Part II- Christianity

1. What is the human condition?

In Christianity, humans believe that they were created in the image of God. Christian's believe that God's existence is infinite when it comes to love and justice. God is relational, and is the Trinity of three equal "persons", The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. To understand God's love, Christian's believe that they must follow the 10 Commandments and do their best not to sin. Everyone will sin at some point in their life, but Jesus forgives all sins. Knowing this is very reassuring and comfortable for Christians, as they know they will always be loved. Christians also believe that God is personal to everyone and acts with intention.

2. Where are we going/what is the goal?

Christian's main goal in life is to glorify God and go to heaven after death. Glorifying God would include doing our best to follow the Ten Commandments and doing what we believe Jesus would want us to do. Sinning is a  mistake that everyone makes in their lifetime, but we will always be forgiven. By doing our best to follow these rules and doing our best not to sin, the afterlife would include going to Heaven. Heaven is a continuation of life after death. If God chooses that heaven is not the place for a specific person, the other option is hell, a place where unrepentant sinners go after death. With this said, the ultimate goal of a Christian is to go to heaven.

3. How do we get there?

As said before, the way of getting to heaven is through glorifying God and asking for forgiveness of sins. The Ten Commandments are a way to follow God's ideals for how he wants humans to act. These commandments include, You shall have no other gods before Me, You shall not make idols, You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, Honor your father and your mother, You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, and You shall not covet. In addition to following these commandments, it is important for Christians to do everything they can to not sin. If they do sin, it is important that they address what they have done wrong and ask for forgiveness.

Theme 4 and 5

Religious Experience:
1. What is the group or individual experience in the faith?
In Christianity, there are major roles in groups, but also as individuals. On Sunday mornings, it is very common for a group of Christians to gather in church to praise God. There are also many different types of praying circles or prayer groups. Being in this environment allows oneself to feel love and feel the benefits of being with people that are possibly going through the same things as them, or have gone through them in the past. As a group, it is everyone's duty to make everyone feel welcome and to pray and worship God together, sharing opinions and discussing various topics. As individuals, we share a lot of the same responsibilities, but also have our personal relationship with God. It is important, as Christians, to pray to God on our own and keep up a good and healthy relationship. As individuals, it is also important that we do everything in our power to help others and to give back to those who are less fortunate. Whether praising God within a group setting or individually, it is always important to be respectful of others and to be open to learning new ideas. Giving back is something that is always important and can be done in a group or by ourselves.

2. What is the role of meditation/worship/prayer?
The role of worship and prayer is to bring oneself closer to God. Prayer is the way that Christians, individually and as part of the assembled church, speaks to God. This can include petition, praise, intercession, and so forth. Prayer is one of the most important aspects to a Christian's life when trying to speak to God. God does not only call us to prayer to take part in his work and to witness the transformations of others, (healing of bodies, the reconciling of relationships, the salvation of the lost, and so forth), He also calls us to pray so that we can be changed. This allows our hearts to become more similar and in sync with His heart. Although at times it may seem that God has not answered our prayers, it may simply be because He has a better plan in mind for us and everything will work out at a later time. Through all of these prayers, its only natural that one becomes closer to God, making that one of the most important relationships you could ever have.


Ethics and Moral Conduct:
What are the core ethical teachings of the religion and what significant interpretations of them exist?
In Christianity, the Bible and the Church are the core teachings. The Bible is used to explore the ideas behind the purpose of God, the truth about God, God's purpose for the earth, who is Jesus, what happens after you die, God's kingdom, suffering, giving, view of a good life, worship, prayer, family, relationships, and love. All of these things contribute greatly to Christianity, as they help to explain what Christians believe in and the reasoning behind certain things. The most important ethical teaching of the bible and of the church is giving back. God and Jesus have done so much for us, that it only seems reasonable to give back as much as we can as a way for saying thank you. During church, the pastor usually goes over these things in a sermon or relates different bible verses to help learn the meaning behind each of these topics. In more simple terms, the core teachings of the bible and of the church is to teach the word of Christ. The Bible is written in many different languages, but the overall message is the same. As one may interpret the Bible differently than others, I believe that everyone receives the same messages when it comes to what is good and what is bad, but the severity and degree of them differ. There are also different interpretations of church, as some churches are very formal and others are very laid back. This doesn't change what the church teaches and I believe that people can attend wherever they want as long as they are in a comfortable environment for them to worship and pray to God.

