arcsoffaith22reflection

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AELRED JACOB ALMARIO

ALL RELIGIONS

Dietary practices

Almost all religions have their dietary restrictions. In Christianity, (except in other denominations) they do not eat pork on their Holy week. While in Judaism and Islam, they do not consume pork. The majority of Hindus are lacto-vegetarian (avoiding meat and eggs), although some may eat lamb, chicken or fish. Beef is always avoided because the cow is considered a holy animal, but dairy products are eaten. Lard and dripping are examples of animal-derived fats that are prohibited. In Buddhism and Shintosim, there are no dietary laws. However, some are vegetarian due to the principle of nonviolence and the avoidance of suffering. In Daoism teachings, it recommends abstaining from alcohol, beans, grains, and meat. In Confucianism, it recommends that you eat only during meal hours and do not eat food that is not well-cooked. 

Sacred Texts

In Abrahamic Religions the two religions–namely, Judaism and Christianity, uses the Bible however in Islam, their Sacred book is called Qu’ran but almost everything written in the bible is also written in Qu’ran. In Hinduism, they use sacred texts of Vedas–however the longest book in Hinduism is Mahabharata. In Buddhism, they have its Spiritual Canon as their sources of the teachings of Buddha. Aside from these, they’re hearing the teachings of their elders.In Daoism, its fundamental text is called “Dao De Jing” which means “The Book of the Way and its Power.” Also they use another book called “Book of Chuang Tzu/Zhuangzi”. In Confucianism, there are five classics and four books where these are used about the records of the past that they may use as their guide to continue in their faith. In Shintoism, there are two,namely–Kojiki or “Records of Ancient Matters” and Nihon-gi or “Chronicles of Japan”. In the Indigenous Religions here in the Philippines, there are no specific sacred texts however many of their teachings were recited orally and others believed that others have direct communication with god or the gods through the form of visions, dreams, and spirit possession. 

Even though these religions have all their differences, they have the same purpose to be an inspiration to live a good life and to worship and praise God or the Gods in the way they think they please their God or the Gods. All of us should not focus on our differences but on our similarities. Every religion uses its own sacred books to be their guide in their way of worshiping. Also, we have our celebrations to commemorate our God or the Gods and to give tribute to them.

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ASHANTI JEWEL ANGELES

JUDAISM

     Learning this topic was very insightful for me as Judaism as a religion has always been something I have only ever heard about in passing or in the media. Growing up in very catholic households, learning about other religions was very rare for me. Thankfully, this subject provided me with ample opportunities to learn about them. Judaism and its overlapping background with Christianity is something I find interesting. The rise of this religion and its practices interested me as well. Though it has an overlapping upbringing with Christianity, it still has its own calendar of traditions and holidays with its own meanings and significances that are specific to Judaism.

CHRISTIANITY

     I was raised Catholic, but viewing Christianity in a more objective sense definitely still kept my interest when it was discussed as a lesson academically. The perspective gave me a lot of insights into the religion and helped me understand certain things, shifting my mindset from “here’s why this is the best religion” that I had in my childhood to “here is why it’s one of the biggest religions”. With this, I got to learn about topics I have never heard about before, such as the lost bibles and verses, the difference between the original Christianity and modern Christianity now. It provided me with extra knowledge rather than repeating what I already knew. Which was not my expectation as I thought Christianity as a lesson topic for me would be tedious or boring to go through. But it was quite the opposite.

ISLAM

     Much like Christianity, the discussion of Islam without bias helped me to form an objective view on the religion as I learned about it. The history surrounding not only the religion itself but also around its followers and how things such as negative connotations came to be. I found it to be a very valuable lesson when it came to understanding how religious bias can cause conflicts. I also found Islam’s calendar very interesting as the meanings and backgrounds behind traditions such as ramadan insightful. It helped me to understand why Islam became one of the 3 biggest religions in the world.

BUDDHISM

     Buddhism’s large focus on lifestyle and humanity was a bit of a surprise for me. Although they still have figures such as the devas, its main focus being more on the person or people participating specifically in a way that lends itself to a specific lifestyle is very interesting to me! Although a devotion to godly figures is still present in this religion, its followers as individuals plays just as big of a role. Many religions also follow this format of “figures & followers” but I see Buddhism as having it play out very differently compared to the rest. This helped me to understand following religions such as Daoism better as well. The idea of religion not only consists of devotion to a figure. 

HINDUISM

     Hinduism is another very new religion for me as a topic. I did not get much exposure to it growing up aside from tidbits in media so this was a fresh topic to me. It was super enjoyable as Hinduism had so many interesting tidbits about it to me. Such as it being a polytheistic religion, I liked learning about how it’s different gods and goddesses worked with or against each other. Hinduism’s sacred texts and traditions was also interesting as they are also closely tied with its religious stories and history, like festivals celebrating big figure’s victories or historical moments in the text. I also very much enjoyed looking into prayers and even having the opportunity to recite some as well. 

