RELIGIOUS ETHICS

Religious ethics are principles that guide followers of religions as to what is the right or proper
conduct, and good ways of living.

When people act in ways which are in line with what is considered right, good, proper, fair and
just that is described as acting ETHICALLY. But when people act in ways which are against
what is considered right, good, proper, fair, and just, that is described as acting
UNETHICALLY. For example a priest who gives and takes care of the poor is acting ethically
whereas a religious follower who steals is acting unethically.

HOW ETHICAL TEACHINGS ARE IMPORTANT IN RELIGIONS

Ethical teachings are important in religion because they:

 Help followers know what to do and what not to do. for example Muslims knows that
they have to eat halaal and Jews eat kosher food

 Guide followers to make choices and decisions that are morally right for example
followers are taught that they have to abstain from sex before marriage
 Encourage followers to treat other people with kindness, compassion, respect and dignity.
This helps create good relationships among people and promotes peace and harmony in
society.
 Encourage followers to make choices that are good for their health, for example most
religions are against smoking and drinking
 Encourage people to take care of their environment for example Hinduism teaches its
followers against violence (ahimsa) not causing or killing human beings and animals.

ETHICAL CODES IN RELIGIONS

Christianity
The ethical codes in Christianity are summarised in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3 -17),
the greatest commandment (Mark 12:31) and the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12). There are also
beatitudes that Jesus Christ used to teach about people’s attitudes and behaviours towards others.

TEN COMMANDMENTS

1. Do not worship idols.

2. Worship no other God but me.
3. Do not use the name of God wrongly.
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
5. Honour your father and mother.
6. Do not kill.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not take anything that does not belong to you / Do not steal
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9. Do not testify falsely against others.
10. Do not desire other people’s things.

The Greatest commandment

 You should love your neighbour as you love yourself (Mark 12:31)

The Golden Rule

 Do unto others as you would like them do unto you (Matthew 7:12)

The Beatitudes
 These are the nine sayings of Jesus Christ found in the New Testament of the Bible
(Matthew 5:1 -12).

The beatitudes are as follows;

 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
 Blessed are the poor in heart, for they shall see God.
 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sour of God.
 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil
against you because of me for your reward is great in heaven.

ISLAM

Ethical codes in Islam are the Sharia law. Sharia means living a morally responsible life. The
Sharia law outlines what Muslims should do or not do, and also states punishment given to
offenders.

Examples of what Muslims should do;

 All Muslims must follow the five pillars of Islam which are; - to declare that there is no
other God but Allah Shahadah).
 Praying five times a day (Salat)
 Giving donations to the poor (Zakat)
 Fasting during the month of Ramadan (sawn)
 Visiting Mecca at least once in one’s life time (Hajj).
 Women should dress modestly cover the whole body except face and hands.
 Muslim men may marry up to four wives and must treat them all equally.
 Muslim must respect all forms of life
 Muslims should eat halaal food
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  Muslim should respect the elderly and take good care of all family members.

MUSLIM SHOULD NOT

 Lie, steal and cheat.

 Gamble
 Have sex before marriage.
 Say bad things about Islam
 Serve any other God but Allah and all should acknowledge that Muhammad is Allah’s
last prophet.
 Eat pork
 Drink alcohol, or be in a place where alcohol is sold. They should not sell grapes to a
winery

Examples of punishment for certain crimes in Islam

Crime Punishment
Adultery or fornication Stoning to death
Murder Death penalty
Speaking badly about Islam Death penalty
Theft Cutting off the hands
.

BUDDHISM

Codes of ethics in Islam are summarised in five precepts and the Noble Eightfold Path

The five precepts – these govern the lives of all Buddhists

They are as follows:

 Do not kill human or animals.

 Do not steal.
 Do not get involved in sexual misconduct.
 Do not tell lies.
 Do not drink beer or take drugs.

There are other additional precepts that Buddhists monks are expected to obey. They are as
follows:

 Do not eat after midday, eat only before noon.

 Do not be involved in dancing and performing on stages.
 Do not use ornaments and perfumes.

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  Do not use high or broad beds.
 Do not accept gold or silver.

The Noble Eightfold Path

These consist of things which Buddhists should follow which are:

The Noble Eightfold Path Their Explanations

Right understanding Have a right way of looking at and
understanding things.
Right thought Do not think or act cruelly, violently or
aggressively, but rather be compassionate.
Right speech Always be careful of what you say. Avoid
harmful language, lying or using harsh or
unkind words.
Right action Live a morally upright life. Do not kill, steal,
take intoxicants or do any form of sexual
misconduct.
Right livelihood Earn a living in a good and righteous way
and gain wealth legally and peacefully.
Avoid employment where their actions can
cause harm to others directly or indirectly.
Right effort Work hard to remove bad thought and
replace them with positive and pleasant
thought.
Right mindfulness Be able to observe the way one thinks.
Right concentration Think through one’s actions by meditating in
everyday situations.

ETHICS THAT GUIDE FOLLOWERS OF ATR IN BOTSWANA

Followers of ATR in Botswana are guided by ethics which are embedded in their culture and can be
expressed through their language and customs. They are used in everyday life. They are guided by the
taboos, proverbs and norms.

TABOOS (MEILA)

Taboos are actions which are prohibited, forbidden or not allowed in a society. Taboos are important as
they discourage bad behaviour. Taboos are divided into 4 parts as follows:

a) Dietary Taboos

These are taboos that guide people on what not to eat, for example

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  Unmarried woman should not eat standing because she will not get married
 Meat on an animal that died naturally ( on its own) should not be eaten because those who eat
it will become sick or die
 Pregnant woman should not eat eggs because they’ ll have difficulties when giving birth because
the egg blocks the birth passage
 People should not drink water while standing because it will cause lightening to strike the home
 Women in confinement should not eat with their hands because it will be like they are eating
their dirt and become thin.

b) Animal and plant taboos

 Milk cow should not be split on fire as this will milk their teats not to produce milk
 Python should not be killed during ploughing seasons as this will cause drought
 Trees such as moretlwa, morula and mokgalo should not be cut before plants have been
harvested because this will cause thunderstorm and heavy rains
 Fruit trees should not be cut as cutting them will make one go insane.

