Taoism Summary

Taoism

Part I

What is the human condition?

Humans are subject to changes, ascending and descending in their lives; People are born and they die. They should follow the natural order thus feelings, and needs should be allowed to manifest themselves as part of nature. Until the liberation is attained, they go through reincarnation. However, it should be noted that Taoism created by Lao Tzu doesn’t mention human condition thus no reincarnation. It is later joined in Hsien Taoism 200 year later.

What is the goal?

The Tao is the ultimate goal of Taoism. It could mean many things: God, the Truth, or the source of existence. To gain access to the Tao is to become an Immortal. When achieving the understanding of the natural world, one would gain experiential access to world’s wisdom and power, unifying with the primordial unity. At this point, he is in harmony with the world; anything he does benefits everything (Wu Wei).

How do we get there?

Meditation, inner alchemy and gigong forms are important to develop the understanding of the natural world. They are meant to focus awareness on the breath and flow of qi through bodies. The Taoist practice of aimless wandering through the natural world is supposed to rekindle the curiosity in nature and teach how to communicate with the spirits. There are many ways to attain the Tao as long as one respects the nature and acknowledges its change or impermanence, which leads to the Tao.

Part II

Key Concepts

1. Daojia and Daojiao – they are knowledge about two aspects of Taoism; Daojia is the philosophical Taoism that pertains to reflections of the Taoist sages, whose primary texts are Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi. Daojiao is the religious Taoism that explains religious activities of Taoism such as rituals and ceremonies.

2. Tao – it is the goal of Taoism. Explanation at “What is the goal?”

3. Yin and Yang – the elementary energies representing femininity and masculinity, which complement each other. They symbolize the balance of polarities, which produce the natural world. They are inter-related and mutually dependent; one cannot exist without another. The mixing movement represents its interrelationship and continuous interchanging into each other. The colors of white and black emphasize coexistence while little circles within them mean interdependent nature. Basically, it’s quintessential embodiment of interdependent balance.

4. Qi – the energy or force that every being requires to live on. It flows through meridians, which are the channels in the body in order to energize. It is central to the yogic Taoism.

5. The Five Elements – they are the five basic constituents of the natural world: metal, water, wood, fire and earth. The Ten-Thousand Things is the expression of the various ways that the five elements can combine to produce all the things in the natural world. They support and destroy each other, depending on their nature and connection.

6. Inner Alchemy (neidan) or Qigong – It’s a way to utilize and strengthen Qi in the body. Three types of Qi called The Three Treasure of Jing, Qi and Shen are cultivated by practicing Inner Alchemy, which eventually lead to the Tao. Inner Alchemy also implies that human bodies are vessels for the spiritual journey rather than something to be transcended; bodies are to be cultivated not to be tortured by starvation.

7. The Three Treasures – They are types of Qi that can be strengthened by Qigong practice. Jing or reproductive energy is located in the lower dantian of the lower abdomen. Qi or life energy is located in the middle dantian of the thoracic cavity aroud the heart. Shen or spiritual energy is located in the upper dantian of the head. Three dantians are the places for storing Qi.

8. The Three Purities – they are three highest deities like Trinity, representing three aspects of the divine nature. The Jade Pure One (Yuqing) a.k.a the Celestial Worthy of the Primordial Beginning is the central deity of the Three Purities. He appeared simultaneously at the beginning of time. He is known to create the writing system with the pattern of the world. So he is honored as the source of learning and author of the Taoist scriptures. The Supreme Pure One also known as The Celetial Worthy of the Numinous Treasure is the attendant of the Jade Pure One with the task of teaching the lesser beings Taoist scriptures. Lastly, The Grand Pure One also known as The Celestial Worthy of the Way and its Power manages the human world, appearing in many forms, one of which is Laozi, author of the Tao Te Ching.

9. The Bagua – The eight trigrams made for divination systems: Yijing and Fenshui, using Yin and Yang.

10. Grott-Heaven and Wholesome Earths – the imaginary place in China’s sacred mountains where Immortals reside. However it generally refers to places where spiritual energy is potent. The terrestrial branch of Fengshui and the practice of aimless wandering are relevant to those places.

Ritual

Worship

Baibai – It is the practice of offering incense to an altar, which represents the separation of pure from impure. Falling ashes are impure air that sinks whereas the smoke is pure air that rises. This practice also renders the human body as a connection to earth and sky with metaphors of ashes and smoke.

The arrangement of objects varies from sect to sect however there is a general style. The Sacred Lamp is centrally placed in front of the Deity being honored, representing the light of the Tao that permeates the entire cosmos. Two candles are placed on both sides of the Lamp, representing the moon or Yin and the sun or Yang. Three cups are located in front of the Lamp. The left cup contains water for Yang. The right one contains tea for Yin and the center on contains grains of uncooked rice for the union of Yin and Yang since rice demands both energy of Earth and Sky to grow. Five Plates of Fruit and Five Bowls of Food follows after the cups, representing the Five Elements. Fruits represent earlier heaven form characterized by a creative relationship between the elements whereas the food represents a destructive relationship. Lastly, an incense burner is located in front of the plates and bowls, representing the lower abdominal area of human body called lower Dantian where heat is generated to purify the Three Treasure. Within it, three incense sticks represent the Three Treasure.

It’s a fundamental practice that incorporates the idea of yogic Taoism and the Tao: Three Treasures, Ying and Yang, Five Elements etc. The purpose of it is to pray.

Festivals

There are seven major Taoist holidays based on lunar calendar: Chinese New year, Lantern Festival, Tomb Sweeping Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Ghost Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Double Ninth Day. They are also traditional Chinese festivals that are not so specific to Taoism alone.

Chinese New Year is celebrated by many religions, however the majority of the deities are Taoist: the Jade Emperor, the Kitchen God, Hongjun Laozu, Tainguan.

