How Religion Shaped Western Society

The Influence Of Religion On Western Society Essay
Kaitlyn Ouellette
November 22, 2016
Impact of Religion Assignment
The Influence of Religion on Western Society Religion has significantly affected the development of
western civilizations and societies. All throughout the history we have covered in class, religion has
played a key and essential role in defining the types of cultures within a society – a belief or faith in
a spiritual, also a divine 'power' can add significance and true meaning to many of the western
people's lives. Religion is essentially the force that binds a race or a religious group together, and
comes with a sense of personal identity to a higher figure, – God. Three specific and most
commonly known religions of Western Society we have focused on in class have been Judaism,
Islam and Christianity. Ultimately, all three religions have a common belief: the religious belief that
this universe came into existence, and controlled and governed by one single God. The history of
Judaism began in the Bronze Ages in the Middle East when God promised a leader by the name of
Abraham that he would be the father of great people if he did as God told him,
The Lord has said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the
land I will show you.
(2) "I will make you ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Leaving his very household was one of the trials he faced. Abraham was very concerned once he
grew old, he had no children but a beloved wife. When Abraham was one hundred years old, God
promised Abraham a son named Isaac, who happened to be the next very significant figure in the
Judaism religion. Isaac then married and the third most significant figure in Judaism figure was then
born, Jacob. With the founding of the religion being stated, Judaism was on of the earliest and
significant starts of the Western Society. It was the first to justify religions into laws, found the basis
of freedom and equality, morality, and
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Eastern Religions Vs Western Religions Essay
Difference between Eastern and Western Religion
Eastern religions and western religions have a vast amount of difference, but there is one common
thing and it is faith and trust towards the god of each religion by their followers. Eastern religion
follows many gods, whereas Western religion follow only one god. Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism,
and Jainism are eastern religions. Christianity, Judaism, Islam is western religions. It is very
common to find people from Eastern countries following their religion in western countries and
people from Western countries following their religion in Eastern countries. Hinduism and
Buddhism believe that god is the part of their life and they feel the god in their regular activities,
Western religion does ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Eastern religion highly focuses on feminism. The people in eastern culture are more conservative
than people in western culture. Eastern culture is inflexible in their belief and they are not ready to
change easily. They are more conservative. In western culture, people are more flexible and more
open. For example, in India, elders are considered as highly respected and leader of the family and
important decisions related to their children's life is made by elders. Indians respect their elders by
touching their elder's feet. Western culture's belief about respecting elder is completely different.
Eastern and Western religions additionally vary in the way individuals adore them. In Western
culture, individuals normally shape gatherings and love together at a particular place and time.
These continuous get–togethers make a feeling of group inside a group and individuals will
associate after administrations. In Eastern culture, individuals will probably express their religion
whenever. Individuals will visit the temples at whatever point they are free and love secretly at
home. They will include religious practices into their every day

Igbo And Western Religion In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall...
Religion is often a means through which humans attempt to make sense of their place in the vast
universe; however, this interpretation varies between belief systems and cultures. While many
citizens of those countries that are considered "rich" or "developed"–usually Europe and parts of the
Americas–(hereinafter "Western" countries) are relatively familiar with the religions of Christianity,
Judaism, and Islam–including non–practitioners thereof–the traditional religions of African cultures
can seem unusual and foreign to Westerners discovering them for the first time. This is particularly
true of readers of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, the beginning of which describes in great
detail the organization, traditions, and religion of the Nigerian Igbo culture around the turn of the
twentieth century. The Igbo religion is polytheistic and is centered around nature, with the earth
goddess being the most important, influential, and powerful deity in the belief system. While the
Igbo religion's polytheism and focus on the natural may seem highly dissimilar to the monotheistic
belief systems prominent in the United States, both types of religion seek the same goal: to foster
spiritual connections and pursue understanding of one's place in the world. The differences between
the Igbo and Western belief systems are immediately obvious to the reader of Things Fall Apart, and
the former can seem strange to those who have been exposed only to Western religions. In many
ways, Western

Eastern And Western Religions Essay
Learning different religion and seeing what the eastern and western are like and comparing them.
There is Hinduism and Judaism, Hinduism is Eastern religion and Judaism western religion. (In
Hinduism they believe in Reincarnation, it is when you're alive and there is death and where there
will be life, everyone thinks what they hear about Reincarnation, the black section is dark that is
death and the white part is living, will the present.)(Judaism is where people think about the temple
and empire and follow everything said by him. They have elections land, monotheism, monarchy,
and temple, messiah they are related to good because they think about him and believe.) They are
both the god and think and learning about him believing in the empire since maybe they were little,
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(Hinduism is Reincarnations where people stand and just follow up. Judaism is a cleanse of the soul
where it has to be done in the Temples and confess sin foe forgiveness and refreshes.)(Daoism is
coming back from the death and since god died the 3rd day, believing it can be done again.)(Islam
belief that the important thing is respect and behavior to only focus on it.) The four elements have
eastern and western religions and have different believes. Creation of own religion it is western and
eastern, western is Welisam and eastern is Itsanisam. (Welisam believes in god and confession to
start the year good, also to show respect is to show that people are being cared about.)(Itsanisam
believing in the faith and oneself has strong feelings towards themselves in succeeding, caring about
their selves to first think and their selves before others, life to be reborn again.). They celebrate
anything they want and are always believing in god, they are similar because they can believe in
there selves and in god they can also celebrate

