LESSON#3

SUPERNATURALS:BELIEV
E IT OR NOT
PREPARED BY: KENO ALVIR G SUNI, RPM
LESSON OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Identify various religious practices and beliefs;
2. Understand the self in relation with religious beliefs; and
3. Explain ways of finding the meaning of life.
RELIGION

1. A belief in anthropomorphic supernatural being, such as spirit and gods

2. A focus on the sacred supernatural, where sacred refers to a feeling of reverence and awe
3. The presence of supernatural power or energy that is found on supernatural beings as well as
physical beings and objects
4. The performance of ritual activities that involves the manipulation of sacred object to
communicate to supernatural beings and/or to influence or control events
5. The articulation of worldview and moral codes through narratives and other means
6. Provide the creation and maintenance of social bonds and mechanism of social control within
a community
RITUALS

- Performance of ceremonial acts prescribed by a tradition or sacred law

- A specific, observable mode of behavior exhibited by all known
societies; as a way of defining or describing humans
- Ritual has the characteristics of:
1. A feeling or emotion of respect, awe, fascination, or dread in
relation to the sacred
2. Dependence upon a belief system that is usually expressed in the
language of myth
3. Is symbolic in relation to its reference
DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
AND PRACTICES
 BUDDHISM

Beliefs:
Life is not a bed of roses. Instead, there are suffering, pain, and frustration. This reactive cycle can be
broken through the practice of mediation, acquiring more wisdom and deeper understanding, and
acceptance of things as they are.
Customs and Practices:
Samatha is practiced as mindfulness of breathing and development of loving kindness; Vipassana practices
aim at developing insight into reality. Acquiring wisdom is by studying Buddha’s teaching, the Dharma.
Buddhist celebrations are Parinirvana Day in February; Buddha Day (Wesak) in May; Dharma Day in
July; Padmasambhava Day in October; and Sangha Day in November.
CHRISTIANITY

Beliefs:
Christians believe in Trinitarian God, one God in three personas: God the Father (Creator),
God the Son (Savior), and God the Holy Spirit (Sustainer). Eternal life after death will be
achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. The Holy Bible is a selection of books, which is
divided into two ‒ the Old Testament and New Testament.
Customs and Practices:
The Sacrament of Baptism symbolizes the birth in Christian World. The Sacrament of
Communion is an act of remembrance of Jesus Christ’s sacrificial love.
Christmas and Resurrection (Easter) are the two major celebrations in Christianity.
HINDUISM

Beliefs:
Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, governed by Karma, a
concept where the reincarnated life will depend on how the past life was spent. Vedas are
sacred scriptures of Hindus. Mahabharata and Ramayana are two other important texts of the
Hindus.
Customs and Practices:
Diwali is the Festival of Lights. Navrati is the festival of nine nights, which celebrate the
triumph of good over evil. Hindus have set dates to honor particular manifestations of God.
ISLAM

Beliefs:
Islam means “willing submission to God.” Muslims believe in Allah, who is their “One
God”, in the unity and universality of God, that Mohammed is the last and final prophet
sent by God. The Holy Book of Islam is called the Quran.
Customs and Practices:
Muslims believe in the five pillars of Islam, which are the foundation of Muslim life:
1. Shahadah – statement of faith: “There is no God but the one true God and
Mohammed is his messenger.
2. Salat – the prayer that is practiced five times a day.
ISLAM

3. Zakat – the monetary offering for the benefit of the poor. It comprises the 2.5%
of a Muslim’s assets.
4. Hajj – the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca. Muslims who can afford are asked to do
the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime.
5. Sawm – the fasting. Muslims do fasting, from food, drink, and sexual act,
during the celebration of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic
lunar calendar. The fast is from dawn to sunset.
Eidul-Fitr is the celebration at the end of Ramadan, while Eidul-Adha is
celebrated within the completion of the Pilgrimage, the Hajj.
JUDAISM

Beliefs:
The Jews believe in the God of Abraham, in the coming of Messiah, the Savior. The
sacred scripture of the Jews is called the Torah or the Law.
Customs and Practices:
There are five major festivals observed by the Jews:
1. Rosh Hashanah – the New Year
2. Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement
3. Pesach – Passover
4. Shavuot – Pentecost
5. Sukkot – Tabernacles
The Jewish Sabbath begins on Friday evening at sunset and is an important time when
families gather for the Shabbat meal.
FINDING AND CREATING THE
MEANING OF LIFE
 LIFE OF VIKTOR FRANKL

❖ Like Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), and Alfred Adler (1870-1937),

Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) grew up in an urban Viennese
environment.
❖ Freud lived not far from Frankl’s home.
❖ Adler practiced across the street from the home of Frankl’s
parents.
❖ His life was influenced by the same events as Freud and Adler
✔ Political Dictatorship ✔ Annexation of Austria into Germany
✔ Economic Stagnation ✔ Anti-Jewish Legislation
✔ Nazi Occupation ✔ World War II
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“Work Makes You Free”

14
The Three Schools of
Viennese Psychotherapy:
1. Sigmund Freud
2. Alfred Adler
3. Viktor Frankl

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LOGOTHERAPY

- A psychotherapy introduced by Dr. Viktor Frankl

- The main belief is that “man’s primary motivational
force is search for meaning.”
- Aids individuals to find personal meaning of life,
whatever life situation they may be
- It uses the philosophy of optimism in the face of
tragedy.
LOGOTHERAPY

The Franklian Psychology has these basic concepts:

- Life has meaning under all circumstances.
- The main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in
life.
- Freedom to find meaning
Franklian Psychology aims to:
1. Become aware of spiritual resources;
2. Make conscious spiritual resources; and
3. Use “defiant power of the human spirit” and stand up
against adversity.
Frankl’s Sources of Meaning

1. Purposeful Work. Each individual has his/her own future

goal to achieve or a task to perform; the meaning of life
is unique to every individual.
2. Courage in the Face of Difficulty. To find meaning of life
is to recognize suffering, pain, and death as part of life
and to have the courage to face these life difficulties.
3. Love. “The ultimate secret on the spiritual foundation of
life is that love is salvation and joy eternity.” The
ultimate factor to find the meaning of life is love.