Preview

The Yoruba vs Christianity

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
803 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Yoruba vs Christianity
There are many religions throughout the world today. Although there are several different religions, many individuals are not educated about the other beliefs besides there own. Religions today do have differences but are also very much the same. This is demonstrated between the religion of Yoruba, and Christianity. The Gods that the people in these religions worship are different but have the same purpose throughout the lives of each individual. Each individual’s purpose and goal in these religions also display similarities. Furthermore the rituals that are done throughout these religions are done for directions and to improve the relationship between the individual and their god. There are various differences and similarities between these systems and structures of the Yoruba religion and Christianity.
These religions are all centered on a god or gods that they believe has created this world. These gods are very important in their lives. The Yoruba religion believes that Olorun is the source of the universe, however Olorun is only worshiped in prayers and is not involved in the affairs of humans. Instead the orisa, the lesser gods, are truly significant to the Yoruba religion. There are hundreds of these gods and to the Yoruba religion they are the source of help but they also have the ability to harm humans. A human can be harmed once the rituals that are performed do not appease the orisa gods. Christians believe in one god that they believe created the world in six days. To Christians this god is the source of everything. Although there is one god this god has three parts: god the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. These three parts are called the trinity and are worshipped by Christians. The lifestyle that an individual lives along with worship and prayer are all ways that Christians worship and represent their god. Although the Yoruba religion believes in polytheism and Christians do not they both believe that their god is the creator and source of the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    o Historical connections and theological similarities with the other two religions—this section is limited to 350 to 700 words…

    • 516 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Cuban Lucumi Practice Essay

    • 3125 Words
    • 13 Pages

    The purpose of this research paper is to provide a better understating of general details about the Lucumi religion in Cuba. Yoruba religion is often perceived as evil or practiced by non-educated people, but such stereotypes are just misconceptions. All religions follow rules, customs, ceremonies, and are the source of discrepancies among non-believers. Lucumi practice is no exception. The Yoruba religion has its roots in Nigeria, Africa and was brought to the Caribbean by slaves during the slave trading years. Yoruba practices incorporate names and customs of Catholicism and French spiritualism. It is categorized as a syncretized religion because it merged with the Roman…

    • 3125 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    As the white men moved into the Igbo's land, their culture, values and their beliefs changed. These changes were extremely evident, but in the end the Igbo were unable to doing anything to stop the changes that had already start taking place in their society. As soon as the whites arrived, they introduced a new religion that was completely different than the natives were accustomed to. The white man told the Igbos that, “they worshipped false gods, gods of wood and stone,” (145) also, he mentioned that there was only one God, the creator of everything. Okonkwo was convinced that the man was entirely wrong, but his first son, Nwoye, had been captivated by all of these new ideas, and after a discussion with his father, “Nwoye decided to go to Umuofia where missionaries had a school to teach, to read and write the new Christians. (152)” “He was happy to leave his father to follow the missionaries. (152)” Indeed, Nwoye was not the only one convinced by the new form of religion, but also other natives, and some of them turned away from everything they were, just to be part of it. Before colonialism, the unit of the family was very important in the Igbo culture, but with the arrival of missionaries and their religion the division among families began. Sons, wives, and daughters separated voluntarily from their family to follow the new form of religion, even clans could no longer act as…

    • 833 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Since ancient times, there have been many ceremonies and customs practiced by African people. However, similar cultures usually shared similar beliefs about their religion. There was not one defined religion amongst all tribes, but there were many similarities in people's beliefs. The central idea behind African religion was that…

    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    World Religion Final Hum 130

    • 2455 Words
    • 10 Pages

    In this paper I will be discussing what I learned about Christianity and Islamic faiths. How that even though these two religions have differences that they have core similarities and history that show that they have more in common than they do not have in common. I will discuss my interview at a Christian church and what I learned from it. Then I will discuss how much all the religions I have studied in this class have in common. Touching on their philosophies, beliefs, virtues and traditions and any areas that show areas they have in common.…

    • 2455 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    World History 1.02

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The three religions are united by the same beliefs but they are marked by different things that they practice. They also have different customs and ideas. Also, they have smaller groups which are called sects or domination.…

