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-669925-579755Religious Beliefs Task OneIn groups, identify as many religious beliefs as you can. Make a written note of these beliefs.Below are the main religious beliefs:A belief in GodA belief in the soulA belief in life after deathA belief in right and wrongA belief in heaven and hellTask TwoIn groups, think of questions that you could ask a person about these beliefs. Make a list of your questions. Think of people you could interview with your questions. Invite them for an interview and make a written record of their responses. GodAll the world religions (apart from Buddhism) say that God exists. Each world religion says that God created the universe. This means that God is all-powerful. Each world religion also says that God is all-knowing and all-loving. Descriptions of God can be very detailed. Islam has 99 names for God. Two of these are the Gracious and the Sublime. One Sikh holy book lists 950 names for God. Some of these are borrowed from Islam. Two of the most important Sikh names for God are the Timeless and the True. All religions say that God is vast and sometimes mysterious. God is often described as beyond the imagination. This is why some religions do not show what God is like in a picture or statue. Religions that do not have images of God are Islam, Sikhism and Judaism. Protestant Christians do not have images of God but Roman Catholic Christians do. Orthodox Christians also have many pictures of God. These religious images are called icons.Task Three1) Copy out the following cloze passage. Then use the Word Bank at the bottom of the page to complete the passage. Most world _________________ claim that God _____________ . They also say that he is _____ ___________________ and _____ __________________ . God is often given names. For example, Sikhs call God the _________________ and the _________________ . Muslims say that God is _________________ and ______________ .God: Word Bank~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~all-powerfulGraciousSublimeTrueTimelessexistsall-lovingreligions2) Why do some religions never have pictures of God?Literacy advice: begin your answer with the sentence and sentence stem: There are several reasons why some religions do not have pictures of God. For example, .…IconsReligions that use icons do so for many reasons. For example, an icon can provide comfort. Many people keep icons in their homes. They often treat them like a family member. An icon can also give inspiration. Icons can also be a source of knowledge. Icons often contain messages about the beliefs and values of a religion. Many icons are amongst the greatest works of art.The religion that uses the most images for God is Hinduism. Hindus believe that Brahman (God) is a formless power. This power appears in many ways. These appearances of God are called ‘avatara’. An avatar can be a male or female or even an animal. An avatar has a particular skill. For example, the god Shiva can be a destroyer whereas the goddess Sarasvati is a creator. People that believe that God exists are called theists. For theists, the existence of God answers questions such as: 1) Where did the universe come from? 2) Is there an intelligence that controls nature? 3) Are humans alone in the universe?Icons of God in HinduismIcons in ChristianityJesus and MaryChrist PantocratorTask FourCopy out the following cloze passage. Then use the Word Bank at the bottom of the page to complete the passage. Icons are used for many ____________ . They can be kept in the __________ or else _______________ buildings. The religion with the most icons is ___________________ . For _____________ God can _____________ in many ways. These appearances are called ______________ . All icons contain important information about the _____________ and _______________ of a religion. Word Bankavatara homeHindusreasonsvaluesHinduism appearbeliefsreligiousTask FiveYou can do a worksheet and icon on either 1) The Hindu Goddess Maha Kali or 2) Christianity: (a) Christ Pantocrator or (b) Jesus and the Virgin Mary (The Hodegetria).God as a SymbolSome religious people do not believe in a literal God. They do not believe that God exists somewhere ‘out there’. Rather, they think of God as a symbol. The symbol of God tries to show what is most important to us. Human beings value love and family life. For some people this explains why God is often described as a mother and sometimes as a father. In this way of thinking, God personifies two things. As a mother, God represents the natural process that gives birth to everything. God also represents our need to be loved and nurtured. As a father, God represents an authority figure that offers guidance and protection. Task SixCopy out the following cloze passage. Then use the Word Bank at the bottom of the page to complete the passage. Some ________________ people think of God as a _____________ . This means that God ____________________ what is most important to us. Human beings need __________________ and ___________________ . This is why God is often thought of as a ___________________ . Human beings also need to be __________________ . This is why God is often __________________ as a mother. God as a mother and father symbolise our first and most basic ______________ .Word Bankneeds guidance religious protectionfather imagined symbol represents nurtured2) Using a dictionary, look up the words: (a) personify and (b) personification. Write the meaning of these words into your jotter.The SoulAll world religions (except Buddhism) say that we have a soul. The soul is not physical like our body. The soul is spiritual. The soul is the life force behind our thoughts and emotions. The soul enters the body at conception and leaves at the moment of death.Is the Brain Like a Computer?The ancient Greek word for the soul is ‘psyche’. The word ‘psyche’ provides us with the word ‘psychology’. Psychology is the science of mind and behaviour. Many psychologists think that our thoughts and emotions come from our brain. They compare our brain to a CPU (central processing unit) of a computer and our genes to a computer program. Just as electricity allows a computer to operate, the energy content of food allows human beings to live. Just as a computer stops working properly when it has a virus, human beings can contract a disease and become sick. Just as a computer needs rebooting, a human being needs to get better. Just as a computer eventually becomes burned out, a human being becomes old and dies. Task SevenAnswer the following questions in as much detail as possible.1) What is the soul and what does it do?Literacy advice: begin your answer with the stem: The soul is …. 2) Do you believe that the soul exists or not? Give reasons for your answer.Literacy advice: begin your answer with the stem: I believe that ….3) Complete the following table of comparisons between a human being and a computer:A Human BeingA ComputerComputer CPUGenesElectricitySickness and DiseaseBurnout4) Although human beings and computers can be compared to each other, what, if any, are the major differences between them?Literacy advice: begin your answer with the sentence and sentence stem: Humans and computers are different in a number of ways. For example, …Life after DeathAll world religions say there is life after death. Although Buddhism claims there is no soul, it does say there is a stream of consciousness that connects one life to the next. For those religions that believe it exists, the soul is the immortal essence of our personality. It survives death and continues to exist. Even people who do not belong to a religion sometimes believe in the soul. A person who believes the soul exists could be called a spiritualist or a mentalist.The table below shows how two groups of religions have different ideas about life after death.Life After Death in the World ReligionsWorld Religions:Reincarnation:HinduismBuddhismSikhismA person is reborn either as another person, animal or spirit. Spirits can be ghosts or gods.World Religions:Resurrection:JudaismChristianityIslamA person is raised from the dead to live again as themselves in the resurrected body of the afterlife.Resurrection and ReincarnationMany people claim there is evidence for reincarnation. There are numerous stories of people who claim to remember being someone else in the past. Alternatively, where is the evidence for resurrection?Task EightWith the rest of the class, look at some cases of people who claim to have been reincarnated. Assess the claims made in these stories. Assess the claims of those who believe in resurrection. Make some notes on what you think is the basis of each type of claim.1) Using a whole page of your jotter, copy out the above table on ‘Life After Death in the World Religions’.Answer the following questions in as much detail as possible:1) Why do some people claim to be reincarnated?Literacy advice: begin your answer with the sentence and stem: People claim to be reincarnated for many reasons. For example, ….2) Why do some people believe in reincarnation?Literacy advice: begin your answer with the sentence and stem: People believe in reincarnation for many reasons. For example, ….3) Why do some people believe in resurrection?Literacy advice: begin your answer with the stem: people believe in resurrection because ….Right and WrongAll the world religions say there is a difference between right and wrong. It is usually God who has told people the difference between right and wrong. Every religion has rules. Religious people believe that good consequences come from sticking to the rules. They also believe that bad consequences come from breaking the rules. The following table explains these beliefs:Heaven and HellWorld Religions:Beliefs about Heaven and HellJudaismChristianityIslamPeople who practise these religions believe that when they die they will be resurrected. They will then live forever in either heaven or hell. If a person has lived by religious rules they will go to heaven. If a person has broken religious rules they will go to hell.World Religions:Beliefs about Heaven and HellHinduismBuddhismSikhismPeople who practise these religions believe that heaven and hell are just two of many places in which it is possible to be reborn. For example, a person in the human realm could die and be reincarnated as a god in a heaven realm. They could then die and be reborn as a spirit in a hell realm. Release from this continuous process is known as moksha or freedom from rebirth. This freedom is caused by following religious rules.Task Nine1) Complete the following table in your jotter identifying as many examples as you can:Things my parents have told me …… are wrong to do… are right to do2) From the above table, choose the best piece of advice your parents have given to you. Write it down and then explain why