Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems

A belief system or worldview is a particular way of ordering the realities of one’s world.
Religion is the pursuit of transformation guided by a sacred belief system.
-it refers to any set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices concerning a supernatural power.
-it is the human’s way of communicating to God.
-is an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies and rules used to worship a god or group
of gods (Merriam-Webster Dictionary 2014).
Spirituality is one’s integrative view of life. It involves a quest for the meaning and ultimate
value of life as opposed to an instrumentalist or materialistic attitude to life.
Theology involves the systematic study of the existence and nature of the divine.
Philosophy of religion deals primarily with issues concerning religion that includes as analysis
on the existence of a divine being or on sacred texts.

Understanding the nature of religion enlightens learners about the common grounds that bind
believers into examining the questions of life and death and why or how persons yearn for
spiritual inspiration. Recognizing the inherent characteristics of religion provides the
opportunity to deeply grasp the many beliefs and practices that mold humankind’s spiritual
needs.

Understanding Beliefs and Worldviews

Every individual sees and interprets the world quite differently from one another. This
overall perspective is also termed worldview which is a collection of beliefs about life and the
universe being held by people (The Free Dictionary 2014). For a certain individual, social
environment and upbringing are critical in the development of a religious life. All these factors
influence how people organized their beliefs and ideas while eventually creating a
comprehensive narrative through which they look at the world and interrelate with it.
Belief in god or gods is found in almost all religions. There is good reason to presuppose
that religion had existed during prehistoric times and this has continued to the modern day.
Human life may have produced hundreds of religions and belief systems. There could be more
unknown than known religions in the world since recorded history covers only several thousand
years of human existence.

Kinds Description
 Monism there is no real distinction between god and the universe
Polytheism the belief and worship of many gods
Monotheism the doctrine or belief in one supreme god
Atheism disbelief or denial of the existence of a personal god
Agnosticism god cannot be known

Theism, often used as a synonym to monotheism, is defined as “a belief in the existence

of one god viewed as the creative source of the human race and the world who transcends yet is
immanent in the world” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary 2014).
NAME OF THEORY
Animistic Theories
PROPONENT
Edward Burnett Tylor (1832-
1917) English Anthropologist
Robert Henry Codrington
(1830-1922) Anglican priest
and anthropologist
EXPLANATION
Primitive people believed in
souls of animal found in
people (seen in dreams) and
all of nature. Since spirits
could be helpful or harmful to
human beings, early people
had to pray to these spirits,
offer sacrifices and appease
or avoid them.
In his investigation, he found
out that the Melanesian
people believed in mana, a
mysterious force that
inhabited all of nature. All
early people began their
religion in cognizance of such
force; the destructiveness of
the mana can be avoided by
establishing taboos.

Nature-Worship Theory Human beings first developed

their religions from their
observations of the forces of
nature. Early people become
aware of the regularity of the
seasons, the tides and the
phases of the moon, and
began personalizing them by
giving them names,
describing their activities
with tales that transformed
 into mythology. Primitive
people identified the forces in
nature, personified them,
created myths, and developed
religions around them.

