Religious Experience & Ethics and Moral Conduct

Gender and religious experience

• Ordination of women in various denominations, and women mystics

Ordination, according to Christianity, is the process by which a person becomes a religious authority, such as a priest or a bishop. The issue of whether women may be ordained is controversial because some sects of Christianity are reluctant to respond to the advances in gender equality for a variety of reasons. Certain verses of the Bible such as Timothy 2:11-15 allude to an all male leadership in the church, and the all male apostles suggests that the leadership of the church, which is meant to be apostolic, should also be all men. The following denominations allow women ordination: Anglican, Community of Christ, Jehovah's Witness*, The following denominations don't allow women ordination: Church of Later Day Saints, Catholic Church, Orthodox, *cannot baptize or any significant rituals, but may lead prayer with a head covering on. Protestant- about half of the subdenomintations ordain women.

Ethical practice and legal issues

• Medical issues: euthanasia, embryo research, genetic engineering, abortion

Christianity is opposed to euthanasia because it is said that it invades God's territory to control life and death. Furthermore it is said that it is a violation of the fifth commandment that thou shalt not kill. The catholic church went on record to say "[euthanasia is a] violation of the divine law, an offense against the dignity of the human person, a crime against life, and an attack on humanity." 

Christianity is also opposed to embryo research for the reason of preserving the sanctity of life. All fertilized embryos are regarded as human beings, and the destruction of them is considered to be killing and therefore a grave sin. However, other options of acquiring stem cells such as from umbilical cords are condoned by the church as ethical. 

Abortion is considered in the same way as embryo research, but even worse because it does not advance science and is solely to kill/prevent life. 

Genetic engineering is a gray area, as humans were given dominion over all living things on the earth, including ourselves. However, the body is considered a temple of God, and therefore is not ours to be altered. The complete formation of the human body is still unknown and therefore the argument is made that we cannot understand God's workings and therefore shouldn't tamper with the finer elaborate things. 

Homework :(

Incident: The Holocaust
The cause of the incident was the socially ingrained antisemitism that was sponsored by Hitler's Nazi regime. The Nazis blamed the troubles Germany faced following WWI on the Jews, and also created ethnocentrism among "Aryan" Germans which condemned the Jews and other minority groups. The Jews slowly lost their rights and ability to defend themselves legally, and then the greater mistreatment began with concentration camps and ghettos and moving to death camps and mass genocide. Many Jews were not able to escape to the US either because of immigration laws, which blocked their entry. The effects was the massive losses to the Jewish people, with over seven million deaths caused by the Nazis.
The most likely way to prevent a situation like the Holocaust is to become a more active society that is not afraid to come to the aid of another, in both a small scale and at the international diplomatic level.
1. Christianity was formed by Jewish traditions and the new following of the leader Jesus Christ. The Graeco-Roman world that it was formed in was conducive to travel and the indoctrination of the Roman emperor was key to its spread.
2. He failed to fulfill the role as Messiah by not bringing the end of the world and the judgement of all people for their sins.
3. Baptism and Communion.
4. The Gospels were written up to several decades after the death of Christ, the first section to be written of the new testament is the Galatians or Thessalonians.
5. Constantine was essential to Christianity's survival because it created a new headquarters during the fall of the Roman empire and the practitioners a safe place of haven.
6. Eastern Orthodox Christianity differs in belief from western Christianity in the area of original sin and ancestral sin and the immaculate conception of Mary.
7. Indulgences,
8. Baptism, Communion, Confirmation, Holy Orders, Matrimony, Last Rites, Reconciliation.
9. Vatican II was a great sequel to Vatican I, and had several difference that  I cannot remember.
10. Liberation theology is a concept that involves a different interpretation of Christianity to create a new set of beliefs and are both fundamentally different and also similar to Roman Catholicism.

