.... are foreign, others are they’re own . Then they are all assimilated into the same, making it uniquely Japanese. Of all the religions in Japan, Shintoism is the oldest. Shintoism is a religion that worships nature. A Shintoist believes that kami , deities that reside in all natural objects, are forces of nature and are to be worshipped in Shinto shrines, where worshippers ask for blessings. Today in modern Japan, no one really believes in Shintoism, but the effects are present. Love of nature is present everywhere in Japanese culture. Architecture, art, landscaping, and poetry all express nature themes. Buddhism originated in India an .....

.... becomes the "heart and soul" of almost all religious groups around the world. It is this upon which George Weckman focuses his article. The author defines the characteristics of a community in a number of ways. For one, he claims that some sort of initiation or "entrance ritual" needs to occur in order to mark the acceptance of an individual into the community as a whole. In addition to these entrance rituals, the individual will, most likely, participate in other types of rituals throughout his life. This may include his eventual departure from the community, such as death. Secondly, the author emphasizes the fact that communities .....

.... prayer at the beginning of the day. A main political issue within public schools involves the First Amendment, how the school system enforces certain things and how schools can get around the separation between church and state. The First Amendment is being violated by allowing public officials(teachers) to direct prayer in schools. The reason that this is a violation is because prayer, bible readings and moments of silence are prohibited in public school systems. The First Amendment has many different interpretations that people are attaching to it. People took this amendment to mean that the government was not intended to be banned .....

.... extremely large and structured network of organization and individuals that are bound together by common values. These values are based on mysticism and monism which is the world view that "all is one". The New Age movement is not a cult by any accepted sociological definition. Although there are several cults which could be classified within, such as the Transcendental Meditation and the followers of deported Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. Cult membership is by far the exception and not the rule for New Agers. New Agers tend to be eclectic which means that they draw what they think is the best from various sources. Exclusive de .....

.... of the Rosary, and to make confession four times every year". Molinos recanted publicly. His admirers said that he was behaving consistently with what he believed and taught. His accusers said that his recanting was a proof of his guilt. What were real motives why Molinos admitted his "guilt"? Molinos once said: "The true quietists are always quiet, serene and eve-minded in Graces and in extraordinary favors as also in the most rigorous and bitter torments. No news causes them to rejoice, no event saddens them". Was Miguel de Molinos trying to be consistent way with his mystical teachings of total passivity?, or was he really guilt .....

.... said to be forever held in the light. The second of these spirits was Ahriman. He dwelled in the deepest depths of darkness. HE had a lust to destroy, and would take every opportunity to cause others to commit evil. The battle ground for the great confrontation between these two cosmic powers is the universe itself. Ahura Mazda created the world as a trap for Ahriman. Human beings draw him into this world creating a chance for him to cause others to do evil. As he enters the world he is now on Ahura Mazda’s battle ground. As the people from the world choose good over evil voluntarily, Ahriman is continually weakened until he rea .....

.... Gnostics heretics. So, until the find of Nag Hammadi in 1945 little was known of and the Gnostics except from the writings of their adversaries. One of the main things which separated the Gnostics from orthodox Christians was the mysticism of their beliefs. It began with their views of God and creation. They viewed the One which they called the true God as having a feminine part which was the Spirit. In accord, they also held that Jesus came from God and the Spirit to form the Trinity. In the Gnostic version of creation of the world the Spirit of God is referred to as the Wisdom of God or Sophia who is also a feminine creative force. It .....

.... redeem them from captivity if they repented. A truly monotheistic religion developed the God of Israel now being seen as the God ruling universal history and the destiny of all nations. I'm not going to delve any further into the history of Judaism. At this point in time I will simply state that there are many differences in between Christianity and Judaism The Jews believe in "anointed prophets," or someone who speaks for God. The majority of Jews rejected Jesus Christ because Jesus claimed to be God. The Jews believe that Jesus was just a prophet and he is not God. The Jews understand God as being set apart from everything els .....

.... would become less necessary in our lives. Another psychologist, William R. James, developed his theory on religion through the study of psychology. First as a student of arts, then a student of medicine, finally James came to his studies of psychology after realizing the influence that the mind has on the body. James saw religion as growing out of psychological need. He viewed religion as a persons positive way of fulfilling needs and its positive effects of an individuals life. He believed that religion gave a "new zest" on a persons life, and "an assurance of safety", which would eventually lead to a harmonious relation with the uni .....

.... before mass. Many people pray the Rosary Prayer that is well known among Catholics and many Non-Catholics. There are a wide variety of positions in the Catholic church. You have the Pope and the Bishop and the Priest and many more. Many positions can be taken by parishners. You need only be a faithful Catholic in the church. For example, and alter boy or server can be a young person in the church. THeir job is to assist the priest throughout mass. The hold the prayer book and help prepare the table with the uecherist. You have eucheristic ministers whom help with the distribution of communion. The usually stand on each side of the Prie .....