c) Taboos regulating movement of people

 A person should not walk with one shoes because doing so will be a wish for his/her parents to
die
 During confinement a menstruating woman should not enter the house of the baby as this will
make the baby sick
 Girls who are menstruating should not be in a company of boys because this will make boys
become foolish

d) Taboos regulating other actions

 Women who have started menstruating should not bath at night because doing so will cause
their period to start during the night while they are asleep
 Water should not enter the yard at night because this will give witches access to the yard
 Burning fire should not enter the house as it will cause lightning to strike the house
 One should not lick a knife doing so will cause him or her to have back pains

PROVERBS (DIANE)

These are sayings which guide on how to behave and relate to others. Some proverbs help people to
acknowledge the greatness of the Supreme Being. Examples of proverbs

a) Proverbs about the people’s behaviour and relationship

 Matlo go sha mabapi: people should help each other
 Moroto wa e esi ga o ele:- one person cannot do much work on her own
 Ngwana yoo sa utlweng molao wa batsadi o utlwa wa manong:- it’s important to respect
parents and all other elderly people
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  Maitseo namane ya moroba;- respecting other people is very important
 O se tshege yo oleng mareledi a sa le pele:- people should help others when they are in need,
instead of mocking them
 Motho ke motho ka ba bangwe:- no man is an island. We have to help and ask for help from
other people

b) Proverbs that help people acknowledge the greatness of the Supreme Being
 Modimo ga o je nkabo:- God never abandons his people
 Molelo wa Modimo ga o tingwe:- no one can change what God does
 Mogoa Modimo oa boa mo ikgoela:- if you wish for a bad thing to happen to someone that
thing can happen to you

NORMS

Norms are behaviours that the community considers to be normal and acceptable. They are therefore
used to guide the behaviour and conduct of followers of ATR in Botswana. THE FOLLOWING ARE
EXAMPLES:

 Children should not sit on chairs while adults are standing

 Women should wear head scarves during funerals and funeral prayers
 Women should not wear trouser at kgotla meeting
 An adult should not be called by his or her first name but should be called by the child’s name
e.g. Rraagwe Tumelo or Mmaagwe Tumelo
 Only men can make fire at the kgotla

SOME MORE EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL CODES IN ATR IN BOTSWANA

Help the needy:- followers of ATR in Botswana are expected to help those who are less
privileged e.g. practise of mafisa ( a way of helping others with livestock to lock after and use it
for heir benefit in life)
 Respect elders:- children are expected to respect every elder in the community
 Show hospitality to strangers:- people are expected to welcome strangers in their homes and
make them comfortable and welcome
 Work hard at all times:- people are encouraged to work hard at all times. Laziness is
discouraged
 Be honest:- people are expected to be honest is a virtue that helps people to live well together
in peace and harmony
 Have respect for life:- followers of ATR in Botswana are expected to respect life. It wrong to kill
 Have respect for other people’s property:- people are expected not to steal other people’s
properties everyone is expected to work for themselves
 Be generous:- people are expected to be generous to others. A person has to be sympathetic
towards other people and help them.
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  Be kind to everyone :- they are encouraged to show kindness to everyone regardless of age or
status
 Should not have sex before marriage: - people are encouraged not to have sex before marriage.
They are encouraged to abstain from sex until marriage. They believe that sex is only preserved
for married people
 Should have culture of sharing and cooperation:-Batswana value the ethical principles of
sharing, receiving and giving, in order to foster the spirit of cooperation

THE RELEVANCE OF ETHICAL CODES IN MODERN SOCIETY

Ethical codes are relevant in modern societies because they:-

 Discourage immoral behaviour such as adultery, promiscuity, abuse of alcohol, and the taking of
drugs. Such behaviour can increase the spread of HIV.
 Encourage justice and fairness in the society. People are expected to treat each other fairly and
justly, especially the hopeless and the weak.
 Help promote peace and harmony among people because they discourage violent conduct e.g.
murder, assaults etc, hence they encourage mutual respect among people
 Discourage criminal conduct for example, theft and murder. All religions condemn taking other
people’s things without their permission and killing others.
 Encourage people to behave in ways that morally right. In the society there are people who
need the help of others; however the ethical codes encourage people to be kind, caring, and
compassionate and to help those in need.
 They can foster unity, each person feel obliged to be of value and of service to others. This unity
is valuable for it brings about the peace and harmony necessary to foster national development
 They play important role in making good reliable and disciplined citizens who will make a
disciplined workforce that embraces the spirit of hard work, self discipline
 They take the form of laws in the country’s constitution. These laws, policies and institutional
guidelines, guide and drive every day activities and operations
 The successful application of ethical codes can make countries easier to govern. This is because
the government does not face a lot of opposition in administering its policies and procedures.
This make implementation of the national planned activities easier and possible

HOW CAN RELIGIOUS ETHICS HELP BOTSWANA TO BECOME A CRIME FREE SOCIETY?

Crime is an action or behaviour that is not allowed by law. Crime is a concern in Botswana because it
undermines peace and security in the country. Examples of crimes that are committed in Botswana
include murder, rape, and defilement, buying and selling illegal drugs, corruption, theft and robbery.
Botswana can become a crime free society if people:

 Avoid alcohol and drugs: this would help to reduce drunken driving which leads to over
speeding and road accidents, domestic violence and rape which are some of the common

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 crimes in Botswana. Observing religious ethical codes that is against use of alcohol and
drugs can reduce crime in Botswana.
 Do not steal: stealing robs people of their belongings and leaves them frightened and
frustrated. If this ethics were taught in schools, homes, work places and other social places,
it would help Botswana to be a crime free nation.
 Do not kill: people should be made aware of the value of human life. It is wrong to kill
because you are denying that person the right to life. If people follow this ethic there would
be fewer deaths and violence. Christians teach that only God gives and takes life.
 Live an honest life: if people are taught the importance of living an honest life, problems like
corruption and bribery would be reduced. People should be made aware that bribery and
corruption can end up in the loss of a job or a jail sentence.
 Respect one another: if people respect one another there would be no rape, incest and
violence; they would understand how the victims would be affected by their behaviour.
Parents, teachers, dikgosi and church leaders should join hands and teach people about the
importance of respecting one another and treating people the way they expect to be
treated.
 Respect Yourself: if people respect themselves they will be able to resist things such as
prostitution. Christians teach that people’s bodies are temples of God and so they should be
well looked at.

MORALITY IN ONE RELIGION MAY NOT BE MORALITY IN ANOTHER

Morality means accepted standards of right and wrong actions and behaviour.