Lantern Festival celebrates the first full moon of the year and commemorates the birthday of Tianguan, Taoist god responsible for good fortune. On that day, people hang lanterns and walk with them, enjoying Tangyuan- a kind of dumpling made of sweet rice, rolled into balls and stuffed with sweet feelings. Eating the sticky Tangyuan symbolizes family unity (sticking together) and happiness.

Tomb Sweeping Day is meant to celebrate the coming of spring and to remember the ancestors with the burning of joss paper called spirit money.

Ghost Festival is to honor the ancestors when the lines of communication between the three realms of Heaven, Hell and Earth are more open than any other times. The ghosts and sprits come to the living unlike Tomb Sweeping Day where the living visits the dead. Joss paper is used and empty seats are left in a table to invite the ancestors. Another tradition is floating down a small paper boats to guide the ancestors back to where they belong.

Double Ninth Festival is on 9^th day of the 9^th lunar month where nine is the typical yang number in Chinese numerology. A day with two nines is considered to be imbalanced so people go hiking or drink chrysanthemum wine to protect themselves from two much of yang energy. The climbing of mountains represents climbing to a higher position, symbolic of an increase in health, happiness and prosperity as well as longevity that the number nine is also associated with. Chrysanthemum is supposed to have many physical and spiritual benefits. Traditionally flower cake is consumed as well because rice cakes are called gao which is homophone for height, linking back to climbing the mountain. The last tradition is that people carry dogwood as a way to prevent disease and protect health and prosperity.

However I got the impression that most of them are based on Confucius ideas: Family, ancestors, though Double Ninth day is authentically Taoist. Confucius and Taoist ideas govern China.

Sacred Text

Tao Te Ching is the most important scripture in Taoism, written by Laozi (Lao Tzu), creator of Taoism. Tao means way – the natural order of the universe. Te means virtue and Ching means a canon, therefore Tao Te Ching is the canon of the way and virtue. The book is composed of 81 short poems, ranging from political advice of rulers to practical wisdom for people. Metaphor and poetry are used frequently in the text, implying the Tao cannot be taught explicitly but it should be achieved by experience while learning Tao Te Ching is supposed to help the thinking.

The first lines of the Tao Te Ching state that the Tao is ineffable, transcending language. Texts cannot teach the Tao.

The Way that can be told of is not an unvarying way;

The names that can be named are not unvarying names.

It was from the Nameless that Heaven and Earth sprang;

The named is but the mother that rears the Ten Thousand Things, each after its kind. (chap. 1, tr.Waley)

The Tao Te Ching promotes knowledge and humility. Knowledge in Taoism is not only about knowing facts but also about the self thus creating humility. It is based on teaching how to act at an individual level.

Knowing others is wisdom;

Knowing the self is enlightenment.

Mastering others requires force;

Mastering the self requires strength;

He who knows he has enough is rich.

Perseverance is a sign of will power.

He who stays where he is endures.

To die but not to perish is to be eternally present. (chap. 33, tr. Feng and English)

The Tao Te Ching recognizes polarity and relativity of the world, rendering them natural. Nothing is forced but fluid.

When Beauty is recognized in the World

Ugliness has been learned;

When Good is recognized in the Wordl

Evil has been learned

In this way:

Alive and dead are abstracted from growth;

Difficult and easy are abstracted from progess;

Far and near are abstracted from position;

Strong and weak are abstracted from control;

Song and speech are abstracted from harmony;

After and before are abstracted from sequence.

Many translations are written by people with a foundation in Chinese language and philosophy who try to convey the original meaning. However, it is written in classical Chinese, which is hard for well-educated native speakers to understand. When I was trying to get a copy of it, the most popular version of Tao Te Ching in Amazon is written by an author who doesn’t understand Chinese. I guess even the inaccurate translation doesn’t void its authority. More like, there is no authority on it because everything comes from personal interpretation so if the inaccurate version gives some ideas, it’s good, because one learns something.

Doctrines and Beliefs

Key Doctrine

The key doctrine is conforming to the nature so to attain the Tao. Wu-Wei is an example of it. It is the action of non-action referring to a state where actions are naturally conforming without a thought or effort to the world or “going with the flow”. In the Tao Te Ching Laozi introduces his ideal of the enlightened leader with the principles of Wu Wei, who is able to rule in a way that creates happiness and prosperity for all. The practice of Wu Wei is the highest form of virtue that is not premeditated yet spontaneous. There are kinds: Wu Nien – the thought of non-thought, Wu Shin – the mind of non-mind. It is emphasized in philosophical Taoism even though it a shared idea among all the denominations. It is not particularly intended for anyone: any Taoist pursues it.

Different schools of though / denominations

There are three main types of Taoist practice: Quanzhen (complete reality), Lingbao (Numinous Treasure), and Shangqing (Highest Clarity).

Quanzhen focuses on the Inner Alchemy, primarily concerned with longevity and immortality through the alchemy. Following the nature for the Tao, studying the Five Elements and Yin and Yen are important. Its Qigong is so akin to raja yoga. So it is the yogic Taoism.

Lingbao focuses on religious ideas along with reincarnation borrowed from Buddhism. Five Talismans is the most important text. So it is the religious Taoism: it’s more based on ceremonies and rituals.

Shangqing focuses on meditation techniques with the recitation of the sacred canon, which transforms an attitude toward life; knowledge changes life. So it is philosophical Taoism.

Cosmogony and Cosmology

In the beginning is Wuji or Tao (Undifferentiated Unity). From it, Qi emerges, represented by complementary Yin and Yang – the emergence of duality/polarity out of the Unity or Tao. From Yin and Yang, the Five Elements emerges: Wood (greater Yang), fire (lesser Yang), earth (neutral), water (lesser Yin) and Metal (greater Yin), which lead to the eight trigrams (Bagua) – the formation of the elemental constituents of the phenomenal world. From the Five Elements, the Ten-Thousand Things are created – the world.

