Introduction To World Religion and Belief System

For the learner:

Welcome to the Introduction to World Religion and Belief System Self-

Crafted Delivery Mode (SDM) Module!

This module was designed to provide you with fun and meaningful
opportunities for guided and independent learning at your own pace and time.
You will be enabled to process the contents of the learning resource while being
an active learner.

This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

What I Need To Know: This will give you an idea of the skills or
competencies you are expected to learn in the module

What I Know: This part includes an activity that aims to check

what you already know about the lesson to take If you get all the
answers correct (100%), you may decide to skip this module.

What’s In: This is a brief drill or review to help you link the
current lesson with the previous one.

What’s New: In this portion, the new lesson will be introduced to

you in a various ways such as story a song, a poem, a problem
opener, an activity or a situation.

What is it: This section provides a brief discussion of the

lesson. This aims to help you discover and understand new
concepts and skills

What’s More: This compromises activities for compromise

independent practice to solidify your understanding skills of the
topic. You may check the answers to the exercises using the
Answer Key at the end of the module.

What I have Learned: This includes blank or sentences

paragraph to be filled into process what you learned from the
lesson.

What I can Do: This section provides an activity which will help
you transfer your new knowledge or skill into real life situations
or concerns.

Assessment: This is a task which aims to evaluate your level of

mastery in achieving the learning competency.

Additional Activities: In this portion, another avtivity will be

given to you enrich your knowledge or skill of the lesson learned.
This also tends retention of learned concepts.

Answer Key: This contains answers to all activities in the module.

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At the end of this module you will also find:

References
-This is a list of all sources used in developing this module.

The following are some reminders in using this module:

1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of
the module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other activities
included in the module.
3. Read the instruction carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through with it.

If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module,

do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind
that you are not alone.

We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful

learning and gain deep understanding of the relevant competencies.

What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help
you understand key concepts, underlying principles, core competencies of
Introduction to World Religion and Belief System as well as its importance in real
life. The scope of this module permits it to be used in many different learning
situations. The language used recognizes the diverse vocabulary level of students.
The lesson is arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course.
The module is composed of one lesson entitled Understanding the Nature
of Religion

After going through this module, you are expected to:

Content Standards: The learner understands the elements of positive and

negative effects of religion.

Performance Standards: The learner gathers prints or web-based articles,

photos, editorial, etc. Showing the positive or negative effects of religion.

Most Learning Competency: Analyze the influences of religion to culture and

society.

Code: HUMSS_WRB12- I/IIIa-1.3

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 Objectives

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Identify the positive and negative effects of religions

• Observe the positive and negative effects of religion
• Justify that religion can have positive or negative effects on society

Let us start your journey in learning more on the brief history, core teachings, fundamental beliefs, practices of Judaism. I am
sure you are ready and excited to answer the Pretest. Smile and cheer up!

What I Know

Let’s find out what you already know about the topic by taking the pre-test.
Direction: Write P if the sentence expresses positive effects of religion to a person
or society and N if the sentence expresses otherwise. Write your answer on a
separate paper.

______1. Religion inhibits social change.

______2.Religion fosters dependence and irresponsibility.
______3.Religion performs services to humanity.
______4.Religion provides answer to ultimate meaning.
______5.Religion calms the person with dead relative.
______6.Religion is dedicated to the development of arts and culture.
______7. Religion is the cause of disputes in the region.
______8.Religion serves the poor is society.
______9.Religion is the opium of society.
_____10.Religion offers spiritual enhancement to a person.

To prove your understanding of the past lesson, you should be ready to

accomplish this task. You may do the following.

Activity 1. Classify it.

Direction: Answer the questions below based on your own understanding. You can use
bullet to arrange your sentences. Atleast 5 sentences. 2 points each.

What is religion? What is spirituality?