Moral actions or behaviour are those that are right or good.

Immoral actions or behaviour are those that are wrong or bad.

“Morality in one religion may not be morality in another” this statement means, what is seen to be
right in one religion may not be accepted in another religion.

This is so because different religions have different beliefs and teachings. Every religion has ideas of
what is good and bad. What is considered right or wrong, or good or bad in one religion may not be the
case in another.

EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENCES IN MORALITY AMONG RELIGIONS

 Some religions such as Islam and ATR in Botswana allow polygamy, men can marry more than
one wife while others like Hinduism, and Christianity etc considers polygamy as morally wrong.
The only consider monogamous marriages as morally right. A man should marry only one wife
and woman only one husband.
 In Islam it is considered morally wrong for women to wear tight clothes or to wear clothes which
expose part of their body such as legs, arms and heads. They are expected to wear clothes which

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 cover the rest of their bodies except hands and face or eyes. However in other religions such as
Christianity and Baha’i Faith, women can wear any kind of dress they feel comfortable in.
 In African Traditional Religion in Botswana people are allowed to drink alcohol at celebrations
like weddings and festivals. It is however stressed that they should drink moderately and not
abuse alcohol. On the other hand in Islam, alcohol is not allowed at all and Muslims are not even
allowed to be in places where it is drunk or work in places where it is sold.
 In Hinduism and Buddhism killing of animals is not allowed because all forms of life are
respected and all Buddhists and Hindus are vegetarians while in ATR in Botswana animals may
be killed during celebrations such as weddings, festivals and during funerals. They are killed to
provide meat for people to eat.
 In Islam and Judaism and in some Christian’s denominations like ZCC, followers are not allowed
to eat pork because of the dietary law while in ATR in Botswana pork is eaten.

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 THE GOLDEN RULE

WHAT IS GOLDEN RULE?

Golden Rule is a principle that says one should treat other people in the manner that one would
want to be treated by them. It is also called the ethic reciprocity. It is a rule that Jesus said it
should be followed by all Christians. The Rule teaches people to love, show kindness, tolerance
and mercy to one another. This ethical code states that everyone has the right to be treated fairly
to ensure justice for all.

THE GOLDEN RULE AS STATED BY JESUS CHRIST IN CHRISTIANITY

Jesus Christ has expressed the Golden Rule in the New Testament of the Bible in the books of
Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31.

In Luke 6:31 He stated that “just as you want others to do for you do the same for them”

Matthew 7:12 says “Do unto others as you would have like them do unto you” Jesus Christ
meant that people must treat them. If everybody were treated in the same way there would be
justice for all. This rule implies showing the virtues of kindness, selflessness, empathy, tolerance,
mercy, compassion to one another. The statement challenge people to think of themselves. The
Golden Rule motivates people to treat others well so that they may also receive god treatment.

THE PURPOSE OF THE GOLDEN RULE IN ALL RELIGIONS PRACTICED

BOTSWANA

The Golden Rule is for all cultures because in all cultures there are certain acceptable ways of
treating other people. The golden Rule tells us that how we should live with one another. It is a
reliable guide that shows us whether our actions are right or wrong. Therefore it acts as:

 The conscience of the society

 Encourages us to be fair towards other people
 Forces us to care and be willing to help those who are in need
 Makes us responsible towards one another and encourage empathy
 Unites people and makes the world a better place for all
 Brings people of different cultures together because it is a universal principle
 Encourages peace and harmony in societies as people are guided on how to treat others.
 Also protects people against the abuse because it makes people recognise justice
 Encourages a spirit of cooperation as people realise they need other people
 Allows people to enjoy their rights , this will lead to unity and social harmony
 Makes our behaviour consistent as we uphold human rights and avoid actions that cause
others pain and suffering
 Helps to resolve conflicts and other challenges in life
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  Makes us responsible towards one another and respect each other
 Help people to always think about the consequences of their decisions and behaviour
 Encourages people not to be selfish and to recognise that as human being we all have
rights and responsibilities towards others.

DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE GOLDEN RULE IN RELIGIONS PRACTICED IN

BOTSWANA

Even though religions originated in different parts of the world and at the different times, they
have certain things in common. One thing many world religions agree on its the idea of the
Golden Rule. Different religions may use different words to express the ethical code of the
Golden Rule but meaning is the same: treat others as you would like to be treated. Examples of
how Golden Rule is demonstrated in a variety of religions can be seen in the quotes listed below.

SIKHISM

The Golden Rule in Sikhism is expressed as follows;

“ As thou deemest thyself, so deem others.”

“ We obtain salvation by loving our fellow man and God”

“ No one is my enemy, none a stranger and everyone is my friend”

These quotes from Guru Granth Sahib encourage believers not to cause suffering to others.

BUDDHISM

In Buddhism, the Golden Rule is expressed in these ways;

“ Hurt not others in ways that yourself would find hurtful” Udana-Varga 5:18

“---a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another.
SamyutaNikaya v 353

Buddhism teaches that people should not cause pain and suffering to others because they do not
want to feel pain and suffering themselves. Love any other person as you love yourself and treat
others the way you would wish to treat you.

ISLAM

“ No one of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself”

“ A true believer wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself” (Sunnah)

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Prophet Muhammad encouraged Muslims to wish good things for other people. This means that
people should show love towards one another.

HINDUISM

“ Do not do unto others that which would cause you pain if done to you.” Mahabharata 5:1517

According to Hindus, it is a duty not to cause pain to other people as you would not like others to
cause you pain. This is in line with the concept of Ahimsa or non-violence to all.

BAHAI FAITH

“ Lay not on any soul a load that you would not wish to be laid on you,and desire not for anyone
the things you would not desire for yourself”

This means that if you do not want something to happen to you, you should not wish it for other
people. People need to be considerate, helpful, assisting and passionate when dealing with
others. All need to be fair to one another.

ATR IN BOTSWANA

The following are the versions in ATR in Botswana:

“ Susu ilela Suswana gore suswana a tle a go ilele” meaning do not impose on others what you
do not desire them to impose on you.

” I am because we are and since we are, therefore I am” meaning that one cannot live in isolation
from other people. We depend on other people.

