Basic Religions Common Features of Basic Religions Common

Basic Religions Common Features of Basic Religions

Common Features of Basic Religions Most basic religions have common features that appear in some form in the both the basic religions and in the so called advanced religions. Some of the common features also appear in some subtle form in modern culture as well. This slide show takes a look at each of those features. It will also provide examples of the feature both in the basic religions and in the so called advanced religions and cultures.

Animism is the belief that nature is alive with spirits that have feelings and can be communicated with. It is often believed that the earth itself is alive and has anima (spirit). As a result almost any animal one can think of has been worshiped. Mountains , trees , and heavenly bodies have also been worshiped.

Examples of Animism: The Druids were known to revere trees. The stone formation at Stonehenge is also an example of animism in basic religions.

Animism Christians use evergreens in celebration of the birth of Jesus. Muslims march around and kiss their sacred stone in Mecca. Hindus bathe in their sacred river, the Ganges. These are advanced religion examples of animism.

Magic is the belief that by performing rituals nature can be forced to act as desired and that God(s) can be influenced to act upon the behalf of the practitioners of the religion. The most common form among basic religions is imitative or sympathetic magic. In this form practitioners hope by performing an act on a small scale that the act will be performed on their behalf on a large scale by nature and/or God(s).

Magic In Voodoo practitioner use dolls to attempt to do evil to their enemies. The Pueblo Indians perform a hunting ritual to insure a successful hunt. A primitive hunter carries his lucky knife on every hunt. These are all examples of magic in basic religions.

The Herd Dance by Pablita Velardé • The basic purpose of all animal dances is to maintain harmony with the animals to be hunted and to honor them for the food and clothing they provide for the Pueblo people. The Herd Dance depicts a group of male dancers costumed as deer, antelope, and mountain sheep, led by two buffalo dancers. The male dancers wear the kilts and feather-trimmed headdresses common to many ceremonial dancers. With the exception of the buffalo dancers, they carry ornamental sticks, simulating forelegs, and are bent over in the position of four-legged animals. Pablita has painted herself as Buffalo Maiden, whose face bears a striking resemblance to her own.

The Herd Dance by Pablita Velardé

Magic Examples of animism in modern culture or so called advanced religions are: the lucky rabbit’s foot, a good luck charm, a religious medallion. Every one who has played sports knows of some one who did not wash their uniform or parts of their uniform while the team was winning. Recently in baseball the Anaheim Angels won a pennant with the help of their Rally Monkey.

Divination The predicting the future through divination is an important function of a priest or priestess in basic religions. This is accomplished in various fashions. Perhaps through examination of the entrails of an animal, observation of a flight of birds, or the casting of bones or sacred dice the holy person can predict coming events. Knowledge was sometimes sought from one whom the group believed was possessed by spirits. The term shaman comes from this. The original meaning related to one who was possessed by the spirits and spoke their messages to the people. The priest or magician connotations it has today came much later.

Divination Examples of Divination from basic religions are: In ancient China tortoise shells were heated until they cracked and then the patterns of the cracks were interpreted; this later evolved into what we today call I Ching. In ancient Greece a priestess was suspended over gas fumes at the Oracle of Delphi and what was said after she breathed the fumes was used to predict the future.

Divination Examples in so called advanced religions and modern culture are: In Christianity and Judaism the Prophets of the Bible predicted the future and Daniel and Joseph interpreted dreams that predicted the future. Many people today consult psychics and horoscopes to predict events.

Taboo There are certain acts in all societies and religions that must be avoided; these acts are known by the Polynesian word tabu or tapu. Failure to obey these forbidden acts could provoke the spirit world and release harmful effects upon the individual or the group. In modern societies there also taboos which are acts which are considered to be disgusting and harmful to individuals and the group.

Taboo In basic societies one does not touch the Chief nor enter sacred areas without great fear. Great harm could come to any one who violated tribal taboos. In some basic societies the birth of twins is considered to be taboo. So the twins are either exiled or killed. There also taboos about handling the dead, menstruating women and certain foods.

