2. Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems – SHS
Influences of Religion to Culture and Society - 1st Semester Module
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Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad
Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin
SDO Albay Schools Division Superintendent: Norma B. Samantela, CESO VI
SDO Albay Assistant Schools Division Superintendent: Wilfredo J. Gavarra
SDO Albay Assistant Schools Division Superintendent: Fatima D. Buen
3. Title of the Learning Activity Sheet: Influences of Religionto Culture and Society
Introduction:
“Faith is like a Wi-Fi, it’s invisible but it has the power to connect you to what we need.” Do you agree
with that? If you do, this module will help you learn how religions pave way to attaining the things we
need and how it provided significant positive impact to culture and society. You will learn how religion
through faith and positive beliefs and practices helped in influencing a person’s life. Aside from its
positive impacts, you will also learn the downside or the negative influences of religion.
Objective:
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
1. Analyze the influences of religion to culture and society.
Vocabulary
Let us find the meaning of words that you will encounter in the succeeding texts.
Word Definition
Adonai - ancient Hebrew God
Allah - the one God of Islam
Belief System - stories or ideas that define our personal sense of reality, and through which we make sense of
the world.
Buddhism
- a path of practice and spiritual development that started in India. It strives for a deep insight
leading to the nature of reality.
Christianity - a monotheistic faith based on the life, works, and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Confucianism
- both an ancient religion and philosophy of China; it originated as a philosophical system
founded on the teachings of Confucius.
Confucius - a Chinese philosopher whose teachings are the basis of Confucianism.
Culture
- a system of vital ideas that contains, energizes, and directs virtually every aspect of social life
and a person’s relationship with the world, and the matrix from which values, attitudes,
motivations, and skills emerge.
Cultural milieu
- the term comes from the French word milieu, meaning “middle”. Refers to the setting and
environment in which a person lives, including social and cultural aspect of life.
Dharma - Buddha’s teaching and the inner realizations that are attained in dependence upon practicing
them.
Elohim - ancient Hebrew God
Hinduism
- a religion considered a product of spiritual, religious, and social practices of the people from a
large portion of South Asia, including the countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
Islam - a major monotheistic religion which originated in the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century
CE.
Mahayana
Buddhism
- a branch of Buddhism which is widely practiced in Vietnam, Japan, South Korea,and China:
known as a “Greater Vehicle”, it has given rise to various offshoots of Buddhism in other
countries.
Zoroastrianism
- a Persian religion founded in the sixth century B.C. by the prophet Zoroaster, characterized by
worship of a supreme god, Ahura Mazda who requires good deeds for help in his cosmic
struggle against the evil spirit Ahriman.
Rituals - a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a
prescribed order.
Scriptures - religious texts are texts related to a religious tradition.
Seder Meal
- is a ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. It is conducted
throughout the world on the eve of the 15th day of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar.
Eid ul Fitr - is a canonical festival of Islam, Eid ul-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy
month of fasting
Ramadan
- it is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting. It begins
and ends with the appearance of the crescent moon.
4. Pre-Test
Direction: Identify the word being described by the following sentences. Shade the letter from the
answer sheet of your best answer from the choices inside the box. Write your answer in the answer
sheet.
1. It is a Jewish concept defined by acts of kindness performed to perfect or repair the world.
2. It is a journey performed for a religious purpose.
3. It is a Jewish teaching where there is an obligation to perform moral acts, particularly acts of kindness.
4. It is a holy war waged on behalf of Islam as a religious.
5. It is the most important religious service in the Christian church in which people share bread and
wine.
DEEPENING
The most important aspect of religion is its relentless struggle to focus on the dimension of
depth in our lives. We are subjected every day to the pressure to attend to the things we thought more
important. We, humans have a need to make sense of our experience in and of the world in which we
live. Starting with human experience, both objective and subjective, we seek to understand causes and
effects and their significance in our lives. Stemming from this search for meaning, any particular
religion is a culturally evolved system, in which the persons involved develop and share common
understandings, beliefs and practices and form community bonds of identity and support. Many
religions claim a "mentor" who is revered and remembered as an "exemplar" for their beliefs, values,
and practices. Mentors are called in many names; Priest or Pastor for the Christians, Rabbi for the
Jews, and Imam for the Muslims to name a few. At its best, a religion can provide the following:
1. Meaning, Purpose and Hope, based on the beliefs, traditions, and values, often expressedin
myths and stories. These traditions are so diverse that they present a wide range of responses and a
variety of answers to the perennial questioning of human existence. When we participate in these
traditions, we join experientially the on-going journey of discovery of what it means to be human.
2. Community gathering for rituals of worship and symbolic celebrations of religious holidays.
Observances like festivals and pilgrimage (a journey done for a religious purpose) focus on the stuff
of everyday life and set it in the framework of more profound dimensions of life. One example of a
pilgrimage is the Hajj which lasts approximately 5 to 6 days depending on the lunar Islamic
calendar, is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their
lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey,
and can support their family during their absence.