    The objective and unbiased discussions of each religion helped me to understand them and form my own conclusions on them. From familiar religions to completely new ones. The discussion of religions such as Daoism and Hinduism were very insightful for me as I have always been aware of its existence but never found the opportunity to learn about their backgrounds and what they actually are as religions. This semester has provided me with a lot of perspective and knowledge on the background of many religions, which I think is very valuable even if I myself do not align with a particular religion at the moment. It helped me to understand key aspects of religion and how they may vary from one another, such as the concept of monotheistic and polytheistic religions. Before, my own personal misconception/misunderstanding was that a religion had to consist of a singular god and their followers. But now thanks to this subject, I know that it is not always that simple or follows that formula.

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LYZET ALMOJUELA

Judaism

The word Judaism belongs to the word Judah. Judah is the fourth son of Jacob and Jacob is the grandson of Abraham. The Hebrew word for "Jews" is "Yehudi," which refers to the people of the Judah tribe. Due to ancestry or religious conversion, the Jews were scattered throughout Israel. The Sabbath Day, Daily Prayers and Circumcision are the practices of Jewish. Also they have Major Jewish Festivals named The Pilgrim Festivals and the Days of Awe.

Chiristianity 

The God or the leader of Christians is Jesus Christ who is the son of Mother Mary. The Greek origin of the word Christ is "The Anointed One," which, when translated into Hebrew, is "Messiah." God's son or the God sent from heaven is Jesus Christ. Also, Jesus was sent to the earth to be the God to save mankind from the sins and disobedience. The history, sacred texts, and gospels can be found in the holy bible. Twelve apostles help Jesus spread his message around the world. Furthermore, these twelve apostles assisted Jesus well because Christianity is the oldest and most widespread religion in history.

Islam

Muslims have a deity they call Allah. Islam is a word that originally meant "surrender" or "submission to God." Islam originated in the provinces of Arabia, Medina the city of Prophet. Mohammed is the God’s last messenger of Islam. Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are similar religions. The Qur'an has the messages of God and the messages were conveyed by discussion, writing it down, and memorizing to preserve the messages.

Hinduism

Hinduism consists of various Gods and Goddesses. Hinduism does not have a founder like other religions. The word "Hindu" derived from the word "Indus," which also denotes a devotee of Hinduism and a large body of water. Hinduism is the religion of India that combines all the beliefs of the people near the river banks. It has a lot of traditions, practices, rituals, and practices, one of those is the Four Vedas, The Ramayana and Mahabharata. Hinduism celebrates a variety of holidays.

Confucianism

Confucianism was founded by Confucius or Kong Qiu in chinese. The followers mostly can be found in Asia and originated in Chinese traditions. It has a tradition called ru and ru tradition was made before Confucius was born. The sacred text consists of two collections named Five Classics and the Four Books. Confucianism has a school to teach the traditions, beliefs, rituals, and many more. They have a tradition that requires respect for the ancestors that have already passed away.

Shinto

The word "Shinto" refers to "the way of Gods." It originated in Japan which is carried by Koreans and Chinese. The Shinto has a sacred story about Izunami and Izanagi and the story tells how the islands of Japan were made. Worshiping is part of the Shinto and it is held in shrines and it is called "jinja" means "place of the kami." Shinto has a lot of Festivals and it has a unique name like Oshogatsu which is a new year celebration.

I began to realize that it is important to understand the beliefs of other religions rather than comparing them as a result of studying Introduction to World Religions and Belief. I like the way that we were taught the different religions and also the advantages and disadvantages of a religion. There is no bias when the lesson was discussed, it is just to educate the students about what happened in the past. I found this subject really interesting because it gave me more knowledge not only about the world but also the people.

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JASMIN MAE BARCELON

Judaism

Judaism is the world's oldest monotheistic religion, dating back nearly 4,000 years. Followers of Judaism believe in one God who revealed himself through ancient prophets. Understanding the Jewish faith, which has a rich heritage of law, culture, and tradition, requires knowledge of its history. The Torah, or Old Testament, is the foundation of Judaism, with the Ten Commandments at its heart. Jew’s goal is to live in mutual respect among human beings, who were created by the goodness of his Almighty and thus deserve to be loved and respected.

Christianity 

Christianity's lesson helped me understand Christianity better as it is found in the Bible and church history. I learned from the class how different and similar the main global religions are to Christianity. I learned about the significance of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Trinity based on the teachings of the Bible. Christians believe that God's Spirit empowers them to live in a kind and peace-loving way. Most Christians throughout history have believed that Jesus is both fully God and fully human. The term "Trinity" is used by Christians to refer to the idea that there is one God who manifests as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Islam

 Islam is the second largest religion in the world with a following of 1.8 billion followers. Islam began with the Prophet Muhammad. Islam means "surrender" and its central idea is surrendering to the will of God. Its central article of faith is that "There is no god but God and Muhammad is his messenger". Followers of Islam are called Muslims. Muslims are monotheistic and worship one, all-knowing God, who in Arabic is known as Allah. Followers of Islam aim to live a life of complete submission to Allah.