Taboo In modern culture taboos are acts which violate socially acceptable ways of behaving and are usually illegal. Two well known modern taboos are incest and cannibalism.

Totems 18 th century colonists in what is today the United States first discovered Totems were being used by Native Americans. Later it was recognized that various cultures through the world have used Totems. The word totem is a corruption of the Oiibwa word ototeman. Totems are based upon a feeling of kinship that humans have with animals and objects of nature. Generally it involves a form of identification with characteristics or traits that the object has.

Totems During prehistoric times many clans adopted an animal as its totem. A Bear Clan would not hunt bears but would hunt other animals; they would consider the bear sacred. Native Americans have many stories about animals. The animals often take great interest in human affairs and intervene to assist those deserving help or punish those who do wrong. Sometimes the animal acts as a spiritual guide or messenger.

Totems In the Northwest US, Native Americans produced Totem Poles are carved from cedar trees, painted and placed near the house or in the forest. The poles are made to: • Tell a family story or legend • Honor the dead • Commemorate a birth or event • Honor or dishonor some one

Totems • • • MEANING OF FIGURES Thunderbird - most powerful of all the spirits; it the personification of "chief. " Wolf - revered as a good hunter and associated with the special spiritual necessary to become a good hunter. Killer Whale - legend says that whales could capture a canoe of people and drag it to an underwater village. Here people would be transformed into whales. Raven - A cultural hero of the Coast Indian peoples who had magical powers and could change himself into anything. Grizzly Bear - here it represents the clan of the people who made the totem pole. Attributed with many human-like qualities and much power.

TOTEM POLES HOW COLOR WAS MADE The three traditional colors are red, blue-green, and black. Paint was made from natural materials and mixed with salmon eggs • Red: Iron oxide or red ochre clay • Black: Cedar and charcoal • Blue-Green: Copper or clay Totems

Totem Pole Myths: Myth: Totem poles are a recent introduction to the Northwest Coast. Fact: Native Northwest Coast oral histories tell us that tall carved poles have been made on the Northwest Coast since ancient times. The earliest European explorer's drawing of a Northwest Coast house frontal pole was made at Dadens village on Haida Gwaii (the Queen Charlotte Islands) in 1791. The size and number of totem poles did grow during the 1800 s. Myth: Totem poles can be read just like a book. Fact: While it is sometimes possible to identify different animals, such as bears, ravens, eagles, it is not possible to interpret what the pole really means without knowing the history of the pole and the family that owns it. Myth: The "low man on the totem pole" has the lowest status. Fact: There is no universal significance to the order in which figures are placed on poles. Many times the lowest figure is the most important figure. Occasionally "ridicule" figures were carved to shame or embarrass a rival.

Totems In modern culture Totems are still used today. The US uses the eagle as a symbol, China, the dragon, and Russia, the bear. Sports teams also use totems; look at the local teams logos on this page.

Sacrifice is one of the most common practices in all religions throughout the world. Since the beginning of history people have offered sacrifices of every imaginable material to their God(s), spirits, demon(s) and ancestor(s). On rare occasions humans have been offered as sacrifices. Human sacrifice is usually regarded an extreme but effective method of persuading the gods. The act of sacrifice has a variety of meanings. Originally it was a method of feeding the residents of the spirit world. At other times the sacrifice was a gift of some sort to the spirit world. Sacrifice establishes a bond of some form between the giver and the spirits.

Sacrifice In ancient times animals were often sacrificed; usually they were slaughtered and then burned or cooked and eaten before the gods. Water, wine or milk were poured over grave sites to appease the deceased. Other items were left in sacred places to try to win the favor of the gods. All these actions were to try to establish a bond between God(s) and humans.

Sacrifice is also a part of the modern period of religion. In Islam one is to give alms to the needy and fast on Ramadan. Judaism and Christianity also have fasting and giving alms and offering as a part of their faith. Jesus in Christianity sacrificed himself to pay human believers’ debt of sin.