Religious Experience

Individual experience

Qigong is Taoist version of Raja Yoga based on Qi and meridian. Physical benefits of Qigong practice are conspicuous because it is like yoga. The smoother flow of Qi by Qigong creates positive and meditative minds. As the practice deepens, Qigong is supposed to open the third spiritual eye that allows seeing the patterns of the natural world, leading to the Tao.

Meditation

Aimless wandering is a Taoist practice of a walking meditation where understanding the world with sensory perception is required rather than thoughts. One just observes and appreciates the nature. It’s like vipassana meditation: one is focusing on senses, not understanding philosophical thoughts.

Ethics and Moral Conduct

There are ten precepts with twelve vows, recorded in the Chischu Yujue (Red Writings and Jade Instructions). They are adapted from the Bodhisattva vows of Mahayana Buddhism in the 5^th century, where practitioners vow to attain liberation for other’s benefits. As usual, abstinence from killing, lying, stealing, sexual misconduct and intoxication is emphasized.

Some in the Ten Precepts that are unique to Taoism are “Maintain purity and be withdrawing in your social interactions”, and “Don’t be envious if others are better than yourself ! Don’t contend for achievement and fame! Be retiring and modest in all things” the former means modesty and the latter means humility.

Among the Twelve Vows, it is “I will receive the teachings and spread them so that innumerable living beings may be saved,” reflecting the Buddhist idea of Bodhisattva. They are so simple that interpretation doesn’t cause division between sects.

Useful Websites.

http://taoism.about.com/

http://www.comparativereligion.com/man.html#07

http://www.daoistcenter.org/terms.html

http://www.goldenelixir.com/index.html

Islam Take Home Test

Paper 1

1) a) The main doctrines of Islam referred to in the verse are Shahada implying Tawhid, Muhammed, and divinity of Koran sent by Allah and promulgated by Muhammed .

b) Without spiritual guidance by Allah, specifically Koran, people would forget fitra, committing ghaflah. They accumulate transgression and will go to Jahanam on Yawmuddin, according to judgment of Allah.

2) 2) a) This verse tells us about freewill that Allah has given us so that we can decide between the good and the evil.

b) the Islamic understanding of evil is that there is no ultimate existence of evil that tempts people to do malignment but human beings are responsible for what they choose to do, whether evil or good. Satan mentioned in Koran is mental aspect of human minds that tend to pursue the path of evil such as greed or etc. It can be overcome by following Allah’s words in the Koran, the Five Pillars and Hadiths.

Paper 2

1) Compare and Contrast the basis for authority of Quran and Hadiths

Authority of Quran and Hadiths is different as evident as how Quran starts as Allah says whereas the Hadiths do as the Prophet says.

Muslims believe that the Quran in its entirety is the words of Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad as the final message. Muhammad distinguished clearly between his own words and the words of Allah. After revelation came onto him, he ordered followers not to dictate his prophetic words in the Quran but Words from Allah in order to insure that they wouldn’t be mixed up. Hadiths are Sunnahs of the Prophet Muhammad. It includes narrations of his deeds and words that helps understand the Quran and its application.

However they are similar in a way that they are both exemplary to follow with authority over Muslims.

“almost all religions traditions condemn the intentional killing of another human being, except in specific cases such as retaliation’ an eye for an eye’, war or criminal punishment ’”

2) how far does the underlying principle of this statement apply to Islam?

The underlying principle of the statement applies to Islam to a great extent. The policy of an eye for an eye called “The law of equality” is well prescribed in the Quran (2:178) as well, meaning it is permissible to slay the murder the same way he slew his vitim. However instead, a relative of the slain can make an exception so that the murdered can pay with monetary assets rather than a life, slave or wife.

O ye who believe! the law of equality is prescribed to you in cases of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman. But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude, this is a concession and a Mercy from your Lord. After this whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty. (The Noble Quran, 2:178)"

1) “… then marry women of you choice, two, three or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly then only one” (Quran 4:3)

“you are never able to do justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire, but turn not away from a woman altogether (Quran 4:129)”

3) with reference to the two verses above from the same Medinian sura ( revealed soon after the battle of Uhud), analyze the possible reasons for the practice of polygamy in Islam.

After the battle of Uhud which caused casualties on men, they were a number of widows and orphans however they weren’t allowed to make a living themselves, due to the laws in the Quran. Therefore by allowing polygamy, the vulnerable population could sustain their lives with a new husband and father.

After taking over the Mecca, Muslims needed to stabilize the mayhem as soon as possible, and the way they chose is combining two families by marriage in order to create alliances

As verses mentioned, men are allowed more than one wife up to four because men tend to covet other women, which causes infidelity. However men wouldn’t commit infidelity because they can marry more wives, keeping himself to his wives (which is a pretty odd explanation).

2)

Islam IV

What is the human condition?

Islam shares the story of genesis with Judeo-Christianity however it differs from them, when it comes to the concept of original sin. Adam and Eve committed transgression of disobeying Allah’s rule and Allah punished them. However they repented, and were forgiven by Allah therefore the rest of humanity doesn’t suffer, due to the original sin. It also leads to a belief that humans are not born sinful, but divine-natured (Fitra) so they are entitled to self-respect and healthy self-image. when they forget their divine origin, that’s a sin called ghaflah and it has to be reminded by religious acts.

Where are we going?

On the day of judgment (al-Qiyamah), humans will be decided on which afterlife (Akhira) they will live. According to Allah’s judgment, people will go to either Jannah or Jahannam. People with spiritual lethargy which ghaflah induces will go to Jahnnam and vice versa. Each soul will be held accountable for its actions.

How do we get there?

In order to go to jannah, humans shouldn’t forget about their divine origin and its innate demand to do good deeds. Since they get distracted by ghaflah, having faith in Quran and practicing Five Pillars: Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj will help them stay on the course. Above pillars include accepting Muhammed and Allah as well as surrendering oneself to Allah (Islam). Every sin would be forgivable except for Shirk referring to worshiping polytheistic gods, which is an express ticket to janaham.