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 Lesson
Positive and Negative
3 Effects of Religion

The practice of religion is a powerful antidote to many of our social problems

that we face today. Considerable research has emerged over the past years
demonstrate the good contributions of religious practice to individuals well-being,
families and communities. However, aside from its positive functions, there are also
negative effects of religion to us. In the book, Fundamentals of World Religion
(2019), Cornejo, et al, suggests that religion plays a role in the way people live
their lives today.

What’s In

There are different positive effects of religion. Let us discuss it one-by-

one.

Positive Effects of Religion

1.Religion provides us norms or guidelines for our everyday life for us to

obey or follow. For example, in the Catholic teachings we are taught to follow
the commandments. First, we ought to love God above all else and second, to
love our neighbours as we love ourselves. The latter is more of a guidelines, to
always do to others what you want others do to you. All Catholics try to live by
these two commandments (34).

2.Religion helps us in our struggle for societal survival. Religion played a

significant role in the formation and early development of seven primary
civilizations: Egyptian Mesopotamian, Indian, Cretan, Chinese, Middle
American, and Andean. Religion in each of these societies offered its members
the courage needed for survival in a hostile environment, giving explanations to
certain aspects of the human conditions which could not be explained in a
rational manner. In present societies, religion also performs this role (34).

3.Religion serves as a unifying power that encourages social integration in

several ways. It plays an important part in forming, symbolizing, and reinforcing
common values and norms. It thus provides support for social standards,
socially accepted behaviour. Common faith, values and norms, etc., are
significant in unifying people (34).

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 4.Religion encourages people to render services to the poor and the needy
and promote their welfare. It develops a sense of giving among people. Because
of this, help and assistance is being extended to those in need due to religion
inspiration. It is believed that one can obtain the cherished goal of religion by
way of giving alms and assistance to the
helpless and needy persons. It also inculcates
the habit of charity among people who opened
charitable institutions like hospitals, rest
houses, temples to help promote the welfare of
individuals, groups and communities (34).

https://www.google.com/search?q=positive+effects+of+religion
&sxsrf=ALeKk00Wda-xoY6-P3EMLCbT3iIn2lRPqQ:16025446684
34&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjP7cqNmLDsA
hVIyIsBHXjGD-YQ_AUoAXoECBkQAw&biw=1536&bih=722#img
rc=QpMNZ5EgZb66aM&imgdii=CRyEPq2HlAy1qM

5.Religion promotes art and culture. Religious leaders often were dedicated
to art and culture. Throughout the world, beautiful, architecturally creative and
magnificent buildings and churches were constructed in the name of God and
gods wherein stunning, brilliant and impressive paintings and works of arts
were hanged on the walls of great museums and galleries (36).

6.Religion serves to calm the person in times of suffering and

disappointment. In this world we often suffer disappointment even in the midst
of all hopes and achievement. The things that we strive are in some measures
always denied us. When our hopes are shattered, when all that was planned
has been swept away, we naturally want something or someone to console and
compensate us (36).

7.Religion shapes domestic, economic and political institutions. Religion

supports institutional pattern more explicitly. All the great religions of the
worlds have attempted to regulate kinship relations, especially marriage and
family. Another, political institutions are often sanctioned by religion: the
emperor of China or Japan was sacred: the ruling caste of India was sanctioned
by Brahmanism; the kings of France were supposed to rule by divine right (37).

8.Religion has also performed some other services to humanity among

which Summer and Keller included the provision of work, the spread of
education, the accumulation of capital and the creation of a leisure class. For
thousands of years, religion has exerted great influence over economic and
political life. Even today religion is called upon to support rulers and other legal
procedures (37).

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Negative Effects of Religion

Contrary to the positive functions of religion, there are negative effects of

its social functions. Although religion is an integrative force, it may be
disruptive for the society as a whole. Summer and Keller, Benjamin Kidd, Karl
Marx, Thomas F. O’ Dea, and others have pointed the dysfunctions of religion.
The disfunction of religion are as follows (Cornejo et al, 2019).

