• mysterious reality that creates nature
• natural way way pattern process
• Began as a philosophy, became a religion

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - TAOIST
Virtues

• WU-WEI (NO ACTION) SPONTANEITY
• effortlessness
• no strain,
• only what is necessary
• plants grow
• QUIET
• reclusive beginnings
• continuing trait
• GENTLENESS
• loves peace
• avoids violence
• weapons tied to the slaughter of mankind
• HUMOR

• CLOSENESS TO NATURE
• live in harmony with nature
• accepting transformation
• embrace change
• SIMPLICITY
• eliminate unnecessary artificial
• natural goodness of humanity
• formal education unnecessary
• inherent complexity give up learning, put an end
  to your troubles

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Shinto

• No known founder or group
• Mysterious origins like people blend of groups
• Lived close to nature
• Believed spirits inhabited nature
• Power of nature in harmony with it
• Elements of shamanism
• mysterious healings
• Ethical Family elements

• No need for name till Buddhism arrived
• Shin-to the way of the gods kami-no-michi
• Blend a large number of gods into a pantheon myth
• Primeval chaos
• Sacred spirits kami
• Izanami (female who invites) - primeval mother
• Izanagi (male who invites) - primeval father

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Shinto

• Consolidate to make land
• Floating Bridge of Heaven
• Stirred ocean with end of spear
• Island formed from brine
• Izanami gives birth to fire god, is burned
• Izanagi attempts to rescue her in underworld
• Returns dirty
• Cleanses in ocean

• As washes sees
• Amaterasusun goddess
• Tsukiyomimoon god
• Susanowowind god
• New family relationship with these
• Purity
• Pollution tsumi
• Ritual washing harai
• Japan worldly heaven shared with divine beings

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Shinto

• 6th century forced to define itself
• Buddhist monks viewed Shinto as Buddhist deities
  with Japanese names
• Shinto agriculture, fertility, birth
• Buddhism philosophy, sickness, funerals,
  afterlife
• Accommodation Buddhist Shinto places of
  worship

• Confucianism
• ethical system
• education
• family
• government
• emperor father
• ministers elder brothers
• At times welcome outsiders others reject them

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8 Judaism
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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Judaism
Masada Site of the Zealot holdout in the
resistance of Hebrews against the Romans, when
the second Temple was destroyed.
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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Judaism

• Stories of Origins
• Genesis 1-11
• Ordered creation
• (similar Babylonian Epic Enuma Elish)
• Image of God
• Garden of Eden Paradise Lost
• Family rivalries - violence
• Great flood - judgement
• (similar Mesopotamian story Epic of Gilamesh)
• Promised land lost
• 587 BCE
• 70 CE

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10-1 Islam
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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Islam

• Islam literally means surrender or submission.
• Sacred book of Islam
• Sermons of Muhammad
• Quran (Koran).
• Beginning of the Muslim calendar is the Western
  year 622 c.e.
• Date of Muhammads escape from Mecca to Medina
• Religions of Arabian Peninsula
• Judaism,
• Christianity,
• Zoroastrianism,
• local religion worshipped spirits of trees
  mountains, tribal gods jinni (capricious
  spirits of the desert)

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Overview of Worlds Major Religions - Islam

• Islam Judaism
• circumcision
• Muslims like Christians Zoroastrianism believe
• in the soul
• resurrection of the body
• final judgment
• heaven and hell
• Muslims trace themselves back ultimately to what
  great patriarch Abraham.

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Clear-cut legal foundation
• Formulated by God
• Not on humanistic philosophies
• Islamic Law
• Rigid
• Dry
• Shariah (source of water)
• Source of life
• Rules/Ethical Principles

• Shariah (5 human actions)
• Obligatory actions (wajib)
• Required to perform
• Devotional/Ethical (mandub)
• Encouraged to perform
• No liability
• Permissible actions (mubah)
• Freedom of choice
• Abominable actions (makruh) (makruh)
• Morally, but not legally wrong
• Prohibited actions (haram)
• Practices prohibited

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Law Ethics
• Not separated
• Adhered
• Accepted Shariah
• Follower of faith
• Environment
• All components
• Created by God
• All living things different functions
• Measured/Balanced by Creator
• Serve humanity a part
• Not sole reason to exist
• Other reasons too

