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DSST Introduction To World Religions

Subjects : dsst, culture

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. Meditation is NOT an important part of the practice of...
Jewish dietary laws
Indigenous religions of South America
Baghdad; Baghdad was an important center of Islamic power during the caliphates.
The Talmud is the word of Yahweh

2. The Vedanta system of Hinduism is based on the...
Emphasis on the goodness of the spirit over the evilness of the flesh.
Benevolence
Upanishads
Movement of Jews to areas outside Palestine beginning in the eighth century B.C.E.

3. The beginning of the caste system in Indian society can be found in the...
Law of Manu (describes the caste system and the duties of each caste).
It describes Allah as a strict - distant - and unresponsive god
Hindus; part of the epic 'Mahabharata'
Developed over time; he doctrine of papal supremacy was first declared by Pope Damasus I who reigned in the 4th century. He based his declaration on Jesus' words - 'Thou are Peter and upon this rock I shall build my church.'

4. What is NOT true about voodoo?
The struggle within a Muslim to live a good life
It has aspects of African religions as well as Islam; Voodoo has elements of Roman Catholicism - not Islam - mixed with traditional African religions.
Religious practice of ancient Egyptians
Achieved enlightenment

5. The Kabbalah is similar to the material found in the...
Nonviolence
Christians' belief in an immortal soul; Native Americans in general believe that if people forget the dead - over time their souls will cease to exist.
Reliance on magic
Tantras of Tibetan Buddhism

6. Christian fundamentalism began in the late nineteenth century...
There is a connection between all things that exist
In response to the works of scientists and philosophers like Darwin and Marx
Primacy of the pope in determining matters of Christian doctrine. The Eastern Church believed that authority in matters of faith rested more with the Bible and church councils than with the pope.
Moksha

7. The predominant culture in India is...
Thomas Aquinas
Hindu
Disappeared after the Assyrians captured Israel
Officials were worried that Buddhism's popularity would affect people's loyalty to the government

8. The Eastern Orthodox rites differ from Roman Catholicism in their...
Collections of sayings and actions of Muhammad
Baghdad; Baghdad was an important center of Islamic power during the caliphates.
Islam; Christianity; Judaism; Zoroastrianism
Lack of hierarchical structure; Unlike the Roman Catholic Church that has the pope at its head - Eastern Orthodox churches are ruled by a network of patriarchs.

9. In Zen Buddhism - 'satori' is...
A vision quest
Because he did not write down his teachings
Enlightenment
The father of the gods in the Greek pantheon.

10. The 'Book of Common Prayer' is the official liturgy of...

11. What is a true statement about Confucian teachers after Confucius?

12. What religion believes in Purgatory?
Roman Catholicism
Judaism; Judaism is a religion and Zionism is a political movement begun in 1896 to establish a Jewish state in what the Jews consider the 'promised land.'
Collections of sayings and actions of Muhammad
Any gods

13. Whereas original Confucian teachings dealt with the social order - Taoism...
Augustine; Among Augustine's contributions to Christian thought are the doctrine of original sin and the description of 'caritas -' or Christian love - the love of God and the love of one another.
Offered a spiritual approach to life
The teachings of Buddha - or religious truth.
Jewish mysticism

14. The Protestant Reformation began with...
The struggle within a Muslim to live a good life
Martin Luther
Augustine; Among Augustine's contributions to Christian thought are the doctrine of original sin and the description of 'caritas -' or Christian love - the love of God and the love of one another.
David

15. What changes in Arab society resulted from Muhammad's teachings?
Written religious teachings; Indigenous religious practices are preliterate - so there were no written religious teachings - although modern anthropologists and similar researchers have written them down for various cultures.
Dowries were given to brides - not their fathers; Women gained property and inheritance rights; Mistreatment of wives in marriage was forbidden
Baal Shem Tov
All people are created equal; The Baha'i movement preaches equality of the sexes - the importance of education - an end to prejudice - and the value of leading a good life.

16. What statements are true about Pentecostal churches?

17. In an effort to become less isolated from their non-Jewish communities - Reform Jews in the 19th century...
Enlightenment
Eased kosher restrictions;
Church's selling of indulgences
Householder

18. Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses to protest the...