Islam Themes

Rituals

-Lifetime

Hajj is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia and is also the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able Muslim who can afford to do so. It is a demonstration of submission and devotion to God. Everyone is required to wear same white sheet, signifying equality.

-Artifacts

Black Stone is an Islamic ancient sacred stone building towards which Muslims pray in the center of Kabah. It is as symbolic as cross for Christians no matter what the origin is.

-Rites of passage

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islam calendar when Muslims go on fasting, refraining from eating, drinking, having sex, smoking and indulging in anything that is excessive or ill-natured from dawn until sunset. It is intended for self-discipline, empathy and religious experience

-Worship

Salat is one of Five Pillars, referring to the formal five times prayers with formal procedures prescribed in Quran. The purpose of Salat is to show devotion to Allah as well as to put the life back in perspective by actions on regular intervals.

-Festivals / holidays

Eid al-Adha is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God but instead was able to sacrifice a ram. Eid is also about spending time with family and friends as well as thanksgiving for being able to afford food and housing. One third of meat is give to the poor as a gift. It occurs at the end of Hajj.

-Gender issues

Hijab is head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women, interpreted as suppression on women by the West. However it’s intended for women’s sake presenting modesty, privacy and morality, which protects from malicious men.

-Societal rituals (worship, dietary laws)

Zakat is one of the Five Pillars, referring to the giving of small percentage (2.5%) of one’s possessions to charity to the poor and needy as the welfare contribution to poor and deprived Muslims. Zakat is not supposed to be used for Islamic community or religion but the poor and deprived. It teaches empathy

Text

-Some key text (prayer)

Say thou (O Muhummed to the people): "I am but a man like you: it is revealed to me by inspiration, that your God is One God: so stand true to Him, and ask for His forgiveness". And woe to those who join gods with God. (HOLY QURAN 41:6)

This prayer states Muhamed was a human but god therefore Muslims shouldn’t worship him but Allah.

-Composition of Quran

Muhamed was bombarded with divine revelations that afterwards were written down by recitation and dictation in Quran. The language used in Quran is rhythmically written that citing it sounds like a song. It is also narrated in first person of God unlike gospels. It is continuation of Old and New Testaments. It’s doctoral rather than historical and it’s organized, starting from the longest verse from the shortest one.

Doctrines / Beliefs

-Statements of belief – creeds

Shahada is the first of five pillars, Muslim declaration of belief in the oneness of Allah and acceptance of Muhamed as his prophet. It is considered most important part of five Pillars because it indicates faith in Islam itself. â ilâha illallâh, Muḥammadur rasûlullâh "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God

-Eschatology

al-Qiyamah, the Last Judgment. All people will be judged, according to accumulation of their virtue and misdeeds. The righteous will go to Jannah and the opposite will go to Jahannam. It’s the same as Christian eschatology.

-Cosmology

The Quran mentions seven heavens and a vast universe sustained by Allah. There are Judged Universe (Divine) where people live forever after judgment, and Test Universe where things are imperfect.

Religious experience

-Group / individual experience

Jumuah is a congregational prayer that Muslims hold every Friday led by Imam, brought together by the Muezzin and it’s intended for communal purpose.

Ethics and moral conduct

It is based on Quranic teachings for which Muhamed was sent. Ethics is focused on unified community based upon Islamic piety, an Ummah and oneness of Allah, humility and piety.

-What are the beliefs concerning marriage, dress, elders, killing, divorce?

Islam considers marriage as a solemn family relationship between a man and a woman, based on mercy and love. It is social and legal relationship intended to strengthen and extend family relationship. It begins with a search for an appropriate partner and ends with an agreement of marriage, the contract, and the wedding party. Of course they seek guidance from Allah.

-What is blasphemy?

Blasphemy in Islam is any irreverent behavior, which offends a Muslim. The Quran condemns such behavior and Sharia provides penalties for blasphemy including fines, imprisonment, flogging, amputation, crucifixion, hanging or beheading. Muslim clerics may call for the killing of an alleged blasphemer by issuing a fatwa. Blasphemy includes to speak ill of Allah, to find fault with Muhammad, to insult ay prophet and members of Muhamed’s family, to draw a picture to represent Muhammed or to make a film which features a prophet, to write Muhammad’s name on the walls of a toilet, to name a teddy bear Muhammad and to state facts such as Muhammad’s parents were not Muslims, etc.

-sharia (divine) law and qanun (human) law

Sharia refers to the way Muslims should live, derived from the Quran and Hadith. It’s considered God’s law and cannot be changed by humans in contrast to Qanun, manmade law enacted by temporal authorities. Traditionally, Islamic jurisprudence interprets and refines Sharia by extending its principles to address new questions, even though there are different interpretations depending on the school of thought. Sharia deals with many aspects of life, including crime, politics, economics, banking, business etc.

Huston Smith Islam Part III

Kabah, Mueszzin, Mihrab

When Muezzin starts chanting for regular praying time, people face toward Kabah, the sacred site where the black stone is located. To help find the direction, Muslims use Mihrab, which is a niche in the wall of a mosque as a divinity compass.

Imam, Medina, Muhammad

After Muhamed took refuge in Medina and settled there, rendering it an headquarter for Islam, he became an imam, an Islamic position for spiritual and communal work.

Sadaqa, Rasul

A rasul is a prophet who delivers beneficial messages to people; one of them is Sadaqa, which is voluntary charity for public welfare.

Huston Smith: Islam

Background

Question: what is background for Islam

1. Only one God Allah shared with Judaism and Christianity

2. Islam shares the story until Ishmael went to Mecca and Isaac remained in Palestine

Thesis: Islam is monotheism diverged from Judaism

The Seal of the Prophets

Question: what is the meaning of the Seal of the Prophets?