Hinduism

In Hinduism, some of the things I found most fascinating is that the idea of God in Hinduism is compounded and how they worship. There is one Supreme God and his form is unlimited. The countless deities that descend from the Supreme God represent his attributes and forms. The deities God can form can be either male or female, allowing Hindus to pray to a god or goddess. The person can pick the god or goddess they want to pray to. Different factors determine who they pray to, such as whether they are experiencing difficult obstacles in life or if there is a special holiday occurring. Hinduism is about learning the nature of the universe through the nature of the self, and vice versa.

Buddhism 

Buddhism is a form of religion that the Buddha and his adherents spread. It holds that man can achieve perfect enlightenment by destroying greed, hatred, and delusion, which are the root causes of all suffering. Buddhism originated in northern India in the 5th century B.C.E. The tradition traces its origin to Siddhartha Gautama, who is typically referred to as the Buddha. Buddhism is a "Do It Yourself" religion in which we must choose our own path rather than follow it because of our beliefs. The Buddha teaches the Dhamma for us to grow ourselves and provides us the Dhamma as a torchlight to discover our way and as the route to enlightenment, but we must follow this path ourselves.

Daoism 

Daoism, also known as Taoism, is an ancient Chinese philosophy based on the writings of Lao-Tzu that advocates simple living and harmony with nature. Dao is the process of reality itself, the way things come together while still transforming. Although it is challenging to define, "the way" is probably the best way to refer to the Dao. For some, it is a religion, while for others, it is a philosophy. Personally, I am interested in its philosophical aspect, which pre-dates the religious system by four hundred years. Daoism transcends morality. It doesn't encourage doing good—and it doesn't encourage doing bad—just being; the harmony this fosters will result in good for everyone. In this sense, it is strongly related to the natural world.

Confucianism 

Confucianism is a significant belief system in China that grew out of Confucius' and his students' teachings. It emphasizes morality, practical knowledge, and healthy interpersonal relationships. One of the fundamental Confucian values that ensure the integrity of ritual performance is xiao (filial piety). Indeed, Confucius saw filial piety as the first step toward moral excellence, which he believed lay in the attainment of the cardinal virtue, ren (humanity). The primary purpose of Confucian education is character-building.

Shintoism 

I have a love for Japanese Culture so I have found Shintoism to be a very positive religion that celebrates life more so than any other religion I have experienced thus far. Compared to some of the other religions I have studied in this course, Shintoism seems to be simpler for me. Shinto has a strong relationship with the natural world. The roots of Shinto, which originated in Japan, are affinity with natural beauty, harmony with the spirits, and purification rituals. In Shinto, there is no singular god or creator emphasized. Although Shinto teaches that everything is related to the divine one, who gave birth to two spirits (kami) (kami). These two kami are known as Amatsu Kami. The natural environment that we know as planet Earth is said to have been created by them. The simplicity in Shintoism is the concept of kami.

Indigenous Religions in the Philippines

Indigenous religions is a category used in the study of religion to demarcate the religious belief systems of communities described as being "indigenous". The term "indigenous religions" is usually applied to the localised belief systems of small-scale societies. Most indigenous religions believe in some sort of great spirit, a god, whether male or female, who created the world and is responsible for the way the world works. Some believe in multiple gods. Most of us filipino's has its own belief on how are we going to honor our creator.We are practicing our faith by our own belief depending on how we brought up by our ancestors. We filipino's are great believer on what our culture have thought us. It's a matter on how are you going to practice it or you will choose your own religion as time past by.

The whole ride gave me waves of emotion. The lessons are complex and understandable. In full honesty, I’m not fond of learning religions and I’ll say that some of the lessoned religions are unknown to me before. So it is a fun and interesting journey to take on. My curiosity about the lesson is new to me. I want to know more about religions. Something that is beyond my understanding. Carrying each piece of knowledge given to me can help me understand, and if possible help reunite each religion and its believers. Opening the minds of some people for them to fully understand the diversity of every religion.

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SAMANTHA NICOLE CALDERON

Judaism

There are many different ways of practicing Judaism that is amongst us today and many different types of people practice them. There are many more aspects of Judaism that amuse me, and there are many that I might question if I thought about converting; however, these are the aspects that I believe to be some of the most widely known traditions throughout the world. Most commonly known for not being able to mix dairy with meat, but there are other ways to make food Kosher as well. Such as pork and shellfish, these are forbidden foods in the Judaism community. Along with those, all blood must be drained before cooking and eating, for blood is sacred to God. It is amazing that even some even keep separate fridges, sinks, tables, and utensils to avoid the mixing of their meat and dairy products. These series of events indicate that the ongoing religious and social conflicts that have created hatred even in the modern world have existed for a long time. Thus, unless people learn to respect and appreciate religious diversity, the existence of hatred based on religious beliefs is likely to continue.