4/22 Homework

Religion and Violence (pg. 281)

According to the gospels, the main charge against Jesus was that he claimed to be the king of the Jews. The Roman soldiers were mocking this idea when they dressed him in a purple robe and pressed a crown of thorns on his head. This was also the charge written on the sign at the top of the cross, although the charge was false. This had a huge effect on Christianity, as his death saved others from their own sin. Even today, Christians pray to Jesus to thank them for saving them from their sins at the cost of his own life. I personally don’t see this event as happening again in the future, but we could prevent it again by praying to Jesus and God and be as grateful as possible for everything we have.

Study Questions

1.       Christianity began as a sect of Judaism in 1 C.E. at a time of stable government and when the Roman Empire was at its peak. During this time, Augustus Caesar ruled.

2.       Jesus fulfilled the role of being the Messiah by giving sight to the blind, and healing people, and laying down His sinless life on a cross as a substitute for us who have all broken God's laws. He did not fulfill the role by establishing a Kingdom here on earth with Jerusalem as the capital.

3.       The two basic rituals of early Christianity was baptism and Eucharist, or communion meal.

4.       Paul’s epistles, or letters, were likely to have been written first. These letters began in the 50s and 60s of the first century.

5.       Before Constantine, Christians were being killed in the Roman Empire. Constantine saw the population rising and saw a good chance to get more support. With this he encompassed Christianity. In order to get Christianity stronger, he assembled the leaders of the Christians in his area. He then selected which gospels should be assembled into the "Bible". This is similar to Asoka, who, like Constantine, was a convert to a new faith, Buddhism.

6.       The major differences between Eastern Orthodox and Western Christianity was the Patriarch vs Pope, Icons vs Statues, Baptism immersion vs Baptism sprinkling, Greek vs Latin, and the difference of bread and wine and only bread

7.        Several causes of the Reformation include the rise of European nationalism, new learnings of the Renaissance, and the decline of the Papacy.

8.       The Seven Sacraments include baptism, confirmation, penance, Eucharist, extreme unction, marriage, and holy orders.

9.       After the death of Puis XII, John XXII became the Pope. John was determined to revitalize the church and bring it in line with the 20^th century. He called the Second Vatican Council and it affected some of the most dramatic changes ever made in the Catholic Church. One of the most important movements among Christians in the 20^th century was the ecumenical movement.

10.   Liberation theology is a movement in Christian theology, developed mainly by Latin American Roman Catholics, that emphasizes liberation from social, political, and economic oppression as an anticipation of ultimate salvation, while fundamental is a branch of Catholic theology which seeks to establish the fact that God has made a supernatural revelation and established the Catholic Church as its divinely authorized custodian and interpreter.

Sacred Texts & Doctrines and Beliefs

Sacred Text: Bible

Text Authority: I believe that Jesus gives the bible authority, just by the sole fact that Jesus and God are Christian's supreme leaders. As The Old Testament is before Jesus, it is just as powerful and has just as much authority as The New Testament. Although no one knows for sure if these stories are true, the Bible makes some very distinctive truth claims. It claims that God has chosen to communicate with us through His creation and through the Bible. Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh and that the only way for human beings to be saved is through Him.

Interpretation of sacred texts: The Bible is God's word. His word is expressed to us through disciples and through His Son, Jesus. Interpreting God's word is helped with through the aid of The Holy Spirit. As sinners, we cannot always interpret God's word and the Bible correctly all the time.
Links between sacred texts and key figures: The Bible is linked to the main figure of Christianity, Jesus. The bible and Jesus are linked because they both are the word of God. They both explore the idea that God loves all even though humans are sinners and they make mistakes. Jesus was sent to Earth by God to share His word and spread the good news of the Lord, and supreme leader.

Change in interpretation: There are many interpretations to the Bible, as each Christian views it differently, from their own perspective. No one perspective is better than the other, it is whatever a person feels is right and what they feel comfortable believing in.