1. Muhamed completed Islam as the last prophat.

2. people felt almost no obligation to anyone outside their tribes before Muhamed, which caused a hostile and chaotic situation

3. he was a normal guy who lost their parents at the young age yet remained compassionate and trustworthy.

4. the general immorality and cynicism of his day disgusted him.

5. he was appointed as a messenger of God’s words, which panicked him to distrusting himself however his wife, Khadija settled him into becoming a believer.

6. he devoted his life to spreading God’s words and it caused hostility from ruling tribes, however, eventually he succeeded to attract people.

Thesis: Muhamed is called the Seal of the Prophets because he is their culmination that completed Islam.

The Migration That Led to Victory

Question: how does the migration help him achieve victory?

1. Muhamed gave rise to a revolution and in reaction to that, dominant groups were determined to get rid of him.

2. they tried to assassinate him but he bailed out on them to Yathrib.

3. he became a statesman and assimilated all the different ethnic groups.

4. the rulers from Mecca tried to crash his status by putting the city in a siege however they failed to succeed and Muhamed returned to Mecca as a ruler.

5. he died in A.D. 632 with all the Arabia under his control

Thesis: Migration helped him to take control of Mecca, which is a headquarter for Arabians and settle Islam as the primary religion.

The Standing Miracle

Question: what is the standing miracle?

1. Muhamed considered Koran the only major miracle God worked through him.

2. illiterate Muhamed wrote down contents that cover magnificent knowledge with grammatical correctness as well as elaborate expressions.

3. the created Koran is derived from the uncreated Koran that cannot be written in human language but the created Koran still holds significance of God’s words.

4. he received revelation at random moments, which had physical weight.

5. The Koran is continuation of earliers revelation, Old Testament and New Testament, lacking the defects that they had.

6. the power of the koranic revelation lies not only in the literal meaning of its words but also in the language in which this meaning incorporated, including its sound.

7. Koran is directly doctrinal and indirectly historical unlike the testaments with stories in them

8. God himself talks in the first person in Koran

Thesis: the standing miracle means the Koran written by Muhamed, which has extraordinary features, compared to the other religious texts.

Basic Theological Concepts

Question: what are basic theological concepts in Islam?

1. the theological concepts of Islam are virtually identical with those of Judaism and Christianity except for a few.

2. of them, most important concepts are God, Creation, the Human Self and the Day of Judgment.

3.God is immaterial but no Muslim doubt him, unique so to eliminate confusion of faith, ultimately godly unlike human, fear-inspiring to guide his people, merciful to create the world.

4. the world was created by a deliberate act of Allah’s will so it is real and important as well as good.

5. Humans are created by God in a divine way, so it’s a sin to forget their divine origin, showing gratitude and selflessness.

6. they are accountable for actions and will be judged by them on the Judgment Day. It is encouraged by the idea of Hell and Heaven.

Thesis: they are God, Creation, Human and the Judgment day, similar to those in Judaism and Christianity to a certain extent.

The Five Pillars

Question: what are the Five Pillars and why are they important

1.Five Pillars are instructions on how to live a life, given by the Koran.

2. the first is Shahadah that can be condensed in a sentence “There is no god but God and Muhammad is His Prophet”.

3. the second is five times prayers in order to illuminate gratitude for existence as well as keep life in perspective.

4. the third is charity that enforces equal democracy.

5. the fourth is the observance of Ramadan that helps understand hunger and self-discipline.

6. the fifth is pilgrimage to heighten devotion to God as well as a reminder of equality and mediation.

Thesis: they are instructions that Muslims follow and each have a purpose.

Social Teachings

Question: what are social teachings in Islam

1. Muhamed changed the social order on prosperity of Islam where intertribal violence was prevalent previously.

2. the Koran deals with economics in a realistic way so that wealth can be well distributed while stimulating economics with capitalistic competition.

3. the Koran has improved the status of women with all the basic democratic rights, compared to the pre-Koran era when they were regarded as possession, not holding any right whatsoever.

4.the Koran debases racial discrimination, advocating interracial co existence.

5. the Koran doesn’t condone the use of force as considered to do by Westerners, but necessary use of defensive force such holy wars.

Thesis: the Koran deals with society with elaborate details that could only be found in modern democracy.

Sufism

Question: what is Sufism?

1. Sufis are the mystics of Islam who practice Islam apart from Sunnis or Shittes.

2. they believe in hidden meanings and inner symbolism rather than practical and explicit guideline from the Koran.

3.they constituted a spiritual elite, aspiring higher than other Muslims and willing to assume the heavier disciplines their extravagant goals required.

4. they contemplate over God’s love, go into a trace state to experience the truth of God and decipher symbolism in the Koran.

5. they consider their own existence is a sin because it doesn’t conform to Allah.

Thesis: Sufism is a denomination of people who pursue the spiritual truth rather than be satisfied with what’s given to him.

Whither Islam?

Question: how does the future of Islam look?

1. it is adjusted for Westernization and industrial modernization, not opposing the Koran

2. the number of followers is increasing

Thesis: it’s looking GOOD. It is adapted as the time demands and consequently people realize the benefits of Islam, converting to it.

Denomination Comparison

Jehovah's Witness and Catholic

what is Christianity?

Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. Christians believe that Jesus is a Son of God, incarnate of God or the savior of the world. He suffered and died for other's sins, which became the most crucial teaching: compassion. Afterwards, he resurrected divinely, giving people chance of salvation, if they believe in him. Christianity is the largest religion on the earth.

What is the core of each denomination?

The main belief of Jehovah's Witness is inexistence of Trinity but Jehovah as the only god. Christ is not equal to God the father, but an archangel, Michael, created by God and later became a messiah after baptism. Even Holy Spirit is considered a force or influence that Jehovah has over people, rendering Trinitarianism Satan-inspired polytheism.

The main belief of Catholic is apostolic church where the meaning of the Bible is decided by Apostles, or Bishops nowadays. St. Peter is considered the first pope and every pope since him is his spiritual successor. Therefore Pope has the ultimate authority, succeeding Christ directly.

