Symbol of Islam

Psychological Article by BoomerYearbook.com

The word “Islam” itself means ‘submission to Allah’ and anyone who actively submits to Allah is termed a “Muslim.” Those who practice Islam then are Muslims. Islam teaches that life is one of worship, and that that worship is owed to Allah who is mankind’s creator.

There are many strains of Islam but they all subscribe to basic tenets explained below:

• There is only one God and he is Allah and that Muhammed is his prophet: Islam, therefore, is a monotheistic religion, unlike Hinduism with which it is so often confused. Muslims believe that Allah is the creator of life and death, that he is a guide to the righteous and the friend and protector of the poor and sick. They also believe that he is the only God and that there has not been nor will be any other god because he is Supreme.

• Fasting during the Muslim month of Ramadan: this fast is a way of worshipping Allah, a sacrifice to show commitment and obedience to the teaching of the Koran the holy book of the Muslims. The Koran is said to be the last of the sacred books and also includes the Torah, the Psalms (from the Bible of the Christians) and the Gospels of Jesus.

• Performing the ritual prayer five times daily in the direction of Mecca (the holy city) if possible: This is a ritual stipulated by the Koran and shows reverence and commitment to Allah and falls in line with the Muslim life of worship.

• Making a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in one’s life it is financially and physically possible: Muslims believe that Mecca is the holy city and that once a Muslim comes there then they will receive immense blessing and guidance from Allah. Many, also, see the journey as one of commitment as this is, also, how one attains another level of Islam.

• Giving alms to the poor, the widowed and the orphaned: the Koran directs Muslims to lead good lives which include showing kindness to the less fortunate and doing good deeds. It is said that by his actions a Muslim is judged and that he should act on a daily basis according to the instructions of the Koran by setting a good example and being a human form of the prophet Muhammad.

Islam is mainly based on worship so that a Muslim can attain an elevated level of himself. It encourages one to denounce one’s humanism in favor of attaining spiritualism. It is said that then one can follow the words of the Koran without blame. It is claimed that for this reason, Islam has been widely rejected by Europeans and America.

Many Muslims who follow the basic tenets of Islam, also, follow the teachings and laws made two hundred years after the Prophet Muhammad’s death called Sharia. These laws tend to vary from culture to culture and throughout different countries. Not all Muslims submit to the same laws which lead to these variations- hence the movement to separate ‘peaceful’ Muslims from those with violent tendencies by calling the peaceful Muslims, “Mohammedans;’ but Muslims do not generally refer to themselves as such because of their belief that Allah is the Supreme God and that he deserves their worship and submission; hence, the desire to be labeled ‘Muslim’.

The Psychological Article on Basic Tenets of Islam is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of psychological articles on World Religions, Spirtuality, and Solutions to Types of Discrimination. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Psychological Articles based-Informational Social Network Website for Baby Boomers, Echo Boomers and Booming Seniors. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join now to discover the many ways this Website for Baby Boomers is offering psychological articles as knowledge and hopeful solutions to Types of Discrimination.

Christ the Redeemer

Psychological Articles on World Religions

by Boomeryearbook.com

Psychological articles explain that faith and religion can be confusing because it can be very subjective, and beliefs can vary from person to person and church to church. However, as an attempt to debunk a religious type of discrimination Boomer Yearbook is attempting to present Christianity, in its purest form, explained simply by identifying its basic tenets- the basic grounds on which the belief is established. These are:

• God is Supreme
Christians believe in a Supreme Being who is responsible for the creation of all life around us- the birds, the sea, the sky, the ocean, all living creatures – everything. Christians believe that He holds the key to the universe and controls all that happens on a daily basis. They refer to Him as an all-knowing, all-seeing, immortal God who is responsible for even the air we breathe.

• God loves us

Despite the fact that God is a Supreme Being, Christians believe that God cares for human beings and has a deep love for them. In keeping with this, The Bible – a sort of guide-book for Christian living- says that God sent his son, Jesus Christ to die for mankind. This death, it is said, had the effect of creating a bridge between God the Supreme Being and humans, mere mortals.

• We have sinned
The Bible speaks about the “Fall of Mankind”. This is essentially that God made man in His image, perfect, and that man was tempted by the devil, who is the opposite of God, and gave in to the temptation, thus falling. This fall created a gap between God and man making man imperfect. This, it is said, is the reason why we lie, and cheat, and fight, and murder etc. Sin, because it is imperfect is the opposite of God, and because God represents life; sin, its opposite, is death. Therefore, the consequences of all sin is death, removing human beings from the life that comes with being with God.

• There is forgiveness for our sin through Salvation
The act of Jesus Christ dying for man’s sin manifested itself in this way: The consequences of sin is death, Jesus Christ’s dying operated in such a way as to cover the sins of all mankind. The sacrifice that God made in sending His own Son to die rather than the rest of mankind dying meant that we still have the opportunity to redeem ourselves. This is done by making a conscious decision to serve God by acknowledging your sin, repenting them and undertaking to make an effort not to sin and so remove yourself from God. You must also accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, i.e. the one responsible for your second chance and consciously live your life according to God’s rules.

