Chapter 4: Culture and Religion

Once there were scholars there was a need for guidance and for belief on how to act and what life was all about. Confucianism was a religion developed around a strict patriarchy and was about those who were "superior" being dignified and genuine and those inferior being obedient in response to the niceness of those above them. Daoism was created in opposition of confucianism, being largely centered around the natural world and the gods who are in it. In Daoism there were no formal worship places or rituals as in confucianism. Hinduism was developed in India and was written in language imaccesible to most of the people. It was centered around good values that would result in good karma or higher caste placement in reincarnation. Women were still subordinate to men, educating themselves to serve their husbands. Buddhism was in response to this elite religion, with no formal wordhip place nor rituals. It's founder, Buddha, or Siddhartha believed that enough devotion to Buddhism would result in enlightenment and Nirvana, ending the reincarnation cycle. Judaism was centered around a very strict and selfish God who required undivided devotion and obedience. Judaism preachings from Jesus of Nazareth led to a new and widespread religion, christianity. Christianity held many of the same beliefs and values as Judaism but included the worship of Jesus as the son of God. Also developed similarly to Judaism was Islam which had Muslim followers. Another memorable religion further developed was Greek polytheistic practices with great thinkers like Socrates and Plato.  All of these monotheistic religions developed and thrived into the 21st century

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