Christianity

This series of events indicate that the ongoing religious and social conflicts that have created hatred even in the modern world have existed for a long time. Thus, unless people learn to respect and appreciate religious diversity, the existence of hatred based on religious beliefs is likely to continue. These series of events indicate that the ongoing religious and social conflicts that have created hatred even in the modern world have existed for a long time. Thus, unless people learn to respect and appreciate religious diversity, the existence of hatred based on religious beliefs is likely to continue.

Islam- Inside Islam’s background comes from this often misunderstood faith back to its traditional origins before and within the Hebrew Bible, also providing information about how the religion’s central constituents help spread Islam's religious belief throughout the world. Islam was founded by the Prophet Muhammed and his journey to Mecca in the Middle East. Islam has a belief system that is similar to Christianity and Judaism‚ but also has many special beliefs that are unique to Islam alone. 

Hinduism

Despite being the world’s third largest and oldest religion, lots of people including me are very unaware of the facts about Hinduism. Hinduism can be traced back to 5000 B.C. and has been said to have over 1 billion followers. The most interesting fact about Hinduism to me is that Hinduism has no founder. Nobody has been known to have founded Hinduism and yet it just keeps evolving. It kind of confuses me that Hindus have so many Gods and that each God has its duty. I guess that’s why Hinduism is still changing and evolving today. The fact that there’s a God, in my opinion, doesn’t matter because Hindus worship God in the form of an idol. 

Buddhism

The teachings I have learned from seminars, conferences, and weekly Dharma service discussions have taught me that every individual is different. There are aspects of our life that intertwine us, but the events, people we have met, and places we have visited separate us from being identical. We should not judge them for this, as we most likely express some of these habits ourselves. But if we can learn to identify and express understanding towards one another, then we will only better ourselves and the world as a whole. This is all about accepting principles and proper codes of behavior and conduct. There is no supreme God as well as an abstract God in Buddhism and so it is important to understand that in Buddhism personal gods are responsible for controlling all the activities in the universe. There are so many gods in Buddhism however only one of them is the most powerful and believed to control all the happenings on earth. Buddhism believes in life after death, and this is the reason why its members hold dearly its teachings.

Daoism

Religious Daoism is widely associated with colorful rituals, belief in deities, ghosts, and spirits, meditation in search of mystical union with the Dao, and the ingestion of drugs in pursuit of immortality or transcendence.

Confucianism

Confucianism is considered one of the philosophies that were developed in ancient times yet it still asserts a significant influence on contemporary society. The Confucian tradition of the development and enhancement of Chinese society, its development is divided into two. This puts the philosophy in the context of the tradition, thereby moving it away from the focus on the developer and picturing it from a wider perspective. Confucianism is further divided into three generations.

Indigenous Religion in the Philippines

The majority of us Filipinos have our own beliefs on how to respect our creator. Depending on how we were raised by our parents, we are practicing our faith according to our own beliefs. Filipinos have a great belief and faith in what our culture has taught us. It depends on how you want to practice it or which religion you finally choose to follow.

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JEANNE DELA CRUZ

Judaism

The first and oldest of the three great monotheistic faiths that is dating back nearly 4,000 years. It is the religion and way of life Jewish people. The basic laws and tenets of Judaism are derived from the Torah, the first five books of the bible. God first revealed himself to a Hebrew named Abraham, who became known the founder of Judaism. Jews believed that God made a special covenant with Abraham and that he and his decendants were chosen people who would create a great nation. Woship is also important to Jews because it brings the community together. Worship in the synagogue includes daily service, rites of passage and festivals. The worship of Jews people include prayers, Shabbat meals and study.

Christianity

Is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the worlds largest religion with roughly 2.8 billion followers representing one-third of global population. Christianity is a religion founded by Jesus Christ. Their Seven Sacraments are Baptism, Confirmation, The Eucharist, Ordination, Marriage, Reconciliation, and The annointing of the Sick. Christian history is record in the New Testament which is divided into 4 parts and contains 27 books. The Gospels, The Acts of Apostles, The Epistles and The Revelations. Chrisitian beliefs are recorded in creeds, and the common elements is the Holy Trinity- belief in the God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit. The most important among them beliefs and practices are believed to be signs to Gods grace called Sacraments.

Islam Is the second most widespread religion centred primarily around the Quran next to Christianity and those who practice Islam are called Muslims. Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to His law. Muhammad is the Prophet of Islam and he is often reffered as the Seal of Prophets. The religious obligations of all Muslims are summed up in the Five Pillars of Islam, which include belief in God and his Prophet and obligations of prayer, charity, pilgrimage, and fasting. The fundamental concept of Islam is the Sharīʿāh—its law, which embraces the total way of life commanded by God. Muslims believe that God is the creator of all things, and that God is all-powerful and all-knowing. God has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

Hinduism

Hinduism is the Oldest living religion in the world and world's 3rd largest religion. It has no founder and prophet. Hindu word is originated from the Persian which means "river". The Hindu Trimurti consists of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer. Most Hindus are principally devoted to the god Vishnu, the god Shiva, or the Goddess. Hinduism embraces many religious ideas. For this reason, it’s sometimes referred to as a “way of life” or a “family of religions,” as opposed to a single, organized religion. Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic, which means they worship a single deity, known as “Brahman,” but still recognize other gods and goddesses. Followers believe there are multiple paths to reaching their god. Hindus believe in the doctrines of samsara (the continuous cycle of life, death, and reincarnation) and karma (the universal law of cause and effect).

Buddhism

Buddhism is a non-theistic religion (no belief in a creator god), also considered a philosophy and a moral discipline, originating in India in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. Buddhism is a religion that is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha which means the Enlightened One", "the Awakened One" or the " the One who Knows" is a central figure of buddhism The main principles of this belief system are karma, rebirth, and impermanence. Buddhist do not worship Buddha; look to the Buddha's teachings in a order to attain enlightenment.

Daoism

Daoism is a nature-based philosophy. It observes nature, seeing the observer and observed as one entire system.The Daoist community believes that nature, not people, ultimately controls how things change. Therefore, humans and their rules are less important. They also see the Confucianist emphasis on culture and civilized society as unnecessary and rather unnatural. The important Taoist principles are inaction, simplicity and living in harmony with nature. Taoist philosophical principle rested on a belief in the law of unity of the two opposite forces: yin and yang.

Confucianism

Confucianism is an ancient Chinese belief system, which focuses on the importance of personal ethics and morality. Confucianism believes in ancestor worship and human-centered virtues for living a peaceful life. In the Confucian tradition, there are three levels of sacrificial ritual: Great Sacrifice offered by the emperor, Middle Sacrifice offered by court officials, and Minor Sacrifice offered by local officials.

Shintoism

Shinto means the way of the gods. Shintoism is an Ancient religion of Japan. The overriding belief in Shinto is to promotes harmony and purity in all aspects of life. Humans are thought of as being fundamentally good, and evil is caused by evil spirits. The purpose of Shinto, therefore, is to pray and offer to the kami to keep away evil spirits. The followers of Shintoism believe that spiritual powers exist in the natural world. Shinto revolves around supernatural entities called the kami. The kami are believed to inhabit all things, including forces of nature and prominent landscape locations.

Interfaith dialogue

The idea of Interfaith dialogue is like when a group of people talk about their beliefs. l and it is an interaction between people of different religious traditions and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels. Interfaith-based action is when a group of people of different beliefs do something together.

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MARY GRACE FEUDO

PRELIMINARIES (MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS)

I was drawn to learn about the wonders of monotheistic religions during the preliminary sessions because it is believed that they are devoted to the doctrine of one God. On the other hand, they are the founding principles of newly imposed faiths at this time, namely Judaism, Christianity, and Islamism. They are also known as the Abrahamic religions.

REALIZATION: My take on it is that we need to be responsible for our own doings, especially in the present time, that sins are scattered, and lust are getting its way to the top. Having humility is instilled to be a great thing above all. Although, there is a God who is ready to die for us, it doesn’t mean we become faith dependents ourselves. That we must take actions for everything and not blame it to our faith but instead reflect on oneself. Churches are a way to have a presence to God and not boast that we still believe on something and act innocent. Superiority is vacuous for those believers who just think they are the ones that can dictate a belief of another. Judaism and Christianity are just cursives and printed of each other as they are both rooting in Jesus and Abrahamic descendants, but Judaists has a point or choice, while Christians must abide.

MIDTERMS (POLYTHEISTIC RELIGIONS)

We've gone Poly during the Midterms, tackled about the Regions from India, Thailand, China etc. I am in deep realization through their practices as Buddhism, Hinduism, Daoism is introduced. I am able to explore more, there reasons why they have that many auras and faces of faith.

REALIZATION: At one point in the Eastern Polytheistic Religions, they have so many Gods to pray for, surely that they cannot lose faith to all. Their practices are different from ours but that is what they stand for, and it is vital for them to solely find purpose in the teachings. They have these certain scriptures to abide all the time and holiness is all over their vocabulary, that to extent they bring it always on any occasions. In my views as a non-polytheistic person, it has its disadvantages like; people will tell you to pray for him, believe that, do that, because it is written. Yet who knows what it is like to be on their dressers, so I am grateful to at least seek the broadness of this topics.

FINALS (SHINTOISM, INTERFAITH DIALOGUE, IP)

During the finals we have 3 remaining topics, which consists of Shintoism, Interfaith Dialogue, and Indigenous Religion... For the record I have gathered so many lectures and information towards our country and globally.

