Indigenous Religions
Native religions from all over the world
Mayan
World view- . In the Mayan worldview, the plane on which we live is just one level of a multi-layered universe made up of 13 heavens and nine underworlds. Each of these planes is ruled by a specific god and inhabited by others.
Ultimate Reality- Hunab Ku was the creator god.
Time and Space- The Mayan's used a 260-day calander. The Mayan calendar is cyclical.
Reverence of Nature-The Maya are one of many indigenous cultures around the world that engages in what is known as a nature-based religion.Spiritual significance is found in all living things. The Maya revere each animal and plant.
Navajo
World View-The purpose of life is to achieve balance, in a continual cycle of gaining and retaining harmony.
Ultimate Reality- The Navajo's believe life exists due at the Almighty, a spiritual force. It's not a person but a thing that is formless and just exists in the universe. The sun is viewed as the power of the Almighty
Time and Space- Navajo believe time is cyclical.
Reverence for Nature- Many animals and forces of nature carry significance or a taboo to the Navajo. They also believed that they should live in harmony with nature.
Greek
Worldview- Religion was personal, direct, and present in all areas of life.
Ultimate Reality-There were many gods in the Greek religion, in which each held a certain power over an emotion or a force of nature. Though the most important of these gods were the Olympian gods lead by Zeus.These were Athena, Apollo, Poseidon, Hermes,Hera, Aphrodite, Demeter, Ares, Artemis, Hades, Hephaistos, and Dionysos.
Time and Space- Cyclical time
Reverence for Nature- The gods were in control of all aspects of nature, from large to small.
Egyptian
Worldview- They believed that the way the sun moved, how the sky changed, and other aspects of nature were due to their gods.
Ultimate Reality- Gods and goddesses looked over the world and were charge in the forces of nature. Though they also kept in contact with the Pharaohs of Egypt, giving the Pharaohs a god status.
Time and Space- Linear
Babylonian
Worldview-They believed in demons created by the gods, which could be good or evil. The people of Mesopotamia worshiped these demons to keep them happy, because if one of them was angered then the people of Mesopotamia would, in some way, be punished. They believed that when something bad happened, whether a natural disaster or not, it was because the correlating god was angry at them, so they did their best to keep the gods happy.
Ultimate Reality- Beneath Marduk there was a group of popular and important gods. Ea was the god of wisdom, spells and incantations. Sin was the moon god. Shamash was the god of the sun and of justice. Ishtar was the unreliable goddess of love and war.
Under the gods and goddesses there were deities of the underworld; demons, devils, monsters. There were a few good spirits as well.Time and Space- Cyclical