Doctrines and Beliefs: Resurrection of Christ
Belief: The resurrection of Jesus in the Christian religion is belief that after being put to death to take the punishment deserved by others for the sins of the world, Jesus rose again from the dead.
Eschatology: The eschatology of Jesus is his resurrection. When Jesus first died on the cross, he was buried, just like anybody else that died. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead and descended into Heaven to be with His Father, God Almighty.
Cosmology: Christianity originated when the Roman Empire occupied Jerusalem, a predominantly but not entirely Jewish society, with traditional philosophies distinct from the Classical Greek thought that was more popular at the time. As Christianity became more popular, the stories of Jesus were taught, including his resurrection.
Different Denominations: Christianity has a lot of different denominations, but just about all of them believe in Jesus' resurrection

Do Doctrines unite or divide faith?
I believe that doctrines can both unite and divide faith and those of the same religion. As different denominations of the same religion can believe in different things, it's hard to not have it divide you at times. On the other hand, those that believe in the same thing are often brought together and united under Jesus' name.
How does art express beliefs?
Art expresses beliefs by what you draw or imagine to be true. Many churches have murals or stain glass windows with images of Jesus or other Christian symbols. By having these symbols displayed, it is a clear indication of what that specific church or person believes in and believes to be true.
Link between doctrine and ritual (Easter)
One link between the resurrection and a Christian Ritual is the holiday of Easter. During this time, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ and is the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church. It is celebrated between March 21 and April 25, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.

Sacred Texts Excerpts

Matthew 5-7:

1. Meaning of this excerpt: The meaning of these chapters is to display Jesus's sermon on top of the Mount and explains the "Christian materials", including the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer.

2. Why is this important/essential to the faith: These chapters of the bible are important to the Christian religion as it provides the Lord's Prayer which is key in Christianity. This prayer is what Jesus taught his disciples when speaking of the order that we should ask for things/the order that we should desire them. 

Romans:

1. Meaning: This excerpt means that everyone is responsible for not sinning and following all instructions and laws that are given to them. This instruction is given to them by God and He holds them responsible for their actions.

2. Importance: The importance of this chapter is to explain human sin. It explains what is bad and the reason behind it. It also explains the punishment for sins and the fact that you will be held responsible for these wrongdoings. Christians believed that Jesus died on the cross to save them from sins.

1 Corinthians:

1. Meaning: The meaning of this chapter is to explain that love is the most important and that Jesus and God work to help everyone love each other and work for this together. Love is needed to endure faith and hope and keep us as pure as possible. 

2. Importance: The importance of this chapter is it shows the relationship between God and his people and shows that He will love you inspite of your sins. It provides relief to all of God's people by them knowing that they will always be loved. "Love bears all things...endures all things".

Taoism Huston Smith Questions

1. I find the Lao Tzu and the Tao the most intriguing part of Taoism. Lao Tzu is known to have created this religion, but was also known to have been born a wise old man after being conceived by a shooting star and in his mother's womb for 82 years. Known as "the Old Boy", Lao Tzu, created the religion with it's bible, The Tao Te Ching. This book is focused on the means of path and the way of ultimate reality. I find this concept hard to understand as taoists believe that the Tao can be spoken, but is not the true Tao, as the idea of the ultimate reality is too much for humans to comprehend. I find this difficult because I don't get how people can practice a religion if the main idea of it is "too much" for an ordinary human being. 

2. My understanding of the Tao is that it is the bible of Taoism. It is the way of ultimate reality and it cannot be perceived as it is "too vast for human rational to fathom". The Tao is the backbone of Taoism, as it is the "ground of all that follows. The Tao is similar to God as it is supreme to all humans and spreads the ideas of this specific religion. It is different than God as it is a written or spoken text, not a supreme being. 

3. Ch'i is vital energy in the religion of Taoism and is used for the energy of life, and the idea of "energy is delight". I do not believe that there is a direct equivalent in the western culture to ch'i, although there are different things to highlight positive energy. Diet, exercise, and health practice affect our own spiritual beings by increasing our ch'i, as these specific things are good. Exercise and health practices help to calm the soul and to meditate and relax. Eating healthy does the same thing as the purpose of them all if to help the body to fully relax and block the bad internal flow. 

4. I do not believe in magic when it comes to astrology, divination, or psychic healing. I believe that the supreme leader aids in these things but that science is the main reason. Magic holds a very special and sacred spot in the religion of Taoism and is understood as a higher power in the visible world. I believe in miracles, but not in magic. 

5. My understanding of Wu Wei is inaction or "do-nothingness". Wu Wei allows one to have a vacant attitude of idleness and brings them closer to meditation and closer to themselves. The mind must be able to relax so that it can let go of negative energy and increase the person ch'i. Personally, creative quietude is nice because it allows the body to fully relax and lose all of the stress and nervousness of a situation. 