HOW GOLDEN RULE CAN BE PUT IN TO PRACTICE WHEN DEALING WITH

ISSUES OF RELATIONSHIPS, HIV/AIDS AND CRIME

APPLYING THE GOLDEN RULE IN RELATIONSHIPS

When people live together, they form relationships. Some do not last long, while others are for a
lifetime. No one in the world wants to be treated badly, so it is important for everybody in every
relationship to follow the Golden Rule. Below is how Golden Rule can be applied in
relationships, the following are issues in relationships:

 Communication
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  Attitude and behaviour
 Respect
 Cooperation
 Discrimination

Applying the Golden Rule in Communication

 Always say what you want or how you want things to be done politely. Respond to others
politely too. If you are rude to others, some are likely to be rude to you too.
 If you expect others to pay attention and listen when you are talking to them, then you too
should pay attention and listen when someone is talking to you.

Applying Golden Rule in Attitude and Behaviour

 If you want others to be friendly towards you, be friendly towards them, e.g. when you
meet a new classmate, smile first the person is likely to smile back at you.
 Always interact with other people in a positive way. Show you are genuinely interested in
the other person and what he or she has to say. In return, he or she is likely to show
interest in you.
 Always interact with other people in a positive way. Show you are genuinely interested in
the other person and what he or she has to say. In return, he or she is likely to show
interest in you.
 If you treat others with kindness, compassion, and generosity they are likely to respond to
you in the same way.

Applying Golden Rule in issues of Respect

 Respect everyone, whether you know them or not. They are likely to respect you in return

Applying Golden Rule in issues of Cooperation

 Work well together with other people. Help others when they need help. Participate in
decision making rather than allowing decisions to be made for you.

Applying Golden Rule in issues of Discrimination

 Understand that people are different. Should not discriminate against other people
because they are different. Treat all people equally and fairly even when they have
different skin, colour, they belong to a different religion, or whether they are younger
older than you.

HOW GOLDEN RULE CAN BE APPLIED WHEN DEALING WITH HIV AND AIDS
ISSUES

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ISSUES IN HIV/AIDS

 Stigma
 Confidentiality
 Discrimination
 Sexually active people who are HIV positive

HOW GOLDEN RULE CAN BE APPLIED IN THE ABOVE ISSUES

STIGMA

 Be friendly to people who have HIV and AIDS

 Show compassion by helping those who are infected and affected within our extended
families and communities
 Educate one-self about how HIV and infectious diseases such as TB are spread so that
you do not shun or reject people with HIV and AIDS out of ignorance

CONFIDENTIALITY

 Show respect by not talking to anyone about another person’s status

DISCRIMINATION

 Avoid discriminating against people with HIV and AIDS at home, school, in your
community or the workplace. A person should not be fired from a job or treated unfairly
simply because he or she is HIV positive.

SEXUALLY ACTIVE PEOPLE WHO ARE HIV POSITIVE

 Always use condoms to protect oneself and partner from becoming infected with HIV
and any other diseases.

HOW GOLDEN RULE CAN BE APPLIED WHEN DEALING WITH ISSUES OF

CRIME

ISSUES IN CRIME

 Respect for other people

 Victims of crime
 How we treat people accused of crime
 Punishment of criminals

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HOW GOLDEN RULE CAN BE APPLIED IN THE ABOVE ISSUES

Respect for other people

 If we value our lives and property, we should also value other people’s lives and
property, and should not kill or steal from others.

Victims of crime

 If we are happy when people help us when a crime has been committed against us, then
we should also help others when they experience the same

How we treat people accused of a crime

 If one is accused of a crime, they would expect to be treated as innocent until proven
guilty in a court of law. People accused of crime should only be punished after a court of
law has found them guilty.

Punishment of Criminals

 People found guilty of committing crimes, should be punished fairly and justly. Their
punishment should fit the crimes they have committed.

MORE ON APPLYING GOLDEN RULE IN RELATIONSHIPSRELATIONSHIPS

People relate with others at home in a family, at school, at the workplace and in the community.

HOW THE GOLDEN RULE IS APPLIED IN A FAMILY

 Parents should treat their children with respect, love, and understanding and understand
tolerance. Children should respect their parents and be responsible in the home. The
Setswana saying,” susu ilela suswana a tle a go ilele” shows that all people deserve to be
respected.
 It is important that couples live by golden rule in their relationships so that they are able
to trust each other, be trusted, be faithful and be able to forgive each other
 Each person must know his/her rights and also respect the rights of other people. We
should always ask ourselves how we would feel if our loved ones were raped, murdered,
abused or treated with respect.

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AT SCHOOL

 At school students must have respect and tolerance for teachers and for other students so
that the environment encourages learning. If the Golden Rule is put in to practice,
students will not against the school rule.
 Teachers should carry out their responsibilities and do the best in their work. This kind of
atmosphere will lead to good performance at school.

AT THE WORK PLACE

 If employees were to put themselves in the situation of the employer who has to pay them
even when there is no work, they would change their attitude towards work. They would
try harder and be committed to their jobs and work better.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Good relationships in the community are important because they help people to live in peace and
harmony.

 Those who are rich will realise that it is their responsibility to help those who are in need
and human suffering will be reduced.
 Situations where many people have nothing to eat and others throw food in the dust bins
will be avoided.
 Following the Golden Rule leads to high moral standards which will in turn lead to less
crime, e.g. people will not steal, kill, rape, or commit adultery
 The Golden Rule can promote good relationships between countries, discourage wars and
as a result save people from suffering.
 The golden rule encourages people not bear grudges or look for revenge; it calls for
forgiveness and reconciliation which will benefit society.

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 PERSONAL VIRTUES

Virtue; A virtue is a habit, attitude, quality, trait that is good, admirable, and morally right about
the character and behavior of individuals or group of people.

Personal virtues are the good, admirable, and morally acceptable aspects of an individual’s
character and behavior.

EXAMPLES OF VIRTUES

Compassion, courage, diligence, fairness, honesty, hope,

Humility, integrity, kindness, justice, patience, perseverance purity,

Respect and wisdom.

RESPECT

Respect is a feeling and an attitude of honoring and valuing someone or something.

