DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Region I
Schools Division Office I Pangasinan
LASIP NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Lingayen

Understanding Culture Society & Politics

Learning Module

Competency: Conduct participant observation (e.g., attend, describe, and reflect on a religious ritual of a different group; observe
elections practices) UCSP11/12HSOIIg-28
Name: _______________________________________Section: ____________________________Score: _________

Introduction to World Religions and Beliefs

Warm up:
1. What religion does your family practice?
_______________________________________________________________
2. What can you say about the belief of nature of God/Gods/Higher Power of Your Choice?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What do you believe happens to a person after death?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. If you are politically active, tell me about your political beliefs.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What party do you support, and why?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Why are religion and politics difficult to discuss?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. How do you feel about controversial issues, like abortion, gun control, gay marriage, the economy, our place in the
Middle East, et cetera? Why?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Key Notes
World Religions
I. Belief Systems (World Religions)
A. Purposes - Religion is a concept man uses to:
1. Explain the Unknown 2. Provide moral guidelines or laws to live by
B. Types of Belief Systems
1. Polytheistic – Belief in MORE THAN ONE god or divine being
Examples: Animism, Shinto, Hinduism, Daoism
2. Monotheistic – Belief in ONE god.
Examples: Judaism, Christianity, Islam
C. Characteristics of Belief Systems
1. Founder – A person who is usually honored as a deity or sacred person
Examples: Siddhartha Gautama – Buddhism, Abraham and Moses – Judais, Jesus – Christianity, Muhammad – Islam
2. Sacred Writings – Holy books or texts that provides an explanation to the origins of the religion, guidelines for behavior,
holy days of observance, as well as rituals and practices.
Examples: Vedas and Upanishads – Hinduism, Analects – Confucianism, Torah and Talmud – Judaism, Holy
Bible – Christianity, Qur’an – Islam
I - ANIMISM
1. Founder - There is no one person who is considered the founder of Animism
2.Geographic Origin - Developed worldwide in different parts of the world. (Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Australia)
3. Significant Writings – None but have an oral tradition of story-telling (oral history
4.Significant Religious People
a. Shaman - A person who communicates with the spiritual world and conducts rituals
b. Medicine Man/Woman - A healer or a person who can treat illnesses
c. Griot - A professional storyteller in a traditional African Animist society.
5. Beliefs: a. Religion that believes that each object has its own spirit and that ancestors watch over the living.
b. Polytheistic - Spirits are found in natural objects (living and nonliving objects)
 c. There is belief in a Supreme Being and in lesser gods.
d. Obey the gods and follow tradition and you will be rewarded with good harvests and many healthy children.
e. Failure to follow traditions would anger the Gods and result in hardships, crop failure, illness and death.
6. Practices:
a. Prayers and ceremonies keep gods on your side
b. Use of ceremonial masks as a way to receive what the people want or need.
II - JUDAISM
1.Who – Abraham, Moses
2.Where – Israel
3. Holy Books - Torah, and Talmud
4. Major Divisions – Orthodox, Conservative, Reform
5. Holy Symbol(s)
• tzitzit (fringe on shawl or clothing) and tefillin are reminders of the commandments
• The menorah(candelabrum) is the ancient universal symbol of Judaism
• The Jewish star is a modern universal Jewish symbol
6. Basic Beliefs
Monotheistic – one God
Jews are the chosen people of God, must follow his laws.
Jerusalem/Israel are holy lands.
III – CHRISTIANITY
1. Who – Jesus of Nazareth
2. Where – Israel
3. Holy Books – Old and New Testaments
4. Major Divisions – Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox
5. Holy Symbol(s) – The cross
6. Basic Beliefs - Jesus Christ is the son of God. Death and resurrection. Came to redeem mankind from sin.
IV- ISLAM
1. Who – Mohammed
2. Where – Arabian Peninsula
3. Holy Books – Quran (Koran) and the Hadiths (traditions)
4. Major Divisions – Sunni, Shia
5. Holy Symbol(s) - The Star and Crescent. The star and crescent is the best-known symbol used to represent Islam. It features