6. Yin is a passive, negative force and yang is an active, positive force. Yin is feminine and yang is masculine. I believe that it is a hindrance to talk about these symbols through femininity and masculinity as it brings in stereotypes and negative thoughts toward yin.

7. I believe that all things, good and evil, are related in some way or another. The good comes with the bad. In every situation there is good and there is bad, but sometimes you just have to look for it. I think they are very different but they are defiantly related in the fact that they usually come up at the same time. 

8. I believe that life ventures outward but then comes back to the origins, making the symbol, a circle, non accurate. Maybe a squiggly circle would be better, showing that there may be bumps in the road, but you're always moving forward. 

9. I think that most religions want you to be able to laugh and be lighthearted on different topics. Taoism is definitely the religion that highlights this concept the most, although it is important in every religion to venture out and take yourself outside the box. 

Fieldtrip Reflection

The first place that we visited on our fieldtrip was an Islamic Center. This center was interesting because not only was it a place for worship, it was also a school for kids in preschool up until 8^th grade. In the school, the kids learn the same curriculum as public school, but have extra classes that deal with learning the religion and the Koran. We got to listen to different children speak about the school, about the Islam religion, and recite portions of the Koran that they have memorized. One thing I found interesting was that every time they said “Muhammad”, they followed it with “peace and blessings be upon him”. In Christianity, we do not do this when we say “Jesus”, so this was a neat part of their religion. Everybody here was very nice and it was my favorite stop of the day.

The second place we went was a Buddhist Temple. When we first walked in, there was a gift shop, which I was not expecting, but it was very colorful and inviting. We then went back to the worship room where there were pillows on the floor. As we sat on the floor, we were taught by Tibetan Buddhists about the culture, traditions, and background of Buddhism. I learned about the story of the Dalai Lama, prayer flags, the spinning prayer wheel, and the Stupa. The stupa was my favorite as we walked around it to receive positive energy.

The third stop on our trip was the Hindu Temple. The outside of the building was beautiful as there was so much detail in every piece. There were many different entrances and smaller buildings that surrounded the main building, that I found to be a lot smaller on the inside than it looked on the outside. As we walked in, we were hit with a variety of different strong smells. I was surprised at how formal it was and how many of the people did not like for us to be there as they prayed. I learned about the different traditions that this specific temple does and the reasoning behind different clothing items that the men and women wear.

The fourth and final stop was to a Jewish Synagogue. I had been to this Synagogue before for a friend’s Bat Mitzvah. I loved how relaxed it was and how upbeat and entertaining the Rabi was. I learned how Christians’ views on the bible may be slightly different, as the bible was translated to English. I also learned about the personal struggles that Jews may have now and struggles they faced in the past. I enjoyed the personal interaction and stories that the Rabi told and thought that it was a very friendly and inviting environment.

I overall enjoyed this fieldtrip a lot, as it opened my eyes to how different religions worship and practice in our community.

Rituals - Festivals and Worship

Festivals: The birth of Jesus, the Son of God, is celebrated on December 25th and is one of the main festivals celebrated by Christians. This holiday is known as Christmas Day, which comes from the English Phrase meaning "Mass of Christ". The Messiah was sent from Heaven to save the world from sins and was born to the virgin Mary and her husband, Joseph. During this festival, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus by going to church, exchanging gifts, and decorating their homes with lights, Christmas tress, etc.
Christmas is significant to Christians because it marks the beginning of Jesus' life on earth. Jesus was sent to earth by God to teach people to word of God and to lead others toward God. This holiday has been shaped socially into a time of gift giving and decorating and not as much focusing on Jesus' birth. Although "Jesus is the reason for the season", it is easy to get distracted from this when it's time for the fun decorating that occurs during this time as well.

Worship: Christian worship is usually believed to be at church, when in reality, God can be worshiped anywhere and anytime. This often includes prayer, song, and a sermon. Music is used to affect our emotions through lyrics, while prayer is used to bring one closer to God through thanking or asking for forgiveness. A sermon is a spoken word of God with a lesson or message that the Pastor or Minister usually gives during a church service.

