B. ETHICS MODULE 5

• Major world religions


  • Christianity
  • Hinduism
  • Islam
  • Buddhism
  • Judaism
  • Confucianism
  • Taoism
  • Shintoism
• Belief system


  An ideology or set of principles that helps us to interpret our everyday reality
• Belief systems


  • Can be in the form of religion, political affiliation, philosophy or spirituality
  • Shaped and influenced by knowledge, upbringing, and peer pressure
  • Provide a way to make sense of the world and define our role within it
• Christianity


  The Christian faith centers on beliefs regarding the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ
• Hinduism


  The world's oldest religion, with roots and customs dating back more than 4,000 years
• Islam


  The second largest religion in the world after Christianity, with about 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide
• Buddhism


  A faith founded by Siddhartha Gautama ("the Buddha") more than 2,500 years ago in India

  
• Judaism


  The world's oldest monotheistic religion, dating back nearly 4,000 years
• Confucianism


  Based on the belief that society can flourish only when people learn to interact positively with each other
• Taoism


  Regarded as the oldest of China's three religion-philosophies, with both a philosophical and a religious tradition
• Shintoism


  A collection of native beliefs and mythology, with its roots in worshipping nature and natural objects
• Religious belief system


  Usually structured around a moral code, the belief of one or more deities, and the ability for supernatural occurrences to affect us
• Spiritual belief system


  Closely related to religious belief systems, but not structured, involving belief in an afterlife and a moral code of conduct without affiliation to a particular church or denomination
• Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, Confucianism, Taoism and Shinto are the world's eight major religions
• Christianity


  • Warns against greed, excessive anxiety toward future needs, and serving money instead of God
  • Stresses a sense of justice in business, such as strict observance of contracts, observing regulations and working for the common good
• Hinduism


  • Has a positive attitude towards business and creating wealth, yet wealth is not the supreme goal, with ethics (dharma) and salvation (moksha) being more important
• Islam


  • A central concept is tawhid, or unity with God, providing the practical way to pattern all facets of human life in accordance with God's will
  • Business should be run according to the laws of nature dictated by God
• Buddhism

  • Followers search for "right livelihood" and are generally against companies that do not care for the environment or that abuse animals
  • Followers aim to follow the Eightfold Path and understand the Four Noble Truths to reach enlightenment
• Judaism


  • The Torah is the main source for understanding business ethics, with the legitimacy of business activity and profit, conducted within a framework of religious and ethical norms, being a guiding principle
  • Work, including manual work, is held in great esteem, like a sort of human partnership with the divine
• Confucianism


  • Profit in business is acceptable as long as it is acquired with righteousness, with Confucius emphasizing that "A gentleman takes as much trouble to discover what is right as lesser men take to discover what will pay"
• Taoism


  • Encourages companies to nourish people, with the aim not being personal success or gain, but the common good
  • According to Tao Te Ching, "Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill...Do your work, then step back"
• Shintoism


  • Focuses on the worship of the kami, a host of supernatural and mysterious beings (natural deities) that can be known through rituals, festivals and pilgrimages
• Confucius: 'Profit in business is acceptable as long as it is acquired with righteousness'
• Tao


  Path or the way, a force that flows through life and pervades all things
• Taoism


  • Seeks to promote the inner peace of individuals and harmony with their surroundings
  • In business, Taoism encourages companies to nourish people, and the aim should not be personal success or gain, but the common good
• Shinto


  The ways of gods, inextricably tied to the origin and development of Japan

  
• Shintoism


  • Focuses on the worship of the kami, a host of supernatural and mysterious beings (natural deities)
  • In business, Shinto emphasizes benefits for the group which is like a family
• Shintoism was derived from the Chinese words Shin Tao (the ways of gods)
• Shintoism started in 500 B.C.
• World's eight major religions

  • Christianity
  • Hinduism
  • Islam
  • Buddhism
  • Judaism
  • Confucianism
  • Taoism
  • Shinto