Eastern And Western Religions Essay
The geographical and historical context of Eastern and Western religions affected how the religions
developed, and encouraged many differences in teaching methods and student teacher relationships.
Eastern religions were generally considered to be Hinduism and Buddhism. These religions
originated in India, and focused on finding enlightenment and escaping the cycle of rebirth and
suffering. Western religions were generally considered to be Judaism and Christianity. These
religions were Abrahamic religions, and focused on following the word of God. Eastern religions
were created in India and Nepal. These countries were surrounded by water on all but one side, and
there were mountains on the other side. This meant that new people did not often appear, so the ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In Eastern religions, teachers mainly utilized the methods of silence, teaching through example, and
energy transmission through touch. Many Eastern teachers, or gurus, taught through example; their
disciples helped them through their daily life, and in doing so learned about how to maintain balance
in their life. Disciples also gained balance in energy through energy transmission; "some spiritual
masters transmit energy through a glance or touch..." (Jones & Mason, pg 29). Eastern teachers also
taught through silence, and this is the method that most greatly contrasts with Western methods.
Western teachers informed their disciples of the rules of their religions "through didactic methods
such as discourse, sermons, lessons, and tutorials" (Jones & Mason, pg 28–29). All of these methods
required some form of speech, which was very different to the Eastern method of silence. Part of the
reason that these methods varied so much is the large differences in student teacher relationships
seen in the West versus seen in the East. In the East there was usually one student and one guru, so a
close student teacher relationship could be

Western World Religion
Although there were many different aspects that played into the shaping of Western society, religion
was the most influential. That's not to say that religion was able to do that alone, but it seems that no
matter what was happening during the course of the last several hundred years, religion played a
part. Without the efforts of Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and many others who were willing to stick their
necks out for religious freedom. Bucking the system and questioning the status quo was exactly the
theme of every major development in the Western world. The following words from Martin Luther
help to bring together an idea that sparked progression and reform that began in the early 1500s and
is still in motion today:
"I have often said that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
God's right, or the divine right of kings, led to many civilizations under the direction of rule by those
who were only in that position because of religious standing. Thanks to the actions of political
reformers, many nations began adopting policies that were more representative of their inhabitants.
They weren't perfect to begin with, and many countries were ruled by emperors who claimed to be
progressive but were clinging on to ideas that would further their own agendas. They were called
enlightened despots. Catherine the Great was one of those rulers. She had many great ideas and was
seen by most of her people as a friend of Enlightenment. However, she had a greater desire to be
views as an enlightened leader, rather than actually being one. When Catherine suspended meetings
of a Legislative Committee aimed at giving a voice to all due to her lack of order, it led many to
believe that there were aspects of her persona that were simply for show (Boeve, Schrijvers, Stoker,
& Vroom, 2006). However, even a glimmer of progression showed that the once unheard of actions
of religious reformists was beginning to have an impact on all facets of

The Significance Of The Four Noble Practices In Western...
1. Various things echo practices in Western religion. The Noble Eightfold Path for instance, echoes
the Ten Commandments of the Christianity. They both instruct people on what and whatnot to do,
and give them a guideline for everyday life. For example, the Noble Eightfold path instructs people
to have Right Conduct, which is similar to the Ten Commandments saying not to kill or steal. The
Four Noble Truths tell about the evils of the World and how to avoid them, just like the Bible. Also,
the Bible tells Christians how to please God and eventually reach Heaven, just as the Four Noble
Truths leads Buddhists to Nirvana. Buddha tells the Bhikkhus, "Since I possessed, O Bhikkhus, with
perfect purity this true knowledge and insight into theses four Noble Truths . . . I had obtained the
highest, universal Sambodhi". ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I think Buddha rejected their ascetic practices because they were too extreme. He knows that
humans can't be healthy and alert if they are deprived of food or sleep. Buddha realizes someone
won't become a better person or reach enlightenment by restricting their body from the basic
necessities of life. Buddha tells the Bhikkhus "Neither abstinence from fish or flesh, nor going
naked . . . will cleanse a man who is not free from delusions". Most ascetics would deprive their
bodies of food and sleep, and some of them would even practice self–mortification. The Middle
Way is a balance between asceticism and over indulgence in the pleasures of the World. It allows a
person to eat, drink, and sleep according to their needs. Buddha states that the Middle Path "Keeps
aloof from both

Evolution Of Religion: Conflict Between Islam And Western...
The Evolution of Religion
As long as humans have walked the Earth, we have sought out answers. Answers for questions like:
"Why are we here? Where do we go when we die? Where did we come from? and What's that?"
How different people answered these questions is important to study because it shows us the
spiritual side of human nature. Especially now, a time of conflict between Islam and Western
Civilization, it is important to look back and trace the evolution of religion. To see where we started
and perhaps, gain some perspective into what is happening now and what may happen in the future.
Early Man As far as archeologists have been able to research, they have found evidence of religious
faith and practice. In ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There were gods of the sky and storm, gods of the water, and gods of the soil. Although they looked
like humans, they differed from their mortal cousins in their greater power, position in the universe,
and their immortality. The Mesopotamians believed that their duty was to serve the gods and
provide them with offerings of food, clothing, and art. The gods were fed meals, sung songs, and
honored with devotion and ritual. The Mesopotamians had a gloomy picture of the afterlife. They
believed that the winged spirits of the dead were confined to a dark netherworld, doomed to
perpetual hunger and thirst unless someone offered them food and drink. They believed that some
spirits escaped to haunt live human beings. The most interesting thing about their vision of the
afterlife is that in it, all humans suffered equally –– there was no special treatment for those who had
some well and good in life or for those who had been poor or bad. There were burial rituals, and
people were usually buried with pottery and other trinkets. There were not, however, tombstones or
inscriptions to identify the dead. The explanation offered by Historians is that the Mesopotamians
were mainly concerned with the problems of the mortal world and leading a good life before dying.
The Egyptians Egyptian religious beliefs shared some similarities with Mesopotamian beliefs, but
differenced in many important ways. Egyptians had numerous explanations for the formation of the