1.Religion often times inhibits protest and impedes social changes which
may even prove to be beneficial to the welfare of the society. All protest and
conflicts are not always negative. It is often become necessary for bringing out
changes. Some changes would certainly lead to positive reforms. By inhibiting
protest and preventing changes religion may postpone reforms, like the issue of
the family planning, death penalty for heinous crimes etc. (38).

2.Religion may foster dependence and irresponsibility. Religion often

makes its followers super-dependent on religious institutions and leaders. But
it does not develop an ability in them to assume individual responsibility. For
example, a good number of people in India prefer to take the advises of
priestsand religious leaders before starting some ventures. But they do not take
suggestion of those who are competent in the field (38).

3.Religion sometimes promotes evil practices. In its course of development,

religion has supported and promoted evil practices such as cannibalism, slavery,
social hierarchy (untouchables), human and animal sacrifice, etc. like the
“satanic ritual abuse” the ritual of sacrificing human beings was practiced
before but is rapidly fading at present time. Another example in India, a two-
year old was bothered to death in a cowshed in New Delhi by a mother, who had
been told by a Hindu mystic that if she sacrificed the child her abusive husband
would reform (38).

4.Religion contributes to exploitation. As religion interprets misfortunes

and suffering in this world as manifestations of the supernatural order itself, it
sanctifies the existing social structure (38).

5.Religion oftentimes promotes superstitions. Religion is the source of

many superstitions. These superstitions have caused harm to human being.
Superstitions like evil spirits and ghost cause diseases; that poverty is the
desire of the god etc., hinders the welfare of the human beings. The excessive
veneration of saints by the Catholics bring about magical and irrational
practices among them (39).

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 6.Religion results or causes conflicts and divisions. Religion results in
inter- group conflicts by dividing people along religious lines. It is deeply related
with conflicts of beliefs. Wars and battles have been fought in the name of
religion. For example, the case of Isis or Hamas or the “Crusaders” during the
medieval period, the religious was between the protestant of North Ireland and
the Catholics in the South Ireland in the early 19th and 20th century (39).

7.Religion causes economic wastes. For example, investing huge money on

building temples, churches, mosques etc., spending much on religious fairs,
festivals and ceremonies, spoiling huge quantity of food articles, material things
etc., in the name of offerings. It leads to waste of human energy and time (39).

8.Religion weakens unity. Religion creates diversities among people. It

creates a gap among them. In the name of God and religion, loot, plundering,
mass killing, rape, and other cruel and inhuman treatments have been meted
out to people. The wars in Syria and Iraq raised disunity among people (39).

9.Religion promotes fanaticism. Religion has made people blind, dumb and
deaf to reality. They have faith without reasoning. On the contrary, it has often
made people to become bigots and fanatics. Bigotry and fanaticism have led to
persecution, inhuman treatment and misery in the past (39).

10.Religion obstructs progress. Because it preserves traditions, it preaches

submission to the existing conditions and maintenance of the status quo. It is
not readily amenable to social change and progress. Like scientific achievement,
religion has tried to prevent the scientist from discovering new facts. By placing
high importance on divine power religion has made people fatalistic. They think
that all events in life is due to some divine power and hence due to fate. As a
result man’s power and potentiality is
undermined. Thus, religion affects the
creativity of man.

https://www.google.com/search?q=positive+effects+of+religion&sxsrf=
ALeKk00Wda-xoY6-P3EMLCbT3iIn2lRPqQ:1602544668434&source=l
nms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjP7cqNmLDsAhVIyIsBHXjGD-YQ
_AUoAXoECBkQAw&biw=1536&bih=722#imgrc=w3YCNYgGKzZjcM

To sum up, there are many ways in which religion can affect our society
and people’s lives. Some of which can be good while others can be bad.
Whatever religion you belong, it is an expression of man’s nature as creature. In
other words, when man encounters truth he can’t explain, realities deeper than
his own experience, and wonders beyond imagination, he naturally becomes

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 religious. Meaning, when man finally realizes that he is but a part of creation,
and not the whole creation, he becomes religious.