Ways of showing respect when dealing with others

We can show respect when dealing with others in many different ways. Below are some of the
ways

Ways of showing respect Examples of respectful actions

Being polite and treating others with courtesy  Paying attention and listening when
and dignity. someone is taking to us.
 Acknowledging the arrival or presence
of someone in a room or place by
greeting them or attending to them.
 -not speaking to people rudely.
Obeying rules or laws of our family, school,  Listening to parents and elders and
religion, community and country. following instructions at home, school
and community.
 Taking proper care of furniture, books
and other materials at school.
 respecting life by not taking another
human beings’
Being considerate towards other people  Taking your place in a queue no matter
how long it is.
 Not calling others names they are not
comfortable with.
 Not disturbing others when they are
doing something.
 Speaking kindly to other people.
17 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
Avoiding ridiculing and hurting other people’s  Not insulting others even when you are
feelings deliberately. angry with them.
 Not gossiping and spreading false
stories about others.
 Not embarrassing others by shouting or
calling them names.
Being tolerant of other people’s beliefs, ideas,  Being understanding and respectful of
and customs that are different from our own. other people’s beliefs and ideas.
 Accepting other people believe as they
are without tying to convince others
that they are wrong and making
mistakes in what they belief in or the
ideas they have.
 Making friends with people who are
different from you. For example,
people who have different ideas from
you and who belong to a different
religion so that you learn from them.
Caring for our environment and everything in  Keeping the environment clean, for
it, such as animals and plants example, not throwing litter
everywhere, picking up litter and
putting it in dustbins.
 Using natural resources wisely .For
example, saving water by taking shorter
showers and fixing or reporting leaking
pipes.
 Not polluting the environment. For
example, not burning rubbish where
people live.

COMPASSION

Compassion is the feeling of sympathy for the suffering or pain of others, the desire to help, and
the action we take to help them and to show we care.

SYMPATHY EMPATHY COMPASSION

Understand Be able to put yourself in Understand another

someone’s suffering someone else’s shoes person’s suffering and
and feel what they feel want to take it away

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Ways of showing compassion when dealing with others

Below are some ways of showing compassion when dealing with others.

Ways of showing compassion Examples of compassionate actions

Being kind  Donating money to organizations that
help the poor and vulnerable members
of our communities and societies.
 Giving food, clothes and shelter to the
societies.
Using your time to help those in need  Spending your time visiting the sick.
 Helping an old or sick person who lives
on their own with household chores
such as sweeping the yard and
preparing meals.
Showing sympathy  Giving condolences to someone who is
bereaved.
 Acknowledging the feelings of
someone who is hurt or in need by
expressing our sympathy verbally or in
writing.
 Kind words can help a person know
you care.

HOPE

Hope is the feeling or wish that events will turn out for the best that our expectations will be
fulfilled, and that something desirable or good is possible.

People hope for different things, for example, happiness, success and good health.

 Some people may hope to be happily married

 Parents may hope that their children will grow up to be responsible adults and have a
good life.
 Young people may hope that when they finish schooling, they will get good jobs and be
successful.
 We may hope that someone who is sick will get better and be healthy again.

HONESTY AND RIGHT SPEECH

Honesty is the act of telling the truth and being sincere, trustworthy, honorable, fair and genuine.
Right speech is speaking acceptable and pleasant words. it is speaking in a way that promotes
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harmony between people by being sincere and choosing words carefully. A person who uses
right speech does not lie, gossip, use idle talk or harsh words when speaking.

The importance of honesty when dealing with others

It is important to be honest when dealing with others for the following reasons.

 Honesty creates trust in the minds of other people. This helps people relate well and
brings about peace and harmony in society. Nobody wants to be lied to or to be
deliberately misled. If you are known as a liar and a cheat, other people will never
trust what you say or do.
 We cannot begin to solve problems that may arise when we deal with other people,
unless we are honest about what the problems are and their causes.
 Honesty is an important part of behaving in an ethical way.

THE IMPORTANCE OF RIGHT SPEECH WHEN DEALING WITH OTHERS

It is important to know that sometimes being honest is not easy. We need courage to tell the truth
because honesty can have negative consequences. If we tell the truth, some people may become
angry with us. Telling the truth may also hurt the feelings of others and put them in trouble.
However, this does not mean we should not be honest. One way of overcoming the challenges of
being honest, is to use the right speech when talking to people.

Using the right speech involves;

 Using the right words at the right time,

 Talking to people politely, and
 Being non-judgmental

It is important to use the right speech when dealing with others because it;

 Shows we have no desire to hurt others by what we are saying.

 Is a sign that we are being sincere?
 Shows respect for other people.
 Builds good relations with other people.

PATIENCE

Patience is the ability or willingness to tolerate delay, provocation, and to deal with
difficulties or problems, calmly, without complaining or becoming annoyed and angry.

DILLGENCE

Diligent people:
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  Paying attention to details in what they do.
 Do things with excellence
 Do things in time

PERSEVERERANCE
Perseverance means to remain steady and to continue doing a task, working towards a goal or
believing in someone or something, in spite of difficulties and disappointments one may
experience.

People who have the virtue of perseverance;

 Set goals for themselves and stick to them until they achieve them.
 Never give up, no matter how long it takes and regardless of any problems,
setbacks, distractions and disappointments one may encounter, until the task
is done or they have achieved their goals.
 Do not let anything or anyone stop them or distract them from what they want
to achieve.
 Do not count how many times they do something. They will try and try again
until they achieve their goal.
 When they encounter problems, they do not give up but look for solutions to
the problems.

PURITY

Purity is a state of being free from harmful, evil and immoral thoughts and actions.

SEXUAL PURITY IN RELIGIONS

Different religions teach followers about the importance of purity, especially sexual purity and
how it can be attained. Sexual purity means abstaining from all sexual activities, practices,
thoughts and desires considered immoral, improper or unlawful. Sexual purity is known as
chastity.

CHRISTIANITY;

Christians are taught that their bodies are dwelling places for the Holy Spirit that they should
keep pure at all times. Christians are also encouraged to be sexually pure. They should avoid evil
desires and be righteous and faithful in words and actions (2 Timothy 2:22).

FOR CHRISTIANS, SEXUAL PURITY OR CHASTITY INVOLVES;

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  Not having sexual relationship or engaging in sexual intercourse or any other kinds of
sexual activities and practices before marriage. They should remain virgins. Abstaining
from sex before marriage is an important part of leading a Christian life. (1 Corinthians
7;8-8)
 Married people only having sexual relations with their husband or wife. Being faithful to
each other and showing love and respect for each other by not committing adultery or
even desiring to have sex with someone else’s.
 Keeping ones’ thoughts pure and avoiding lustful thoughts and speaking words that can
arouse sexual emotions.
 Staying away from pornography. They should not watch, read or listen to anything that
can arouse their sexual feelings.
 Dressing modestly and avoiding dress that can sexually arouse other people’s feelings.
 Not kissing passionately if they are not married. Nor should they touch each other’s
private parts with or without clothes as this can raise sexual feelings.