1. The purposes of these rituals are to bring one closer to Jesus and God by celebrating the birth of Jesus and by praying to God to thank him or to ask for forgiveness.
2. On Christmas Day, it is common for a worship service to be held at a church, or even just alone, to remind oneself what the meaning of the season is truly about; the birth of the Messiah.
3. Rituals are usually linked God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit as its foundational figure. By worshiping and praising God, it shows that he is the Supreme leader for Christians.
4. Rituals tend to shape communal identity by the holidays that people celebrate, the clothes that people wear, and the places that people worship.
5. Possible gender issues that may come forward are the ideas of modesty for women in the clothes that they choose to wear, as well as the authority issues of men, with some believing that a male should have the main authority to teach and spread the word of God.
6. Rituals are affected by the community by the ways in which we celebrate holidays and the places that Christians consider to be sacred (as mentioned above).


http://www.allaboutgod.com/christian-worship.htm#sthash.WZtT7iLm.dpuf

Key Terms

Trinity: The Christian Doctrine says that there are three distinct persons, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each of these shows that each person is fully God, and that there is only one God. The Father sent the Son and the Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit, symbolizing that all of these are different persons.

Church: The church is a place, or organization, that is used for public worship. In the bible, the church is defined as a mob, the children of Israel, and the body of Christ. People who attend church tend to be religious and enjoy the company of fellow believers. The church is not a kingdom, as the church os on earth and the kingdom of God is in heaven.

Salvation: Salvation is the saving from danger and suffering and refers to the protection of oneself. In the bible, salvation and saving are often interchangeable. Only God can save us from sins so that we are saved and have salvation. "The deliverance, by the grace of God, from the eternal punishment of sin..."

Kingdom of God: The kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are synonyms. They are used to express the peacefulness of heaven and the freedom that God will allow you. God is the highest figure in Christianity and is the "king" therefore has his kingdom is heaven.

Sin: The first sin named in the bible is when Adam and Eve eat from the tree of knowledge. When translating the bible, sin is literally translated to "missing the mark". The mark in this case would be God's word and not following the ten commandments. Sin is forgiven by God through confession.

Resurrection: Resurrection is the act of raising from the dead. The death and resurrection of Jesus is the central point of the religion of Christianity. Jesus died on the cross and resurrected into heaven on the third day. Jesus' resurrection shows his defeat of death and how powerful the Son of God is. This resurrection gives Christian's a living hope.

Repentance: Repentance means to "turn from sin" or "to change one's mine". Repentance is recognizing that our sin is offensive to God. The Old Testaments calls for repentances. It is said that there can be no faith in God without repentance.

Reconciliation: Reconciliation is the change or exchange. It involves the change in the relationship between God and man. "God gave us the ministry of reconciliation". Reconciliation is also related to justification and has been justified through faith and his blood.

Grace: Grace is one of the most important concepts the bible and in christianity. It is expressed in the promises of God revealed in the scripture and embodied in Jesus Christ. Grace is the love of God shown to everyone, even those who were unlovely.

Sacrament: Sacrament is a Christian right ordained by Christ and that is held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign of spiritual reality. Sacrament means to be holy or to be consecrate. A holy person or priest performs a sacrament.


http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-the-doctrine-of-the-trinity
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2014/08/28/what-is-the-bible-definition-of-church-what-is-the-biblical-view-of-church/
http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-doctrine-salvation.html
http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/kingdom-of-god/
http://www.unlockingthebible.org/meaning-significance-resurrection-jesus-christ/
http://christianity.about.com/od/glossary/a/Repentance.htm
http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/reconciliation.html
http://www.christianity.com/theology/what-is-grace.html
http://www.theopedia.com/Sacraments

Daily Check In 3/11/15

1. I have completed 9 out of the 9 objectives.
2. Today I revised my answer to Paper 2.
3. I put in a 5 for effort today since I already had most of the paper done. Today I completely finished all of the objectives.

1.3-Paper 2

To what extent do rules on dress reflect or inform communal identity?

                In Islam, there are many rules on dress that most Muslims believe are important to enter Jannah on Judgment Day. These dress rules embrace being dignified, but also being fully modest. The modesty of this dress includes being completely covered, having loose clothing, and having clothes that are not see-through. Although every Muslim has different beliefs when it comes to dress, the majority choose to follow these specific rules as they believe it is following what Allah wants.