Theory of Original Wilhelm Schmidt (1868- In Australia and Africa, basic

Monotheism 1954), Austrian cultures held a common
anthropologist and belief in a distant high god,
ethnologist that originally there had been
one great god above all
others, and that he may have
been the creator of the world
or the father of the many
lesser deities. This high god
went away and had little
contact with the world that
resulted in majority of
attention and worship to local
deities. Primitive societies
were originally monotheistic,
but because it was difficult to
worship just one god, religion
was corrupted to polytheism.
Magic Theory James George Frazer (1854- People had gone three phases
1941), Scottish social of development concerning
anthropologist the spirit world: (1) primitive
magic (wherein people
attempted to control nature in
the hope that nature will
cooperate if rituals are done
properly); (2) religion
(wherein people implored
nature to cooperate since they
have realized that nature can
not be coerced); and (3)
science (wherein a rational
understanding of nature is
operative).
Wish Fulfilment Theory Ludwig Andreas von There were no gods and that
Feuerbach (1804-1872) belief in gods was simply
German philosopher and wish fulfilment. Troubled
anthropologist people who could not cope
with the difficulties in life
projected their wishes and
developed gods and religions.
 Karl Heinrich Marx (1818-
1883), German philosopher
and sociologist
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939),
Austrian neurologist and
founder father of
psychoanalysis
Religions were developed by
the few as a means to control
the masses and suppress
revolution as a result of the
continuing all wealth, so they
had to create a scheme of
gods, heavens, and hell.
Masses were persuaded to
accept poverty and be
obedient to inherit bliss in
another life.
Religion originated from the
guilt that individuals
supposedly feel in hating
their fathers. All males posses
a similar tendency to desire
our mothers and hate our
fathers. As a result of this
subconscious hatred and
ensuring guilt, a great father
image was projected in the
sky called God. A healthy
mature person can face
problems without the need for
gods or religions.

Positive and Negative Effects of Religion

Religion has become a very important aspect in the development of civilizations and
cultures. In fact, most ancient societies based their worldviews on religions, and it has been
proven to be beneficial to the attainment and maintenance of social stability and cohesiveness.
However, as time went by, religion has also become the basis of conflicts between societies,
even within societies. While religion has promoted solidarity among societies, it has also been
the reason behind the outbreak of particular wars in history.
POSITIVE NEGATIVE
Religion Promotes Social Harmony Religion Affirms Social Hierarchy
Religion Provides Moral Values Religion Causes Discrimination
Religion Provides Social Change Religion Triggers Conflicts and Fights
Religion Reduces Fear of the Unknown Religion As An Economic Tool for
Exploiting the Masses
Religion Gives Positive Goals in Life Religion Impedes Scientific Success and
Development
 Religion Gives People a Sense of Belonging Religion Obstructs the Use of Reason

Historical Events Caused by Religion

In some regions in the world, religion has become very influential in almost every aspect
of human activity-from personal routines to diplomatic relations. Furthermore, in each country
there are majority and minority religious groups and sometimes the power struggle between
these two groups escalate into historical developments which oftentimes shock the world.
Here are some of the historical events that are caused by religion.

Self-Immolation of a Buddhist Monk in Vietnam

Self-immolation, or the killing of oneself as a form of sacrifice, originally referred to as
the act setting oneself on fire. But now it refers to a much wider range of suicidal choices such as
leaping off a cliff, starvation, or ritual removing of the guts (also known as seppuku). It is used
as a form of political protest or martyrdom.

Widow Burning Among the Hindus in India

Sati, or the practice of self-immolation of a widow on her husband’s funeral pyre, is said
to have originated 700 years ago in India. It is believed to have started among the ruling class or
rajputs in India, when the Rajput women burnt themselves to death after their men were defeated
in battles to avoid being taken by the conquerors.

The Inquisition
Inquisition refers to the Roman Catholic Church groups charged with subduing heresy
from around 118, which includes the Episcopal Inquisition (1184-1230s) and the Papal
Inquisition (1230s). The Inquisition was a response to large popular movements in Europe
considered heretical or profane to Christianity, particularly Catharism (a Christian dualist
movement which espoused the idea of two gods, one being good and the other evil) and
Waldensians (a Protestant Christian movement which advocated that apostolic poverty is the way
to perfection) in southern France and southern Italy.

The Godhra Train Incident in 2002

In February 2002, a train was set on fire in which 59 people, including 25 women and 15
children, were killed. The fire happened inside the Sabarmati Express train near the Godhra
railway station in the Indian state of Gujarat. Those who died inside the train were mostly Hindu
pilgrims and activists returning from the holy city of Ayodhya after a religious ceremony at the
disputed Babri Masjid site. It took six years for the commission appointed to investigate the said
incident to conclude that the fire was committed by a mob of 1000-2000 people. Thirty-one
Muslims were convicted by the court for the incident and conspiracy for the crime.