19. Instead of statues - Eastern Orthodox rites use what as ornamentation in their churches?
Icons
Preserving Greek and Roman civilization and learning in general; Monks in monasteries and nuns in convents kept learning alive through their copying of Greek and Roman writings and by teaching.
Its members pray together without priests and with little ritual
Experiencing a feeling of oneness with Allah; Sufism is a mystical movement within Islam that is characterized by asceticism.

20. Some authorities do not consider Confucianism a religion primarily because it does not include...
Any gods
Empty their minds of all thoughts and desires
Roman Catholicism
Is of little importance in achieving nirvana; Ritual sacrifice plays a minor role in Theravada Buddhism.

21. Marriage is an example of which basic characteristic of religion?
It is the revealed word of God; Muslims believe that God revealed his message to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.
Set out a number of principles that are central to Hinduism; The Upanishads are a collection of advice from Hindu sages. Among the topics covered are reincarnation - creation - and the relationship between individual souls and Ultimate Reality.
The first week of mourning after a death
Rite of passage

22. Ritual sacrifice in Theravada Buddhism...
Modern Iraq; A theocracy is a government in which the power and authority comes either because the ruler is considered a god (Egypt under the pharaohs) or a representative of God on earth (John Calvin's Geneva and Massachusetts Bay).
God's goodness can heal illness as well as sin
Is of little importance in achieving nirvana; Ritual sacrifice plays a minor role in Theravada Buddhism.
Prayer five times a day

23. The best explanation of why Muslims pray prostrate on the ground is...
Purim
Bring the gift of God's grace
To show their humility before Allah
Reconcile Aristotle's work with their religions.

24. Ark of the Covenant.

25. Huguenots
Lack of hierarchical structure; Unlike the Roman Catholic Church that has the pope at its head - Eastern Orthodox churches are ruled by a network of patriarchs.
Muhammad forbade idol worship; the lack of mosques' ornamentation was a result of Muhammad's ban on idols out of fear that his followers could fall back into polytheism.
Female - nurturing - and passive
French Protestants who followed the teachings of John Calvin

26. King Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church because he...
Had been denied an annulment of his marriage
Zoroastrianism.
Bring the gift of God's grace
The early followers of Jesus still considered themselves Jews.

27. Shinto is based on Four Affirmations - one of which is...
Circumcision; The ceremony of circumcision - known as brit - marks the entrance of a male child into Judaism.
Used in Zen Buddhism to help a believer reach sudden insight.
Reverence toward family and tradition
Icons

28. Changes Reform Jews and the Protestant Reformation have in common.
The concept that Judaism was based on laws that could be read and known
Icons
The replacement of a traditional language with a vernacular language.
The sun goddess - believed to be the direct ancestor of the Japanese emperor - and a very important deity in Shinto.

29. The two most important works of Taoism are the 'Tao Te Ching' and the...

30. What would be considered an Abrahamaic religion?
Pentecostals believe that they receive special powers from God.; One special power is the ability to 'speak in tongues.'; Pentecostals believe that they receive special powers from God and one of those powers is the ability to speak in tongues.
Improve the lives of the poor through political activism
Judaism; Christianity; Islam
The mass

31. What events in human history resulted in the development of religions based on natural elements - such as soil fertility - the seasons - and rainfall?
Purim
Invasion of the Holy Land by the Crusaders
Neolithic Revolution; The Neolithic Revolution marks the change from hunting and gathering to settled farming as a way of life. Groups developed religions to appeal to the deities in nature for help.
Destruction of the second Temple and the end of Palestine in 70 C.E.

32. The Second Truth of the Four Noble Truths.
Upanishads
Orthodox
Jewish mysticism
Ignorance and desire for things of this world are the cause of suffering

33. The Five Pillars are the basic belief system of...
Humaneness
Required obedience to a set of moral behaviors
Islam
Salvation is achieved through faith and good works

34. Who wrote the 'City of God' and greatly influenced the early development of Christian theology?

35. Mennonites do NOT believe...
Chanukah; symbolizes the miracle of a day's cup of oil lasting for eight days.
That the government should support religion; They believe in separation of Church and State
Indigenous religions of South America
That Jesus was both human and divine; Arius taught that Jesus was not equal with God the Father and eternal. The Emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicea to deal with the issue - which was dividing the early Church.