REALIZATION: Through Shintoism I am at awe in their practices and the belief of conjoining love and making it to a world, like what the God and Goddess did, paying attention to the lecture. It is like their famous manga plots that applies to the religion itself and it is enjoyable to be encountered. On the other hand, Interfaith Dialogue is what binds us as a whole, listening to some podcasts it shaped minds of many that regardless of what beliefs a people have we can still be at peace; and 9/11 is a commemorative step through that and should not be overlooked as a joke of racism, instead a declaration of oneness and good relations. Indigenous People are Philippines's POC version, they are often read in books but never really paid attention too, yet this topic made me look forward to it that our origin must be kept through and enhance by discussing it more and teaching young minds to volunteer kindly, rather than not useful things they do with life. In reality, I am a half-blooded Mangyan as my father's origin and I know some backgrounds and words it is nice to hear familiars on the lesson as I am proud to be the half of one, being with blood to people who set foot first in this country is an honor.

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JASMINE GARGANTA

I've learned a lot during this semester, let me enumerate them one by one. In prelim, we tackle different famous monotheistic religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They believe in one God. Enlightened by their differences and similarities. I've discovered that they seem connected in a way that it all started with Judaism being one of the oldest religions among the Abrahamic religions. With Judaism, we can trace the origin of Jewish people as well as God's revelation to Abraham. They stand firm on the Mosaic Law that they believe should be followed. With this, we know that even Jesus himself became Jewish before the coming of Christianity which encircled the faith in salvation through Jesus Christ. Unlike the Jewish, Christians believe that there are only two commandments that should be followed which are to love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself. Christianity originated from Judaism.  At that time, many people seemed to discriminate against and ignore the teachings of Jesus for they already have strong faith and belief in Judaism. That's where the conflict started, the people began to be separated in their religion. Some believed in Judaism and considered Jesus as just another prophet while some put their faith in Jesus.  Because of the belief of Jews in Abraham's authority and sovereignty, Islam began to claim that Abraham is the ancestor of the Arabs through his son Ishmael. They believe in Allah and that Muhammad is the seal of a prophet because he is the last series of prophets beginning with Adam.

During the midterm, we discussed the different polytheistic religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism.  Polytheistic religions are religions that believe in many gods. Polytheistic religions are unfamiliar to me at first but throughout the semester I've learned a lot in just a period. I also know about the essence of knowing these different polytheistic religions even though they are not connected to your belief. It is important because we will only learn to respect others' religions if we know where they are coming from. Learning about these different Polytheistic Religions makes me think that there is a much deeper explanation of where their beliefs all started. With the different practices that they have, they were able to emphasize their beliefs, their origin, and how they worship their God /gods. Knowing these things helps me have more respect and consideration for others' religions. We might think that their beliefs are useless but if we go deeper into what they want to foresay, we can know that they are just like us, who stand for what they believe. With the story of the life of the different God/ gods that some religions have, we can learn from their experience as well.

During finals, we tackle Shintoism together with interfaith dialogue and indigenous people namely Igorot, Mangyan, Lumad, and Negrito. Shintoism has many gods. It originated from Japan and anime culture. They also have the Grand Shrine of Ise. They also have festivals to celebrate their gods. There are divisions in Shintoism such as Jinja Shinto which worships gods based on their needs, Kyoha Shinto which worships only specific gods, and Tsuzoku Shinto which worships different gods. They prayed for their ancestors who already died

I think for me, the most essential thing to learn for this whole semester is Interfaith dialogue because, with the help of learning interfaith dialogue, we can find ways to unite all the religions in one heart, although we have different beliefs. Interfaith dialogues can help us to understand each other's religion and to eliminate religious discrimination.

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MICHAELA ANGELA OBAFIAL

Monotheistic Religions

Learning about the monotheistic religions, particularly Judaism, Christianity and Islam was an insightful experience. During this period, I managed to distinguish the three religions as well as how they are related to each other. From their origins, Gods, practices and beliefs.

Judaism was the first religion that was introduced to us and I can say that it is a good religion to begin with since Judaism is the world’s oldest monotheistic religion. It may not be the oldest compared to all religions in the world but talking about Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Judaism is the oldest. Christianity being the second religion to be tackled, it was a nice sequence in all honesty because it intrigued me how the overlapping history of Judaism and Christianity was slowly being uncovered during the lessons. Being raised in a Catholic family, my prior knowledge about religion was tested to its limits during discussions. I was delighted because how I was educated more about the religion I belong to. I always thought I know a lot about Catholicism or Christianity in general but I was captivated by the new learnings and wisdom I acquired from the lesson. Finally, Islam. I must admit that Islam was the religion I was deeply intrigued to tackle because I remembered having so many Islam friends and acquaintances and I would always get culture shocked by how restricted and strict their practices are. Through the lesson about Islam, I managed to understand how profound their culture was. The number of restrictions that they had to follow was astounding, such as their dietary practice, conservative clothes, the time they should allot for praying, and many more. I can consider Islam as one of the most resonant yet mesmerizing religion. 