Era 4 Western Religions
Era 4 Eastern and Western Religion Comparisons
"All Religions are all the branches of the same exact tree." (Albert Einstein) Even arguably the
smartest or one of the smartest people to ever live says that all religions are very similar in many
ways. Era four was the beginning to four of these religions that Einstein was talking about, and they
took part in Eurasia at the time. Two of the religions that were on they west side of Eurasia were
named Christianity and Judaism. The other two religions on the east side of Eurasia were named
Buddhism, and Hinduism. Even though the east and west side religions were far apart, they still had
many similarities like a concept of a higher being or a god, supreme being, both have a book or
multiple books ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Western religions, Christianity and Judaism even had the same moral codes and that is the Ten
Commandments (Thrall). These Commandments also known as the Decalogue include: You Shall
have One God and no one else; You shall have no idols; You shall not use God's Name in vain; You
shall keep the Sabbath day holy; You shall honor your father and mother; You shall not kill; You
shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not lie against your neighbor; You shall not
covet anything of your neighbors. In these religions you will be permitted into heaven if you follow
all the rules (Wikipedia). There is a very similar list of moral codes in the Eastern religions called
the eightfold path. The laws of this path involve: You must have the right view, You must have the
right resolve, You must have the right speech, You must have the right conduct, You must have the
right livelihood, You must have the right effort, You must have the right mindfulness, You must have
the right samadhi or you must know how to meditate right. The religions that follow these morals
are Buddhism, and Hinduism (Thrall and Wikipedia). Buddhism follows these codes in order to
achieve a state of enlightenment called Nirvana. Hinduism Follows these rules to have a better life
in the next life because they believe in rebirth. All these religions across Eurasia may have different
perceptions of

Determinism In Western Religion
Last quarter I had finished an ethics class and we had a discussion and assignment about God. If he
is all seeing and all knowing, then do we really have free will. In our book, Ethics: Theory and
Practice and on page ninety–three there is a paragraph that states, "such a being seems to be very
strange indeed–especially in view of the emphasis the three major Western religions place upon
salvation–if it predetermines that some humans will be good and some will be bad, and then
punishes and rewards them for something over which they have no control! Such a characterization
of the supernatural being's relationship with its creatures certainly does not square with the image of
an all–merciful, all–just being that the three religions also accept. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
There is no conclusive proof or argument that indicates that this theory is anything but one based
upon very weak assumptions indeed." Now I am not Christian, due to questions like these and
various other reasons. I personally identify as a Buddhist. I personally do not understand how there
can be free will when you are supposed to follow the Bible written all by God himself and only men
read it and are able to interrupt it. I also would like to point out that if there is an all–knowing God
would it not be considered the will of God? Instead of free will would you not have to be following
the bible and the will of God blindly? "Hard determinism essentially maintains that if all events are
caused, then there can be no such thing as freedom or free will. That is, if you trace causes back far
enough in history or in any person's life, you will find that the basic causes are not within human
control. Hard determinists are not saying exactly the same thing as the fatalists here: They do not
maintain that humans cannot change the

Differences Between Eastern And Western Religions
Religion is one of the most complex concepts created and practiced throughout the ages. Those who
do not have much knowledge about religion may believe that every belief, ritual, practice, and god
is the same. Fortunately, this is not true and there is a vast amount of differences among eastern and
western religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity. In essence, this paper
should display the differences between eastern and western religions regarding the path to god,
judgement day, and the nature of worship. After conducting this substantial research, I believe that I
have gained a lot of knowledge between the eastern and western cultures. I gathered information not
only from the class module, but books and online sources as well. These references helped me
realize how self–oriented the eastern culture is without being selfish. However, the information
gathered also taught me how social and exclusive western cultures tend to be. (With the information
mentioned in this paper I aim to not only mention TO BE CONTINUED) To start off, I would like
to give an overview of both eastern and western religions. Supporters in eastern religions could be
either polytheistic or atheistic. Also, individuals in the eastern culture tend to convey their religious
practice any time or any day. For example, someone who follows Buddhism may practice their
religion by reciting mantras and meditating in the morning, during the day, or at night. In contrast,
western religions

Religion and the Development of the Western World
The accomplishments and success of civilizations are closely linked to their religious outlook and
the role of religion in their governments and society. Throughout history rulers have used the
influence of religions to control their populations and provide the justification for their power. A
society with a greater degree of separation between religion and government promotes a superior
level of liberty and creativity amongst its people. By the time of the decline of the Roman Empire in
the west, however, the world had come full circle to a return to theocratic dictatorship. In the ancient
civilization of the Sumerians religion was an important part of both the lives of the ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
By the time of the republic it had developed into an honorific system of ancestor worship that
focused on family and the importance of that unit as a model for the republic. The Roman religion
came to mirror that of the Greeks, as did so much of their society. Their government maintained a
control over religion throughout, however, using laws to promote the worship of some and condemn
the worship of other gods. Indeed, after the crises of the late republic one of Augustus ' actions was
to promote a return to the traditional family and religious values by building temples and supporting
religious schools. He outlawed new, foreign religions and after his death he was worshiped as a god.
This was the beginning of the turn back towards religious autocracy. The emperors became quasi–
religious figures in life and were objects of popular cult worship after their deaths. This is a rejection
of the Hellenic ideal of the greatness of the common man. It promotes the will of a single idealized
super elite to the detriment of the populace. By the decline of the western empire the emperors ruled
by decree, sending their infallible word down from on high to the masses. The free debate of ideas
was dead. This became the religious model propagated in the Byzantine Empire. There all
semblance of separation between the state and religion was eliminated. The emperor made his
decrees on matters of politics and law as well as matters of faith and theology. Christianity was

Similarities Between Eastern And Western Religions
As different as they may seem, all religions are pretty similar. Even just the small things that are just
here and there can connect many religions together. That is not to say that there are also differences
between them like their stances on many beliefs, gods, and followers of their religion. However the
eastern and western religions are so similar and yet so different that I have decide to label the
similarities and differences. That being said, I believe that the western are so similar and yet so
different that they must be analyzed. After all they believe in a higher power, pray, and do other such
things that are similar but still every reason they are similar is also how they're different. For
example, in the religions Hinduism and

