Sikhism,Mormonism,Central-american religions
Sikhism
Sikhism was born in north-eastern India, in Punjab. Devotees of the Sikh faith are called sikh, a Hindu word meaning "disciples". Its philosophy and doctrines are based on the teachings of the ten guru or its spiritual guides, starting with the founder Nanak. Today, there are over 15 million followers of Sikh religion in the world, the majority in India.
Sikhism has taken elements from both Hinduism and of Islamism. The essential lesson is that the road to salvation is in knowing the one true God who is beyond human definition, but knowledge can be gained through faith and the purity of the ideals and behavior. As the Hindu, the sikh believe in Reincarnation and final release from the Renaissance cycle through purity.
Ceremonies of baptism and marriage are important in Sikhism. For example, at birth, the Mool mantra is whispered in the baby’s ear (the Mool mantra defines God as eternal and omnipresent). A few days later,Adi Grandb is opened randomly and the child is given a name which starts with the first letter from the first word on the left page.
The ultimate purpose of all the young Sikh is to get in Khalsa (main Sikh order) and its members follow a strict code of conduct, dedicating their lifes in prayer.
The five emblems of the Khalsa are kesa (the long,uncut hair of the sikh), kungba (the comb), kaach (the long underwear), kirpan (the sword) and kada (steel bracelet usually worn on the right arm).
the creation of a separate Sikh state, independent, in the Punjab, is an ideal of faith and purpose of political followers of this religion.
Mormonism
Mormonism is the name given, in general, to beliefs Members of the Church of Jesus Christ
Saints of the Last Day. There are over 5 million Mormon, of which 80% live in USA.there are also significant communities in Europe, Canada and Latin America
Mormons accept the divine authority of the Bible, but support the idea that it was poorly translated or that the text has been corrupted. They are convinced that the Scripture revealed to Joseph Smith, in particular the book of Mormon, restores the Church of Christ in its initial grace, discovering ancient history of the people of America.
According to Mormon faith, God and Jesus Christ are separate beings, Christ being the first child-spirit of God, Supreme being. Jesus created the world under the guidance of his father and God is considered the Creator. The Holy Spirit is the third divine leadership, but is designed as a separate being.
Mormonism has in common with Christianity the certainty that there will be a day of Judgment when all souls will be judged according to their faith and actions.
A separate item in the mormon practice is the fact that all aspects of everyday life at work and at home are included in the divine mission.
Prayers
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| Moment of homage for Guru Nanak, as part of religious ceremonies in Lahore, Pakistan. |
Central-american religions
The Last of the great civilizations that have developed in the world, appeared around
The beginning of the last millennium BC, in the area of Mexico, located just south of Veracruz.
A fundamental feature of central-american religion is the temple shaped in a pyramid in steps. It rises the shrine far above the city and it places the priests closer to the sun.the sun was considered by central americans as a major deity.
Acts which distinguished central american religion were human sacrifice and blood shed, which was considered vital for the continuous existence of the human race.
-THE OLMEC -
Olmec people started to found towns in south-central Mexico and developed the
structured religion that characterized the Spanish invasion in the XVI th century AD
A famous character created by the olmec was a humanoid with the characteristics of a cat which was described by some scientists as a panther-vampire.
-THE MAYA -
The Maya, whose civilization arose in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, had, in some of their pantheons, a god identified with the sun and the after world, which had characteristics of a jaguar.
The Maya linked patches around the wrist of the arms and legs to absorb the blood before the lances thrusted the meat. Priests would gather the patches and burn them so that the smoke may be consumed by the gods.
The Aztec
The best knownpeople in Central America, the aztecs, worship a god of the Earth, known as Tepeyollotl, which also takes the form of a jaguar.
The aztecs often made themselves bleed with the thorns of a plant called agave.
They celebrate the culture of corn by sacrificing a young captive who represents their god Tezcatlipoca. This man has a year of privilege and in the last month of his life he is treated as a veteran warrior and is offered five wives. When the time of the festival came, he went on a small island, where he would climb on top of a small temple. His heart would be removed and burned, and his head would be but off and placed on a stand of skulls, and the god would be „fed” with the man’s blood.
The uniqueness of the central american civilization has proved in the end, it’s fall.