Eastern Religions

Hinduism was probaby the longest religion we’ve ever tackled but there is not a single moment I’ve felt ennui during the discussion. Learning about their basic beliefs that is contained in the Vedas or the earliest Indian texts that consist of religious rituals, hymns, or potery. Some of the most notable parts of their religion I can recall was their beliefs. Hindus hold to the concepts of karma and samsara, or the eternal cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Hinduism places a high value on the concept of "atman," or the existence of a soul. According to this school of thought, every living thing is a part of the supreme soul and has a soul of its own. The end goal is "moksha," or salvation, which puts an end to the cycle of rebirths and makes one a permanent member of the absolute soul.

Buddhism has one of the most philosophical religion. Tackling its brief history was one of the best experiences that I acquired for how broad the religion is. My favorite part about learnning this religion is the life of Siddhartha Gautama or the Buddha, one of the most prominent Gods known. Apparently, Having been protected from the outside world, entertained by dancing girls, and trained in archery, swordsmanship, wrestling, swimming, and running, Gautama grew up in the comfort of a prince. Even with his wife and son by his side, he was able to lead a wonderful life. Despite leading a privileged life, he was filled with a sense of longing. Once he began to wander the streets, he came face to face with reality: dying people, the elderly, and corpses. Nothing in his carefree life had adequately prepared him for this situation. He was unable to sleep after learning that everyone is susceptible to illness, aging, and death from his charioteer. A wandering ascetic carrying a single bowl and walking peacefully along the road while donning the robe of a sadhu caught his attention as he made his way back to the palace. One thing I learned from him is that being privileged is more than a blessing, it’s something that people would die and kill for because outside a luxorious life, there lies a life of suffering hell. 

Daoism or Taoism on the other hand was the religion I had prior knowledge about in Eastern Religions. The core teachings and the fundamental beliefs that I know from this religion was furtherly impowered during the discussion. Daoism's fundamental tenet is that all existence and manifestation are a part of an interconnected organic unity that arises from a profound, enigmatic, and essentially unfathomable source known as the Tao itself. Taoism holds that there are a set of unchanging natural laws that govern the Universe and all of its manifestations. These laws are understandable to humans, who can also develop a sensitivity to them. We can develop a global viewpoint and live in harmony with the Tao if we align ourselves with these principles.

Confucianism however was focused on the life of Confucius that is somehow filled with life philosophies and wisdom. Just like when confusian thinkers imbued their wisdom about life, how a good life and happiness are related in that the latter is a vitally essential element of the former. However, moral restraints must be applied to happiness, whether it be measured in terms of pleasure, the fulfillment of a desire, or a list of goods. A philosopher and teacher, Confucius. His disciples recorded his ideas on morality, decency, and ethics in a number of books, the most significant of which is the Lunyu. Confucianism emphasizes human-centered virtues for peaceful living as well as ancestor worship. His teachings were primarily focused on virtue and righteous principles, just as he tries to preach in his Confucian golden rule, "Do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you."

[arcsoffaith22reflection]

JOHN CEDRICK SONICO

Christianity - The life and lessons of Jesus Christ act as the establishment for the Abrahamic monotheistic religion known as Christianity. The Messenger's Statement of faith and different ideologies from various Christian groups all acknowledge Jesus as the manifest Child of God who served, endured, and died on a cross, however came back to life to save humanity.

Islam - Muslims believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed many times through earlier prophets. They also believe that the Quran, when preserved in Classical Arabic, is God's unaltered and final revelation to humanity. Islam, like other Abrahamic religions, teaches of a "Final Judgement" in which the righteous will be rewarded and the unrighteous will be punished in hell

Judaism - monotheistic religion made among the antiquated Jews. Judaism is portrayed by a belief in one superior God who revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets and by a religious life as per Sacred writings and rabbinic practices. Judaism is the peculiarity of a complete lifestyle for the Jewish people, containing religious philosophy, regulation, and multitudinous social practices.

Hinduism- is the third-largest religion after Christianity and Islam. India is home to approximately 95 percent of the world's Hindus. It is difficult to trace the religion's origins and history because there is no single founder. Hinduism is unique in that it is a collection of many traditions and philosophies rather than a single religion. Hindus worship many gods and goddesses Hindus also celebrate numerous sacred days, holidays and festivals.

Confucianism - is philosophical system of thought and behavior originated in ancient China it shows how to be a human it involves deepening of thoughts and recognizing the connection of all presence characterizing human circumstances

Daoism - is a nature base way of thinking it is perceived as a ritualistic religion the Dao is the source of everything it is shapeless and indefinable

Learning each religion is significant in light of the fact that by learning it you will comprehend their beliefs you will begin to know their divine beings, practices and ceremonies, celebrations and occasions. The objective of this subject is to teach the students about others religion. I have found a ton of fascinating data about religions and regardless of religious differences, they all have one similarity and that is to worship God.

