Introduction to World Religions

and Belief Systems

Eastern and Monotheistic Thought
 Table of Contents
 Confucianism
 Legalism
 Daoism
 Shintoism
 Hinduism
 Buddhism
 Judaism
 Christianity
 Islam
 Conclusion
 Works Cited
 Confucianism
 Origins: China
 Founder: Confucius
 Date: 6th Century BC

“The strength of a nation

derives from the integrity
of the home."
Confucius
 Legalism
 Origins: China
 Founder: Hanfeizi
 Date: 6th Century BC

“Humaneness may make

one shed tears and be
reluctant to apply
penalties, but law makes
it clear that such
penalties must be
applied. Hence it is
obvious that humaneness
cannot be used to
achieve order in the
state. …”
Hanfeizi
 Daoism
 Origins: China
 Founder: Laozi
 Date: c. 6th Century BC

“ By letting it go, it all

gets done. The world is
won by those who let it
go. But when you try and
try the world is beyond
the winning.” Laozi
 Shintoism
 Origins: Japan
 Founder: Unknown
 Date: c. 6th Century BC

"Be charitable to all beings,

love is the representative
of God."
Hachiman Kasuga
 Hinduism
 Origins: India
 Founder: Unknown
 Date: c. 6500 BC

“God is Infinite. Many are

the names of God and
infinite the forms through
which He may be
approached.”
Sri Ramakrishna
 Buddhism
 Origins: India
 Founder: Siddhartha
Gautama
 Date: 6th Century BC

“Noble Truth of Suffering :

birth is suffering;… death is
suffering; presence of
objects we hate is
suffering; separation from
objects we love is
suffering; not to obtain
what we desire is
suffering.”
Buddha
 Judaism
 Origins: Palestine
 Founder: Abraham
 Date: c. 4000 BC

“I will surely bless you and

make your descendants
as numerous as the stars
in the sky and as the
sand on the seashore.”
Genesis 22:17
 Christianity
 Origins: Palestine
 Founder: Jesus of
Nazareth
 Date: c. 33AD

“For unto us a child is born,

unto us a son is given:…
and his name shall be
called Wonderful,
Counselor, The mighty
God, The everlasting
Father, The Prince of
Peace. “
Isaiah 9:6
 Islam
 Origins: Arabian
Peninsula
 Founder: Muhammad
 Date: c. 7th Century AD

“All that is in heaven and

earth gives glory to Allah.
He is the Mighty, the
Wise One.”
Koran 57:1
 Conclusion
 Which regions of the world did these religions
appear in first?
 In what century did most of these religions
begin?
 Why do you think that people in such different
parts of the world felt the need to create these
“belief systems” or “religions”?
 What other religions do you know of besides the
ones we have discussed?
 Works Cited
 http://www.pics4learning.com/
 http://www.all-famous-quotes.com/Confucius_quotes.html
 http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/ps/cup/hanfei_five_vermin.pdf
 http://strangewondrous.net/browse/author/l/laozi?start=11
 http://www.fengshuihelp.com/Images/yin_yang.gif
 http://www.tiptoptens.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Shintoism.jpg
 http://www.religioustolerance.org/shinto.htm
 http://www.religion-spirituality.org/hinduism/quotes.php
 http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-
NFoM3sKXe1c/SypROxRrl2I/AAAAAAAAAiI/qlqgZ4OEcrI/s1600/brahma_the_creator.jp
g
 http://www.as.miami.edu/phi/bio/Buddha/firstsermon.html
 http://www.viewzone.com/buddha.head.jpg
 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+22&version=NIV
 http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium/christianity--baby-jesus-munir-
alawi.jpg
 http://urantiabook.org/archive/readers/quotations_from_koran.htm
 http://zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/book_illos/MuhammadTeaching.j
pg