World Religions Sixth Edition Warren Matthews Chapter Eleven

World Religions, Sixth Edition Warren Matthews Chapter Eleven: New Forms of Older Religions This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: • any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; • preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; • any rental, lease, or lending of the program.

Baha´i is an independent religion that promotes worldwide unity God sent a continuing stream of prophets into the world Jewish prophets, Jesus, and Muhammad Now, the Bab and Baha´u´llah Baha´i seeks one world at peace Divisions of nation, race, and gender must disappear so people of the earth may become as one

Baha´i Centered in Haifa, Israel Founded by the Bab Vision of Imam Husayn Executed in Iran Followed by Baha´u´llah Exiled from Iran Admitted to being the prophet foretold by the Bab Wrote the holy books for Baha´i Baha'i later led by son and grandson of Baha´u´llah

Baha´i The Baha´i year has nineteen months of nineteen days each The number nineteen represents Baha´i’s initial disciples Nine holy days Baha´i has no clergy, and worshipers meet in private homes Of its seven Houses of Worship around the world, the United States’ site is located in Wilmette, Illinois The Baha´i have urged world peace, writing to members of the UN and other global leaders

Baha’i Believer from Thailand in Her Region’s Traditional Costume

Cao Dai Founded by Ngo Van Chieu in 1919 Very much Vietnamese in character Has temples with chanting Uses images of saints (including many westerner and Asian) Has a high leader Has followed many Vietnamese into exile and is practiced by refugees abroad Exists in Vietnamese American communities

Worshippers inside Cao Dai Great Temple in Tay Ninh, Vietnam

Church of Satan Founded by Anton Szandor La. Vey on April 30, 1966 An offshoot is the Temple of Set (1995) Not devil worship, not dependent upon Christianity Satan is one's self and selfishness The highest source of power Humans are not spiritual but carnal

Church of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard founded the Church of Scientology Famous as a science fiction writer Based on his Original Thesis in 1948 and later his book, Dianetics Theology Souls (thetans) are very early part of creation Souls are trapped in this universe They may be assisted in escaping Practice Auditing assists in “clearing” a soul Very financially successful organization

Druids A neopagan movement reconstructing the past Druids did not keep written records Most ideas are taken from relatively recent folklore Appear to have kept three orders of people Bards – maintained the traditions and sacred truths Ovates – understood the mysteries of death and rebirth, divining the future, and conversing with ancestors Druids – were teachers, judges, and authorities on worship and ceremonies

Druids Druidic calendar focuses on the solar and lunar cycles Solstices and equinoxes are times of celebration Rituals are held in ancestral circle spaces (such as Stonehenge) Druids connect to the universe through rites of intensification They have male and female deities They focus on nature as a god They believe that life should be lived to the fullest They believe in life after death, likely with rest before reincarnation

Druid Ceremony for Summer Solstice at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England

Falun Gong China has exercise groups that evolved out of chi, yin-yang, and the five phases In 1992, Li Hongzhi began to emphasize spiritual exercises as well Presently he is in exile in the United States Li Hongzhi denies that Falun Gong is a religion Government of China has suppressed Falun Gong However, there appears to be a strong group continuing to practice Falun Gong

Falun Gong The Falun, located in the lower abdomen, properly eliminates harmful influences in the body Emphasizes Zhen-Shan-Ren – Confucian truthfulness, Daoist benevolence, and Buddhist forbearance One seeks to conduct oneself with these virtues and to become enlightened with the truths of human life Focus is upon individual development rather than a group process

Orishas in the New World – Candomblé, Santería, and Vodun Development of the Yoruba religion by slaves in the New World into three beliefs with many similarities: Candomblé, in Brazil Sacrifices (such as roosters), spirit offerings (candles, flowers), and nature worship Spirit possession leads some devotees to impersonate deities as they dance to sounds of drums Incorporates some Roman Catholic practices (saints and cross)

Orishas Santería, in Cuba Emphasizes spirit possession in orichas Vodun (Voodoo), in Haiti Vodun – a spirit or god that may protect or afflict people Loa – a vodun who can possess a person Leaders assist people in contacting the vodun Contact with one’s vodun can be either positive or negative

Rastafarian Ras Tafari was crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I in Ethiopia in 1930 Many Africans looked to Ethiopia as the only independent African nation at the time As blacks in Jamaica looked for respect in the world, Ras Tafari became the symbol of hope for the future Rastafarians look to a future with black prestige reestablished They wear their hair in dreadlocks (uncombed “braids”) They look to personally improve themselves and other blacks

Theosophical Society Organized in Vermont in 1875 Today has branches in India and the U. S. All the great Masters arrived at the unified Ancient Wisdom Tries to unite the wisdom of the ancients Teaches that the ego is alienated from the higher order of spirit But stresses that through reincarnation and education humans can reach their spiritual destinies

The Unification Church/ Family Federation Founded by Reverend Sun Myung Moon from Korea Received vision on his 16 th birthday Began his church in 1954, reformed in 1996 God has a plan for families Jesus failed to be able to perfect families, since Jesus did not marry or father children Moon and his wife are the new True Parents Church has a strong business presence Mass weddings are a visible activity

Unification Church Mass Wedding Ceremony near Seoul, Korea

Wicca participants are often called “witches” Not the devil worshipers of medieval times Wiccans often emphasize the moon (as female) Sometimes as the triumvirate (maiden, matron, crone) Sometimes as Diana, the Roman goddess They usually consider nature to be a goddess, and may call on her in various aspects Covens of ten to fifteen members perform their rituals in a nine-foot circle