Western Civilization Religion
Sam Huntington's claims that Western ideas do not resonate with civilizations from the East is
incorrect. Huntington only acknowledges that Western ideas were developed by the West when ideas
such as the separation of the church and state weren't practiced by Western civilizations all
throughout Western history, while also ignoring the history of Eastern civilizations having similar
ideas, namely liberty. The separation of the church and state is so–called a Western idea when most
Western civilizations at time still closely linked religion and government together. An example is
Castile, a kingdom in Iberia(Haberman 7). Choosing one of Castile's major city at the time, for
instance Seville, it can be observed how the church played a big role in the city around the 15th
century. The Roman Catholic Church was easily the commanding institute in Seville owning "about
10 ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Taxes on people who are not affiliated with the nation's official religion was to usually encourage
conversion to the official religion for lesser taxes so Akbar's decision to stop the extra fees really
shows his acceptance to different religions. Akbar even encouraged theological talks in one of his
major cities, Fatehpur Sikri, with people ranging from Muslims, Hindus, Zoroastrians,
etc(Haberman, 13). Given this, the liberty of practicing your own religion and own customs were
not so alien concepts in Eastern civilizations like the Ottoman Empire and the Mughal Empire. To
conclude, Huntington's is wrong to assume that Western ideas do not resonate with Eastern
civilizations. The West did not always follow Western ideas like the separation of church and state
throughout its history with the city of Seville showcasing how much property the Church held.
Religious liberty and keeping your customs was occurring in the Eastern nation as

The Role Of Religion In Islamic, Byzantine And Western...
"All our life is like a day of celebration for us; we are convinced, in fact, that God is always
everywhere. We work while singing, we sail while reciting hymns, we accomplish all other
occupations of life while praying." By Clement of Alexandria. What is religion? Religion can be
defined differently by people but it is what people want to believe from their culture and who
created their life, surroundings. Most of the people have their own God their believer of who created
their world and nature. Everybody has different meaning and understanding of religion which means
that everyone has different culture and most of the people follow rules and some broke the rules.
While roles of religion in Islamic, Byzantine and Western European worlds ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Who was traced by 330 A.D that when the Roman Empire Constantine came along and created what
is known the "new Rome" (The Making of the West page 250). Constantinople is known to be the
heart of the what is known the Byzantine Empire. Who then Byzantine Empire fell due to the
Ottoman army who battled Constantinople. Justinian, I of Byzantine Empire's wife was Theodora,
who helped women gain rights, who is also known as a former of prostitute. She was influenced in
Byzantine politics. When it came to economic they were not political and military capital
(Religions–Islam: Ottoman Empire). Constantine established Christianity and then after Jewish
section came along. What they did was that in 330 the Constantine moved the place the Empire to
Constantinople and then from there he founded the second Rome. So, then the point was to trade
routes between the Europe and Asia and between Mediterranean Sea and the Black (Study.com).
One of the major concern they was that how they would maintain the empire and since it fell their
major concern was to reconstruct the empire which meant they had to think hard of how to raise an
army to protect the community and also organize the system of

Differences Of Eastern And Western Religions
Eastern and Western religions are found in different places in the world and they both have different
religions for each one that is located in their area but at the same time they could have something
alike to what they do for their religion. Both of these two different religions has some different
things they do and some of things they do that are close to what they do in their religion, First, the
hinduism and christianity they both have belief in one god with many other forms, and one thing
they don't have alike is that hinduism they have a millions of forms of brahma the supreme god
while christians have only jesus. Clearly, Islam and the Buddhism have one thing they do that is
close to what they normally do they both do nice things to

Western Civilization Religions
The development of western civilization influenced by many different things like creating war and
intolerance. Judaism Christianity and Islam are three major religions of the world. They all share a
common heritage and are related in many different ways. There are also some major differences
within these three religions, which will be talked about throughout this paper. These three religions
share a pretty important thing that they are monotheistic. Monotheistic mean that they all believe in
the same God and they also believe in the some of the same scripture. Judaism does not believe in
some of the other scriptures of either of the faiths. One major difference between these religions is
the view of Jesus Christ. To Christians, Jesus was

Differences Of Religion In The Western And Western Religions
Religion is an important aspect of the lives of many people throughout the world. While there are
many different religions throughout the world that all have different beliefs, people tend to only
accept one religion as the ultimate truth and reject all others. This ideology sometimes can be so
strong as to cause war between countries throughout the world as well as throughout history. There
is also a popular opinion in western countries, including the United States, that western religions are
better than eastern religions, where eastern religions are often viewed as archaic and undeveloped.
This opinion, however, is incorrect and often stems from the major differences between the two
different types of religion that people are often not aware of. Eastern Religions differ from Western
Religions in that they have different ideology as well as a different set of customs and values.
Eastern Religions often have cosmic origins. In Eastern Religions, there is a large emphasis on
growing yourself so that you can become a more aware spiritual person, and this required to reach
salvation. This is because Eastern Religions view the cause of man's plight is from the soul's
immaturity. In order to accomplish this spiritual evolvement, one must also follow a strict set of
rules throughout their life that involves respecting others and living a virtuous and moral life. Even
the idea of salvation in Eastern Religions is very different from that of Western Religions, being that
salvation

Similarities Between Eastern And Western Religions
Eastern and western religions are similar and different in ways. The western and eastern religions
can be similar in ways and different in ways. To start, Hinduism and Christianity are similar and
different in ways. One way they are similar is that Diwali and Christmas are similar. They are
different because hindus have one god and christians have 2. The reason why they are the same is
because Diwali is really colorful and bright. Christmas is about when jesus is born and we put up
lights and make the holiday bright with red, green, and white. The reason why they are different is
because that's what they believe.
Next, Buddhism and Islam are different and the same in ways.
One way there similar is that when buddhas pass away, they want to