it is the best piece of advice you have been given. Literacy advice: begin your answer with the stem: The best piece of advice my parents have given me is …Humanism and Religious Beliefs: GodSome Humanists say that God is a delusion. A delusion is a belief for which there is no evidence. Some Humanists compare the belief in God to a belief in Father Christmas. Others compare God to an invisible friend or a police officer in the sky. They say that God simply does not exist. People who say that God does not exist are atheists. Some Humanists are agnostics. An agnostic thinks that there isn’t enough evidence to prove that God exists or does not exist. Agnostics say they do not know whether God exists or not. Buddhism is an agnostic religion. Buddhists are not concerned about whether God exists or not. For Buddhists, God is irrelevant to what is important about life.Many Humanists are sceptics. A sceptic is someone who exercises doubt. For example, a sceptic would doubt that God exists. Theists claim that God is all-loving. However, a sceptic would ask: then why do bad things happen to people? Since bad things do happen to people a sceptic thinks that God probably does not exist. Considerations like these make some people very doubtful that God exists. Humanism and Religious Beliefs: Life After DeathMany Humanists believe that what happens after death is a mystery. They claim that we cannot prove whether there is life after death or not. These people are agnostics and the position they hold is called agnosticism. A sceptic seriously doubts there is life after death. They might claim there is no evidence for resurrection. They would point out that anyone who has been 100% conclusively dead for a long time has never come back to life. Although there appears to be some evidence for reincarnation, a sceptic would ask why there are only a few isolated cases of people remembering who they were in the past. There are hundreds of millions of people in the world but only a few that claim to remember a previous life.Many Humanists who are influenced by modern science believe that the physical body causes consciousness. They believe that thoughts are products of the brain. These people are called physicalists and the position they hold is known as physicalism. Physicalists think that when a person dies they are totally annihilated. Since physicalists believe in the annihilation of a person at death they are also known as nihilists. The position they hold is called nihilism. Physicalists and nihilists believe the opposite of mentalists or spiritualists. Mentalists or spiritualists believe that the soul or mind is different than the body. They believe it is indestructible and lives on after the death of the body. Task TenCopy out and complete the cloze passage below. Use information from pages 19, 20 and 21 to enable you to complete this task. Do it in a pair or in in a group.A _______________ believes in God. However, a _________________ does not believe in God. Some people think that in religious matters knowledge is most important. They say that they do not know whether God exists or not. These people are called _________________ . They also claim it is impossible to know if there is ___________ after ______________ .A sceptic is inclined to _____________ the existence of God or ____________ after ______________ . People that believe thoughts are caused by the brain are called ______________________ . They think that when a person dies they are completely destroyed. This position is known as ______________________ . People that believe that the mind is different from the body are called ______________________ or ______________________ . These people also believe in life after death. Humanism and Religious Beliefs: Right and WrongHumanists believe that evolution has provided people with a conscience. A conscience leads people to believe that there is a difference between right and wrong or good and evil. Task Eleven1) What do you believe happens after death? Give reasons for your answer.Literacy advice: begin your answer with the sentence stem: I believe that after death …2) What do you think about the existence of God? Which philosophical position do you think is compatible with your own point of view? Give reasons for your answer.Literacy advice: begin your answer with the sentence stem: I believe that God ... Religious Beliefs Crossword:Specialist VocabularyCluesDown:1) The opposite of good.2) Someone who believes in life after death.3) To return from death as another person, animal or spirit.4) The opposite of bad.5) I say: ‘Once you’re dead, you’re dead.’6) Supreme being.7) I believe God is an invisible police man in the sky – in other words, I do not believe he exists.8) She doesn’t believe in everything she sees or hears.9) Tells us what we should or should not do.10) The worst anyone could possibly be.11) The Ancient Greek word for knowledge.Across:1) Raised from the dead to live again.2) The reward for a life well-lived.3) I believe your mind is a product of your brain.4) A religious picture.5) The place where people are supposed to burn and suffer for ever!6) The Cross, the Khanda and the Star of David etc.7) Someone who believes that God exists.8) The indestructible essence of a person.9) Someone who sees insufficient evidence for and insufficient evidence against a belief or position. ................
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