Myth All religions both the so called advanced religions and basic religios use mythology. The word myth has in modern cultures the connotation of a lie, but in the study of religions it has another definition. Almost every religion has stories of God(s) dealing with humans. These stories are called myths; they are a poetic way of telling a great truth. Myths are a way of thinking in pictures as opposed to thinking in abstracts. Thus myths become a way of explaining beliefs from one generation to the next. Religious myths are often etiologic; in other words religious myths explain the “hows” and “whys” of religion. So a myth may explain the origin of a group by tracing it back to creation through a story.

Myth There are many myths in basic religions. The story of Apollo riding across the sky in a chariot explained the rising and setting of the sun. The Native American story of “Wooing Wohpe” explains how the four winds are related to the four directions. This story can be found in the text following the chapter on Native American religions or in the book, Lakota Myth by James R. Walker.

Myth An example of a modern myth is the story of “The Little Train That Could”. It is the story of a little train that does not think it can make it up a very high hill. The little train does make by reciting over and over: “I think I can; I think I can. ” This story teaches children that they are capable of reaching their dreams if they keep a positive attitude.

Rituals Every religion has rituals. These rites range from the very simple to the complex. A simple meal time prayer is an example of a simple ritual. Other rituals may require years of study by a priest(ess) who performs the complex ritual. A Catholic wedding ceremony is an example of this type of ritual. Sometimes rituals are a reenactment of religious mythology. By acting out the story the participants of the religion identify with the divine characters in the story. A reenactment of the Birth of Jesus would be a modern example of this.

Rituals An example of a ritual from a basic religion would be the Sun Dance which was performed by various Plains Indian tribes. Dance is an important element of many basic religion rituals. The Navajos perform “The Blessing Way” which is a healing ceremony which can be adapted to other religions.

Rituals An example of a ritual in the so called advanced religions is the marriage ceremony, baptismal ceremony, or a funeral ceremony. Both are rituals performed by almost every religion. Each can be very simple or very complex depending upon what is customary and what is desired by the participants.

Rites of Passage Rites of passage is another universal feature of religions. Certain rituals are established and are to be performed at key points in an individual believer’s life. The key points which are usually recognized are: birth, puberty, marriage, and death. Rituals carried out at these points the separation from a former status and transition to the new status; they recall myths of the culture and establish incorporation in a new group. Birth is important because the new born is recognized as a member of the community. Puberty marks the beginning of adult life in the community. Marriage is a celebration of fertility rituals which assure to continuance of the community. Death is important to assure proper burial and recognition of the deceased’s accomplishments.

Rites of Passage Native American youths Often marked the rite of Passage from youth to adulthood by living alone in the wilderness for a period of time and a vision quest. Other basic religions and older cultures required an ordeal of some type for a child to pass into adulthood.

Rites of Passage Rite of passages exist in modern culture and religion as well. Examples for modern culture are earning a driver’s license at age 16 or graduating from high school. Example for religions are marriage ceremonies, funerals, baptism, Mitzvah, and confirmation.

Ancestor Veneration is the final common feature of basic religions. Many students of the origins of religion believe that ancestor veneration began when some prehistoric people dreamed of the deceased and thought that the dead were not truly gone, but lived in another form on another plane. The dead therefore could either help or hurt the living. It became important to prevent the dead from returning and doing harm. So it became necessary to not speak the names of the dead and sometimes even burn their homes to discourage their return. Since the dead could also help the living great efforts were made to appease them. Their possessions and sometimes even spouses and servants were buried with them in elaborate tombs.

Ancestor Veneration In ancient Egypt elaborate tombs were prepared for the Pharaohs that included areas about them for servants and possessions. In ancient China grave mounds were rebuilt annually and offerings of food, drink, flowers, and Blankets were left to appease and comfort the Dead.

Ancestor Veneration In modern cultures the family places flowers upon the grave. There are many make shift memorials at the site of tragic accidents or horrific crimes; the street near where the Twin Towers were in NYC is such a site. There also beautiful memorials like the Vietnam Wall In DC where people remember and honor the dead.

Common Features of Basic Religions The End