Sexual purity, before and after marriage, is believed to be God’s plan. It is not seen as a way of
discouraging Christians from experiencing sexual pleasure but encouraging them to experience it
in the right way, which is within a monogamous faithful marriage.

BUDDHISM

Buddhism value sexually purity. This is why those who choose to be monks and nuns take a
vow of celibacy, which means they do not marry and they abstain from sex for the rest of their
lives. Monks and nuns do this in order to lead sexually pure lives.

All Buddhists are expected to abstain from sexual misconduct.

 Avoiding pre-marital sex.

 Respecting and honoring one’s body. Married people should not commit adultery and
unmarried people should not have premarital sex (fornication).
 Not entertaining thoughts that can arouse sexual feelings because one may end up being
tempted to indulge I sexual activities and relations.

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN BOTSWANA

In African traditional religion in Botswana, sexual purity is very important. Sexual relationship is
regarded as sacred and should take place between a husband and wife. Sexual activities should
be done in private. Unmarried Women are expected to remain virgins until after marriage.

ISLAM

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According to Islam, sex is sacred because it is a gift from Allah and it should only be used in the
manner that Allah commands. The gift of sex is only to those who are legally married.

For Muslims, sexual purity or chastity involves;

 Avoiding sex before marriage. Those who are not married should refrain from
touching, fondling and hugging other people. Muslims are encouraged to keep their
chastity until marriage. Those who indulge in sex before marriage are punished.
 A married man only having sex with his wife or wives. Remember in Islam a man is
allowed to marry up to four wives if he can take care of them and treat them equally.
 A married woman only having sex with her husband.
 Married people only having sex in private.

Muhammad understood that sometimes people could be tempted to indulge in sex before
marriage. He therefore recommended that people should fast as a way of fighting against sexual
desires and the temptation to engage in premarital sex or adultery.

WHAT IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE?

Substance abuse is the repeated overuse or misuse of any chemical substance. Examples of
substance that can be abused are alcohol, glue, medicines and drugs such as mandrax, heroin,
cocaine, marijuana or dagga. Some of the substances are legal while others are illegal.
Substances that are legal include tobacco and alcohol. Those which are illegal are mandrax,
heroin, cocaine, marijuana or dagga.

GUIDELINES ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN DIFFERENT RELIGIONS

Almost all religions are against substance abuse .Below are some guidelines on substance abuse
in Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and ATR in Botswana.

Although there are many instances in the Bible where alcohol, usually in the form of wine, is
used, Christian churches have different views on the use of alcohol. Some Christian churches are
not against the use of alcohol, as long as it is used in moderation. Others are against the use of
alcohol. Some of the churches that are against drinking alcohol encourage their followers to not
drink alcohol. Others prohibit the drinking of any form of alcohol at all.

Although Christian churches have different views on the use of alcohol, they all accept that the
Bible condemns the drinking of alcohol which results in drunkenness and improper conduct.
Below is what the Bible says about drunkenness;

Romans 13; 13 ‘let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the light of day-no
orgies
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 Or drunkenness, no immorality or indecency, no fighting or jealousy.

Ephesians 5; 18 ‘Do not get drunk with wine, which will only ruin you instead, be filled with the
spirit.

Proverbs 20; 1 ‘Drinking too much makes you loud and foolish. It is stupid to get drunk.

Proverbs 23; 20’Don’t associate yourself with people who drink too much
wine……..Drunkards…..will be reduced to poverty’.

All Christians accept that drug abuse is wrong and sinful. It makes people unable to think clearly,
weakens their self-control and leads them to commit other immortal acts such as stealing and
lying .In most countries, including Botswana, one would be breaking the law by using substances
such as mandrax, heroin, cocaine and marijuana.

Romans 13:1-2 ‘Everyone must obey the state authorities, because no authority exists without
God’s permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God. Whoever opposes the
existing authority opposes what God has ordered……’

ISLAM

Islam forbids Muslims from taking intoxications in any form and in any amount, because it turns
believers away from Allah. Intoxicants harm a person’s ability to think clearly and behave
correctly. They believe the soul and the body belongs to Allah and should not be harmed by any
intoxicants.

In the Quran, the surah Baqarah state:

‘they ask you regarding wine and gambling .say, in both of them is major sin, and there is some
benefit for men, but the sin of them is far greater than benefit.

Sharia law provides the following guidelines about alcohol .Muslims must not;

 Sell alcohol
 Work in a place where alcohol is sold.
 Go near or sit in a place where alcohol is sold.
 Sell grapes to a winery
 Utter the name of Allah where there is alcohol.
 Receive or give alcohol to any person even a non-Muslim.

BUDDHISM
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Buddhists believe that substance abuse leads to suffering. Buddhism has five basic precepts
which act as guidelines for correct and moral behaviour. The fifth precept states that a Buddhist
should not take any intoxicants such as alcohol and illegal drugs, even in moderation.

The individual who takes alcohol cannot control his or her mind.

 Buddhists should always account for their actions. This is from one of the Noble
Eightfold Path.
 Alcohol and illegal substances make people’s minds not to be clear and to lose control.
Buddhists should always have clear minds so that they can think clearly.

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN BOTSWANA

In ATR in Botswana, the use of substance abuse such as tobacco and alcohol is allowed.
Tobacco is smoked, chewed or inhaled. However, tobacco should be used in moderation.
Tobacco is also offered to the ancestors. Traditional beer is drunk during leisure time by
adults. Just like tobacco. It should only be drunk in moderation.

Excessive drinking leading to drunkenness is not approved of. Traditional beer also plays an
important part during ceremonies and festivals such as the rain making ceremony and the
harvest festival of dikgafela. It is also used to thank or appease the ancestors when people
pray.

The religion does not allow the abuse of substance such as marijuana. Substance abuse is
considered wrong and morally unacceptable because of the harm it causes to a person’s
health and relationships with others. Followers are encouraged to behave in ways that are
morally acceptable in the community.

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 PUBLIC VIRTUES

Explain the virtue of charity.