What are three distinct similarities of these two denominations?

The Bible is the divine text that the belief of each religion comes from.

Humans are given free will by God.

Christ is the role model for humans to follow and he sacrificed himself for humanity.

What are three distinct differences between these two denominations

Authority: In Catholic, bishops decide the meaning of the bible by their interpretations whereas in Jehovah’s Witness, a Governing body of elders decides on doctrinal matters. They sound the same however, bishops are people who have power over others whereas elders are people who have practiced more than others so that they know better.

Idea of Christ: According to Jehovah’s Witness, Christ is an archangel Michael who was reborn in form of Human. they don’t even believe bodily resurrection of Jesus. Whereas according to Catholic, Christ is the Son of God and man as Christianity manifests.

Idea of Salvation: in Catholic, people seek salvation, starting with baptism and then believing in Christ, followed by virtuous actions. They also believe the idea of purgatory before they are judged after deaths. In Jehovah’s Witness, Jesus Christ as a spirit returned to earth invisibly in 1914 and is working through his organization to re establish Jehovah's kingdom over the earth. The final battle between Jehovah and Satan will start, seen by 144000 witnesses, who will gain salvation. Besides, there is no hell, meaning dead people are forever dead. So only 144000 will be salvaged upon the coming of the divine kingdom

Gospel Comparing

Mark: Jesus’ Burial and John: Burial

Comparison

Joseph asked for the body of Jesus and Pilate granted it after confirming his death.

Jesus was buried in a Jewish manner.

It was the day of Preparation, the day before the Sabbath.

Contrast

Joseph was a member of the council who also had a belief in the Kingdom of God in Mark’s whereas he was a disciple of Jesus in John’s.

Joseph alone buried Jesus in Mark’s while Nicodemus and Joseph buried him in John’s.

Pilate summoned the centurion and inquired on the death of Jesus for the burial in Mark’s whereas soldiers confirmed the death when they tried to take executed bodies off for the Sabbath day. Besides, they harmed the body by piercing him with a spear before the burial.

Overview

Overall, the gospel of John has more descriptions on the process as well as explanations on Jewish traditions, which might show that it’s targeting non-Jewish population, whereas the gospel of Mark lists the facts in short sentences, especially focused on the fact that Jesus died and buried.

Mark: Empty tomb and resurrection and John: the resurrection.

Comparison

The stone was rolled by a mysterious force.

The very person who found Jesus resurrected is female.

Contrast

When finding the stone rolled out, Mary Magadalene was alone in John’s whereas there were Mary Magadalen and Mary the mother of James and Salome.

Jesus was anointed before he was put in a tomb in John’s whereas Marys were going to anoint Jesus after the Sabbath.

In Mark, it seems that God granted their wish to move the stone for anointment when they realized the blockage whereas the stone was moved in advance before Mary arrived the tomb in John.

Marys found Jesus, entering the tomb, who told other disciples in astonishment, even though they didn’t believe it in Marks. In Johns, many disciples came altogether, ending up without discovery of Jesus’ trace, however Mary remained and encountered angles that brought Jesus in front of her. Afterwards, she told the disciples about it.

Overview

This section is especially emphasized by the presence of females. They are the ones who cared to attend to the tomb and found Christ. However nobody was willing to believe what they said around the time when females didn’t hold much credibility. This must be related to faith in some way but I can’t connect any more dots to plot a bigger picture.

Introduction to Gospels

Introduction to Gospels

-Written over the course of almost a century after Jesus's death, the four gospels of the New Testament, though they tell the same story, reflect very different ideas and concerns.

-Before written documents, people were passing on the tradition of what happened to Jesus, what he stood for and what he did orally. Oral tradition included stories of Jesus' miracles and healing, his parables and teachings and his death

-the gospels are very peculiar types of literature; they are not biographies. what they do is proclaim their individual authors' interpretation of the Christian message through the device of using Jesus as a spokesperson for the evangelists' position.

-Each of the four gospels depicts Jesus in a different way. these characterizations reflect the past experiences and the particular circumstances of their authors' communities as well as the growing tensions between Christians and Jews.

-Despite these differences, all four gospels contain the passion narrative: the central story of Jesus' suffering and death

The Gospel of Mark

-It was the first attempt to tell the story of the life and the death of Jesus and this narrative began the gospel tradition.

-He probably composed his work in or about the year 70 CE, after the failure of the First Jewish Revolt and the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple at the hands of the Romans. That destruction shapes how Mark tells his story.

-The gospel of mark is really about the death of Jesus and the hope of his return when God brings an end to the present evil age.

-In Mark's story, the High Priest dispatches Jesus to Pilate who sentences him to death. It is the death that reveals his true identity. With deliberate irony, the figure who recognizes that identity is a Roman soldier

-In Mark's story, jesus is buried in a tomb. His original ending of the gospel does not contain an account of the resurrection, but it's added by a later author

The Gospel of Matthew

-Writing for a jewish Christian Audience, Matthew's main concern is to present Jesus as a teacher even greater than Moses.

-the Evangelist who composed the gospel of Matthew was probably a Jewish Christian and he addressed his work to a community in conflict with Pharisees who pushed Jewish Christians out of the larger communities. It's very important for Matthew that Jesus is the son of Abraham to resolve the conflict.

-Matthew grounds his entire work in the traditions of Judaism so that he can present Jesus as a teacher even greater Moses. Accordingly, Matthew uses his sources to create a somewhat different narrative.

-In Matthew's gospel, Jesus delivers five major speeches, which parallel the five great books of Moses known as the Pentateuch. the First and most important is the Sermon on the Mount.

-Matthew makes the Pharisees the hypocrites. Matthew's attitude toward the Pharisees is reflected in the way he tells the story of the death of Jesus. Pontius Pilate is portrayed as a sympathetic figure and the blame is placed on the Jewish leaders.