Field Trip Reflection

The first stop on our trip was the Islamic Center of Raleigh. While I didn't learn much new information about the religion here, I did learn about the Al Iman School and the "Three Winners". I thought the Al Iman school was an interesting concept, as it tried to teach its students good character traits both in and out of the context of their religion. We also learned about the "Three Winners" who I had heard of before, but never understood how they got that name. I thought it was interesting to see the young children recite the Qur'an in person, and also the design of the building as well. I thought the tour guide was slightly defensive, however after learning some of the comments some of the geography kids made I can understand why.
The second religious site was the Buddhist Center, which was not what I had imagined it would look like. The variation of Buddhism they practiced, Tibetan Buddhism, was different from the main sects we looked at like Mahayana and Theravada. The concept of different Buddhas for different purposes was strange to me, and seemed to connect to Hinduism with the different reincarnations of each god. I enjoyed learning about the Dali Lamas reincarnation and how a two year old knows they are him.
The third site was the Hindu temple, which more elaborate than all of the other sites in terms of architecture. It seemed very distinct from the surrounding buildings in Raleigh, and the different deities surrounding the temple were interesting. I learned more about Hindu prayer at the temple after being able to see first hand both practitioners and a Hindu priest pray to each deity. I found the plaque stating "There is no ritual more noble than donation" to be interesting, but clearly demonstrated by the board outside showing benefactors who donated almost a half a million dollars each.
The last site was the Synagogue, which was the most familiar to me as it was set up in a similar fashion to a church. The Rabbi was very knowledgeable, and his comparison of the preservation of the Hebrew tradition and the similar problem that outcast Tibetan Buddhists face was great because it provided an example that was easily understood and relevant. The different translations of the Torah were interesting as well, especially the change from "in the beginning" to "in a beginning".

Sacred Texts and Doctrines and Beliefs

SACRED TEXTS:
D.      The primary sacred texts of Christianity are the Bible, which consists of two main sections: the New Testament and the Old Testament.
E.       Textual Authority The text gains authority from two main figures of the Holy Trinity, God and Jesus Christ. The Old Testament gains authority from God, through his relations with humans, such as commanding Noah to make an ark or Moses to deliver the ten commandments. This created the Jewish basis to Christianity, and laid the groundwork for the more traditional aspects. The New Testament is composed of several books all written in the common era, by members of the church. It derives its religious authority being the teachings of Jesus, however it was written by his followers, whose writings were then approved by the early church, giving them authority within the religion. 
            Interpretation The Bible may be interpreted differently by everyone, and there is no set code to understanding its words. However, religious institutions give the guidance to assume figurative language and to keep a verse within its context when it is being examined. 
            Sacred Texts/Key Figures The Bible is founded by Christianity's key figures and it is their words that are captured in it. Old Testament figures such as Adam and Eve, or Abraham are the main people in the events of the section. Furthermore, Jesus Christ is the most prominent figure or Christianity, and is the focus of the entire New Testament and this section is linked entirely with his teachings.
             Change of Interpretation The Bible has continually been interpreted differently, especially the Old Testament. As society has become more progressive, some more severe punishments and unpopular teachings have become less common or their interpretations have changed. 
DOCTRINES AND BELIEFS
What is the essential statement of belief?
The essential statement of belief can be seen in the Nicene Creed, "For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,and became man.For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,he suffered death and was buried,and rose again on the third dayin accordance with the Scriptures.He ascended into heavenand is seated at the right hand of the Father." 
This belief, known as the Resurrection, is the belief that Jesus came to earth and was killed for our sins, and on the third day he rose from the dead. 
          This belief unites the faith, as it is the core concept of the religion and is the basis on which every denomination was created. While other practices or beliefs may differ among the different schools of Christian thought, the belief in the Resurrection is a commonality. 
          The Council of Nicea was called to create a united belief that was encompasses by all Christians, and so it contains the statement of belief for the religion and holds its main concepts. It was highly influential in the spread of Christianity and the organization of the Catholic Church. 
          The statement of belief in the Nicene Creed is linked to the ritual of receiving communion.Eucharist in the Catholic Church. A similar statement is made by the congregation before the Eucharist is given out and this was directly influenced by the creed. 
         The core doctrine is not affected by social or political contexts much in the modern world, however historically there have been times in which it has been changed to fit a political regime. For example, Hitler depicted Jesus as an Aryan martyr who was killed by the Jews to spread anti-Antisemitism 

