They traveled on the rivers to other civilizations to trade supplies needed for living and things they treasured. When the rivers flooded, they created fertile fields. The farmers used the rich, fertile soil to grow grain to make a surplus of food. Although historians and archeologists concur that each of these societies worshipped several Divine Beings, not much else is known about the Indus Valley religion. However, evidence shows that Sumer, Egypt, and China believed in gods closely related to nature.
Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan. [i] Shinto means “Way of the Kami” or “Way of the Gods”. Shinto has no known founder; its roots lie deep in Japanese prehistory and extend to the land itself. [ii] Shinto is synonymous with Japanese character and has shaped and been shaped by Japanese culture. [iii] Shinto is loosely organized, and little was known about it before the eighth century C.E.
Other common elements are religion studies from each religion that they belong, a sacred book, or a set of commandants (Molloy 2010). These elements or characteristics are not all inclusive or pertain to each religion such as Zen Buddhism, does not worship a supreme being or Shinto does not have commandants. The standard characteristics of religion are Belief Systems, Community, Central Myths, Ritual, Ethics, Characteristics Emotional Experiences, Material Expressions, and Sacredness. These common characteristics are accepted within a religion but are not all inclusive. There is a reasonable amount of elements that manifest with society.
Both believe in one ruler over all, both believe in a good place (heaven) and bad place (hell) after death, and both believe in guidance through spiritual leaders(prophets), to name a few. Another reason I believe Natives practices have not been abandon is because their culture is inextricably linked and connected with Mother Earth. The land, the plants, the animals, and all around contain their culture, spirit, and identity; all working together to create a balance of harmony (Page 68). How can a culture’s spiritual identity gets lost when it is rooted into everything living and non-living? Lastly, spirituality was designed without written rules to be edited and manipulated, without limits and boundaries, without segregation and prejudice.
To the Minoans religion involved the natural world and provided an explanation of natural phenomena such as the seasons. Minoans seemed to have believed in spiritual forces in a spiritual place in the sky and high places beyond the normal world of humans on earth, as well as spiritual forces below the earth. According to Dickinson the Minoans believed that natural forces controlled the weather and the fertility of the land. Evidence suggests that the Minoans were polytheistic and that like most ancient people, they used special rites to please and placate the gods. The Minoans believe the divine world could be accessed through ritual, images on seal stones and frescoes showed this.
And the Kwakiutl perform ceremonies to forestall death. When that fails, they pray to the spirit to protect the; those left behind. This nature worship is rooted in Native Americans’ deep tradition of mythology, in which people are one with the land. While mainstream Western Christianity teaches of original sin and earth as a transitory place, Native American spirituality teaches that earth is our permanent home and there is no concept of heaven or division from God or other deities. Native American creation stories do not provide a viewpoint of humans having dominion over the earth.
In fact, many times the Native American higher power or deity can be defined as nature itself. “The spirit is everywhere. Sometimes it speaks from the Badlands, a stone, or even from the water”(Deer and Erdoes 77). Unlike Christianity and Judaism, the Native American God is derived primarily from nature. This “Spirit” is also mentioned in the writings of Native American author Grizzlybear Lake.
Religion RJ Sommers Sociology 101 Rona Gertrude February 15, 2012 Religion Three Ways According to the Dalai Lama’s view on religion, “This is my religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. This doctrine set forth by the Dalai Lama would see the people govern themselves and hold their own relationship with their belief, both a profound and progressive view on religion; however, for many it’s an unconventional view. Religion comes in many different forms, and there are those who are loyal followers and those that are extrmeists.
For example Churingas are sacred drawings on wood or stone. Durkheim argued that Totemism represents religion in its most elementary form. The totem has divine properties which separates it from other profane objects. It is a symbol for the group, tribe or clan itself as it stands up for the values central to the community which everyone respects. Therefore worship of the totem is the worship of the social group itself.
Another similarity is that both religious traditions reflect the geographic nature of the environment through their creation stories which expresses the religious beliefs. Christians and aboriginals both use rituals and ceremonies as a way of celebrating their faith. Throughout these rituals symbols are used in both traditions to express sacredness, beliefs and a way to connect with the higher