The Gospel of Luke

-The author of Luke wrote for a community which also awaited the arrival of God's kingdom, but which was concerned about its life in another kingdom, the Kingdom of Caesar. It is learning to live and to flourish in the Roman world, becoming absorbed into its surrounding society and clture. Luke wants to assure that there is no conflict between faith in Jesus and loyalty to the Emperor

-According to Luke, the birth of Jesus occurred in Bethlehem because bethlehem is the city of King David; Luke is drawing a direct parallel between the first king of Israel and the new king, Jesus Christ.

-Jesus of Luke is a powerful figure and he offers advice on how to live a good life besides doing a series of blessings addressing the peoples' physical needs.

-the most notable difference between Luke's gospel and others is its sense of joy. the gospel begins with the joyous account of Jesus' birth and ends on the victorious note of Jesus' resurrection and ascension into heaven

-Luke's Jesus is not only a king, he also resembles a Greek philosopher or a semi-divine hero portrayed in Greek stories.

Gospel of John

-the so-called spiritual gospel which presents Jesus as the stranger from heaven stands apart from the other three.

-If Matthew's Jesus resembles Moses and Luke's Jesus resembles a Greek Philosopher, John's Jesus resembles the Jewish ideal of heavenly wisdom

-Another feature of John's gospel is that Jesus speaks in long monologues, rather than pithy statements or parables.

-He openly proclaims his divinity and insists that the only way to the Father is through him. The central them of this work is ascent/descent. He knows the Father; belief in him is the only way to reach the Father, the only way to salvation, whereas Jews didn't recognized it.

-The gospel itself suggests that its members were in conflict with the followers of John the baptist and were undergoing a painful separation from Judaism.

The Emergence of the Canon

-The New Testament, published in Christian bibles used around the world, contains 27 manuscripts or texts. the most prominent of these are the four gospels known as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

-As the number of Christian communities grew, so did the number of gospels. Irenaeus felt the need to limit the number of gospels to four.

-The choice of these four gospels reflects the preferences and practices of a growing majority of early Christian communities.

[I believe that the article is incomplete. Therefore I end with only three points]

Christianity Vocabulary + Paragraphs

Trinity

-Trinity is the Christian idea of the unity of the father, son and Holy Spirit as three persons in one main god. The religion is still monotheistic and the separate entities constitute one God.

Repentance

-Repentance is a change of thought and action to correct a wrong and gain forgiveness from God, ceasing sin against. It includes living according to religious laws and admission of guilt.

Incarnation

-Incarnation is the conception and birth of a sentient creature that is the material manifestation of an entity, god or force whose original nature is immaterial. In Christianity, it is the belief that the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, aka the Son or the Logos, became flesh when he was miraculously conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary. In the incarnation, the divine nature of the Son of God was perfectly united with human nature in one divine person

Church

-A church is a building or structure whose primary purpose is to facilitate the meeting of a church. Christian Church, aka thing belonging to the lord, is used to denote both a Christian association of people and a place of worship.

Salvation

-Salvation is deliverance from danger or suffering. The word carries the idea of victory, health or preservation. The Bible sometimes uses the word Salvation to refer to temporal and physical deliverance such as Paul’s deliverance from prison. In Christianity, Salvation comes from God and Jesus and it can only be achieved by accepting the two as Lord and Savior.

Kingdom of God

-Kingdom of God originally referred to the spiritual realm of which God had ruled over, however it means that the coming of an age when God would come with justice after Jews lost their autonomy. In Christianity, it refers to the time after the second coming of Jesus.

Atonement

-Atonement is a doctrine found in Christianity and Judaism, which describes how sin can be forgiven by God. In Christianity, atonement refers to the forgiving and pardoning of sin through the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, creating reconciliation.

Sin

-Sin is a common term used in religious contexts to indicate an act that violates moral rules or occurrence of committing a violation. Sin alienates the sinner from God, damaging the relationship of humanity to God. The relationship can only be restored through acceptance of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross as a sacrifice for mankind’s sin.

Redemption

-Redemption is an element of salvation that broadly means the deliverance from sin, achieved through the atonement.

Resurrection

-Resurrection is the return of someone from the dead. In Christianity, the resurrection refers to the rising of Jesus from his tomb, indicating that he is the Son of God.

Reconciliation

-Reconciliation is an element of salvation that refers to the results of atonement, describing the end of the estrangement between God and Humanity, caused by sin

Grace

-Divine Grace is unmerited favor from God in Christianity. It is the outpouring of the love of God on humanity as well as the basis of Christians’ hope for eternal salvation. Grace is considered the fruit of redemption; the reason Jesus Christ became a man, shy he suffered and died on a cross. Rather than being only a description of the character of God, it is considered the very essence of God and who He is. Grace describes the means by which humans are granted salvation. Therefore salvation and grace are synonymous.

Logos

-Logos is an ancient pagan Greek term meaning word or reason and used to represent the concept that God and Jesus are the same entity.

Sacrament

-A sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible reality: religious symbol or a rite, which conveys divine grace, blessing or sanctity upon the believer.

Agape

-Agape is a Greek word for love found in the Christian Scriptures, meaning the characteristic attitude of Christians toward others and all humanity.

Apostle

-Apostle is a Christian term, referring to Jesus’ immediate followers. An apostle must be male and chosen by Jesus, himself. Sometimes, the term only indicates the twelve disciples.

Canaan

-Canaan refers to the biblical name of the area encompassing modern Israel, Palatine and Lebanon, where Jesus lived under Roman rule and died, creating Christianity.

Christ

-Christ represents Jesus’ role as the Christian Messiah after his crucifixion. Jesus of Nazareth became Jesus Christ after his death for sinners to save humanity.

Cosmogony

-Cosmogony is a theory concerning the coming into existence or origin of the universe or about how reality came to be. Theistic explanation for origins indicates one or more supernatural beings as the explanation.