What’s New

Direction: Read and understand the paragraph carefully.

UNDERSTANDING THE 15TH AND 16TH CENTURIES LIFE IN CHURCH

During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, religion gave people a sense of
belonging. Belonging to a church was important during this time because it gave
people a sense of security and support. This was important because it made it
much easier to deal with everyday problems and issues. For instance, diseases
and death were extremely common during this time period, because of the lack of
medicine and technology. So, religion played an extremely important role in giving
people a “guiding light” to pray for support, health, and help. People also had a
sense of spiritual protection in everyday life and also in the afterlife. With a sense
of protection, they lived a life with less fear of death and more of a sense of hope.
This sense of belonging to a higher power was exemplified in the life and
contributions of Joan of Arc in the movie version of her story.
(https://www.aquinascollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/Average-Essay.pdf)

What is It?

In some research, there are some explanations regarding the impact of

religion in one’s everyday lives.

Impact of Religion to Everyday Life

A new Pew Research Center study of

the ways religion influences the daily lives
of Americans finds that people who are
highly religious are more engaged with
their extended families, more likely to
volunteer, more involved in their
communities and generally happier with
the way things are going in their lives.
(https://www.pewforum.org/2016/04/12/religion-in-everyday-life/)

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 According to Jack Miller, Philippines proudly boasts to be the only
Christian nation in Asia. More than 86 percent of the population is Roman
Catholic, 6 percent belong to various nationalized Christian cults, and another 2
percent belong to well over 100 Protestant denominations. In addition to the
Christian majority, there is a vigorous 4 percent Muslim minority, concentrated
on the southern islands of Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan. Scattered in isolated
mountainous regions, the remaining 2 percent follow non-Western, indigenous
beliefs and practices. The Chinese minority, although statistically insignificant,
has been culturally influential in coloring Filipino Catholicism with many of the
beliefs and practices of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.
(https://asiasociety.org/education/religion-philippines) https://www.statista.com/statistics/1116815/philippines-
importance-religion/

Filipino Catholics also adhere to cultural values that influence the ways in
which they perceive and interact with society. One frequent cultural expression of
Filipinos is the saying “bahala na” as a way to normalize and cope with life
challenges. Translated, it means “never mind what happens” but it is deeply
connected to the notion of “it’s in God’s hands” or “leave it to God” (Dancel, 2005).
The word bahala is believed to stem from the Tagalog word for
God, bathala (Gripaldo, 2005). This phrase can be seen both as a positive way of
letting go, and also as a fatalistic way of approaching the world (Tuason, 2002).
The latter may reflect the resignation of a people long accustomed to a history of
repeated colonization (Agbayani-Siewert & Revilla, 1995, Enriquez, 1992,
& Sustento-Seneriches, 1997). This expression bahala na may also help explain
the importance of religiosity and spirituality in the way many Filipinos approach
decisions towards health and healing.
Another Filipino cultural value is that of reciprocity, or utang na loob.
Utang na loob dictates that help and support are provided to an individual with
the understanding that the individual will repay that debt in a reciprocal manner
(Nadal, 2009). This involves more than just reciprocity for Filipinos; but an
indebtedness of good will (Dancel, 2005). Utang na loob is usually practiced
towards benefactors, parents, and/or the supernatural as a way of showing one’s
loyalty, gratitude, and obligation when repaying the “debt” that is owed (Dancel,
2005). For instance, Filipino children usually feel indebtedness to their parents
for giving them life and providing them with basic needs, thus they feel the need
to take care of parents in their old age to show utang na loob. For many Filipino
Catholics, a prayer answered from God, a patron saint, or the Virgin Mary will
also yield utang na loob. Both bahala na and utang na loob express Filipino

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cultural values that are pertinent to care meanings and practices that have an
important relationship to religion for Filipinos.
Biblically it is true on Romans 12: 19, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves,
but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,
says the Lord.” Let God, still do good to others. Let God handled all. Bahala na is
a cultural values which religion is connected with.

What’s More

After discussing the positive and negative effects of religion, now let us
make an activity.

Activity 2. Paste It.

Objective: Identify the different effects of religion through a collage
Directions:
1.Make a collage ( gather articles, photos, editorial, etc. that show the
positive or negative effects of religion)
2.Use separate coupon bonds (long) in your collage.
3.Answer the following guide questions on another long bond paper.

Rubrics for Activity2

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Creativity All of the graphics or Most of the graphics or Only a few graphics or None of the graphics
objects used in the objects used in the objects reflect student or objects reflects
collage reflect collage reflect student creativity, but the student creativity.
creativity in their creativity in their ideas were typical
display. Student display. Student only rather than creative.
utilizes numerous uses pictures to depict
materials for texture. the themes, symbols,
&/or characters.

Design Graphics are cut to an 1-2 graphics are 3-4 graphics are Graphics are not an
appropriate size, lacking in design or lacking in design or appropriate size
shape and are placement. There placement. Too much shape. Glue marks
arranged neatly. Care may be a few background is evident. Most of the
has been taken to smudges or glue showing. There are background is
balance the pictures marks. No tape marks noticeable smudges or showing. It appears
across the area. are obvious from the glue marks. little attention was
Items are glued neatly front. given to designing the
and securely. NO collage.
FRAYED EDGES! No
tape is showing from
the front! Looks
professional and could
be displayed with
confidence.

Number of Items The collage covers the entire There are a few white The collage has a few The collage has more
page, leaving no white space spaces showing. No large pictures, but does white space than
showing. repetition of pictures. not cover the whole pictures.
paper.

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 TimeandEffort Much time and effort went Time was used wisely, It appears the student Class time was not
into the planning but student could have didn’t put in a lot of used wisely and the
and design of the put in more time and effort before the student put in no
collage. It is clear the effort at home. Project presentation. The additional effort.
student worked at was complete but only project is unfinished or
home as well as at showed the basics. completed without
school. The project color.
shows great detail and
followed the proposal
exactly. Student
worked on this project
at home and during
study hall.

Titles and Text Titles and text were Titles and text were Titles and text were Titles and/or text are
written clearly and written clearly and mostly clear and hard to read, even
were easy to read were easy to read somewhat easy to when the reader is
from a distance. NO close-up. Possible read close-up. close.
SPELLING OR minor spelling errors. Spelling/Grammar
GRAMMAR ERRORS! errors are distracting
from the project.

Attention to The student gives a The student gives a The student gives a The student's
Theme reasonable explanation of reasonable fairly reasonable explanations are weak
how explanation of how explanation of how and illustrate difficulty
every item in the most items in the most items in the understanding how to
collage is related to collage are related to collage are related to relate items to the
the book. “No leaf is the book. For many of the book. book.
left unturned” the items, the
relationship is clear
without explanation.
Source:https://www.google.com/search?q=rubrics+for+collage+making&tbm=isch&source=iu&ic

What I Have Learned

You did a great job! After learning different terminologies and concepts
regarding the religion and beliefs system, please answer the table below. Fill it up
based on your perspectives. Each answer is equivalent to 2 points.

Activity 3. Identify it.

Objective: Identify the positive effects of religion during the pandemic times.

Direction: Create a graphic organizer showing the positive effects of religion

during the COVID 19 pandemic. Cite specific example for each positive effects.
Use another long bondpaper for this activity.

Example:

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 What I Can Do
Write your response on the other long bond paper.