- Charity is the kindness or sympathy that a person shows towards other people. It involves
showing generosity, kindness, compassion and empathy towards others in need.

Public Virtues
Definition; are attitudes, actions and character traits that people in the society are expected to
show so that society becomes better. For example, charity, tolerance, botho, generosity, e.t.c.

VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN THE SOCIETY

- Vulnerable means being easy to harm or attack physically or emotionally.

- People who are disadvantaged by their circumstances are vulnerable. The following are some
examples of vulnerable groups:

 Children

 Sick people

 Poor People

 Widows and widowers

 Orphans

 The elderly

 Women

 Certain ethnic groups

 People living with HIV/ AIDS

 Physically and mentally challenged people

How vulnerable members of the society can be helped

 Respecting and protecting their rights.

 Imparting skills to assist them get jobs and become self employed.

 Providing social welfare services by giving basic needs and health care.

26 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
  Build and donate houses for destitute people.

 Taking care of abandoned children.

 Should be provided with emotional support so that they do not feel rejected but loved.

 Designing user – friendly policies to support institutions that take care of the vulnerable
members of society.

 Mobilizing community awareness programs; teaching the community to love and accept
the vulnerable in order to change people’s attitudes towards the vulnerable.

ASSISTING VULNERABLE GROUPS

CHILDREN

 Children must be provided with security –be protected from abuse from other
people and all other challenges in the environment they live in so that they feel
secure. A sense of security will help them to develop their full potential.

 Be provided with basic needs (food, clothing and shelter)- it is the responsibility of
the government and general community to take care of the children

 Be provided with emotional support- family members and appointed bodies should
always talk to children, comfort them, and encourage them, especially when they are
sick or when have lost loved ones. It is everyone’s responsibility to make their
suffering bearable.

 Be taught their rights and responsibilities- this empowers them to make good
decisions.

 Be given formal education-to get the knowledge and skills they need for life. Parents
should pay school fees and development levy, attend school meetings; check that
home work and assignments are done.

 Laws that protect children be upheld-e.g. Botswana Children’s Act. Those who
abuse children should be punished severely.

 Be provided with medical care:- medical care should be given to stop them from
getting sick and help them get well when they are sick.

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 ORPHANS

Extra care should be given by the community to stop greedy people from taking orphans’
possessions and inheritance or abusing them. Children’s organizations such as the
following must protect the children:

 CHILDLINE- provides emotional support and protects children’s rights. It offers the
following services:

 Offers alternative care programs

 Public education and information dissemination on child abuse, children’s rights and
positive parenting

 Face to face counseling is offered on weekdays from 8am to 5pm

 Intervention on child abuse cases

 Prepares children for court

 Investigate reported cases of suspected child abuse

 Empowers children to protect and take care of themselves where possible

 SOS Children’s village-provides a home for abandoned children and street kids. They
provide the following services:

 Care for orphans, destitute and abandoned children

 Aim to develop children into responsible and independent adults who will have the inner
strength to cope with the challenges of the future

 Have Kindergartens that are attended by both SOS children and children from
surrounding communities

 Identify needy families and provide extra support to the families

POOR PEOPLE

These are people without enough basic needs and everyone should help the by providing food,
clothing, shelter and necessary survival skills such as gardening etc. they also need emotional
and financial support. This could be achieved though:

 The re-introduction of cultural practices lie mafisa, molaletsa etc

 Financial schemes like motshelo and burial societies

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  Sharing of resources

 Government making it easier for the poor tot business grants

 Empathizing with the poor ass this gives them hope in life

WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS

This is a person who lost a wife or husband. The person can be poor if the lost partner was a
breadwinner. Should be supported in the following ways:

 Emotionally – offer acceptance, comfort and hope

 Practically-help with basic needs such as food

 Legally- laws should be formulated to protect widows from anyone who seeks to take
advantage of them e.g. taking their belongings after partner’s death.

PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY CHALLENGED PEOPLE

People who are physically challenged are unable to help themselves or cope on their own. It is
very important for everyone to assist them physically and mentally. Ways of helping them
include:

 Access to buildings: buildings should have ramps for people in wheel chairs or on
crutches.

 Access to education: learning styles for mentally and physically challenged people
should be provided so that can also be educated and be able to work and earn a salary.
Aids such as Braille, hearing aids and wheelchairs should be availed.

 Laws: there should be laws to protect the rights of physically and mentally challenged
people.

 Employment opportunities: people need to find a way for them to earn a living.

 Spread of information: physically and mentally challenged people also need to be

informed about issues such as HIV and AIDS etc

 Emotional support: people should always be willing to help them not to shun them.

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ELDERLY PEOPLE

The elderly should be respected and given the dignity they deserve as senior citizens. Because of
age it becomes difficult for elders to be active and healthy as they used to be. They must be
offered with the following:

 Basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing

 Love care and emotional support

 Assistance in regularly taking medicines prescribed by doctors

 Getting their old age pension every month

 Celebrating their special moments in life, for example their birthdays, wedding
anniversary to encourage them to be hopeful

 There should be laws to protect them from any form of abuse, e.g. children who neglect
or abandon their parents should be punished.

HOW RELIGIONS IMPART POVERTY ALLEVIATING SKILLS TO VULNERABLE

GROUPS OF PEOPLE

CHRISTIANITY

 Train people on manual work, e.g. Metsimotlhabe Catholic centre trains people on
sewing to help them earn a living.

 Financing people to start gardens to provide for themselves, e.g. Seventh Day Adventist
Church.

 Teaching them practical skills such as carpentry, cooking, e.t.c, e.g. Bible Life Ministries.

 Pay for children’s school fees, e.g. UCCSA so that they can acquire skills to face life
challenging issues.

 Help to groom different talents e.g. learning football, volleyball skills, playing gospel
music e.t.c.

ISLAM

 Equip the vulnerable with business management skills.

30 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
  Provide them with basic needs so that they become positive about learning poverty
alleviation skills.

 Built a day care centre in Lentsweletau to provide preschool education and prepare the
children for formal schooling

A.T.R. in BOTSWANA

 Teach boys and girls necessary skills for survival, e.g. hunting skills, woodwork skills,
crop growing skills, basket weaving e.t.c.

 Encourage self reliance, e.g. through mafisa, majako.

THE CONCEPT OF BOTHO

DEFINITION: Botho is about the way we live with other people displaying positive attributes
such as empathy, caring, generosity, compassion, kindness, e.t.c.