    • 413 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Although these religions are in constant dispute with one another, they have more in common than most people know about. Both of these religions trace the genealogy of their beliefs, and the foundation of their beliefs back to Abraham. He is their physical common denominator. Both Judaism and Christianity tell the story of Abraham. During a time when the majority of society was worshipping many gods, Abraham believed that he had heard the voice of the one true living God; who call Abraham to worship Him and Him alone. That is why Abraham is considered by theologians and scholars in Judaism and Christianity to be the father of monotheism; thus the next common denominator between the two religions, the belief in one true and more importantly living God. According to http://www.essortment.com/all/callabraham_rssf.htm Abraham was 75 when he first heard the voice of God. According to www.jewfaq.org/origins.htm he was born in 1800 BC, if there information is correct this would roughly place the start of monotheism at about 1725…

    • 2251 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Yorùbá Religion

    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Yorùbá religion encompasses religious beliefs and rituals of the Yoruba people. These practices were being utilized before the Yoruba community faced Islam, Christianity and other faith; it originated from Africa and into the New World. This influenced several Afro-American religions such as Lucumí in Cuba, Umbanda and Candomblé in Brazil; in addition to the uproot that took place of the homeland religions. Similar to many other religions that have some form of beliefs and practices, Yorùbá religious beliefs are part of an itan. This is the term used for the sum of all Yorùbá; which include: myths, traditions, folklore, and other cultural concepts which make up the Yorùbá religion and society. Yorùbá religion included a trance and divination…

    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Everyone has different beliefs and cultures. Religion is important in our society and every religion is different. Although they all have some similarities. All religions give us some kind of stress and anxiety reducing effect. They also impart us with an emotion of satisfaction and happiness. Religions offers hope that after we die there is another life. Christians believe that you go to heaven, Aboriginals believe that your spirit lives on and returns to significant sights within the country. Cherokee Indians have a similar belief to what happens after death – to Christianity beliefs. Cherokee Indians also believe that you rise up into a heavenly place, but God also gives you a choice of where you would like to go. This written report will compare comparing the three above named religions, and proving and all religions have similarities and something in common.…

    • 1340 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The four creation myths found on the internet, An African Cosmogony, An African Story of the Creation of Man, Egyptian Cosmogony and Theogony, and the Yoruba creation myth found under the Minneapolis Institute of Arts," have similar elements and incorporate values and norms common across many African Ethnic groups. One of the dominant values common to many ethnic groups is the value of the family and group. All four myths directly illustrate the belief that a person is described in terms of his or her family and lineage. "An African Cosmogony" and the Yoruba creation myth specifically emphasize this attention to lineage. The former, after creation is complete, refers to the creator as the "First Ancestor" from which "came forth all the wonders that we see and hold and use" (Leach). The latter symbolically describes the lineage through a palm nut, sent down to earth by the creator, which grows into a tree with sixteen branches. The deity then created sixteen sons and grandsons…

    • 795 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    There are hundreds of religions and belief systems around the world which have their own sets of traditions and practices. These traditions and practices are used by their followers to describe and encourage a relationship with the divine and also sacred time. Also depending on if the religion or belief system identifies with a deity or nature these traditions also describe their place in relation to sacred space or the natural world. These traditions and practices also show the relationship different religions and belief systems have with each other as well. Also identified will be key critical issues in the study of religion and belief systems.…

    • 1442 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Religion was a big factor in the development of western civilization. Religion has been the reason for the starting of wars and for the dying off of ancient civilizations. All because two civilizations had different views of their gods that they worship causing problems between two cities. This paper contrasts the two kinds of religion, monotheism, and polytheism. Polytheism is the belief that there are many different gods, where monotheism is the belief in one god. Polytheism is the way the people of ancient cultures worshipped. The way people acted could be an explanation of the world. Polytheism was a lifelong commitment, because of the different gods that they were worshipping. People were willingly to sacrifice anything including…

    • 1537 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Each one believes in the 10 commandments, the Sabbath and that Moses was a prophet of god. They all believe in some sort of afterlife. Some of the differences for example, is the fact that Christians are the only ones that believe that…

    • 578 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Some differences between the Igbo and Christianity is; there different beliefs in Gods. Igbos believe that their God is alive and can be seen, such as spirits. While as Christians believe that their God cannot be seen but he is seen as existing forever. The Igbo spirits would talk to them the same as any other humans would. While on the Christians side, they did not believe that…

    • 174 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Religious traditions influence people and even more important cultures across the world on a daily basis. The paragraphs to follow will show how religious traditions describe and show how relationships are encouraged and established with the divine, sacred time and space, natural world and relationships with one another. This will ensure a more thorough understanding of different religions. Additionally, using several examples from various religious traditions will go one step farther in enhancing that understanding. The foundation to any successful religious belief is to establish a relationship with the divine.…

    • 801 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics