Test your basic knowledge |

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. In the thinking of many Buddhist sects - to love any person or any thing is...
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.
Hasidic Jews
Baal Shem Tov
A distraction from seeking salvation; For these sects - any attachment is a distraction and must be renounced

2. In what deities do both good and evil co-exist?
That the government should support religion; They believe in separation of Church and State
Is as much a cultural designation as a religious one
Judaism; Islam; Traditional African religions
Ahura Mazda

3. Satan explains the presence of evil in which of the following religions?
Judaism; Islam
The first week of mourning after a death
Dowries were given to brides - not their fathers; Women gained property and inheritance rights; Mistreatment of wives in marriage was forbidden
Baal Shem Tov

4. The goal of Zionism is the fulfillment of a dream many Jews have had since the...
Buddhism; Confucianism; Taoism
Connect with Brahman
Destruction of the second Temple and the end of Palestine in 70 C.E.
Hindu

5. Who attempted to reconcile Aristotelian logic with the existence of God?
Officials were worried that Buddhism's popularity would affect people's loyalty to the government
Jesus
Thomas Aquinas
While delaying their own entrance into nirvana

6. The Diaspora is the term given to the...
Emphasis on the goodness of the spirit over the evilness of the flesh.
Movement of Jews to areas outside Palestine beginning in the eighth century B.C.E.
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.
Islam

7. What quality would best express the Confucian principle of jen?
Humaneness
Islam; Christianity; Judaism; Zoroastrianism
Purim
Angels - heaven - and hell

8. Jihad refers to...
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.'
Luther denied the infallibility of the pope.
The struggle within a Muslim to live a good life
An afterlife; Jews believe that there is an afterlife - but it does not have the physical description that Christian and Islamic heaven and hell have. Jews focus on living a good life according to God's laws rather than on punishment and reward after

9. A 'koan' (a riddle that appears to be meaningless - but is intended to prod a student of Zen into thinking) is...
Provides many people a counterweight to changing social mores
Used in Zen Buddhism to help a believer reach sudden insight.
Religious conduct; commercial transactions; political actions; private life
That the last imam will return and with him - Judgment Day

10. According to Christian theology - Jesus was killed...
Submission
David
Right Views
To redeem humankind from sin

11. Torah
Luther denied the infallibility of the pope.
Both the Pentateuch and all oral and written teachings of Judaism
The dominant theme of Taoism
A distraction from seeking salvation; For these sects - any attachment is a distraction and must be renounced

12. Traditional African religions DO NOT include...
Hindus believe that each deity is a representation of some aspect of Brahman
A conservative movement within Islam
A vision quest
Were political rulers; The caliphs were considered successors to Muhammad - but after the first four - caliphs were political - rather than both political and religious - leaders

13. A common theme of the world's religions is that...
There is a connection between all things that exist
Religion includes a belief in the supernatural or divine - a set of practices - and a code of ethics.
Does not include worship of spirits or divine beings
Purify the body and mind.

14. A major difference between Native American religions and Christianity is...

15. The person who was most responsible for the spread of Buddhism outside India was...
Jesus is actually present in the bread and wine in communion
A Taoist endeavors to live a simple life. Taoism teaches inaction as the highest principle of being.
Asoka; Asoka - a ruler of the Maurya dynasty in India in the third century B.C.E. - converted to Buddhism and sent missionaries to convert the people of his huge empire. As a result - Buddhism is the predominant religion of Asia.
Confucianism

16. A definition of religion would include what elements?
Orthodox
Ritual; A code of moral conduct; An afterlife
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.
Religious practice of ancient Egyptians

17. Dualism (in religious terms)
Description of certain ideas in terms of their opposites - such as good and evil and yin and yang
Reverence toward family and tradition
Baghdad; Baghdad was an important center of Islamic power during the caliphates.
Buddhism; Confucianism; Taoism

18. The Jewish Day of Atonement is...
Confer special grace on the gravely ill person
Yom Kippur; Yom Kippur is the holiest and most solemn day in the Jewish calendar.
Hinduism
The most sacred to Muslims

19. Release from the cycle of birth - death - and rebirth is...
Meditation - Nonviolence - Self-Denial
To redeem humankind from sin
Moksha
It removes the stain of original sin

20. A difference between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism is...

21. What was not a teaching of Muhammad?
A conservative movement within Islam
Good government could become oppressive if it interfered too much in people's lives
Can be entered by living a good life and reciting the name of Amitabha
Forced conversion of non-Muslims; Muhammad preached tolerance for other religions - but did impose a tax on nonbelievers.

22. An important force for Christian unity in the twentieth century was...
The Islamic concept of the community of Muslim believers
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).
Ordinary people could easily understand and practice Islam; The practices of Islam are easy to understand and to practice even by the poorest and uneducated.
Ecumenism.

23. The goal of the Four Noble Truths.
Purim
Enter the state of nirvana - or enlightenment
Is as much a cultural designation as a religious one
Sencond Vatican Council

24. The prophet and priest Ezra's contribution to Judaism was...
The concept that Judaism was based on laws that could be read and known
The dominant theme of Taoism
Profess one's Islamic faith
What Allah said to Muhammad

25. Unlike most religions - Hinduism has no...
Movement of Jews to areas outside Palestine beginning in the eighth century B.C.E.
A Taoist endeavors to live a simple life. Taoism teaches inaction as the highest principle of being.
Founder
Roman Catholicism

26. Islam and Christianity share a belief in...
The concepts of purity and pollution remain the basis for the caste system.
Pork
Angels - heaven - and hell
A central principle of Hinduism is reincarnation

27. Mawlid al-Nabi

28. A bodhisattva...
Helps others to find nirvana
David
The First Pillar of Islam
Baal Shem Tov

29. Muslims believe that almsgiving is...
Confer special grace on the gravely ill person
Circumcision; The ceremony of circumcision - known as brit - marks the entrance of a male child into Judaism.
Returning to Allah what is his
Moksha

30. What belief systems are neither monotheistic nor polytheistic?
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.
Buddhism; Confucianism; Taoism
Both branches of Buddhism believe that Gautama Buddha is one of many Buddhas; Theravada Buddhists see Gautama as a saint and great teacher and Mahayana Buddhists see him as a savior who helps others to enlightenment.
Moses

31. The Mahdi is the Islamic equivalent of...
A Taoist endeavors to live a simple life. Taoism teaches inaction as the highest principle of being.
Asoka; Asoka - a ruler of the Maurya dynasty in India in the third century B.C.E. - converted to Buddhism and sent missionaries to convert the people of his huge empire. As a result - Buddhism is the predominant religion of Asia.
A messiah
A distraction from seeking salvation; For these sects - any attachment is a distraction and must be renounced

32. 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).
Is of little importance in achieving nirvana; Ritual sacrifice plays a minor role in Theravada Buddhism.
The caste system is both religious and social in nature.
The caste system.

33. To say the Shahadah is to...

34. Is Monasticism found in Islam?
No
Hinduism
Roman Catholics
A central principle of Hinduism is reincarnation

35. What is not a shared characteristics of mainstream Protestant denominations?
Veneration of the saints
Yom Kippur; Yom Kippur is the holiest and most solemn day in the Jewish calendar.
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.
Ordinary people could easily understand and practice Islam; The practices of Islam are easy to understand and to practice even by the poorest and uneducated.

36. Unlike most Protestant denominations - Roman Catholics...
Rely on both the Bible and Church traditions as sources of truth
Improve the lives of the poor through political activism
Jews; This is the promise that Yahweh made to Abraham
No

37. What are aspects of Buddhism's Four Noble Truths?
Desire is the cause of all suffering; The Eightfold Path; All life is suffering; The only way to end suffering is to end desire
Ecumenism.
Belief that God will save the world from its sins by sending a messiah
Bring the gift of God's grace

38. Mahayana Buddhists believe that Gautama Buddha was not one of the following...
The role of its clergy; Shi'a has a clerical hierarchy.
Invasion of the Holy Land by the Crusaders
Just social action; Confucius taught the importance of acting justly in all social interactions.
The representation of an eternal Buddha; one of many Buddhas

39. One reason that early Christians began to separate from Judaism was...
That the government should support religion; They believe in separation of Church and State
Circumcision; The ceremony of circumcision - known as brit - marks the entrance of a male child into Judaism.
The struggle within a Muslim to live a good life
The Christian belief that Jesus was the messiah

40. Hinduism differs from Buddhism in Hinduism's acceptance of...
The caste system.
Ignorance and desire for things of this world are the cause of suffering
Baal Shem Tov
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.

41. Repeating the Shahadah.
Rabbis - like priests - lead ritual sacrifice during the liturgy.
Roman Catholicism
Is of little importance in achieving nirvana; Ritual sacrifice plays a minor role in Theravada Buddhism.
The First Pillar of Islam

42. Confucius's emphasis on respect for parents is known as...
He attempted to reconcile Judaism and Aristotelian philosophy; Like Thomas Aquinas in the Roman Catholic Church - Maimonides attempted to reconcile Aristotle's philosophy with his own belief system and caused a similar controvers.
A supreme being
Filial piety
Dowries were given to brides - not their fathers; Women gained property and inheritance rights; Mistreatment of wives in marriage was forbidden

43. The menorah is a symbol used for which Jewish holy day?

44. What is not a characteristic of Calvinism?
Communion
The first collection of Jewish laws
Five Pillars
Salvation is achieved through faith and good works

45. Jerusalem is a holy city to...
Roman Catholics
Christians; Jews; Muslims
Possession of wealth and power
Baghdad; Baghdad was an important center of Islamic power during the caliphates.

46. A major reason for Guru Nanak's founding of Sikhism was his...
Rabbis - like priests - lead ritual sacrifice during the liturgy.
Rejection of the caste system
The first week of mourning after a death
Asoka; Asoka - a ruler of the Maurya dynasty in India in the third century B.C.E. - converted to Buddhism and sent missionaries to convert the people of his huge empire. As a result - Buddhism is the predominant religion of Asia.

47. A major stumbling block to reconciliation with Protestant groups is the Roman Catholic Church's...
Rite of passage
Doctrine of papal infallibility
Reliance on magic
The struggle within a Muslim to live a good life

48. What statement about the Qur'an is not true?
Neither has priests. Neither Jewish rabbis nor Muslim imans are priests; both are teachers and leaders of services - which is not the same as a priest whose role is to make sacrifices.
It describes Allah as a strict - distant - and unresponsive god
The growing materialism of Islam around the 800s
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.

49. What is true about Hinduism?
The Islamic concept of the community of Muslim believers
An afterlife; Jews believe that there is an afterlife - but it does not have the physical description that Christian and Islamic heaven and hell have. Jews focus on living a good life according to God's laws rather than on punishment and reward after
A central principle of Hinduism is reincarnation
Moksha

50. What is NOT true about voodoo?
It has aspects of African religions as well as Islam; Voodoo has elements of Roman Catholicism - not Islam - mixed with traditional African religions.
Roman Catholicism
Icons
What Allah said to Muhammad