prominently on the featured-on flags of Turkey and Pakistan. The symbolized was popularized during the Ottoman Empire (1299-1922)
6. Basic Beliefs -There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of God. Quran is word of God. Muslims must perform
the “Five Pillars of Faith”.
7. The Five Pillars of Islam - the five obligations that every Muslim must satisfy in order to live a good and responsible life according
to Islam.
a. Shahadah: sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith
b. Salat: performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times each day.
c. Zakat: paying some alms (or charity) tax to benefit the poor and the needy.
d. Sawm: fasting during the month of Ramadan
e. Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca
V. HINDUISM
1. Founder - There is no one person who is considered the founder of Hinduism. It is believed that the Aryans and the people of the
Indus River Valley’s traditions formed the foundation of Hindu beliefs.
2. Geographic Origin - Developed in India approximately around 3000 BCE
3. Currently Practiced - Most commonly practiced in India. (80% of India is Hindu)
4. Significant Writings
a. Vedas - collections of prayers and verses about creation and reverence for nature
b. Upanishads - discussions about the soul and proper ways of behavior.
5. Significant Religious People – Hindu priests (Brahmins) carry out traditional religious practices in temples.
6. Beliefs:
a. Polytheistic – Brahma is the Supreme Being in the Hindu religion. Hindus believe in millions of different gods and are
considered manifestations of the one god Brahma. There are three main gods that control the cycle of life
*Brahma- the creator, *Vishnu- the preserver of life, *Shiva- the destroyer
b. Moksha - In Hinduism, salvation is achieved through a spiritual oneness of the soul with the Brahma. To achieve this goal,
the soul must obtain Moksha, or liberation from the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
c. Reincarnation – The belief that your soul is reborn into another body
d. Karma – deeds (actions, words, and thoughts) that impact your future
e. Dharma - fulfilling one's duty or occupation in life
f. Hindu cycle of life - The Hindu cycle of life can best be represented by the infinity symbol. It is believed that a person is
given life by Brahma, protected in life by Vishnu, until finally Shiva claims you in death. Then the cycle is repeated over and over
again until one finally achieves Moksha.
g. Caste System - A rigid class structure (hierarchy) of India that is based on Hindu beliefs.
7. Practices:
a. Prayer - Prayer and offerings at temples
b. Dharma - daily life is regulated by caste rules
c. Social discrimination – Limited caste interaction creates discriminatory practices and does not allow social mobility.
d. The Caste System was outlawed in 1947, but it is still widely practiced.
 e. Art - expression of faith through the arts
i. Good karma - if you follow the dharma you will be rewarded in the next life and move up the caste
j. Bad Karma - If you fail you fulfill your dharma, you will be punished and demoted in the caste system their following life.
k. Untouchables - are members of Hindu society thought to have been removed from the Caste System, with no hope of
returning to it, due to their misdeeds in previous lives. Work that is deemed unclean for all other Hindus is reserved for these Outcasts.
VI – BUDDHISM
1.Founder - Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha, which means "enlightened one."
2. Geographic Origin - Developed in India approximately around 500 BCE
3.Currently Practiced - Most common in Southeast Asia and East Asia. Through trade, migration and pilgrimages
4.Significant Writings – Tripitakan, or the Three Baskets of Wisdom.
5. Places of Worship - Buddhism may be practice individually, but temples and monasteries known as Pagodas can be used for
worship.
6. Significant Religious People - The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan sect of Buddhism. Buddhist monks can be
identified by their traditional orange robes
7. Beliefs: a. Buddha - Siddhartha Gautama was a prince born into the Brahmin caste, and led a luxurious lifestyle. However, he was
troubled by the human misery that he saw around him every day (death, illness and poverty). After meditating under a Bodhi tree, he
concluded that desire was the root cause of all suffering.
8. Four Noble Truths - Siddhartha's philosophy of the nature of human suffering and its relation to desire is articulated by these four statements:
1. Life is full of pain and suffering.
2. Human desire causes this suffering.
3. By putting an end to desire, humans can end suffering.
4. Humans can end desire by following the Eight-fold Path.