The Seder meal reminds Jews that they are shaped by a very long history, a history that gives
them identity; the Eucharist which people share bread and wine as a symbol of the last supper and
the death of Christ, signals to Christians that the center of life’s meaning is giving oneself for the
welfare of others; in the Eid ul Fitr, Muslims give thanks after the month of Ramadan-fasting that
teaches patience, spirituality, humility, and submissiveness to God.
3. Personal identity as part of a group with similar world views, beliefs, values, practices, and
lifestyles relationships of commitment to giving support and caring critique to one another.
Buddhists cultivate practices of mindfulness, peacefulness, and compassion. In one form or another,
all religions inculcate these practices. The Jewish teachings about mitzvoth, the obligations to
perform moral acts, particularly acts of kindness, and Tikkun olam (repairing the world) have
inculcated over the centuries an intense commitment to social justice. Giving to charity is a
fundamental mark of Islam. Such practices are constant reminders that there is more to life than the
moment, more than individual, selfish “getting ahead.” Opportunities in community to identify and
provide needed action and service to meet needs of the wider community and the world. Lastly,
religion provides the opportunity to live within an ethical framework, as a way of putting the world
and modern life within the perspective.
4. Rituals of giving thanks and appreciating one’s blessings that helps with emotional health and
happiness and celebrating the goodness of life and practices experienced in community for life
transitions of birth, commitment, forgiveness, and death.
5. 5. Educational opportunities providing history and understanding of religious and cultural
traditions and beliefs translation of religious symbols based in the scriptures, metaphors and language
into contemporary experiences and language.
All of them have a negative side that needs to manage well for human community mental health.
Example of which are as follows:
1. Promotes backward and harmful policies. Religion has been used to defend slavery, just like how
the Spaniards took advantage of some our ancestors, racial segregation, and sexual discrimination.
Although these policies have no justification aside from religious dogma that was invented centuries
ago to address a very different context than the one, we face today. Absolute ideals not only lead to
fanaticism but are unrealistic in a complicated world.
2. Dissuades Societal Improvement. Other religious leaders argued against improvement as it
distracts from spiritual priorities. Believers are encouraged to accept the fatalism of human suffering
as part of the cosmic order or the will of God.
3. Participation in religion supports harmful regimes and institutions. It often requires financial or
moral support to be given to countries and institutions that use this influence for questionable
purposes. For instance, performing pilgrimages in some countries provided wealth into the economy
that can be used by repressive regimes that export extremism and terror.
4. Resource consumption. The Philippine Constitution grants religious and charitable institutions
exemption from real property tax on all lands, buildings, and improvements. This creates a bias of
benefit for the religious, since other social groups may not be tax exempted or have a higher burden to
attain tax exemption.
5. Religious Wars. For example, Holy crusade for Christianity and Jihad for Islam. During the
Marawi siege, the primary aim of the Isis is to establish an Islamic estate in the Philippines. This
therefore threatens the Christians living in the area. They even burned and wrecked a Catholic Church
and kidnapped a priest along with its staff. Another example is the Holy Crusade. These events took
many lives and properties which sometimes over acts the principles and dogma of their religion and
sometimes commonly sees their religion superior to the other.
Can you still recall the lesson you learned yesterday? What are the positive effects of religion
when it comes to community gatherings for rituals of worship and symbolic celebrations of religious
holidays? What are the negative effects of religion? Do these bring about events in history? Here are
some of the evidences that religion brought about events in history:
1. The Reformation or Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century religious, political, intellectual, and cultural
upheaval that splintered Catholic Europe, setting in place the structures and beliefs that would define the
continent in the modern era. In Northern and Central Europe, reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin
and Henry VIII challenged papal authority and questioned the Catholic Church’s ability to define
Christian practice. They argued for a religious and political redistribution of power into the hands of
Bible- and pamphlet-reading pastors and princes. The disruption triggered wars, persecutions and the so-
called Counter-Reformation, the Catholic Church’s delayed but forceful response to the Protestants.
It was the greatest religious movement for Christ since the early church. It was the revival of
Biblical and New Testament theology. “The Reformation of the sixteenth century is, next to the
introduction of Christianity, the greatest event in history. It marks the end of Middle Ages and the
beginning of modern times. Starting from religion, it gave, directly or indirectly, a mighty impulse to
every forward movement, and made Protestantism the chief propelling force in the history of Modern
Civilization.” (Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church).
