美國宗教研究(英文版)

ReligionsinAmericaThecontentThegeneralintroductionofAmericanreligionMajorreligionsinAmericaReligion’sinfluenceonAmericanlifeReligionsinChinaThegeneralintroductionofAmericanreligionForAmericans,asforpeoplethroughouttheworld,religionprovidesapersonalidentity,socialcontacts,andimportantrituals.Socialgroups,closefriendships,andmarriagesaremostoftenformedwithmembersofone’sownreligion.Aselsewhere,intheUnitedStatesreligionprovidesthecustomsandceremoniesthatmarklife’smostimportantevents----birth,comingofage,marriageanddeath.MajorreligionsinAmericaThecentralfigureinChristianityisJesusChrist.AstheSonofGod,hecametoearthtoteachaboutloveandfellowship.HerepresentsthepersonthatallChristiansmuststrivetobe.Withanapproximately1.7billionpeopleworldwide,Christianityisarguablythelargestreligionintheworldtoday.Startedataround30AD,ChristianityisbasedontheteachingsandlifeofJesusChrist.ChristianityCatholicismThesymbolofCatholic-----CrossCatholicsbelieveinTrinity(三位一體）,thedoctrinethattherearethreepersonsinoneGod–theFather,thesonandtheHolySpirit（圣靈）.JudaismisthereligiouscultureoftheJewishpeopleandisoneoftheworld'soldestreligions.JudaismoriginatedintheMiddleEastandhasspreadthroughoutallpartsoftheworldbecauseofbothvoluntarymigrationsandforcedexpulsions.JudaismIslamIslamisamajorworldreligionfoundedinArabia.BasedontheteachingsofamannamedMuhammad（穆罕默德）,onewhopracticesIslamiscalledaMuslim(穆斯林）.Islamteachesthat,becauseofhumanity'smoralweakness,GodsentprophetstoteachbothindividualsandnationscorrectmoralandspiritualbehaviorsEasternOrthodoxChurchMormonism（耶穌基督后期圣徒教）TheChurchofJesusChristofLatter-DaySaintsReligion’sinfluenceonAmericanlife

ChristianityinHomeLifeChristianityinpubliclifeReligionsandelectionFestivalsChristianityinHomeLifeItdrivesawaydiscontentment,fear,anddarkness,andshowerscontentment,peace,assurance,andsunlightintoeveryheartandhomeitispermittedtoenter.Christianityinhomelifemakesallpeace,harmony,honesty,andfaithfulnessbetweenmasterandservant;loveandkindnessbetweenbrothersandsisters;loveanddutifulnessbetweenparentsandchildren;love,trueness,andfaithfulnessbetweenhusbandandwife.Christianitymakesahomeaheaven.AmanthatwilldefraudanotherisnotaChristian.

Christianitywillcompelamantopayhisdebtsifhepossiblycan.RefusingtopaydebtsissinfulandaChristianwillnotdosuchathing.Christianitywillnotallowamantoplacetheinferiorpotatoesinthebottomofthebarrelandtheveryfinestonthetop.ImpactontheValueofHumanLifeHumanRights.Theconceptofuniversalhumanrightsandequalitycomesexclusivelyfromthebiblical（圣經(jīng)的）ideathatallpeoplearecreatedintheimageofGod.Children.

Intheancientworld,forexampleinclassicalRomeorGreece,infanticide（殺嬰）wasnotonlylegal,itwasapplauded.KillingaRomanwasmurder,butitwascommonlyheldinRomethatkillingone‘sownchildrencouldbeanactofbeauty.Throughahigherviewoflife,itwastheearlyChristianchurchthatultimatelybroughtanendtoinfanticide.Themodernpro-lifemovementislargelyChristian.Slavery.

EarlyChristianityelevatedtherolesofthoseoppressedinsociety,byforexample,acceptingwomenandslavesasfullmembers.Slavesparticipatedequallyinworshipandthecommunityandwereaffordedcontractandpropertyrights.EarlyChristianspurchasedslavesinthemarketssimplytosetthemfree.ItisalsotruethatslaverywasendedingreatmeasurebyChristianactivists.ReligionandelectionPresidentialaddressesPublicofficialsarereligioussymbols:Americancitizensweighalotonthevirtueandmoralityofthem.

Nonon-ChristianhaseverbeenelectedpresidentoftheUnitedStates.FromWashingtontoBush,thereare43presidents39arechurchmembersOther4presidentsarewithevidentreligiousinclination.Nonon-Protestantwaselecteduntil1960:JohnF.Kennedy（RomanCatholic）ChristmasThanksgivingReligionsinChina

DifferentwithAmerica,thereareonly1billionpeopleprofessareligion.Buddhism,Protestant,Islam,Catholic,TaoismarethemajorreligionsinChina.BuddhismbeganinnortheasternIndiaandisbasedontheteachingsofSiddharthaGautama(悉達多·喬答摩).Buddhismteachesitsfollowersthatinthislifetheyareonlytemporaryvesselsofbody,emotions,thoughts,tendencies,andknowledge.Buddhistsbelievethatthereisnosenseofselforsoulwheninthisworld.ABuddhistmustalsofollowfivemainprincipleswhichprohibitkilling,stealing,illlanguage,sexualimmorality,andtheuseoftoxicsubstances.Whenonesuccessfullyfollowstheseprinciples,thethreerootsofevil(,hate,anddeceit)canbeovercome.BuddhismTaoismisanativeChinesereligionwith