Confessions Of An Atheist -- New Internationalist Confessions of an atheist Belief in God is something most of us either take for granted or simply don't think about. But for others the question of faith is a central concern. Michael Goulder, an Anglican clergyman for nearly 30 years, explains what led him to become an atheist. IN 1981 I wrote to the Bishop of Birmingham to resign my Orders and became an atheist. Not a dogmatic atheist proclaiming that there is no God (how could I know that?) 'One thing is obvious', the confirming Bishop had said then, 'if there is a God, he is the most important thing there is.' But even at Cambridge the 'if' of God's existence was a problem. When I began to study theology, I soon learned that none of these ideas really settled the matter. That was not the answer I wanted to hear. I was soon to discover for myself a distinction which it took years to put into words: one might experience the presence of God, but one might also experience the action of God. Now I was going home in a train. Not to me.
Religions - Christianity: Jesus Who are the Yazidis? Profile of Iraq's misunderstood 'devil worshippers' But in their home town of Sinjar, from where they have now fled to the mountains above, they were welcoming in a way that belied their fearsome reputation as Satanists. For ordinary Iraqis, they are bogeymen to frighten children with. But for religious extremists through the centuries, they have been Devil-worshippers to be slaughtered. The misidentification came about because the Yazidis worship a fallen angel, the Malek Tawwus, or Peacock Angel. Their religion is not just an offshoot of Christianity or Islam. They have kept their religion alive through the Talkers, men who are taught the entire text of their missing holy book by memory as children, and who in turn pass it on to their own sons. Cars queue to leave the Hamdaniyah town of Mosul (Anadolu/ Getty) The Yazidis once lived in a wide area, across Iraq, Syria, Turkey, Georgia and Armenia. They have been persecuted both for their religious beliefs, and for their ethnicity. There are darker sides to the Yazidis.
5 Major World Religions - See What These Different Religions Believe about God By Marilyn Adamson We all want to make it through life with success, some sense that we did it right. So what about the major world religions? Is there anything in them that might give our lives greater depth and direction? The following looks at the major world religions... *Each of these religions has sects with differing beliefs. Most Hindus worship one Being of ultimate oneness (Brahman) through infinite representations of gods and goddesses. Hindus believe their position in this present life was determined by their actions in a previous life. A Hindu's goal is to become free from the law of karma...to be free from continuous reincarnations. Hinduism gives a person freedom to choose how to work toward spiritual perfection. New Age promotes the development of the person's own power or divinity. Highly eclectic, New Age presents itself as a collection of ancient spiritual traditions. Buddhists do not worship any gods or God. Are all religions worshiping the same God?
Religious pluralism Religious pluralism is an attitude or policy regarding the diversity of religious belief systems co-existing in society. It can indicate one or more of the following: As the name of the worldview according to which one's religion is not the sole and exclusive source of truth, and thus the acknowledgement that at least some truths and true values exist in other religions.As acceptance of the concept that two or more religions with mutually exclusive truth claims are equally valid. This may be considered a form of either toleration (a concept that arose as a result of the European wars of religion) or moral relativism.The understanding that the exclusive claims of different religions turn out, upon closer examination, to be variations of universal truths that have been taught since time immemorial. Definition and scope[edit] Religious pluralism, to paraphrase the title of a recent academic work, goes beyond mere toleration. History[edit] Bahá'í Faith[edit] Buddhism[edit] Christianity[edit]
Religions - Zoroastrian: The Parsis Major religious groups Religious movement with major international spread Worldwide percentage of adherents by religion, 2015[1] Other religions (0.5%) The world's principal religions and spiritual traditions may be classified into a small number of major groups, though this is not a uniform practice. This theory began in the 18th century with the goal of recognizing the relative levels of civility in different societies,[2] but this practice has since fallen into disrepute in many contemporary cultures. History of religious categories An 1821 map of the world, where "Christians, Mahometans, and Pagans" correspond to levels of civilization (the map makes no distinction between Buddhism and Hinduism). An 1883 map of the world divided into colors representing Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Mohammedans and Fetishists. Christian categorizations Initially, Christians had a simple dichotomy of world beliefs: Christian civility versus foreign heresy or barbarity. Islam categorizations Classification Religious demographics