Counter-Reformation, also called Catholic Reformation or Catholic Revival, in the history of
Christianity, the Roman Catholic efforts directed in the 16th and early 17th centuries both against the
Protestant Reformation and toward internal renewal. The Counter-Reformation took place during
roughly the same period as the Protestant Reformation, actually beginning shortly before Martin Luther’s
act of nailing the Ninety-five Theses to the door of Castle Church in 1517. Pope Paul III is considered to
be the first pope of the Counter-Reformation. It was he who in 1545 convened the Council of Trent. The
6. council, which met intermittently until 1563, responded emphatically to the issues at hand. Its doctrinal
teaching was a reaction against the Lutheran emphasis on the role of faith and God’s grace and against
Protestant teaching on the number and nature of the sacraments.
2. Badri Masjid or Mosque Case (1992)
It was a particularly important event that happened in Indian History which taught people that
how can the base of religion dispute of Hindu and Muslim in India can destroy kindness and humanity
of people. The dispute arose, as the previous Emperor “Mir Banki” destroyed a temple of Hindu god
“Lord Rama” and built a mosque after Emperor Babar “Babri Masjid” the place called Ayoshya which
is lord Rama birthplace. This issue was taken up strongly by Bhartiya Janata Party which is a political
party in India to win in elections. But as the religious sentiments were aroused in the people, riots were
created, and the mosque was demolished by the people itself and more than 20,000 innocent people
lost their lives in this dispute which mostly included Muslims.
3. People Power Revolution
People Power also called “Rosary Revolution” refers to nonviolent popular protests that took
place in the our country leading to the removal of President Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and President
Joseph Estrada in 2001, and one manifestation of Filipino participation in civil society and liberal
democracy. The catalyst for the 1986 protests was the arrest of defected military leaders and buoyed
by public calls to protest by Catholic Cardinal Jaime Sin. Hundreds of thousands of protestors blocked
the Epifanio De Los Santos Avenue, also known as the EDSA. Marcos called for military action
against protestors on the second day of demonstrations, but soldiers refused to fire on non-violent
protestors; iconic images of nuns praying the rosary and offering flowers to soldiers captured global
imagination. Marcos resigned the following day. The 2001 protests, in which Cardinal Jaime Sin again
played a prominent role, were organized in opposition to corrupt President Joseph Estrada, who was
subsequently impeached.
Here are some of the practices of the different religions that promoted community gatherings and
brought positive impact to the society.
1. The Seder meal reminds Jews that they are shaped by a very long history, a history that gives them
identity. Seder, (Hebrew: “order”) religious meal served in Jewish homes on the 15th and 16th of the
month of Nisan to commence the festival of Passover. Though Passover commemorates the Exodus,
the historical deliverance of the Jewish people from Egyptian bondage in the days of Moses, Jews are
ever mindful that this event was a prelude to God’s revelation on Mount Sinai. For each participant,
therefore, the seder is an occasion to relive the Exodus as a personal spiritual event. The religious
nature of the seder with its carefully prescribed ritual makes the dinner quite unlike family dinners
held on civil holidays. Reform Jews and Jews in Israel omit the second seder because they limit
Passover to seven days.
2. The Eucharist which people share bread and wine as a symbol of the last supper and the death of
Christ, signals to Christians that the center of life’s meaning is giving oneself for the welfare of others.
Another one is Christmas, the longest and happiest of the Filipino festivals. Christmas in the
Philippines commences on December 16 and ends in the first Sunday of January (or the feast of
Epiphany).For the nine days preceding December 25 (Christmas Day), masses popularly known as
Simbang Gabi or Misa de Aguinaldo are held starting at four o’clock in the morning. After the mass,
the people hurry to the tiny stalls which sell fresh rice cakes and other native delicacies, with free
steaming cups of tea. On the eve of Christmas Day, families dine together in what popularly called
Noche Buena. On the eve of New Year’s Day (December 31st), the families make as much noises they
can by lighting firecrackers, beating pans and cans, and blowing horns and whistles up to midnight.
They then dine together again for the Media Noche. The Lantern or Parol has become the most
popular symbol of Christmas in the Philippines. It is a visual expression of a creative and imaginative
mind. In the evenings especially, you can see displays of beautifully lighted Christmas lanterns.
3. In Eid ul Fitr, Muslims give thanks after the month of Ramadan fasting that teaches patience,
spirituality, humility, and submissiveness to God. Ramadan, in Islam, is the ninth month of the
Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting. It begins and ends with the appearance of the crescent
7. moon. Because the Muslim calendar year is shorter than the Gregorian calendar year, Ramadan begins
10–12 days earlier each year, allowing it to fall in every season throughout a 33-year cycle. Ramadan,
however, is less a period of atonement than it is a time for Muslims to practice self-restraint, in
keeping with ṣawm (Arabic: “to refrain”), one of the pillars of Islam (the five basic tenets of the
Muslim religion). Although ṣawm is most commonly understood as the obligation to fast during
Ramadan, it is more broadly interpreted as the obligation to refrain between dawn and dusk from food,
drink, sexual activity, and all forms of immoral behavior, including impure or unkind thoughts. Thus,
false words or bad deeds or intentions are as destructive of a fast as eating or drinking.