• The Bible is the word of God
All Christians are expected to believe that the Bible was written by men who were inspired by God; hence it is really God’s thoughts, feelings and instructions that fill its pages. To this end, anyone who wants to become a Christian has to accept that the Bible is the only true word of God; therefore, whatever the Bible says should be adhered to.

What one needs to understand about Christianity is that it is based in non-physical appreciation of oneself. The death and life spoken of above are not physical, but rather spiritual. Christians believe that when you die, if you have received salvation then you will go to Heaven where God and Jesus Christ are; if you have not chosen salvation then you will go to Hell where the devil is. Your spirit is said to be that part of you that experiences emotions and that has to do with your will power. Some Christians believe also that your conscience serves as the compass of your Spirit and that it is through these elements of yourself that God speaks to you.

Different denominations place different emphases on different aspects of the Bible thus creating a conflict of message amongst Christian groups; however, it always comes down to these five basic tenets.

The Psychological Article on Christianity Explained is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of psychological articles on World Religions, Spirtuality, and Solutions to Types of Discrimination. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Psychological Articles-Informational Social Network Website for Baby Boomers, Echo Boomers, and Booming Seniors. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join now to stay informed and discover the many ways this Website for Baby Boomers can contribute to optimal physical and emotional wellness.

Shinto shrine in Kyoto

According to Yoshio Sugimoto, in the book, An Introduction to Japanese Society, Shintoism has played a major role in shaping Japanese culture, values, and history, and along with Buddhism, is the major religion practiced in modern day Japan. However Shinto is not a religion in the conventional sense in that it doesn’t have a Bible or Text, and nor does it concern itself with the afterlife. Instead, Shinto, with origins that date as far back as 500 BCD, is an ancient folk religion; an amalgam of animism, (i.e., spiritual belief that spirits or souls are present in humans and animals as well as non human or animal forms such as rocks, plants, mountains, rivers as well as magic words and metaphors), worship of nature and heroes, fertility rituals, and shamanism. (Http://www.shinreikyo.or.jp). Shinto’s believe in many spirits or gods (called Kami’s), including the chief Goddess Amarerasu, whose shrine is worshipped at Ise.

Since Shintoism is seen as a method to mediate the relations between human beings and Kami, Kami, (the spirits or Gods) one consistent underlying factor in Shintoism, witnessed in Japanese daily life, is a profound reverence and love for nature.

Kami distinguishes Shintoism as a religion that is not concerned with the needs of an afterlife but with the circumstances of the present one. Kamis inhabit this world albeit in another form and not always visible, and share emotions, thoughts and ideas similar to those of tangible humans, but in an amplified way, thus demonstrating a type of discrimination, or a dichotomy within life. The literal translation of Shinto is ‘the Way of the Gods’. Modern Shinto was created through a merging of the old folklore of Shintoism with the centuries later Buddhist beliefs that were brought to Japan from China and Korea. In fact, deeply rooted in Japanese mythology and tradition, Shinto did not have a specific name until late 5th or early 6th centuries in order to be contrasted with Buddhism. Similarly, Shinto has no prophet, revelation or formalized dogma like Semitic religions. Kami are in fact not even transcendent deities but beings of this world and the spirits of the deceased will become Kami, their characteristics and power defined by their acts while they were living.

Although Shinto has no formalized dogma, four centuries old basic beliefs permeate this folk religion:

• The institution of the family and tradition is of central importance. Family is perceived as the means by which societies retain traditions, with marriage and birth celebrations regarded as primary festivals.
• Reverence of Nature is equally important as nature, whether expressed in the minor or significant aspects are sacred and worshipped as they are viewed as inhabited by Kami.
• Cleanliness is revered; both personal and cleanliness of one’s surroundings.
• The holding of festivals called Matsuri which are dedicated to Kami and held frequently throughout the year.

Shinto acquired an even heightened dimension of importance when the state of Japan in the 19th century implemented State Shinto, which elevated the emperor of Japan (Tenno) to the status of a living Kami (Ikigami) embodying the Sun-goddess Amaterasu. This status was retained until the end of World War II when Hirohito, the last Sun emperor, was forced to renounce his status (Nengen-sengen).Although politically significant, since Shintoism does not need any declaration of faith, the renunciation was seen as religiously of no value but may have been seen as a type of discrimination imposed upon Japan by the victors of World War II.

A detailed examination of Shinto reveals the significance of shrines, the importance of cleansing and purification and the inwardly reflective nature so characteristic of the Japanese culture. Shinto values are pervasively integrated in artistic and intellectual pursuits, such as Ikebana (flower arranging), Japanese architecture and the beauty of Japanese garden design, where the Shinto reverence for nature can be easily observed in every day life. Other Shinto influences can be seen in the inauguration of new buildings, sumo wrestling matches by Shinto priests, sprinkling of salt, formalized greetings, removing shoes before entering rooms, and amine, or Japanese cartoons of deified characters showing a types of discrimination between worldly and other-worldly characters. In short, Japan and Shintoism are inextricably intertwined: To understand Japan, one must understand Shinto.

The Psychological Article on Shinto is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of psychological articles on World Religions, Spirtuality, and Solutions to Types of Discrimination. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomeryearbook is a Psychological Articles based-Informational Social Network Website for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join the Website for Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive your weekly newsfeed, and let your opinions be heard.