What is essential (in the practices and beliefs) for a tradition to be called a religion? Illustrate your points by referring to the commonalities of at least two different religions.
Religion can be defined as the belief in a supernatural being that has an impact on the society throughout history. Religion comprises of collections of several belief systems and cultural systems that relate humanity to the spiritual world and, at times, to ethics (Smith, 2019). A religion includes several elements that define it. Different religions have various aspects that range from the faith, the supernatural being(s), sacred things, and divine. Religion has a set of beliefs in a supernatural being that exists beyond humans’ understanding (Smith, 2019). For instance, Islam and Judaism are monotheistic. They believe in the same God. The higher being has authority over the world and in many incidences created the world. Religion has a set of principles that believers are expected to follow, thus promoting society’s morality.
There are worshipping practices for each religion, such as prayer and attending a religious service in the institution. The Jews attend their religious services in the synagogues, whereas the Muslim place of worship is the mosque. Practices that bind a religion such as holidays and prayers are referred to as the religious traditions (Smith, 2019). For instance, the Jews only eat Kosher, whereas the Muslims eat halal. There are doctrines of every religion, which are direct statements on beliefs that have been written in sacred texts. The holy books lay out the rules the followers are expected to live by to appease the higher being. The sacred text for the Jews is the Torah, while the Quran is the holy text for the Muslims.
What place does religion have in making ethical decisions? Include specific examples of situations involving ethics faced by members of a religion today.
Religions have the moral component in them, which deals with concepts such as right and duty. When a person is making an ethical decision, we judge human reality based on a moral criterion that is adopted or adapted and influenced by factors such as education and religion (Shariff, 2015). Many of the ethical concepts that humans embrace are connected to religious ideologies (Shariff, 2015). Activities such as adultery and murder are viewed as immoral by many people. Many of the world’s religions echo the same sentiments, and thus we can argue that the traditionally accepted social codes are the source of the social intuitions. Many of the world’s religions have the Golden Rules, which call for people to treat others as they would love to be treated. The Golden Rule is a fundamental ethic embraced by all religions.
In America, for many people, religion describes the characteristics of who they are. Hence, they can’t make ethical decisions independently without considering their religious affiliations (Shariff, 2015). Some people choose to resign from a job if the moral values associated with their religion are undermined. The religions’ ethical values may conflict with the benefits of the organizations, thus choosing to stick by their integrity. A coworker shared with us that the Islamic faith teaches against shutting the door on a person’s views. He shared with us he employs the philosophy as he interacts with us, thus listens to everyone. He believes it has helped him work out differences between him and his colleagues, thus coming to an acceptable middle ground.
What are some modern issues that may be affecting religious traditions? How are these religions handling these issues?
The religious traditions face various challenges in the current world with the many changes taking place (Brunn, 2015). There is discrimination of people based on their religious affiliations, especially for the minority groups (Brunn, 2015). Some people may be subjected to harassment and bullying due to their religious beliefs, thus affecting mental health. Some people have convictions imposed on them by their friends or family, which is problematic if they do not conform to an individual’s beliefs. Thus the relations with the family or friends may be negatively or positively impacted by the views. Sexuality is a challenging factor in a believer if the religious beliefs conflict with their sexuality (Brunn, 2015). Some religions deviate from their doctrines and embrace new principles that are harmful to the followers (Brunn, 2015). Thus, followers may question the aspects of their faith, which may cause emotional and mental health issues.
Some religions have embraced faith-based counseling and pastoral counselors that cater to people from various faiths respecting their religious traditions. The counseling aim is to accommodate any person’s beliefs into therapy to address the areas of concern irrespective of whether they relate to religion or not (Brunn, 2015). Religious institutions have started support groups to offer support to individuals who are going through challenging times (Brunn, 2015). The religions have volunteer ministers who help fellow believers through the restoration of their purpose and spiritual values. The volunteer ministers are aware of the injustices and pain, and they are trained to handle them and assist others in finding relief from them. Religion is continually evolving, and it provides negative and positive possibilities when tackling challenges.