How are you now? Are you ready to continue? At this point, let us focus on
the effects of religion to your life. By answering the question “how religion influences
me or affects me personally?”, gives you the privilege to reexamine your life and
become a better and a mature individual. What you are now, and what you will
become, is because, you have someone whom you believe He will. And just like
among others who believed that religion as an expression of their very nature, you
too will prove it through writing a poem.

Activity 4. Poetry.

1. Write a three-stanza poem with four (4) lines per stanza which expresses
the importance of religion to your personal life.Create your own title.
2. Be imaginative and creative. Use a long coupon bond.

Remember!

•Religion is a powerful antidote to many social problems that we face today.

Considerable research has shown that religious practice over the past years has
contributed to the well-being of individuals, families and communities. It
provides us norms or guidelines for our everyday life for us to obey or follow;
helps us in our struggle for societal survival; serves as a unifying power that
encourages social integration in several ways; encourages people to render

12
 services to the poor and the needy and promote their welfare; promotes art and
culture; serves to calm the person in times of suffering and disappointment;
shapes domestic, economic and political institutions. Religion supports
institutional pattern more explicitly; and, exerts great influence over economic
and political life.

•Aside from its positive functions, there are also considerable negative
effects of religion to us. And these negative effects are the following: it inhibits
protest and impedes social changes which may even prove to be beneficial to the
welfare of the society; it fosters dependence and irresponsibility; promotes evil
practices; contributes to exploitation; promotes superstitions; results or causes
conflicts and divisions; causes economic wastes; weakens unity; promotes
fanaticism; and it obstructs progress.

However, whether in positive or in negative, you have to go through.

Pursue everything that will
make you happy. Do not let
the negativity push you
down but move forward
and push on, keep on going!
Trust God and pray. This
pandemic situation we need
God to encourage and help
us, family to love us,
friends to lift up us, your
teachers and community.

(https://www.google.com/search?q=keep+on+bible+verse&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjp58PDwrDsAhV6JaYKHR-sBWYQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=keep+on+bible&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQARgAMgIIADIGCAAQCBAeMgYIABAIEB4yBggAEAgQHjIGCAAQCBAeOgcIABCxAxBDOgUIABCxAzoIC
AAQsQMQgwE6BAgAEEM6BwgjEOoCECc6BAgjECc6BAgAEBhQq_FeWL21X2COwV9oAXAAeAKAAbABiAHuEJIBBDIxLjSYAQCgAQGqAQtnd3Mtd2l6LWlt
Z7ABCsABAQ&sclient=img&ei=lxCFX6nAM_rKmAWf2JawBg&bih=674&biw=1536#imgrc=M3wxzzD3TLN_9M)

Assessment

Write your answers on a long bondpaper together with the pre-test answer.
Directions: Give your own evaluations or observations on the positive and negative
effects of religion to human person and society. Use separate paper for your
answer.Give atleast 5 each effects.2 points each.
Positive Effects Negative Effects

Human Person

Society

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References
Online Sources:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/religion

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_and_geography#cite_note-Kong2010-9)

http://marripedia.org/effects_of_religious_practice_on_society

Books:

Cornejo, Nigel L., et al. Fundamentals of World Religions. MaxCor Publishing

House, Inc., 2019

Serapio, Maria Perpetua Arcilla. Introduction to World Religions for Senior High
School. Mindshapers Co., Inc. 2016

Acknowledgements

Writer: Gener C. Irinco

Editor: Amalia C. Solis - EPS
Reviewers: Paciano Ferrer, Aldrin Alac, Jeriel Apurillo, (Content) Virginia
Pike (Language)
Management Team: Maria Magdalena M. Lim-Schools Division
Superintendent-Manila, Aida H. Rondilla-Chief Education Supervisor Lucky S.
Carpio-EPS and Lady Hannah C. Gillo, Librarian II-LRMS

Great, you’re done!

Be ready for the next module.
Keep on pushing…
There is a reward behind all sacrifices…
Smile…

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