[arcsoffaith22reflection]

ALBERTHA SUANSING

When talking about different religions, it always amazes me how people have different beliefs yet they still unite at some point in their lives. Being able to learn these religions gave me new ideas and opened my mind when it comes to viewing the world in a different light. This subject piqued my interest from the very start since my mother is a very religious person and having the opportunity to learn about different religions and beliefs all over the globe will forever be an honor and an unforgettable experience. These lessons opened my mind and introduced me to new places, people, ideas, and terms. It made me see through a person in a different light. It made my understanding of the world more complex that I am starting to understand the world and the people even better. 

To start off, Judaism made me view their world in a different way. Their ways when it comes to celebrating their holidays and how they worship their God. Learning about their religion made me view their lives even with just reading the lectures given and videos being presented to us. Their connection with Christianity is a thing that piqued my attention when the lessons were being tackled. The effect of Abraham and his family to this certain religion is something that will leave me awestruck. 

To talk about Christianity is somehow uncomfortable for me. Growing up inside a religious household is sometimes suffocating since they shove their beliefs in you even if you have a different one. Talking about this religion however, was an eye opener for me. It made me view things in a different light. It always amazes me how this religion gathered a lot of followers that were probably influenced by colonizers over the past centuries. 

The final religion that was discussed to us during our Prelims was the religion of Islam. On this religion, I already knew quite a lot since I have friends whose religion were Islam. I know their holidays, the name of their Bible, and the clothes they wear. Learning new things in this lesson however, made me realize that their religion is wonderful and amazing. Yet, even though the Islam is a peaceful religion, people seemed to taint it’s image red due to terrorist attacks during the past years. 

During our Midterms, we tackled about Polytheistic religions or religions who have more than one God. Now, tackling or learning about these lessons added more knowledge to me when it comes to the topic about religions all over the world. Their differences to my religion is a lot but it always amazes me how their traditions and beliefs made them a one large community.  

The first religion taught to us this term was the religion of Hinduism. This is considered to be the third largest religion from all over the globe. What amazes me about this religion is that they have these books wherein they put their hymns to the gods, prayers, and plenty more things related to their religion. The name Veda has a nice ring to it and for me, it is a unique name for a book to place all their religious contents at. I have also done my research and eventually found out that they celebrate festivals such as Holi or the Festival of Colors, the Diwali or the Festival of Light, and many, many more.

The next religion taught to us was Buddhism. Like the Islam, I already know a few abut this religion since I have watched dramas, and some of my close friends are a follower of this religion. It amazes me how their religion focuses on meditating to develop one’s mind. This religion also focuses on Siddhartha Gauma also known as Buddha. This religion also has a belief they call the Four Noble Truths. 

Learning and studying about the religion of Daoism is something that will be one of the best feelings for me. When  this lesson was introduced to me, I immediately became hooked and excited to learn more about them. This religion values moral life and works above anything else. Learning that the Yin and Yang came from this religion also was a surprise to me. When I was young, they said  that the Yin and Yang symbolizes balance. They also elaborated the meaning of it using the quote, “There is good in evil, there is evil in good.” Since they view the black side as the evil one and the white side as the good one. 

The final religion discussed during the midterms was Confucianism. Just like Daoism, this religion also amazed me. This very religion focused more on our attitude, creating a harmonious bond between others, and our relationship with people and the rest of the society. This religion has two symbols namely, the Scholar(ru) and water. They also have beliefs different from what I view from my perspective as a Christian,yet the beauty of this religion will forever shine just like the other religions and beliefs all over the globe.

Now, we have already reached our final term. It was really a rollercoaster ride not only for me but for all of us. We learned various things this semester and we will work hard in order to achieve and learn more as days pass by. This term, we tackled Shintoism, Indigenous Groups in the Philippines, and the Interfaith Dialogue. Learning these lessons added new knowledge to me. By this, I can clearly say that the world surely has different traditions and beliefs, but we always get to unite at some point in our lives.  

To have the chance to learn the different religions existing in our lives is truly something that can be used in the future. The lesson about Shintoism is something that is still fresh on my mind. This lesson tackles the said religion which came from the country Japan. They also believe in many Gods with different purposes. This religion has divisions that identify their beliefs. To me this one here makes this said religion uniform and well-organized at some point.

Talking about the Indigenous Groups in the Philippines is something I will love about this subject. It mainly talks about the tribes and the groups that are found in some countries here in the Philippines. To see the beauty  of the tribes and get a glimpse of their traditions and beliefs is truly fascinating. My personal favorite was the Igorot since it has been taught to me since I was still young. Other than that, the tribes are beautiful in their own way.

To have the chance to unite at some point of our lives is truly something that can be considered as a life changing opportunity. The Interfaith Dialogue was a key to unite everyone in the world with prayer. Their  primary goal is to connect with each other by praying together no matter where they are or who they are. To me, having this interfaith dialogue is truly something that will help get the peace that we are always dreaming of. To connect and to bring peace—-that is what the interfaith dialogue is for me.

To summarize this all up, I have learned that religions opt to have different traditions, prayers, names of their gods, bibles  and beliefs. All still have things in common. We reach out to Them when we need guidance, help, signs, and to express our gratitude to something. An eye opener, that is.