Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Aims ‘aspect of the policy on religion and education that we briefly reflect on is
the educational aims of this policy. The main aims of religion education in public
schools that are mentioned in the policy are “religious literacy” and the
development of capacities for
“Mutual recognition, respect for diversity, reduced prejudice, and increased civil
toleration that are necessary for citizens to live to-gather in a democratic society”
(Department of Education 2003). We can say that religion education is aimed at
“citizen education” in contrast to religious instruction that aims at faith
development and the teaching and learning of a single religion. Particularly
noteworthy-thy is the importance attached to the Constitution and
“constitutional
Values”, especially the freedom from discrimination, in this regard. The choice
and formulation of these educational aims of religion education must again be
seen against its historical background. We have to see this policy as part of the
democratization of the education system that started in the early 1990s.
The South African Constitution with its Bill of Rights is the main guidepost in this
process of democratization and the move towards an education system that is
Based on equality, tolerance and a respect for human rights. The importance of
constitutional values is clearly stated in paragraph 11 on the values underlying
the new policy (Department of Education 2003):
religion that doesn’t not put the Golden Rule as the main message of their beliefs
and practices is not of a good religion. Such religion has in turn been radicalized
by their leaders to be following other man-made beliefs rather for the followers
to have been brainwashed to please their leaders rather. That’s how we see
radical religious groups and terrorists groups abusing religions to make people do
bad things unto others from voting man-made laws of discrimination to acts of
violence that those believers do unto others.
Having respect while following the Golden Rule ourselves towards those radical
groups who do not follow those same rule, means we do not do similar evil acts
towards them as an eye for an eye, meaning we practice justice in such a way
that their degree of harm is dealt with different degree of justice. Those who try
to use the legal system to pass discrimination, they should be challenged back in
court so that those discrimination laws are being struck down and those
politicians who advocate for discrimination, should be voted out. While those
doing the extreme of putting violence, they should then be dealt as criminals
according to our legal law system.
End of the day, prevention is better than cure such that when people get better
educated in morality of compassion and empathy, then they can understand the
Golden Rule. Each religion has different sub groups that have different beliefs, so
we should be careful of not stereotyping a religion based on the bad behaviors of
some sub groups claiming to be under that religion. Thus we should still respect
others as much as possible and not to be too quick to judge and stereotype a
whole religion
Equity: The education process in general, and this policy, must aim at the
development of a national democratic culture with respect for the value of all of
our peoples diverse cultural, religious and linguistic traditions.
Tolerance Religion in education must contribute to the advancement of inter-
religious toleration and interpersonal respect among adherents of different
religious or secular worldviews in a shared civil society.
Diversity In the interest of advancing informed respect for diversity, educational
institutions have a responsibility for promoting multi-religious knowledge,
understanding, and appreciation of religions in South Africa and the world.
Openness Schools, together with the broader society, play a role in cultural
formation and transmission, and educational institutions must promote a spirit of
openness in which there shall be no overt or covert attempt to indoctrinate
pupils into any particular belief or religion.
Accountability: As systems of human accountability, religions cultivate moral
values and ethical commitments that can be recognised as resources for learning
and as vital contributions to nation building.
Social Honour: While honouring the linguistic, cultural, religious or secular
backgrounds of all pupils, educational institutions cannot allow the overt or
covert denigration of any religion or secular world-view.
CONCLUTION
INTODUCTION
An Abrahamic religion is a religion whose followers believe in Prophet Abraham and his descendants
to hold an important role in human spiritual development. The best known Abrahamic religions
are Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Smaller religious traditions sometimes included as Abrahamic
religions
Judaism has taken different forms over time, and continues to evolve into new approaches. The
historical study of Judaism emerged in the 19th century German school of thought referred to as the
Science of Judaism. It aimed to construct a history to counter the prevailing Christian belief system
that ascribed a semi divine status to Jesus (see Herschel 1998). These scholars therefore intended
their account to oppose Christian ideology by classifying it as a pagan offshoot of Judaism that
assimilated mythical beliefs in a virgin birth, incarnation and resurrection (more on this in the next
study unit). To affirm this intellectual position, scholars belonging to the Science of Judaism began to
define Judaism as a set of religious ideas which can be understood logically through historical and
philological methods (see the discussions on Pantheons Library – Judaism
<www.patheos.com/Library/Judaism/Origins/Historical-Perspectives.html>).
During the second half of the 20th century we saw the emergence of more robust sociological trends
that began to problematize the social functions of Judaism. One such trend consisted of the
contentions of multiculturalists and feminists, who began to see the issue of patriarchy in Judaism as
problematic (see Biale 1986:7). In the course of the early 21st century sociological approaches began
to be applied, particularly to the modern discourses of "power" and "identity". Such discourses
tended to resonate with the Jewish people, since they enabled the Jewish people to control their
own political, cultural, religious, economic and social life (see Biale 2002).
Beliefs’ Judaism does not have a formal dogma or set of beliefs that one must hold to be a Jew. It is
noted that orthopraxy (right living and right actions) are more important than orthodoxy (right
beliefs). Nevertheless, there is certainly a place for belief within Judaism. Over the past centuries, we
have seen the teachings of Judaism being debated according to various interpretations by the
different branches of Judaism, such as the Orthodox, Ultra-Orthodox, Reform, Conservative and
Reconstructionist branches. God and god alone is the creator of all things ‘god is one, and this unity
is unique and god is without body or physical form’god is eternal it is only proper to pray to god and
not anyone or anything else all the words of the prophets are true; Moses is the chief of all
prophets the present torah (the law) is the one that was given to Moses the torah will never be
changed and nothing similar will come forth god knows all the deeds and thoughts of humanity god
rewards those who keep his commandments and punish those who transgress them a messiah will
come forth the dead will be resurrected .
Rituals are repetitive actions, in other words they consist of a series of actions in a specific order.
The psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, himself of Jewish descent, considered them to be nothing but
examples of compulsive, obsessive behaviour. Does this theory really explain ritual sufficiently,
however, or is it a little too reductionist? The observation of sacred practices (rituals) at specific
times, whether on a large or small scale, and whether periodic or occasional, are intended to
represent Israel's founding stories and their moral and political messages. Such actions and
observances have recently acquired a central place in the comparative study of religion, as they
distinguish sacred time and space from profane time and space. They do much more, however. For
example, they structure social and political power relations that may be hierarchical or egalitarian,
oppressive or liberating. One way in which to understand the importance of these practices in
Judaism is by seeing how varied they are in content. In this section, we contextualise Jewish rituals
into four categories.
CONCLUSION
An Abrahamic religion is a religion whose followers believe in prophet Abraham and his descendants
to hold an important role in human spiritual development. The best known Abrahamic religions
are Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Smaller religious traditions sometimes included as Abrahamic
religions are Samaritanism, Druze, Rastafari, Yazidi, Babism, Bahá'í Faith. Mandaeism is also
sometimes included as an Abrahamic religion, but this is actually inaccurate as Mandaeans believe
that Abraham was a false prophet.True Abrahamic religions are monotheistic. They also all believe
that people should pray to and worship God often. Of monotheistic religions, the Abrahamic
religions have the world's largest number of followers. They are also all ethical monotheistic
religions meaning they have a certain set of rules that they have to follow.
While varnashrama dharma is specific in its focus on social station and life stage, in similar fashion
festivals and rituals associated with important rites of passage (samskaras) and important annual
events provide Hindus with a sense of purpose and meaning. Rituals and festivals allow for the
expression of belief through practice. There are, however, aspects of Hindu rituals that require
sociological interpretation, because Hindu ritual practice also functions to maintain existing gender
and class power relations. We will look at a number of rituals that show how rituals function both to
provide meaning and to maintain the status quo of power relations in society.
CONCLUTION
Hinduism is an Indian religion and dharma, or a way of life,[note 1] widely practised in the Indian
subcontinent. Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world,[note 2] and some practitioners
and scholars refer to it as Sanātana Dharma, "the eternal tradition", or the "eternal way", beyond
human history.[4][5] Scholars regard Hinduism as a fusion[note 3] or synthesis[6][note 4] of various Indian
cultures and traditions,[7][note 5] with diverse roots[8][note 6] and no founder.[9] This "Hindu synthesis"
started to develop between 500 BCE and 300 CE,[10] following the Vedic period (1500 BCE to 500
BCE).[10][11]Although Hinduism contains a broad range of philosophies, it is linked by shared concepts,
recognisable rituals, cosmology, shared textual resources, and pilgrimage to sacred sites. Hindu
texts are classified into Śruti ("heard") and Smṛti ("remembered").