Taoism Reading Questions

1. The thing I find most intriguing about Taoism is the lack of preaching or indoctrinating that it had during its early phase of growth. Every other major religion has some element of spreading its word, and its founding figure is most commonly the one who became its first advocate. Taoism contrasts this with Lao Tzu wanting to disappear without even writing down his beliefs, which he had to be asked to do. 
2. My understanding of the Tao is a great cosmic force that works in a way similar to what I've learned about The Holy Spirit as a Catholic. It has no voice of its own, but speaks through its actions and creations, and envelops the world around us. This relates to the idea of God as a concept we cannot see or fully understand, but we attribute everything to it/Him.
3. I think that there is no true Western equivalent to Chi, however the concept of the whole body's health as a metaphysical concept has been adopted into several schools of western thought concerning health. I too believe that there is an undiscovered connection between the body and the mind's well being to the overall health, which may be called spiritual. A healthy lifestyle can make one happier and more effective in their daily tasks, and this may be considered a more healthy spirit.
4. No, for the same reason I don't believe in luck. I don't believe in magic because anything considered magic can be explained rationally, or crosses over into the field of theology. Magic to me is more defined as a man-made illusion or placebo effect that affects the mind more than the body.
5. My understand of Wu Wei is the conservation of vital energy/Chi, and it is a form of prioritizing everything in one's life in order to evaluate if it is worth the effort of doing. An example of Wu Wei for me is not lifting or running excessively the day before a game, because it will tire me out and deplete my energy (as someone who isn't Taoist, I could call this my supply of glycogen in my liver).
6. Yin and Yang are the opposites that create harmony in their constant cycle of balance. Everything the Yin is, Yang is the opposite, and in nature the two are always equal with one another. I see the inclusion of gender as a positive because it shows how there can be aspects of both in an individual, which would have directly opposed the strict code of Confucianism.
7. I think that the values are relative as one's perspective is going to determine what is good and evil, there is no outright code of morality. Just like Yin and Yang, the two concepts can exist within each other.
8. Life is a journey that ventures outward only to return to its origins. Take one's freedom for example, we spend our early years reaching out for our ability to take care of ourselves, only to get married, have a child, and return to being bound by responsibilities. Similarly, we tend to go out to experience the world, but return to a comfortable place of origin. 
9. I cannot, as most other religions are most set and strict with their practices ant what they require from their followers. Taoism is different in that it is more up to personal interpretation and that there is less of an authoritarian structure that may decrease lightheartedness. 

Part 2: Rituals

Lifetime Rituals/ Rites of Passage
      The three sacraments of initiation, baptism, first communion, and confirmation, are considered to be the rites of passage for Christians, specifically Catholics. Baptism is meant to clean a Christian of Original Sin and mark their entrance to the church, and is undergone by pouring water on/dunking the baby in water. The significance of the ritual is that it provides a connection with Christ for the follower as they are undergoing a parallel ritual.
       First Communion is the second sacrament that emphasizes taking in the gifts of Christ by having the followers drink wine as the blood of Christ and eat unleavened bread as his body. It is believed that they actually become these things through transubstantiation.This is directly linked to the foundational figure, Jesus.
       Confirmation is the reaffirmation of a followers belief in the church as an adult, and is meant to confirm a believer when they actually have the choice, as opposed to a baby who cannot choose.

Festivals:
Lent/Easter
Lent is the forty day season starting with Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday (Sundays are not counted in the day count). The period is typically associated with fasting, repentance, or giving something up in order to practice spiritual discipline and to reflect on the suffering of Jesus Christ.  Lent is mostly observed by the Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Anglican, and by Roman Catholics. The season of lent is concluded with Good Friday, marking the day Jesus was crucified and died, and with Easter, the day of the Resurrection. The holiday works to create a communal identity among believers, as it creates a commonality in their lives such as what they gave up for lent, and marks them as Christians when they celebrate the holiday. The ritual is directly linked with Jesus Christ, and it focuses on the most important events of His life. The significance as a whole is that the basis of the holiday, the belief in Christ as the Messiah, is one of the defining features of the celebration.  

Part 1: In Depth Research

Key concepts of Christianity:

1. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, as promised by God in the Old Testament. 
2. Christians believe that Jesus is God's son sent to save humanity from their sins. 
3. Christians believe that everyone is born with Original Sin, as  a result of Adam eating the forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden.
4. Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross, called crucifixion, and that he came back to life on the third day of his entombment.
5. There is one God, but he is comprised of the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit.
6. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit together are called the Holy Trinity.
7. The holy book of Christianity is the Bible, which is comprised of the Old Testament and the New Testament.
8. The two most important Christian holidays are Christmas (Jesus's birthday) and Easter (the day of the resurrection).
9. Christians believe in both Heaven and Hell, and also purgatory which decides where you go in the afterlife. 
10. The Christian religion is practiced in churches, with priests as leaders. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/ataglance/glance.shtml

http://www.christianity.com/theology/