                The guiding principle for the conduct of a Muslim is “Al ‘Amal Assalih”. This is what the Qur’an refers to as righteous actions. This term covers all actions, including more than just the noticeable acts of worship. These rules on dress tend to reflect what Muslims believe and also reflect their moral values to a respectively high extent. Although a lot of Muslims choose to follow these rules, those who choose not to are not any less faithful to Allah, as some may assume, and it is every person’s own decision on how to dress and whether or not they choose to wear the hijab. A hijab is a head covering that some Muslims wear to ensure modesty over their entire body.

                While some Muslims dress modestly and follow the rules conveyed by Allah, others see it as only a way to identify those who study Islam, therefore using dress to inform. One’s dress can also reflect authority. Those who show authority and dress more modestly may reflect how serious they are about Islam and can also reflect how much control they have. When one is dressed according to Allah’s rules, others tend to obey them and see them as a religious, powerful figure if they too study Islam. With this it is very important to realize that this is not always the case, and can sometimes be a common stereotype of Muslims.

                Another way that dress can inform and reflect communal identity is the judging by others if Muslim women are not dressed modestly. A woman, whether dressed modestly or not, is to be treated with the privileges that Allah has given her. This includes having rights and being treated as an individual. A woman also has the right to be educated and to work outside the home. Muslim women can also be an imam, or leader of communal prayer, for a group of women. Although some see dressing modestly very important for women, it does not hold them back from their rights and they are ultimately not judged by Allah.

                Rules on dress definitely reflect and inform communal identity, but not being modest does not reflect how one views religion or their religious value completely. Although this is not reflected entirely, it still tends to be a large factor when others consider one to be a valued Muslim.

1.8 Sharia Law

1.       Hadd Crimes-----Punishments

Unlawful Sexual Intercourse-----flogging

False Accusation of unlawful sexual intercourse-----stoning

Wine drinking-----amputation

Theft-----exile

Highway robbery-----execution

2.       Criminal laws are the most controversial because there is a significant debate over what the Quran sanctions and what practices were pulled from local customs.

3.       Vigilante justice still takes place with the honor killings and murders committed for bringing dishonor to one’s family and are a big problem because there is official reluctance to use the hadd punishments on these crimes.

4.       Most countries believed that democracy is the best form of government, but there is a heated debate on whether or not democracy and Islam can coexist. Some argue that a democracy has a basis in the Quran since “mutual consolation”, but others say that the best way to observe sharia is through a secular government.

5.       Sharia has been incorporated into political systems through the dual legal system, government under god, and completely secular. The Duel Legal System is a dual system government in which Muslims choose to bring familial and financial disputes to sharia courts. Government under God is for Muslims that believe sharia should be declared a source of the laws and Completely Secular is where the government is declared to be secular in the constitution.

6.       Democracy and sharia cannot coexist because sharia law is to impose religious rules upon an entire society by unelected clerics.

7.       Islamic banking is a worldwide industry that practices the rules of sharia. The industry’s assets stood at more than a trillion dollars by 2013. For those ethically minded, businesses are required to avoid transactions with “forbidden” things.

1.9-Study Guide

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1O2sokYZQbk8wdEBrM-jF01qm5GRBhT-snp2ASaBpdI8/edit?usp=sharing

Daily Check In 3/9/15

1. I completed 6 of the 9
2. Study Guide Objective 1.9
3. Effort: 7
Malin and I started the Study Guide today.

Objectives 1.4-1.7 (Outline)

Part 1: Origins

        I.            Overview

a.       1.3 million Muslims are Shia

b.      Shia are minority

c.       Concentrated in Iran and southern Iraq

      II.            Oil in Iraq and Iran

a.       Shiites predominate

    III.            Sunni vs. Shia

a.       The split occurred after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in the year 632

b.      Shia believed that leadership should stay within the family of the prophet

c.       Sunnis believed that leadership should fall to the person who was deemed by the elite of the community

d.      Shia call their leaders imam with Ali being the first and Hussein the third

e.      Sunnis believe that some of the Shia are attributing divine qualities to the imams, and this is a great sin because it is associating human beings with the divinity

f.        Shiites are looking for the coming of the Messiah.

Part 2: Mideast Turmoil/Rise of Shiites

        I.            Shiites History

a.       Shiites of Iraq and Lebanon were ruled by Sunni Ottoman sultans.

b.      The Shiites of Arabia were under the authority of Sunni tribal leaders.

c.       Pahlavi changed the name of the state to Iran and set about creating a secular government, much to the dismay of some of the Shiite clergy.