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Legal ethical reasons to protect environment
• Preserve its values as a sign of the Creator
• Components continuous praise of Creator
• Absolute continuity of Creator (sunnah)
• Beings worthy of protection kind treatment
  (hurmah)

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Legal ethical reasons to protect environment
• Preserve its values as a sign of the Creator
• Components continuous praise of Creator
• Absolute continuity of Creator (sunnah)
• Beings worthy of protection kind treatment
  (hurmah)

• Human relationships are established on justice
  kindness
• Universe created by God must be preserved
• Not for this generation alone all ages
• Duty of humans to protect environment, no other
  creature can

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Comprehensive Nature of Ethics
• Two principles
• Natural instinct
• Imprinted by God
• Between good evil
• Neutral neither good or bad
• Messengers from God
• Complexities
• Cannot define correct
• Not in vacuum
• Inspired by God
• Conscience approves
• Accepts
• Valued guidance
• Desire what God loves wants

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Comprehensive Nature of Ethics
• Two principles
• Natural instinct
• Imprinted by God
• Between good evil
• Neutral neither good or bad
• Messengers from God
• Complexities
• Cannot define correct
• Not in vacuum
• Inspired by God
• Conscience approves
• Accepts
• Valued guidance
• Desire what God loves wants

• Virtue part of the whole
• Way of life
• Serves to guide control
• Truthfulness
• Protecting
• Conserving
• Sustaining
• Political, Social, Economic
• Not on human reason
• Not on societys mandate
• Not on economic groups
• These are based on circumstances
• Ethics unalterable as time and space

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Human-Environment
• Enjoy, use, benefit
• Preserve, protect, promote
• All creatures are Gods dependents
• Responsible for
• Trees
• Animals
• All natural elements
• Muhammad prayer for rain
• For trees in drought
• For animals dying for lack of water
• Humans not punished
• Because of elderly, babies, animals

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Human-Environment
• Enjoy, use, benefit
• Preserve, protect, promote
• All creatures are Gods dependents
• Responsible for
• Trees
• Animals
• All natural elements
• Muhammad prayer for rain
• For trees in drought
• For animals dying for lack of water
• Humans not punished
• Because of elderly, babies, animals

• Earth place of peace rest
• Humans made of earth (dust) water
• Brought forth from earth
• Earth often named, so important
• Subservient to humans
• Receptacle of living dead
• Source of purity
• Place of worship
• Source of blessing
• To be cared for by humanity

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Sustainable Care of Nature
• Utilization
• Not unnecessary destruction
• Not to squander
• Continued use in a sustainable way
• Muhammad
• Act in your life as though you are living
  forever and act for the Hereafter as if you are
  dying tomorrow.
• When doomsday comes if someone has a palm shoot
  in his hand he should plant it.

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Sustainable Care of Nature
• Utilization
• Not unnecessary destruction
• Not to squander
• Continued use in a sustainable way
• Muhammad
• Act in your life as though you are living
  forever and act for the Hereafter as if you are
  dying tomorrow.
• When doomsday comes if someone has a palm shoot
  in his hand he should plant it.

• Life is maintained with due balance in
  everything.
• Every part of Gods creation was carefully made
  to fit into the general system.
• Not only for the current generation
• Umar ibn al-Khattab Khuzaymah ibn Thubit
• Neglected land
• Old man close to death
• Planted land together
• 5 times a day, prayer starts
• Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
• Submit to Creator of all
• World sign of the Creator

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Practice of Environmental Ethics
• Muslim Communities
• Protection of certain zones/special use areas
  (hima)
• Maintain some land in unused state
• Limited to avoid inconvenience
• Not built on or cultivated
• For the welfare of the people

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Practice of Environmental Ethics
• Muslim Communities
• Protection of certain zones/special use areas
  (hima)
• Maintain some land in unused state
• Limited to avoid inconvenience
• Not built on or cultivated
• For the welfare of the people

• Hima
• Grazing area for the livestock of the poor
• To protect wildlife
• Harim
• Inviolable zones
• Wells
• Natural springs
• Underground water channels
• Rivers
• Trees planted on barren land

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Islam the EnvironmentIslamic Environmental
Ethics, Law, and Society by Mawil Y. Izzi Dean

• Environmental Aspects of Development
• First Arab Ministerial Conference
• Justice, mercy, cooperation
• Islamic faith and its values
• Amir of Kuwait
• To UN 1988
• Conserve natural human resources
• Combat pollution
• Support sustainable development

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10-1 Islam