In a world where there are so many who demonstrate so much ego and self- glorification,
religion always allows individual to conquer their own sense of self towards a larger end. The idea of
being able to do good for others in the name of something larger can only help to make society and the
people within it better. The con or potential negative attribute is when individuals believe that their
form of religious worship compels them or drives them to interfere with others. Some of the very
worst actions and human behavior has been done in the name of religion, this is here the potential bad
side of religion sets in. It is here where some level of change is needed in terms of how people
advocate and show zeal towards their religion. Lastly, love and respect for each other’s belief and
practices is the key in attaining a harmonious and peaceful society.
Post-Test
Direction: Shade A if your answer is TRUE if the statement is correct and Shade B if your
answer is FALSE if the statement is incorrect. Write your answer in the answer sheet.
1. Muslims call their mentor as Imam.
2. Eid ul Fitr reminds Jews that they are shaped by a very long history, a history that gives them
identity.
3. Muslims give thanks after the month of Ramadan-fasting that teaches patience, spirituality,
humility, and submissiveness to Allah.
4. Religion provides educational opportunities such as history and understanding of cultural
traditions.
5. Religion provides the opportunity to live within an ethical framework.
6. The Philippine Constitution does not grant religious and charitable institutions exemption
from real property tax on all lands, buildings, and improvements.
7. Religious wars provide livelihood and boosts the economy.
8. Participation in religion supports harmful regimes and institutions.
9. Some religious leaders argued against societal improvement as it distracts from spiritual
priorities.
10. The Mitzvoth is about the obligations to perform moral acts, particularly acts of kindness.
8. Read and answer the following questions. Write your answer in your journal.
APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED!
Every one of us went through challenges. These challenges can be surpassed with the
help of people around us and of course by our religion. Copy the cloud in your journal
and write down your significant experience and how your religion helped you surpass
them. You may indicate your experience during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Processing Question:
What is the most important concept that you value after doing this activity?
What have you discovered about yourself after performing this activity?
After reading the module, I hope you learned and understood the positive and negative
effects of religion. This post-test will assess your learnings.
Analyze the influences of religion to culture and society by looking for print or
web-based articles, editorials etc. Paste these articles, or editorials in your journal. You may
also send a video link through email. After reading or watching these materials, write a
one-paragraph analysis of it.
1.
CONGRATULATIONS!
9.
10. Rubric for the Reflection Paper
Criteria
Above
Expectations
Meets
Expectations
Approaching
Expectations
Below
Expectations
Score
4 3 2 1 4
Reflective
Thinking
The reflection
explains the
student’s own
thinking and
learning
processes, as
well as
implications
for future
learning.
The reflection
explains the
student’s
thinking about
his/her own
learning
processes.
The reflection
attempts to
demonstrate
thinking about
learning but is
vague and/or
unclear about
the personal
learning
process.
The reflection
does not
address the
student’s
thinking
and/or
learning.
Content
Analysis
The reflection
is an in-depth
analysis of
the learning
experience,
the value of
the derived
learning to
self or others,
and the
enhancement
of the
student’s
appreciation
for the
discipline.
The reflection
is an analysis
of the learning
experience
and the value
of the derived
learning to
self or others.
The reflection
attempts to
analyze the
learning
experience
but the value
of the learning
to the student
or others is
vague and/or
unclear.
The reflection
does not
move beyond
a description
of the learning
experience.
Making
Connections
The reflection
articulates
multiple
connections
between this
learning
experience
and content
from other
courses, past
learning, life
experiences
and/or future
goals.
The reflection
articulates
connections
between this
learning
experience
and content
from other
courses, past
learning
experiences,
and/or future
goals.
The reflection
attempts to
articulate
connections
between this
learning
experience
and content
from other
courses, past
learning
experiences,
or personal
goals, but the
connection is
vague and/or
unclear.
The reflection
does not
articulate any
connection to
other learning
or
experiences.
Total
11. KEY to CORRECTION(PRE-TEST)
1. Tikkun Olam
2. Pilgrimage
3. Mitzvoth
4. Jihad
5. Eucharist
KEY to CORRECTION(POST-TEST)
1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. True
6. False
7. False
8. True
9. True
10. True
References:
Serapio, Maria Perpetua A. Introduction to World Religions for Senior High
School. Mindshapers Co., Inc. 2016
https://www.iras.org/positivereligion.html
https://www.history.com/topics/reformation/reformation
https://www.ucanews.com/news/cathedral-in-philippine-city-of-marawi-to-be-
demolished/82066
https://www.britannica.com/topic/jihad
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fatalism
