Lesson 2: Interconnectedness of Geography, Culture, Religion

• All religion and culture are based on geography
• Geography is everything about people (and their lands) and nature
• Abraham (2000 BCE) - father of many nations
• Moses (1200 BCE) - a Hebrew prophet and leader who led the Jews out of slavery in Egypt and led them to the promised land
• Hindus (1100 - 500 BCE) - they compiled their Vedas (knowledge), their holy texts that contains songs, spells, poetry, and religious rituals used in our Hindu religion
• Buddha (563 - 83 BCE) - Siddhartha Gautama
• Buddha (563 - 83 BCE) - the first person to reach the state of enlightenment or nirvana
• Buddha (563 - 83 BCE) - "nothing is forever except change."
• Confucius (551 - 479 BCE) - the founder of Confucianism
• Confucius (551 - 479 BCE) - "our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall."
• Lao Tzu (500 BCE) - the founder of Taoism
• Lao Tzu (500 BCE) - "being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."
• Hindus (200 BCE) - they wrote again the most important religious text in their religion, the Bhagavad Gita (Song of God)
• Jesus (2 - 4 BCE to 32 CE) - "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." - John 14:6
• The Apostles (40-90 CE) - New Testament written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, and Jude
• Shintoists (100 CE) - "to admit a fault is the beginning of righteousness."
• Muhammed (570 - 632 CE) - Prophet of Allah
• Muhammed (570 - 632 CE) - "there is no God but Allah, and life should be lived in complete submission to the will of Allah
• Geography of Faith:

  • The Western Frontier
  • The Indian Subcontinent
  • The Eastern End
• The Western Frontier - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were born in the region of West Asia comprising the fertile coasts of the Mediterranean Sea in the west, and the arid deserts of Arabia in the east
• Physical Features and Holy Sites and Landscapes:

  • Deserts
  • Mecca and Medina
  • Mountains
  • Mount Ararat
  • Mount Sinai
  • Mount Zion
  • Mount Moriah
  • Mount Tabor
  • Rivers and Fertile Valleys
  • Coastal Areas and Seas
  • Red Sea
  • Jerusalem
• West Asia is home to some of the world’s largest deserts, including the Arabian Desert and Syrian Desert
• Mecca is the most important place in the Islamic religion as the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad
• Medina is the second-most important place in Islam, due to the Prophet Muhammad's temporary exile there, and is also where the prophet was laid to rest at the time of his death
• Mountain ranges contributed to the isolation of various communities, leading to the development of distinct languages, cultures, and religious practices
• Mount Ararat - located in eastern Turkey and traditionally associated where Noah’s ark came to rest after the flood
• Mount Sinai - located in Peninsula of Egypt and it is where God appeared to Moses and given him the Ten Commandments
• Mount Zion - located in western hill of Jerusalem and it the place where Yahweh, the God of Israel, dwells and where he has installed his king, David
• Mount Moriah - located in Old City of Jerusalem and it the place where Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac
• Mount Tabor - near Nazareth where Christians believe Jesus was transfigured and shone momentarily with the glory of his divinity
• The Tigris and Euphrates rivers create fertile valleys in modern-day Iraq, historically known as Mesopotamia
• West Asia has coastlines along the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Persian Gulf
• Red Sea - located between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa
• Red Sea - where Moses parted the waters and guided the Israelites out of Egypt on their way to the Promised Land
• Jerusalem - one of the oldest cities in the world, and is considered holy to Jews, Muslims, and Christians
• The Indian Subcontinent - the birthplace of four of the world’s major religions, namely, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism
• Physical Features and Holy Sites and Landscapes (Indian Subcontinent):

  • Himalayan Mountain Range
  • Ganges River
  • Sarnath
• Himalayan Mountain Range - considered sacred due to its association with divine beings, its role as the source of sacred rivers, and its significance in spiritual practices and mythology
• Ganges River - the holiest river for the Hindus
• Ganges River - Hindus believe that it is the literal body of Goddess Ganga, a deity who descended to earth to purify souls and release them from samsara, the endless cycle of death and rebirth