Monotheistic Idea

The idea of a universal, singular God is perhaps the greatest religious innovations of the Jewish tradition among the world’s historic religious systems. Between 1500 and 500 BCE, the Israelite people of the ancient Near East began to think of a radical new understanding of god. The ancient Hebrews were most likely “polytheistic,” believing in numerous gods. God even had a wife. Eventually, however, early Hebrew prophets began to preach of one God as the creator of all existence, a view we have come to call “monotheism.”

Early Hebrew authors gave God names such as Elohim (Christians point to this as proof of the Trinity) (“gods”), Adonai (“my lord”), and the unpronounceable YHWH, from the same root as the verb “to be,” the etymological source of the name “Jehovah.”

Watch the following video- especially after the two minute mark to see how monotheism developed.
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/sotj14.socst.world.monotheism/monotheism/#

 

https://drive.google.com/a/friendscentral.org/file/d/0BwJtGlkVK5mkTlA4RGkyeU9mVGs/view?usp=drivesdk

 

snakes and ladders

http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/wfchannel/index.php?wfc_cid=35

This game is the basis for the kids’ game Shoots and Ladders. The goal of the game is to attain Moksha, release from the Smsara circle of death and rebirth.
as you play, note that good behavior brings you closer to Moksh. Also note that it is really hard to attain Moksha.

If you don’t have a die, here’s an online one. Click here

Hinduism and Buddhism.

Questions

The Story of the Buddha

1. What did Buddha find in Bodhgaya?
2. Describe the central beliefs of Buddhism. How do they contrast with Hindu beliefs?
3. The Buddha states, “Let truth be your light.” What did he mean by this?
4. What Buddhist ideas appealed to the rising class of merchants?
5. What aspect of Buddhism is considered a “step too far” for most Indians? Why did Buddhism decline so significantly in India in this time period?