Eschatology

-Christian Eschatology is the study of its religious beliefs concerning all future and final events as well as the ultimate purpose of the world and of humankind. This also refers to a doctrine that represents a history of inquiry into the concept of the destiny of all things. Eschatology concerns the afterlife, the return of Jesus, the end of the world, resurrection of the dead, the last judgment, renewal of creation, heaven and hell, the establishment of the kingdom of God and the consummation of all of God’s purposes, the fulfillment of messianic prophecy and the beginning of the messianic age.

Ecumenism

-Ecumenism refers to initiatives aimed at greater religious unity or cooperation and it also means a greater cooperation among different religious denominations of Christianity.

Gospel

-A gospel is a writing that describes the life of Jesus, which primarily refers to the four canonical gospels: the Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of Luke and Gospel of John

Heresy

-Heresy is an unorthodox change to an established system of belief in a religion, originally used to describe opponents against the early Christian Church.

Canon

-A Biblical canon is a list or set of Biblical books considered to be authoritative as scripture by a particular religious community. Believers consider these canonical books to express the authoritative history of the relationship between God and his people.

Messiah

-A messiah is someone who is predicted and anticipated as a savior of a group. In Christianity, Jesus is the Messiah for those with Christian faith

Kerygma

-Kerygman is a Greek word used in the New Testament for preaching. It sometimes means the messages of Jesus.

Miracle

-A miracle is an unexplainable phenomenon beyond the law of nature, considered to be supernatural or an act of God.

Parable

-A parable is a brief story in prose or verse that illustrates a moral or religious lesson. It differs from a fable because a parable generally features a human character. Jesus used many parables in his teachings as a helpful analogy and some scholars apply the word solely for its relation to Jesus although a parable can be any story that presents ethical ideas by describing human events and interactions.

Pentecost

-Pentecost is a Catholic based celebration that takes place 50 days after Easter Sunday. This prominent feast celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and other followers of Jesus. It’s also related to the Jewish harvest festival, which commemorates God giving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai fifty days after the Exodus, as well as the Church’s Birthday.

PARAGRAPHS

The Human Condition

The human condition in Christianity is based on a notion that humans are born sinful, however they can achieve salvation through having faith in Jesus and God with repentance and then God redeems and atones them in return, creating reconciliation between two entities.

Sin, Salvation, Redemption, Atonement, Reconciliation. Repentance.

Eschatology

Eschatology concerns all the future and final events; especially Christian eschatology involves second incarnation of Jesus as a messiah, who will bring the kingdom of God on earth

Incarnation, Kingdom of God, Messiah,

The concept of God

The concept of God in Christianity is trinity: The father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Father is God itself, and Son is Christ, resurrected Jesus from Nazareth as well as incarnation of God, and this idea is further believed by the concept of logos. Another concept of God is mercy and judgment; God loves everyone with unconditioned love (Grace) and he also set a list of moral ideas to follow (Canon) where people can get punished if denying the authority.

Trinity, Christ, Resurrection, Incarnation, Logos, Grace, Canon.

Sacred texts

The most sacred text is the Bible, however there are other sacred texts as well. A gospel is description of how Jesus lived as a decent example, written by apostles. Canon is an authoritative text that describes how to improve relationship between one and God. Parables are not so much of sacred text however they represent Christ’s ideas and thoughts

Bible, Gospel, Apostles, Canon, Parables, Christ

Huston Smith: Christianity

1) What is the Christ of Faith?

Christ is believed to be God in human Form. He can be scrutinized in three parts: what disciples saw Jesus do, what they heard him say, and what they sensed him to be. Jesus was able to do miracles or deeds that went against the law of nature, however he didn't utilize them to populate his belief but performed quietly, apart from the crowds. The reason he was and still is so influential is that Jesus went about doing good, which is thought as how divine goodness would behave if it were to manifest itself in human form.

Even though a similar form of many Jesus's teachings could be found in any other document, his words were especially strong and moving for two reasons. his language was powerful even aggressive in a way so that words could be imprinted in people's minds, shown in such quotes as "If you hand offends you, cut if off" or "If your eye stands between you and he best, gouge it out". the second feature that makes his language so appealing is that he invited them to see things differently rather than telling them what to do or what to believe, meaning he spoke of things that were very much a part of his hearer's worlds, instead of difficult abstract ideas.

the contents that conveys his ideology were astonishing. We are told that we are not to resist evil by him but to turn the other cheek, even though the world assumes that evil must be resisted by every means available. they all are totally unconventional and difficult to follow, however these have been making the world better.

the two most important points he emphasized were God's overwhelming love of humanity and the need for people to accept that love and let it flow through them to others. the word Compassion would encompass those two points. Be compassionate to others regardless of their classes is the the teaching. Another reason that his words still prevail so broadly is that he not only taught them but also lived them.

2) What is the Good News?

the translation of the Good news would be Gospel in Jerusalem and the logo (Fish) indicated for Christian underground meetings where the Good news were preached when they were persecuted out open. a lot of people found themselves incapable of understanding Christian theology unless they saw lives that had been transformed completely by the Good news preached by Jesus' disciples; they were equipped with compassion and joy yet ridden of burdens. Early Christians had mutual regard, neglecting social barriers. The conventional barriers of race, gender and status meant nothing to them. Even though majority of Christians were not wealthy nor powerful and faced by more adversity than others, they found joy in their lives, feeling that God loved them. God's Love and Christian teachings also unburdened fear including the fear of death, guilt and self concern.

what can we really know about Jesus?

Jesus is a historically and religiously important figure, so people try to define who he really was. However, we have no access to Jesus anymore yet to responses about him, even though they are not facts but interpretations on many faced Jesus. Those responses originate from two forms: written and oral sources. Jesus preached people with parables and stories. Consequently we can learn about Jesus from what he said and advocated for, even though his sayings are not always corresponding in each source. Besides interpretations may be exaggerated reality seen through their particular views. therefore we need to consider most credited version of Jesus.