36. Hadith
Only those times when he invokes the authority of 'ex cathedra'; 'Ex cathedra' is the authority of the pope based on his position as teacher and pastor of Christians. When the pope speaks 'ex cathedra' on a doctrine of faith and morals - he is kept f
Collections of sayings and actions of Muhammad
The Talmud is the word of Yahweh
Right understanding - Right speech - Right livelihood; The steps of the Eightfold Path are right views - right thoughts - right speech - right action - right livelihood - right effort - right mindfulness - and right concentration.

37. The Shi'a sect of Islam emphasizes...

38. Which religion is the largest in the world?
It was absorbed into Hinduism. Over time - Hinduism adopted some of the concepts of Buddhism and Buddha became one of many Hindu gods.
Christianity
Mayan religion
Neolithic Revolution; The Neolithic Revolution marks the change from hunting and gathering to settled farming as a way of life. Groups developed religions to appeal to the deities in nature for help.

39. NOT a basic principle of Buddhism
Yahweh's covenant with Abraham. In the covenant - Yahweh declared that the descendants of Abraham would have a special relationship with him.
Prayer five times a day
Luther denied the infallibility of the pope.
Ritual; A code of moral conduct; An afterlife

40. A Buddhist who is proud would not be practicing which principle of the Eight-Fold Path?
Experiencing a feeling of oneness with Allah; Sufism is a mystical movement within Islam that is characterized by asceticism.
Right Views
Enter the state of nirvana - or enlightenment
Venerate and fear ancestors - Have healers; Are localized; Hinduism does not share any of these characteristics. The only trait that African religions have in common with Hinduism is that Hinduism and African religions are polytheistic.

41. Ahura Mazda is the one and only true God of...
Zoroastrianism.
Circumcision; The ceremony of circumcision - known as brit - marks the entrance of a male child into Judaism.
Judaism; Christianity; Islam
Political. The basis for the split was a disagreement over who would succeed Muhammad after his death.

42. Jihad refers to...
Belief that God will save the world from its sins by sending a messiah
The struggle within a Muslim to live a good life
Roman Catholicism; Roman Catholics have a special devotion to the Virgin Mary that is a major difference with other Christian denominations.
An imperceptible presence in the universe

43. What statement about the Qur'an is not true?
An emphasis on monasticism; an emphasis on the compassion of Buddha; the transformation of Siddharta Gautama into an Ultimate Being - one of many Buddhas; the belief that the 'Great Vehicle' has room to transport all souls to nirvana
The Talmud is the word of Yahweh
It describes Allah as a strict - distant - and unresponsive god
Icons

44. What statement best describes someone who follows Taoism?
Empty their minds of all thoughts and desires
It describes Allah as a strict - distant - and unresponsive god
Bring the gift of God's grace
A Taoist endeavors to live a simple life. Taoism teaches inaction as the highest principle of being.

45. A major difference between Buddhism and Hinduism is Buddhism's rejection of...
Shinto
Yom Kippur; Yom Kippur is the holiest and most solemn day in the Jewish calendar.
That Jesus was both human and divine; Arius taught that Jesus was not equal with God the Father and eternal. The Emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicea to deal with the issue - which was dividing the early Church.
The caste system

46. Repeating the Shahadah.
Celebrates the birth of Krishna - the incarnation of the god Vishnu - the protector and preserver.
The caste system
A central principle of Hinduism is reincarnation
The First Pillar of Islam

47. What is taboo for Jews?
Fasting during the day for one month each year
Hinduism
Eating pork
Any gods

48. The purpose of the sweat-lodge ceremony is to...
Purify the body and mind.
Church's selling of indulgences
Lack of hierarchical structure; Unlike the Roman Catholic Church that has the pope at its head - Eastern Orthodox churches are ruled by a network of patriarchs.
It acknowledges that everything belongs to Allah ultimately.

49. Who attempted to reconcile Aristotelian logic with the existence of God?
It emphasizes the joyous and ecstatic nature of Judaism
Thomas Aquinas
Its members pray together without priests and with little ritual
Jainism

50. The Qur'an contains...
Religious conduct; commercial transactions; political actions; private life
Because he did not write down his teachings
Thomas Aquinas
What Allah said to Muhammad