DISCUSSIONs

Please write 1-2 paragraphs per week.Week 2Both religious traditions originating in the Indian subcontinent presentedin Chapters 3 and 4 of the textbook draw upon common core religious beliefs,yet they also reveal significant differences. Eastern religious traditionsdraw upon a typical eastern epistemology that recognizes the integration andinterrelationships among all things, particularly all living things.1) What are the Vedas and what is the notion of shruti texts? How doesthis notion of shruti texts compare with the notion of sacred Scriptureamong adherents of the western religious traditions of Judaism, Christianityand Islam? 2) What is the notion of karma as it is understood in Hinduism and Jainism?How does karma relate to the concepts of samsara and moksha?3) What is the caste system in India? How does the caste system differfrom social stratification in many western societies including the US? Whatare the religious implications of stratification?4) What did Mahavira experience during his twelve years of meditation andpursuit of heightened spiritual awareness? What relationship can yousuggest between fasting, mortification of the flesh, physical pain andsuffering and the achievement of liberation and “perfection?"Week 3"Noble Action, Sacred Call, or Desire" Please respond to the following:•Explain whether or not you think Siddhārtha Gautama’s quest to findenlightenment falls under the category of noble action, sacred call, ordesire. Discuss how his decision to leave his family would be received intoday’s culture.Week 4"Actionless Action (Daosim) and the Practice of Virtue (Confucianism)"Please respond to the following:•Identify and explain at least three aspects of wu wei (non-doing) thatwould be practical in the busy lives of city dwellers, especially thoseliving in the West. Provide a rationale for your response.Week 6"The Role of the Torah and Special Covenant" Please respond to thefollowing:•Discuss the significance of the “special covenant” between the Jewishpeople and God. Name at least two examples of this covenant in the Jewishreligion.Week 7"Why Can’t We Just Get Along?" Please respond to the following:•Explain at least three reasons why there are so many divisions /denominations in the Christian religion.•Explain what is meant by the term “synoptic gospels”, and discuss why thisterm is important for Christians when reading the Bible