9. The Eight-Fold Path – Gautama’s guidelines on how to achieve Nirvana

1. Right views 5. Right livelihood
2. Right Aspirations 6. Right Effort
3. Right Speech 7. Right Mindfulness
4. Right Conduct 8. Right Contemplation
10. Reincarnation - Buddhists believe in an endless cycle of reincarnation, or samsara, which is similar to beliefs of Hinduism. Like
Hindus, Buddhists believe one’s karma influences a person’s reincarnation.
11. Rejects the Caste System - Instead Buddhists who believe that a person is reincarnated until they can achieve Nirvana, spiritual
enlightenment.
12. Nirvana – Spiritual enlightenment
13. Two sects of Buddhism:
1. Theravada Buddhist - South East Asia
I. Buddha’s Teachings - Closely followed Buddha’s original teachings –
2. Mahayana Buddhists – East Asia
II. Polytheistic - Combined with other East Asian polytheistic religions such as Daoism and Shinto and saw Buddha and
other holy beings as compassionate gods.
VII - G. CONFUCIANISM
1. Founder - Confucius, a scholar, philosopher and politician
2. Geographic Origin - Developed in China
3. Currently Practiced - Most commonly in China, as well as elements Southeast Asia and East Asia culture.
4. Significant Writings –The Analects
5. Beliefs:
a. Provided Stability - Confucius believed that social order and mutual respect would provide order and stability in society if
there were rules to guide behavior in the family unit, society and the government.
b. Filial Piety - respect for parents, above all duties, even loyalty to the state. Also, the needs and success of the group were
more important than those of the individual
c. Five Relationships - Confucianism teaches that there is a natural social order to society which can best be explained
through the Five Relationships: Ruler to subject, Father to son. Older brother to younger brother. Husband to wife. Friend to friend.
d. Superior and Inferior Relationships - In these relationships, the first role is considered superior to the second role and the
second role is considered subordinate to the first. It was taught that if everyone knew their place in society, then order would prevail.
e. Role of the Superiors - For example, the ruler must provide leadership, guidance and discipline to the subjects. This
would be the same for fathers, husbands and elders.
f. Role of Inferiors - For example, the subjects must show loyalty, love and compliance to the leader. This would be the
same sons, wives (women), younger generations.
g. Friend to Friend – friends are considered equal
6. Practices
a. Dynastic Cycle - As long as the rulers were good and did well for their people, they held the Mandate of Heaven. If, after
several generations, the dynasty becomes corrupt or does not protect their people, they will lose the Mandate of Heaven and a new
dynasty will take over.
b. Patriarchal Society - Women are subservient to men. In Confucius’ five relationships, women are mentioned only as the
inferior of men. However, women were to be respected if they were the mother of sons.
c. Ancestor Worship - Respect for and worship of ancestors because filial piety was stressed even after your ancestors’ death
d. Scholar Gentry -A well run system of government must be headed by educated, knowledgeable people and stressed the
importance of education for the upper class (scholar gentry).
e. Civil Service Exams – Exams based on Confucian principles that Chinese officials must pass in order to work for the
government.
VIII. DAOISM
1. Founder – Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher
2. Geographic Origin - Developed in China approximately around 500 BCE
3. Currently Practiced - Most commonly in China,
4. Significant Writings – Tao-te-Ching or The Way of Virtue
a. Daoism - It represents a naturalistic ideal of how one should live their life.
b. Dao - can be translated into English, meaning "the way." It is a philosophy which teaches that nature has a “way” in which
it moves, and that people should accept the “way” of nature.
c. Wu-Wei - concept of "not doing." This means that people should not act unnaturally by doing things, but rather should
openly accept the natural way.
d. Harmony in nature - An emphasis is placed on the link between people and nature. Taoism teaches that this link lessened
the need for rules and order and leads one to a better understanding of the world.
e. Government is unnatural - Daoist’s viewed governments as “unnatural” and believed that the best governments are the
ones that govern the least.
f. Yin and Yang - symbol that has also been used to illustrate the natural harmony that exists in the world. Everything must
have an opposing force that allows the harmonious universe to exist.
OTHER RELIGIONS
1. Baha‘i: a religion founded in Iran in 1863 by Husayn ‫ع‬Alī (called Bahaullah) teaching the essential worth of all religions, the unity
of all races, and the equality of the sexes
2. Jainism: a dualistic religion founded in the 6th century b.c.e. as a revolt against current Hinduism and emphasizing the
perfectibility of human nature and liberation of the soul, esp. through asceticism and nonviolence toward all living creatures. In
Jainism, nirvana means final release from the karmic bondage.
3. Shintoism: the native religion of Japan, primarily a system of nature and ancestor worship.
4. Sikhism: a monotheistic religion, founded in the Punjab c1500 by the guru Nanak, that refuses to recognize the Hindu caste system
or the Brahmanical priesthood and forbids magic, idolatry, and pilgrimages.
5. Zoroastrianism: an Iranian religion, founded c600b.c.by Zoroaster, the principal beliefs of which are in the existence of a supreme
deity, Ahura Mazda, and in a cosmic struggle between a spirit of good, Spenta Mainyu, and a spirit of evil, Angra Mainyu. Pre-Islam
Assessment:

1. It Is the belief in more than one god or divine being. _________________________________

2. It Is the belief in one god. _____________________________________
3. A person who is usually honored as a deity or sacred person.__________________________________________
4. Holy books or texts that provides an explanation to the origins of the religion, guidelines for behavior, holy days of
observance, as well as rituals and practices.______________________________________________________
5. In Animism, A person who communicates with the spiritual world and conducts rituals is called? _____________
6. It is a religion that believes that each object has its own spirit and that ancestors watch over the living._________
7. It is a religion which was founded by Abraham, Moses which also believe that Jews are the chosen people of God, must
follow his laws. _____________________________________________________________________
8. It is the most widely practiced religion in the world. Which was believed to be by founded the Jesus of Nazareth.
9. It is the Holy book of Catholics. __________________________________________________________________________
10. The God/ Founder of the Muslims is ______________________________________________________________________
11. What is the Holy book of Islam’s. ________________________________________________________________________
12. It is believed that the Aryans and the people of the Indus River Valley’s traditions formed the foundation of this belief. _____
13. In Hinduism collections of prayers and verses about creation and reverence for nature. _______________________________
14. Still in Hinduism, it is the discussions about the soul and proper ways of behavior.__________________________________
15. They are the Hindus Priest. ______________________________________________________________________________
16. He is the founder of Buddhism. ___________________________________________________________________________
17. What thus Buddha mean? _______________________________________________________________________________
18. Buddhists believe in an endless cycle of reincarnation, or samsara, which is similar to beliefs of Hinduism. In Buddhism this
is called? ____________________________________________________________________________________________
19. Research for the full name of the founder of Confucianism. ____________________________________________________
20. It is a religion that was developed and widely practiced in China. _______________________________________________
21. It is a exams based on Confucian principles that Chinese officials must pass in order to work for the government. _________
22. As long as the rulers were good and did well for their people, they held the Mandate of Heaven. If, after several generations,
the dynasty becomes corrupt or does not protect their people, they will lose the Mandate of Heaven and a new dynasty will
take over. This is called? ________________________________________________________________________________
23. It is the respect for parents, above all duties, even loyalty to the state. Also, the needs and success of the group were more
important than those of the individual.______________________________________________________________________
24. It is the sacred writings of Confucianism. ___________________________________________________________________
25. He is a Chinese philosopher who founded Daoism. ___________________________________________________________
26. In English, Dao means? _________________________________________________________________________________
27. It is a symbol that has also been used to illustrate the natural harmony that exists in the world. Everything must have an
opposing force that allows the harmonious universe to exist. ____________________________________________________
28. a religion founded in Iran in 1863 by Husayn ‫ع‬Alī (called Bahaullah) teaching the essential worth of all religions, the unity
of all races, and the equality of the sexes. ___________________________________________________________________
29. The native religion of Japan, primarily a system of nature and ancestor worship. ____________________________________
30. It is a monotheistic religion, founded in the Punjab c1500 by the guru Nanak, that refuses to recognize the Hindu caste
system or the Brahmanical priesthood and forbids magic, idolatry, and pilgrimages. _________________________________