Do you BELIEVE
that there is GOD?
Is there an
EXISTENCE
of GOD?
BELIEF
refers to a conviction concerning particular
ideas.
shapes people’s ideas regarding reality and is
influenced by their perceptions, experiences,
and ideas.
not formed solely based on perception and
experience but through a mental process based
on ideas and attitudes.
not only based on perception, fact, or empirical
evidence but also the acceptance of the
likelihood of something being true.
FAITH
generally defined as a belief that is not
based on proof.
It also implies confidence or trust in a
person or a thing.
In religion, faith refers to the observance of
religious obligations, an attitude of
reverence toward entities and ideas that
are considered important in that religion,
and an unwavering trust in the major
beliefs of that particular religion.
BELIEF SYSTEMS
stories a person tells oneself or ideas that
people hold that define their personal
sense of reality.
All human beings have their belief system
that they utilize, and it is through this
mechanism that they make sense of the
world.
introduce a set of symbols that define
larger philosophical and spiritual ideas,
which also influence the way people look at
their life, the society, and the world in
general
WORLDVIEW
similar to a belief system
While belief systems attempt to explain
larger issues of philosophy, fundamental
beliefs, and ways of doing things, a
worldview tries to explain and interpret
reality, history, and civilization.
Major worldviews that influence religious
beliefs include:
Monism
Polytheism
Monotheism
Atheism
Agnosticism
MONISM
is from the Greek word “monos” which
means “single”.
It is a philosophical worldview in which all
of reality can be reduced to one “thing” or
“essence.”
This view believes that “all is one,” that
there are no fundamental divisions, and
that a unified set of laws underlies all of
nature.
MAJOR WORLDVIEWS
POLYTHEISM
refers to the belief in and adoration of
several deities.
Each deity or god is typically distinguished
by a certain function and often has human
characteristics.
This is true for ancient Greek and Roman
gods and goddesses who were both human
in appearance and behavior.
Hinduism is another major polytheistic
religion.
MAJOR WORLDVIEWS
MONOTHEISM
is the faith in a single, all-powerful god.
Examples of monotheistic religions are
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
MAJOR WORLDVIEWS
ATHEISM
is the disbelief in gods or supernatural
entities.
It is a view that accepts reason and aims to
establish a lifestyle and ethical outlook
verifiable by experience and scientific
methods.
MAJOR WORLDVIEWS
AGNOSTICISM
the view or belief that the existence of
God, the divine, or the supernatural is
either unknowable in principle or currently
unknown in fact.
It can also mean apathy towards such
religious beliefs and refer to personal
limitations rather than a worldview.
MAJOR WORLDVIEWS
THEOLOGY
refers to the study of religious faith,
practice, and experience, especially the
study of God and His relation to the world
and His creation.
Theological studies are done in a rational
and philosophical manner and have given
rise to specific theological schools of
thought.
RELIGION
an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies,
and rules used to worship a god or group of
gods
Latin word “religio” – something done with
overanxious or scrupulous attention to
detail
Latin verb “religare” – to tie together or to
bind fast
In its original sense, the word refers to the
expression of proper piety, that is, binding
to god.
RELIGION
commonly refers to an institution that has
a set of organized practices and a
structured belief system shared by and
among those who are members of the
institution.
Their transcendental beliefs are passed on
from members to converts, and are based
on either a formally documented creed or
established cultural practices.
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS AMONG RELIGIONS
A
Doctrine
of
Salvation
Code of
Belief in
Diety RELIGION Conduct
Religious
Rituals
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS AMONG RELIGIONS
A
Doctrine
of Three philosophical views:
Salvation
o Atheists believe that no deity
exists.
o Theists believe in deity or
Code of deities.
Belief in
Diety RELIGION Conduct o Agnostics say that the existence
of a deity cannot be proved or
disproved.
Religious
Rituals
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS AMONG RELIGIONS
A
Doctrine
of
Salvation
o It is based on the belief people
are in some danger from which
they must be saved.
o Major religions like Christianity,
Code of Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism
Belief in
Diety RELIGION Conduct
tress that salvation is the highest
goal of the faithful and one that
all followers should try to
achieve.
Religious
Rituals
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS AMONG RELIGIONS
A
Doctrine
of o It is a set of moral teachings and
Salvation
values that all religions have in
some form.
o Such a code or ethics tells
Code of believers how to conduct their
Belief in
Diety RELIGION Conduct lives.
o It instructs them how to act
toward the deity and one
another.
Religious
Rituals
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS AMONG RELIGIONS
A o These include the acts and
Doctrine ceremonies by which believers
of
Salvation appeal to and serve God, deities, and
other sacred powers.
o The performance of a ritual is often
called a service.
Code of o The most common ritual is prayer or
Belief in
Diety RELIGION Conduct
for some Asian religions, meditation.
o Many religions have rituals intended
to purify the body. Some have
pilgrimages.
Religious o Rituals commemorate events in the
Rituals history of religions and mark
important events in a person’s life.
Why do
o Give us a way to think about our
own morality
o Help us to find security in an
RELIGIONS
insecure world
o Organize us socially
o Assist the poorest and the
exist?
weakest with survival
o Stimulate artistic production
o “Spiritual” means “relating or
affecting the human spirit or soul
as opposed to material or physical
things”.
o From the Latin word spiritus, its
verb root spirare means “to
breath”.
o The main belief of spirituality is of
having an invisible spirit or soul
enjoying an earthy experience, or
journey, in a visible body.
o Spirituality is about one’s soul and
inner self. Being spiritual involves
holding one’s set of beliefs and
practices and searching for the
purpose of life.
o The goal of spirituality is to realize
one’s inherent power to combat all
of life’s challenges and connect
with something greater than
oneself.
1. An automatic intuitive connection with every other spiritual being on
earth.
2. The power and centrality of instinct and intuition to guide life and its
outcomes.
3. Emphasis on loving and emotionally supporting others, and reaching out
to them as a natural way of living.
4. A keen appreciation of, and interest in, the wonders of nature and its
possibilities.
5. The feeling of serenity, fearlessness, contentment, and acceptance of
one’s life and fate.
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CONCLUSION
In seeking the divine, whether from a church pew on a
Sunday or on top of a ridge looking at a glorious sunrise, we
increase our feelings of happiness, peace, and appreciation for the
life that we have. Religion and spirituality are neither the same
thing nor completely separate from one another. In spirituality,
one may ponder, “Where do I find meaning in life, and what are
my true values?” Meanwhile, in religion, common questions might
be “What is the truth?” and “What is right and wrong?”