Western Religion
The main Western religions are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The common core of these three
religions is faith or belief in one God. Mysticism is a constellation of distinctive practices,
discourses texts, institutions, traditions, and experiences aimed at human transformation, variously
defined in different traditions. Spirituality is a process of re–formation which aims to recover the
original shape of man, the image of God. Western Christianity consists of the Latin Church, Catholic
Church, and a variety of Protestant denominations. Some of the central beliefs of Christianity are
that Jesus is the son of God. The Trinity, which is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Holy
Spirit allows God to be alive on this earth. Jesus's ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They believe in only one God and that Muhammad is the last prophet of Allah and that he is the seal
of the prophets. In Islam they believe that Jesus is one of the 28 prophets. Muslims go by the Qur'an
and that those are the words from Allah to Muhammad and the middle man was The Angel Gabriel.
Muslims believe that god knows how your life is already going to be, kind of like Christianity. Also
another thing that Islam and Christianity have in common is that when you die you will be going to
heaven if you were a good Christian or Muslim or if you were not, you would be sent to hell.
Another core belief Islam have are that angels are like a middle man with God and The Prophets.
Spirituality in the Islam religion is just like your everyday life if you are a Muslim. Everything is
spiritual because all of the things you do must be okay with God's pleasure. Spirituality in Islam is a
daily check with God and making sure everything you do is okay with God's pleasure. Islam
mysticism is called Sufis and their way to life is

Three Western Religions and their View on Women: Judaism,...
My paper studies the three most significant and most commonly known western religion Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam in terms of the role that the woman played and a brief synopsis of the
religions itself. Religion is a system of human though which usually includes a set of narratives,
symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through
reference to a higher power, deity, or ultimate truth. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity are the only
religions that are based on a single creator and that are why they are called western religions. These
three religions are monotheistic faiths practiced by about half of the world's population. Believers of
the three religions are found on every continent ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The oppression of women is based on false assumption and preconceived notions by the male
domination world, has been obvious and responsible for paving the way for serious gender issues to
emerge. Due to the narrow realms of activity in society, deprived from essential human rights,
restricted educations scope, open to unhealthy physical and mental abuse, this society has not given
women the opportunity to rise to their full potential. The impact of gender discrimination has not
only affected the future of the women today but it has resulted in the slow progress of human mind
in general. The major role of a woman as stated by the ancient beliefs of Judaism is considered to be
a mother and a wife. They are responsible for running the household errands and supervision the
family affairs. This religion thinks highly of their women. They heavily rely and admire them for the
religious authority that they exercise. The Jewish women are given an exception when it comes to
some basic spiritual principles on which rest the foundation of Judaism. The role of the woman and
mother that plays a huge role in Jewish women is so cherished that she is not required to be punctual
in performing the 10 commandments as set for by scriptures. Women are not encouraged to
participate in advanced education or religious

Hinduism Vs Western Religion
This series draws to a close with the modern view of Hinduism and how it is currently practiced. If
there is a dominate theme that characterizes Hinduism is its connection to the world today. Islam
and Western culture has had a huge effect with the effectiveness of Hinduism. The Southern religion
of India consist of the majority of Hindus. However, in the region of Northern India resides a large
Muslim population. Both have stark differences in beliefs. With that, violence and opposition has
resulted in much of the area. Not to draw a line, but Islam is partly a reason to this violence. To the
Hindus, Islam is simply another caste of people. It is also important to note that the relations
amongst these two religions has had its positive moments.

The Differences Of Religion In Eastern And Western Religions
The eastern religions that we have discussed in class are Hinduism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and
Taoism. The western religions that we have discussed in class are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
The Eastern Religions have originated in countries such as China, India, and Japan. The western
religions originated in Europe and the Americas. There are few similarities between eastern religions
and western religions, but many differences. The biggest difference between the two religions is that
eastern religions believe in more than one god, whereas western religions believe in one God.
In eastern religions it is common to worship more than one god. Eastern religions believe in
polytheism, and polytheism is when someone believes in many gods. After death, Eastern religions
believe in reincarnation. Reincarnation is the rebirth and spirit–matter distinction and is the
liberation cycle of existence. In western religions only one God is worshipped. Western religions
believe in monotheism. Monotheism is the belief of one God and it is the belief that only God has
created the world and everything in it. After death, western religions believe in heaven. A similarity
of eastern religions and western religions are that they both believe in an afterlife, although they do
not believe in the same kind of afterlife. Another similarity is that both eastern and western religions
have had a huge impact throughout history. Hinduism is one of the eastern religions that we
discussed in class.

Western Religion Essay
Throughout this semester we focused on numerous different religious practices and traditions.
Focusing now on these new religious ideals and practices has provided many different suggestions
towards spirituality: ""Spirituality" is personal, unique, self–validating, authentic, and authoritative,
whereas "religion" is institutional, bureaucratic, social, inflexible hierarchical, and authoritarian"
(Anderson and Young 295). Many of these new practices involve women, healing methods, and
alternative divine figures. Overall, it is a common theme from many of these spiritual practices to
not have a set textual religious book such as a Bible or Torah. In addition, they do not look up to a
spiritual figure, or have set rituals or practices: "New Age ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
In specific, with the Wiccan women: "Wiccans are cautious about their relationships with others and
especially cognizant of their relationship with the earth" (Anderson and Young 307). Along with
this, they believe: "What you do, whether for good or for ill, returns to you" (Anderson and Young
307). This practice is stemmed from their Rule of Three. This rule is generalized as: being careful
for the things we wish for in life, as well as how actions can create consequences. These
consequences in large can create a chain reaction in consequences broadly on the world. Along with
this, magic or "magick" is an important aspect of Wiccans: ""Magic" usually refers to the ability to
affect the outcomes of events through communal or individual thought and ritual action" (Anderson
and Young 309). In correlation to the magic aspect of the Wiccan spirituality, many members call
themselves witches. With this title, many cast spells and use the magic to work through the
conscience of members. However this specific practice of spell work is not required. As many
people believe magic to be a sinister act or something out of a fictional story, that speculation can be
reflected on to this Wiccan act: "Magic is usually contrasted with religion: magic is seen as a way of
manipulating the universe by using specific spells, whereas religion does not use the universe as
ultimately manipulable in this way" (Anderson and Young 309). However the Wiccan's loophole to
this statement refers to the fact that their magic is less about manipulation and more about using the
power to evoke positive changes to the world. This magical practice gives rise and support to the
enchanted world they believe to live in rather than the cold world. Diving deeper into this spiritual
practice brought some confusion and questionability to mind. Although I believe there could be
many