      II.            Revolution

a.       Khomeini's revolution had a powerful influence in Lebanon

b.      The powerful influence came after Israel mounted an invasion in 1982 to eliminate Lebanon as a base for guerilla attacks of the Palestine Liberation Organization

c.       Most Sunni rejected the Iranian revolution as a model for their own societies

Part 3: Sunni Reaction

        I.            Shi’ism Islam

a.       The minority branch of Islam known as Shi'ism first became widely known in the U.S. and established the modern world's first Islamic State.

b.      The revolutionaries believed they could export their Islamic revolution throughout the Middle East and beyond.

c.       They encountered resistance from the Arab states led by Sunnis

      II.            Sunnis

a.       Islam's majority branch

b.      Resistance between Sunni and Shi’ism would be both subtle and violent

c.       Their objective was to overthrow of secular governments and establishments of Islamic states,

d.      Wanted anti-Shi'ism.

    III.            United States’ Role in Revolution

a.       President Ronald Reagan sent U.S. troops to Lebanon as part of a peacekeeping force

b.      President Reagan soon reversed himself and pulled U.S. troops out of Lebanon, leaving the divided nation to another six years of war

c.       The invasion of Iraq in 2003 unleashed forces of Muslim sectarianism unseen in the Middle East

Part 4: Iraq War Deepens the Divide

        I.            US Invasion

a.       The United States invasion of Iraq began on March 20th, 2003.

b.      Thought the war would be over quickly, and that Iraq would return to peace

c.       The U.S. claimed that Iran was responsible for much of the violence in Iraq

      II.            Shiite Clerics

a.       Shiite clerics led movements, advocating parliamentary rule and just governance in the Middle East

b.      Clerics took the lead because there's hardly any form of secular civil society in the country today that can act as the nucleus of an Iraqi political system

c.       Shiite clerics in Iraq worked hard to pursue their own model of government

    III.            Shia

a.       Shia never governed a modern Arab state.

b.      They were in control in Persian Iran, but the Sunnis led most Arab states in the Middle East

Part 5: US Policies and the Shia-Sunni Conflict

        I.            Conflict

a.       The sectarian conflict between Shia and Sunni deepened

b.      U.S. aims changed as conflict deepened

c.       U.S. view of some Shiite forces in the Middle East is overtly hostile

 Sufism: The Heart of Islam

        I.            Living Sufism

a.       Started as a refuge for people to learn about Islam

b.      Fate connected to action

c.       Only go with good action when you die

d.      Men go out to work

e.      Women work at home

f.        Sufi is a good Muslim who looks for meaning and traveler on a path of his heart

      II.            Eternal Life

a.       Life doesn’t end at death

b.      Live in the present

    III.            Losing Self

a.       No necessary connection between Sufism and Islam

b.      Be yourself

c.       Get on with life, live life fully

d.      Trying to discover God within us

e.      Sufism: journey of slave to king

f.        Some people die never knowing they took this path in life

 PBS Frontline- Salafism

        I.            Salafism Background

a.       Salafism is an ideology that posits that Islam has strayed from its origins

b.      Salafists originally are supposedly not violent

      II.            Salafism Jihadists

a.       Constitute less than 1 percent of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims

b.      See life as being divided between the world of Islam and the land of conflict or war

c.       The origins of Salafi jihadism can be traced to the Muslim Brotherhood

    III.            Takfir wal-Hijra

a.       Takfir wal-Hijra emerged from the Muslim Brotherhood

b.      Inspired some of the tactics and methods used by Al Qaeda

 Salafism and the Arab Spring

        I.            Assassination

a.       The assassination of opposition leader Chokri Belaid plunged the country into its biggest crisis since the 2011 Jasmine Revolution

b.      The assassination was also the destabilizing threat of violent Islamist extremists has emerged as a pressing and dangerous issue

      II.            Salafists

a.       The Salafists are spread between three broad groups

b.      New small political movements that have formed in recent months

c.       Non-violent Salafists

d.      Violent Salafists and jihadists who, though small in number, have had a major impact in terms of violent attacks

e.      The main Salafist political parties have far more of a stake in democratic transition than in Tunisia and Libya.

 Essay Question:  By examining the similarities and differences between the two main sects of Islam, Sunni and Shi’a, how does one sect affect the other?