Ethnic Religions Why Do Religions Have Different Distributions

Ethnic Religions

Why Do Religions Have Different Distributions? • Limited diffusion of ethnic religions – more tied to physical environment – universalizing religions usually compete with or intrude on ethnic religions • Examples of syncretism: – Christianity with African ethnic religions – Buddhism with Confucianism in China – Buddhism with Shinto in Japan – Ethnic religions can diffuse with migration • Hinduism in Guyana due to Indian diaspora

Hinduism • 3 rd largest religion in the world – 900 million adherents – 97% of Hindus are found in India • rest in Nepal • Many paths to spirituality – Individual decides best way to worship – Vaishnavism (Vishnu) 70% • Incarnations (Krishna, Buddha, Jesus? , etc. ) – Sivaism (Siva) 26% • Protector and destroyer of ignorance – Shaktism (female consorts of Vishnu/Siva)

• Origin Hinduism – Basic ideas brought by Aryans (Indo-Europeans) – Intermingled with Dravidians – No clear founder, archaeological evidence dating from 2500 B. C. – ‘Karmic” religion (cause and effect) – Dharma = set of rules for caste – Caste = social class – Social mobility is limited, Why? discuss • Holy places – Riverbanks, coastlines, mountains – Temples often located on riverbanks/water – Ganges River is the most sacred, Varanasi = pilgrimage site • Effects on landscape – Overcrowding/pollution due to pilgrimages – Hindus cremate dead = preserves land, no cemeteries BUT » Cremation strains wood supply, pollutes water

• 14 - 15 million Judaism – 1/3 USA, 1/3 Israel, 1/3 elsewhere • 15% in Europe (90% before WWII) • Origin and diffusion – Abraham’s migration/covenant – Promised land ↔ monotheism – Moses – Exodus (escape from Egypt) – Ten Commandments, conquest of Canaan – Kingdom of Israel (Saul, David, Solomon) – 10 lost tribes (Assyrians)/2 tribes remain (Babylon) – Tribe of Judah = “Jewish” – Diaspora (after 70 AD by Romans) – “re-clustering” due to est. of Israel – Zionism = movement for a Jewish homeland

The Jewish calendar • Rosh Hashanah – New Year • Yom Kippur • Autumn holidays express worry over winter rains – Day of Atonement • Passover • Sukkot • Feast of Weeks • Spring harvest and sacrifices commemorated in Exodus

• Islam’s 3 rd most holy site – Dome of the Rock • Western “Wailing” Wall – Solomon built 1 st temple • Destroyed by Neo-Babylonians • Rebuilt after Babylonian Captivity – Remnant of 2 nd Temple • Destroyed by Romans 70 AD

Jewish Symbols

• Confucianism Chinese Ethnic – Kong Fuzi (551 – 479 BCE) • Proper relationships/behavior bring Religions stability • answers to bigger questions come later – metaphysics – borrows spirituality from Buddhism/Daoism – Neo-Confucianism • Daoism – Laozi (604 – 531? BCE) • Seek the way or “dao” – Harmony with nature (feng shui) – Yin and yang (the natural and spiritual world consists of opposite forces: the ugly and beautiful, the dark and the light, masculine and feminine)

Animistic Religions • African ethnic religions – 100 million/12% of Africans – animism • things in nature have living spirits/consciousness • celebration of the natural – competition with universalizing religions • Leads to decline (50%) in animism • Africa now: 46% Christian/40% Muslim

• Shinto Animistic Religions – Japanese animism • As state religion it previously elevated emperor as divine (renounced after WWII) • Temples marked by distinctive Japanese gate (torii) – separates sacred space from the profane

• Shinto Animistic Religions – Japanese animism • As state religion it previously elevated emperor as divine (renounced after WWII) • Temples marked by distinctive Japanese gate (torii) – separates sacred space from the profane – Mixed with Buddhism (syncretism) = Zen • Other – Isolated areas, indigenous areas • Amazon rainforest • Arctic Ocean (Komis/Samoyeds in Siberia, Inuit in Canada, Sami in Scandinavia) • Interior of SE Asia • Interior of large Indonesian islands (Borneo and New Guinea) • Interior of Australia (Aborigines)