Internet History Sourcebooks Project The History of the Sephardic Communities The New World Diaspora General 19th Century WEB Walnut Street 19th Century Jewish-American history, poetry and fiction, polemics and philosophy. Has an online library of 19th century Jewish books. WEB Jews in the Civil War Contains an impressive collection of original texts from both Union and Confederate sides. Catechism for Jewish Children 1863 [At Walnut Street] Yiddish Culture WEB Yiddish-Language Playscripts [At LOC] American Zionism Milton Steinberg: The Creed of An American Zionist, The Atlantic Magzine, Feb, 1945 [At The Atlantic Magazine, subscription required] WEB AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) Jews and the Political Left Albert Einstein: Why Socialism, 1949 [At the Monthly Review] Di Shvue (The Vow) [At ANU] The song of the Bund, the dominant party among East European Jews. Modern Jewish Religious Thought The Impact of Secular Jews on Modern Thought Modern Antisemitism Zionism The State of Israel
Books about World Religions for Kids This is the second post in a series on World Religions for Kids, a group of articles packed with resources to help teachers and parents teach their children about World Religions as a means to promote compassion, empathy, cultural understanding, and tolerance. These books are a sample of the incredible list of 300+ multicultural books featured in The Global Education Toolkit for Elementary Learners, a new book with hundreds of easy activities, resources, and projects to help busy educators incorporate global and cultural awareness in their classroom. Learn more here. The books contain affiliate links. General Books about World Religions Use these books to explore similarities and differences in traditions, rituals, beliefs, and celebrations of world religions for kids. Buller, Laura (2005). . DK Publishing (2011). New York, NY: DK. Glossop, Jennifer, & Mantha, John (2003). Lumbard, Alexis York (2014). Meredith, Susan (2012). . Osborne, Mary Pope (1996). Buddhism Demi (1997). . Christianity
Existentialism Existentialism is a catch-all term for those philosophers who consider the nature of the human condition as a key philosophical problem and who share the view that this problem is best addressed through ontology. This very broad definition will be clarified by discussing seven key themes that existentialist thinkers address. Those philosophers considered existentialists are mostly from the continent of Europe, and date from the 19th and 20th centuries. Outside philosophy, the existentialist movement is probably the most well-known philosophical movement, and at least two of its members are among the most famous philosophical personalities and widely read philosophical authors. It has certainly had considerable influence outside philosophy, for example on psychological theory and on the arts. Within philosophy, though, it is safe to say that this loose movement considered as a whole has not had a great impact, although individuals or ideas counted within it remain important. 1. a. b.
Islam Guide: A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam, Muslims, & the Quran Teachers . Thematic Teaching . World Religions . Grades 3-7 Activity Ideas About the Authors | Grades 3-7 Activity Ideas | Grades 8-12 Activity Ideas | Related Resources Religious Buildings Many religions include some form of community worship. Have students research religious buildings and address the following issues: When was this building constructed? Have children construct their building out of cardboard, clay, or other materials, or render it in painting or drawing. Web Resources: General Buddhism Judaism Islam Christianity Hinduism Spring Celebrations Spring is a time of celebration in many parts of the world. The Jewish faith celebrates two holidays in the Spring, Purim and Passover. Learn more about the history of these celebrations by visiting the following Web sites: As a class, create a three-act puppet show or other dramatization that "tells the story" of each holiday; put them in chronological order. Follow this by learning about the special stories and histories of other religions. Native American Stories We all have those memories.
Human Nature and the Purpose of Existence Written by: Nancy Khalek One of the most salient features of Sunni Islam is its emphasis on following and adhering to the custom and traditions of the Prophet (the Sunna). An essential aspect of this adherence is the emulation of Muhammad in everyday life. The idea of the Prophet as a model for behavior, ritual and otherwise, is an important part of Sunni devotion. Although worshipful Muslims often express their "relationship" with the Prophet as one based on affection or even love, this is not meant to imply that he is still alive or accessible to human beings. In the classical period of Islam, the codification of Sunni law included a categorization of different types of Sunna. Sunni jurists' considerations regarding the extent to which the Sunna should or had to be imitated in the daily lives of Muslims created three general categories of Sunna.