The Religious Traditions Of The East Are All Older Than...
The major Eastern religious traditions have had a shaping effect on their societies in how they look
at the world and the "hope" they offer their followers. Their traditions and beliefs are different than
in the west. The four major religious traditions in the East are all older than western religions. Each
religious tradition can be examined for common concepts and differences. Hinduism, Buddhism,
Daoism and Confucianism have several common concepts and several differences in: their
worldviews, their views on the nature of reality as a whole, the nature of persons, the perspectives
on the "human dilemma," human spiritual goals, the significance of moral values and the hope each
offers its followers for their lives. The world view of a religious tradition means the perspective, life
understanding or personal viewpoint that the people who practice that religion look at the world.
The term "world view" is a concept which origin is from German and the term "weltanschauung,"
refers to a group 's views and beliefs on life. "World view" also written as World–view or
worldview, means: "The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world. (2) A
collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group. In both senses also
called Weltanschauung. [Translation of German Weltanschauung]" ("World Veiw"). The major
Eastern religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism, each have their own
"weltanschauungs," or world views.

Eastern And Western Religions Analysis
How The Western and Eastern Religions Come Together
Most religions around the world are different in a lot of ways, but sometimes they do believe in the
same things. It is common for a religion to share ideas with each other.This is how some religions
can relate to each other. In the class discussion Hinduism Religion they share the idea of ¨Multiple
choices of a god "with Christianity. One problem is that Hinduism has over 100 different kinds of
gods but Christianity has 3.Obviously There are way too many gods in Hinduism, sadly too many to
name, but in Christianity there is the father the son ,and the holy spirit. Nevertheless this gives you a
option of which one you want to pray to. In class we said that Confucianism can be similar to

Did you know Eastern and Western religions have similarities but they're but everything they do is
not the same they have differences as well. The religions share some beliefs and holidays not all
they have different ways of life. Confucianism and Judaism are two different cultures with same
want and a different belief. They both want to make the world a better place keeping it stable and
peaceful in their own different ways. Their difference is that confucianism isn't really a religion they
like to call it a way of life they don't believe in a god. Buddhism and Christianity have kind of a
similar worship place they have to different goals for their life. Also both religions worship at either
church or a temple and the pray in their the same

The Decline Of Organized Religion In Western Civilization
Altemeyer, Bob. "The Decline of Organized Religion in Western Civilization." International Journal
for the Psychology of Religion, vol. 14, no. 2, Apr. 2004, pp. 77–89. EBSCOhost,
search.ebscohost.com The practice of organized religion has been declining greatly since the mid
20th century, but the pace in which religion is dying is not constant in every western country. Ireland
is the only country where most people attend a religious event weekly, on the other hand, less than
ten percent of Scandinavians attend religious events. Organized religion is dying where it once was
common in everyday life, which is bad news for church leaders who want to fill their seats. From
1945 to 1985 the percent of regular church attendees in Canada dropped in half, from 70% to 35%.
Although people have stopped associating themselves with a religion, many of them still believe in a
creator. Around 32 percent of America's population attends church weekly, but 66 percent of
Americans have no doubt that there is a God, and another 16 percent believe in a God but have
doubts (Altemeyer 79). There is evidence that the recent rise of religious apostasy occurred because
of backlash against the "Religious Right", the christian fundamentalists that are known to be anti–
homosexual. Many people are turned off by these beliefs and severed their already weak
relationships with the church. Children are also not being taught religious beliefs because of parents
who have left the faith. Parents have stopped

How Are Brahman And God Similar In Western Religions
Journal Reflection 1
Madison Dever
How are Brahman and God similar in Western Religions? How are they different? Why? Brahman
and God have many similarities and differences. Brahman is the ultimate, infinite Godhead of
Hinduism while God is the head of many different Western Religions such as Christianity. Both are
infinite and limitless. They are also very different, Brahman is a human being divine "self", which
remains formless, while Christianity's God is the creator of human beings who are devotees who
follow God. "This infinite center of every life, this hidden self or Atman, is no less than Brahman,
the Godhead. Body, personality, and Atman–Brahman– a human self is not completely accounted for
until all three are noted." (Smith 21) Both Brahman and God have infinite power. Brahman is the
human self but has a being that never dies and is unrestricted. The ultimate goal in Hinduism is to
achieve this realization of one self to earn liberation (moksha). In Christianity, God is seen as an ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He came to identify himself with the sorrows of the world, however impure and murderous they
might be, until his heart was scored with scars. But he knew that he must love God in all sorts and
conditions of men, however antagonistic and hostile, and in all forms of thought controlling their
existence and often setting them at variance to one another." Both religions God, is seen as
omnipotent. The devotee must love that God no matter what, even if He does not make everyone
obey willing to be kind. Death and destruction still happens even though a Supreme Being is
"present". That is another difference between Brahman and God. Brahman doesn't have an active
role in maintaining the world. Christians see God has more of a duty to protect the world. I feel as
though Brahman is present but expects the people to maintain the world with no

Western Religion On The Role Of Women
The Effect of Western Religion on the Role of Women Today
Introduction
The position of women in the society has historically been diverse the world over. There are many
traits that have been associated with the wide variations in the roles played by women in their
societies. However, religion has been widely linked to the divergent views and treatment of women
in the society. Altogether, this remains a very fluid concept whose interpretations and practices are
rooted in individual meanings drawn from the different religions in the world. Therefore,
understanding the effect of religion on the role played by women in the social and cultural
dimension should be based on cultural and historical relations. The concern of how women are
treated in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The modern and ancient literature on advancement of Christianity agrees on the fact that women
were most responsive to the early movement of Christianity. They further agreed that the place of
women in Christianity was accorded a very high status compared with how it was in the surrounding
societies with pagan practice. This could explain how the excess of Christian women in Christian
subcultures were able to combine with the excess of males around them and resulted in the presently
observed substantial intermarriages that advanced the Christianity traditions (Schmidt 4). The
essence was the manner in which the women, in their high social positioning as active participants
in religious culture and practice, were able to maintain the traditions of early Christianity through an
open network. Therefore, they played a major role in sustaining the social and cultural attachments
to the faith by non–members, hence the continued

Hindu Religion Vs Western Religion
The Hindu religion is the third largest religion in the world, with an expanding impact on virtually
every facet of life. The wealthy, famous athletes, and political leaders seek advice from their
spiritual leaders and gurus. Karma is a popular term in everyday conversations. In addition, the yoga
craze has caught on and many Christians practice this exercise without understanding exactly what
its purpose has traditionally been. Doctors use yoga to help patients with migraines, immunities, and
blood flow. Health authorities are using the Indian model to see what Hindu methods might be
helpful to our modern way of living. Reincarnation is now a popular belief among the Western
cultures.
The New Age movement is a vast prism of beliefs ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This religion is a imbedded in the culture and begins with family. Thus, an individual's value is not
determined by hard work or achievement. Rather, social standing is hinged on your family's
reputation. This reputation can span many generations and has a wide swathe that includes uncles,
cousins, and grandparents. Boundaries or continents between these families make no difference, as
they all stay close and interconnected. The importance of the family cannot be overstated. Each
member of the family is taken care of as a unit from birth to grave. Marriages, education, and
professions are usually determined by the extended family. This model gets flipped as the
grandparents and parents are provided for by their children. The family dwellings are also the
primary place of worship for each family. Rooms or shelves for shrines to their gods are common.
The images of their gods can range from a small postcard up to larger carved statues. These images
are very often adorned with flowers and decorations. No family conducts worship quite the same.
Some are strict in observance and others are more casual. Of note, the very images that they worship
can have very little significance to one family, while another might feel like they are actual living
beings. All of these concepts are difficult for most Christians to understand and

What Degree Has Religion Affected The Development Of...
To what degree has religion affected the development of western society as a whole? The
development of Western society is due to many reasons such as technology, philosophy, exchanges
in trade and innovations from all the cultures of the world. One of the reasons that has developed the
western society as a whole includes religion too. Religion has significantly affected the development
of Western society. The effects of religion on a western society is in a both positive and a negative
way. Western civilization was born in the middle east, and Jews were at its crossroads. The history
of Judaism gives the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Christianity is important for its own ethical teachings. The classical heritage was preserved and
passed on by Christianity. The Bible itself is responsible for much of the language, literature, and
fine arts we enjoy and appreciate today. The concept of universal human rights and equality comes
exclusively from the biblical idea that all people are created equal in the image of God.
Christianity's contribution to the culture is great. Its contribution in architecture, literature, music
and visual arts is still remarkable. Christianity also contributed to philosophy through the ideas of
St. Thomas Aquinas. The rise of modern science has been directly linked with the biblical
understanding of the world. The contribution of christianity is also in democracy, Rule of Law,
capitalism, science, education and the family. It can be said that Christianity did played a vital role
in shaping western

Western Legal Tradition And Religion
Western Legal Tradition, as coined by Harold J. Berman, is the explicit set of legal aggregates,
principles, and theories that are related to the idiosyncratic, reputable culture of Western Europe,
envisioned as an articulate tradition, capable of maturing over an extended period. Dating back to
the 11th century in Western Europe, legality began maturing exponentially, in terms of legal and
religious thought through the outlet of revolutions and religious movements that impacted them,
such as the religiously–inspired Papal Revolution of the 11th and 13th century. Individuals studying
this philosophy today have come to question whether the three factors – religion, law, and the
movements/insurgencies– were equally vital, fundamental, and collaborating ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Through the religious outlets, mainly the religiously–inspired, Papal revolution that occurred in the
11th century, the tradition was established and formed its everlasting mark on the legal system.1 The
movement under Gregory VII was based on how the Church was founded by God, and the Pope was
delegated the task of implementing all individuals in a society where divine law is the only law and
is seen as the supreme ruler over the region, since he is an official of God on earth. During this
movement, occurring from 1075–1122, the Pope and his followers tried to maintain the Bishop of
Rome as the sole ruler of the Church, while preventing the control of kings over the ministry, which
caused the Roman Catholic Church to form the first Western Legal System, a self–determining
system of administration and law that would maintain its ecclesiastical roots. The primary
distinction between this legal system and all of those prior to it is that it stood by and against the
domain of the secular monarchies. Even though the clerical did not advocate most of the holy,
religious responsibilities rulers had, the church understood the need to have sectors in secular
governments.3 This reform's spiritual basis was its main concern in terms of the ruler and system of
law of the era. The creation of scriptural policies (e.g., Atonement and the Last Judgment) resulted
in establishing Canon law, which is a major element of Western Legal Tradition and has affected the
way individuals view legality, including how individuals viewed and dealt with issues such as
criminal issues.2 The use of the revolution as a form of dividing the religious and secular dimension
of Western Europe, and its systematization and rationalizing, were

Representations Of Religion And Western Media
Representations of Religion in Western Media
Islam
There is a current obsession in western media, (during the last decade) pertaining to "Islam and the
West". This current obsession is filled with negative signifiers with the global media's
predominantly negative, and to an extent racist portrayal of Islam and Muslims. Muslims are
generally represented as violent, fanatical, bigoted, or as extremists and terrorists. Media coverage
of Islam–related issues has changed drastically since the start of the new millennium, both in
quantity and quality. The events the of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade
Center, cast Islam into the forefront of global media: not only did coverage of Islam rapidly
increase, particularly in news and entertainment media, but the way in which Islam was represented
by the media changed as well. The most prevalent Islamic stereotype in western media is the
radicalized Muslim insurgent, firm on waging jihad, or holy war, against the Western world. This
stereotype usually depicts violence as an inseparable part of being Muslim, as well as the religion
being a justifier for the violent actions.
An example of this kind of a negative stereotype can be seen in the character of Sayid Jarrah on
ABC's LOST. Jarrah, the only central Muslim character on the show, previously worked for the Iraqi
Republican Guard as a communications officer and interrogator, and is frequently shown using
torture techniques to extract information from prisoners.

Compare And Contrast Western Religions And South Asian...
South and East Asian religions are more closely related and focus on a person's surroundings to
guide them in life as opposed to emphasizing on a supreme being. These religions are more
philosophical and less authoritarian than southwestern religions that primarily focus on a single
supreme deity and are more dictatorial. South and East Asian religions such as Confucianism,
Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism are centered around the influence of surroundings and are more
adjustable to one's perception, while Southwestern religions are not.
South and East Asian religions, as discussed in Documents 1, 3, 4 and 7, are primarily focused on an
individuals choices and experiences in life. Document 1 talks about Hinduism. This South Asian
religion is centered

Religion is one of the most controversial and complex concepts created and practiced throughout the
ages. Those who do not have much knowledge about religion may believe that every belief, ritual,
practice, and god is the same. Fortunately, this is not true and there is a vast amount of differences
among eastern and western religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity. In
essence, this paper should discuss the differences between eastern and western religions regarding
the path to god, judgement day, and the nature of worship. After conducting this substantial
research, I believe that I have gained a lot of knowledge between the eastern and western cultures. I
gathered information not only from the class module, but books and online articles as well. These
references helped me realize how self–oriented the eastern culture is without being selfish.
However, the information gathered also taught me how social and exclusive western cultures tend to
be. To start off, the researcher would like to give an overview of both eastern and western religions.
Eastern religions originated in areas such as China, Japan, and India. The aim of these eastern
religions was to live harmoniously and be able to have a healthy balance with the real world and the
spiritual world. Supporters tied to eastern religions could be either polytheistic or atheistic. Also,
individuals in the eastern culture tend to convey their religious practice any time or any day. For
example,

Islam Culture Versus Islam Religion & The Western...
Islam Culture Versus Islam Religion & The Western Perception of Islam
Throughout this course we have learned several different aspects of Islam as a culture and as a
religion we have also been able to put to rest several myths that have plagued Islam in the eyes of
the Western World. In this paper I will discuss the significant difference of Islam as a religion versus
Islam as a culture as seen through the eyes of a Malay Muslim. I will then go on to discuss how the
Western world views Islam and how it is progressively changing for the better.
Islam is a religion based on the teaching of the Profit Mohammad, passed down by the angel
Gabriel. But, to many Malay Muslims, Islam is a culture. It is ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Sometimes even the culture over–rides religion and they rush out to implement a cultural practice as
if it would be unIslamic in not doing so. Culture takes precedence over everything else and, if they
miss one or two obligations in Islam, like praying or fasting, it does not matter as long as that so
called "adat" has been safely implemented.
For example, they would spend hours dressing up a bride for a wedding ceremony. Never mind that
the bride has to miss her prayers because of this. Allowing her to do her prayers would mean the
preparations would be interrupted or delayed, not to mention her hair, which had been carefully set
at great expense of time and money, would get all messed up.
The house would need to be cleaned and everything would need to be nicely set up in preparation.
This would mean they would have to miss the last day of fasting or else there would be no energy
left for the great task ahead of them. Impressing the guests who would be visiting for the wedding is
more important than fasting. Culture is so important that they would sacrifice their child as long as
the culture is protected. They would not sacrifice for Islam.
How did this come about? Islam is very specific and explicit. Islam is the ultimate and everything
else comes later. How could, therefore, culture stand between the Muslim and their religion? Even
more

Ultimate Reality Vs Western Religion
Extended response:
How is Ultimate Reality viewed differently from and Eastern and Western Perspective?
Ultimate Reality in religion is viewed differently when comparing Eastern to Western beliefs, but
there are some similarities: both want to achieve something in the afterlife.
In Western religions such as Catholicism and Islam, the belief of Ultimate Reality is that there is a
God and he is transcendent and monotheistic.. In addition, there is also the belief of an evil existence
or commonly known as the "devil". In the extract from the Catholic Bible, it states "No one has seen
God" and that "in him was life, and the life was the light of the men," which indicates their God is
powerful enough and on another level compared to themselves

Essay on Religion and the Development of the Western World
The accomplishments and success of civilizations are closely linked to their religious outlook and
the role of religion in their governments and society. Throughout history rulers have used the
influence of religions to control their populations and provide the justification for their power. A
society with a greater degree of separation between religion and government promotes a superior
level of liberty and creativity amongst its people. By the time of the decline of the Roman Empire in
the west, however, the world had come full circle to a return to theocratic dictatorship. In the ancient
civilization of the Sumerians religion was an important part of both the lives of the ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
The focus of Greek thought was on the community of man within the polis. They developed their
laws and philosophies in accordance with what seemed to them appropriate social interaction, not
the decrees of a god, a priest, or a king. Ethics and morality became the questions of high–minded
citizens who created schools and systematic empirical methods for seeking the answers to questions
of right and wrong, politics, and the nature of man. The gods of the Greek religion, while super–
human in strength and immortal, were humanly fallible. They were seen as the patrons of certain
city–states and their worship was out of a sense of civic duty and the hope that the gods would lend
their assistance both to the community and the individual. Many of the teachings were common
sense virtues such as self–awareness and moderation as in the Cult of Delphian Apollo. This
naturalistic focus allowed them to seek their answers through the scientific method of philosophy.
They developed the beginnings of atomic theory and wrote fairly objective histories that sought to
explain the causes and learn from the events of the past. The gifts of education were more available
to the common citizen than in any previous time in history and the political system allowed each
man a say in the government of his community. These were limited, but their very presence signifies
a major shift away from the authoritarianism of

How Religion Shaped Western Society

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Pamela Wright

More from Pamela Wright (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

How Religion Shaped Western Society