World Religions Overview
World Religions
Overview
A Religion Profile from International Students, Inc.
World Religions: An Overview
Usually, the gods of the dualistic and polytheistic religions are more like intermediaries than supreme gods. The supreme gods are either monotheistic or monistic in nature. Conversely, though, for reasons that will be explained later, the “folk” or “popular” forms of the monotheistic, monistic, and, to some extent, the atheistic religions, resemble polytheism.
Purpose
The purpose of this profile is: 1) to help you make sense of what can be a confusing array of religions; 2) to give you an appreciation for the uniqueness of Christianity; and 3) to suggest some principles to keep in mind for evangelizing those in the non-Christian …show more content…
The Avesta is their sacred scripture.
Zoroastrians believe that the supreme god, Ahura Mazda
(“the Wise Lord”) created two Spirits. The one, Spenta
Mainyu, is goodness and light; the other, Angra Mainyu, is evil, darkness, aggression, and death. Spenta Mainyu created the material universe to serve as a battleground between himself and Angra Mainyu. He also created humanity so we could assist him in defeating the principle of evil. We do so by choosing to practice good thoughts, words, and deeds.
The Tao te Ching says, “The Tao produced the One, the One produced the two” (Raguin, 33). This means that the Tao
(non-Being) is beyond the One (Being), and that the One produced the dualistic principle of yin and yang.
The interaction between the yin (feminine, dark, cold) principle and the yang (masculine, light, hot) principle represents the natural flow of the Tao (the Way) within creation. A person can learn how this interaction affects his or her life through the I Ching (The Book of Changes) in which the various possibilities of the yin/yang relationships are …show more content…
15:17). (For addressing questions concerning the historocity of
Christianity and other objections, see Geisler and Brooks.)
Replacement
Even though humanity suppresses the truth of who God is, we still have the urge to worship something, so we replace God with false gods. Paul writes, “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles” (Rom. 1:22-23).
Religions are dynamic; they change and develop over time.
As we have seen, it is common for the world religions to make God out to be distant, abstract, and inconceivable.
Obviously, such abstract concepts of God are difficult for people to relate to, which leaves a large gap between us and whatever is out there. So humanity fills that gap with something that is usually of a more personal—therefore, knowable—nature. Typically, the gap is filled with intermediate spiritual beings. Considering Paul’s words, it’s not surprising that the intermediate spirits often appear in the form of animals (e.g, totem poles).
2. God Himself Became Flesh
John writes that God sent “his one and only Son.”
Overview
A Religion Profile from International Students, Inc.
World Religions: An Overview
Usually, the gods of the dualistic and polytheistic religions are more like intermediaries than supreme gods. The supreme gods are either monotheistic or monistic in nature. Conversely, though, for reasons that will be explained later, the “folk” or “popular” forms of the monotheistic, monistic, and, to some extent, the atheistic religions, resemble polytheism.
Purpose
The purpose of this profile is: 1) to help you make sense of what can be a confusing array of religions; 2) to give you an appreciation for the uniqueness of Christianity; and 3) to suggest some principles to keep in mind for evangelizing those in the non-Christian …show more content…
The Avesta is their sacred scripture.
Zoroastrians believe that the supreme god, Ahura Mazda
(“the Wise Lord”) created two Spirits. The one, Spenta
Mainyu, is goodness and light; the other, Angra Mainyu, is evil, darkness, aggression, and death. Spenta Mainyu created the material universe to serve as a battleground between himself and Angra Mainyu. He also created humanity so we could assist him in defeating the principle of evil. We do so by choosing to practice good thoughts, words, and deeds.
The Tao te Ching says, “The Tao produced the One, the One produced the two” (Raguin, 33). This means that the Tao
(non-Being) is beyond the One (Being), and that the One produced the dualistic principle of yin and yang.
The interaction between the yin (feminine, dark, cold) principle and the yang (masculine, light, hot) principle represents the natural flow of the Tao (the Way) within creation. A person can learn how this interaction affects his or her life through the I Ching (The Book of Changes) in which the various possibilities of the yin/yang relationships are …show more content…
15:17). (For addressing questions concerning the historocity of
Christianity and other objections, see Geisler and Brooks.)
Replacement
Even though humanity suppresses the truth of who God is, we still have the urge to worship something, so we replace God with false gods. Paul writes, “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles” (Rom. 1:22-23).
Religions are dynamic; they change and develop over time.
As we have seen, it is common for the world religions to make God out to be distant, abstract, and inconceivable.
Obviously, such abstract concepts of God are difficult for people to relate to, which leaves a large gap between us and whatever is out there. So humanity fills that gap with something that is usually of a more personal—therefore, knowable—nature. Typically, the gap is filled with intermediate spiritual beings. Considering Paul’s words, it’s not surprising that the intermediate spirits often appear in the form of animals (e.g, totem poles).
2. God Himself Became Flesh
John writes that God sent “his one and only Son.”