How the Concept of Botho Can Be Used To Assist The Vulnerable People in Society

 Making laws to protect the vulnerable people in society from abuse, like social welfare
programs which help meet the needs of destitutes.

 Raise funds and donate items to help destitute people. E.g. Botswana Police service
donated to disadvantaged members.

 Private companies give money to organizations that care for the vulnerable.

 People volunteer and help the vulnerable, e.g. Shirley Madikwe of the Thari ya Setshaba
Award.

Children

 Adopting children and orphans

 Giving donations

 Building Orphanage Centres, e.g. Mma Madikwe in Gamodubu village

 Taking children to S.O.S villages

 Respect for children by not abusing them either emotionally, physically or otherwise.

31 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
HIV/AIDS Patients

 Emotional support through counseling

 Material support by visiting and providing them with food

 Not stigmatizing them

 Taking them to medical centres for medication

 Treating them with dignity by not disclosing their status to others

Women

 Through the erection of laws that protect women

 Empowering women with survival skills, e.g. sewing

 Sharing responsibilities, e.g. cooking, bathing kids, etc

 Involves women in decision making as in the home and community

 Allowing women to take leadership positions, e.g. legislator, Dikgosi etc

 Educate the society about women abuse

 Providing shelter for abused women, e.g. the Kagisong Women’s Shelter in Gaborone

The Concept of Botho in A.T.R. in Botswana

Botho in A.T.R. in Botswana is recognized through the following:

 Greeting people especially elders.

 Showing love and kindness towards other people e.g. strangers.

 Not engaging in criminal activities.

 Showing compassion, empathy e.t.c.

 Bowing when receiving or giving something to someone

 Being ready to help those in need.

The Existence of Botho in Hinduism, Islam, Bahai Faith & Sikhism

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The following religions show Botho through:

SIKHISM

 Sharing the Langar meal after each service in the Gurdwara. Any member of the
community who is present even if he is not a Sikh is welcome to share the meal, this
symbolizes equality.

 Sikhs are encouraged to be well mannered and courteous to others.

 Followers are taught to be respectful and kind to all people and animals.

 Not to do criminal activities.

HINDUISM

 Hindus practice Ahimsa; meaning non – violence to any living thing.

 They show compassion to the disadvantaged through helping them.

 Hindus treat everyone with respect.

 Build up wealth in honest ways not cheating in order for them to be rich.

 Hindus should forgive and avoid being angry when they have been wronged.

 They should not engage in criminal activities.

ISLAM

 Muslims have a religious duty of helping the poor, the sick and the needy people in the
society.

 Muslims volunteer or give more than required by Zakat.

 Muslims are to be truthful and honest when dealing with others and they should also treat
others with respect.

TOLERANCE AND OTHER VIRTUES NEEDED TO ACHIEVE SOCIAL HARMONY

WHAT IS SOCIAL HARMONY

Social harmony refers to a situation where there is peace and people work together for the
common good regardless of their differences

33 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
 OR

Social harmony is when people live together in peace

WHAT IS TOLERANCE

This means accepting and living with people who are different from us without asking them to
change and become like us.

HOW THE VIRTUE OF TOLERANCE AND OTHER VIRTUES CAN HELP TO

ACHIEVE SOCIAL HARMONY

To achieve social harmony, people should be able to accept others which is tolerance. Tolerance
involves showing the following attitudes and behavior:

 Accepting people regardless of their differences because we understand that everyone has
the right to live in peace and to be as they are.

 Being broadminded and not imposing our views on others so that they may be peace

 Not expecting others to think , look, speak, or act just like us to have harmony

 Accepting other people’s opinions , practices, or behavior which are different from ours
in order to have peace

 Acknowledging differences and being able to live together and respect those who are
different from us in order to live in peace

 Trying to understand how people do things and be prepared to learn about other cultures
(be open minded)

 Realize that our views are not always the best one

THE RLATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOLERANCE AND OTHER VIRTUES (how tolerance

and other virtues help to achieve social harmony)

 RESPECT: this involves treating people with courtesy, politely and with dignity. If we
respect other people then we will accept our differences and not try to impose our views
and ways of life on others.

 JUSTICE: it involves treating people fairly. If we accept that all human beings should be
treated justly, then we will treat them fairly despite of our differences

34 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
  HONESTY: tolerance depends on us being honest with our ourselves and humble enough
to accept that we are not perfect are not always right. Just because some people look
different or do things in different ways in life, it does not mean they are inferior or less
important as humans.

 COMPASSION: tolerance requires that we should be compassionate towards others. It

would be difficult to achieve social harmony. If the rich do not care about the poor, the
powerful do not care about the less powerful etc, there will be no peace. Compassion
means we have to understand the pain and suffering of others and do something to help
them.

THE VIRTUES SHOWN BY MOTHER THERESA IN HER MISSION TO CHANGE

THE WORLD

COMPASSION: She devoted her life to helping the poor and the sick. She fed, clothed and
bathed them, treating them like her own children.

PATIENCE: Throughout her life she was devoted to the care of the poor, the sick and
disadvantaged. She never got tired of helping the vulnerable people.

LOVE: She showed love and care for the sick, the poor, orphaned and the dying. Throughout
her life she was determined to change people’s hearts and attitude by spreading her simple
message of love.

HOPE: She brought hope to people that God loves them and they should love each other.

CHARITY: She expressed selfless love for the poor, the sick and the dying. She made the
unwanted and unloved to feel accepted. She provided home and food for the underprivileged.

FAITH: She had a deep understanding and belief on the Gospel. She chose to put love in to
action as taught by Jesus Christ.

35 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
 UNDERSTANDING RITES OF PASSAGE
Introduction

Stages of Human Development

Some important stages in life are celebrated with special activities. These stages of human
development are birth, puberty, marriage and death.

Explanations:

1. Birth- a stage that marks the beginning of a person’s life on earth.

2. Puberty- a stage of transition from childhood into adulthood.
3. Marriage- A legal union between a man and a woman to become husband and wife.
4. Death- final stage of life on earth.

What are rites of passage?

Rites of passage are rituals or special activities done to mark the end of one stage in a person’s
life.

The significance of rites of passage at each stage of Human Development.

1. To get (acquire) a new social status.

2. To acquire new roles and responsibilities within a family or the community.
3. To affirm a community’s beliefs and values.
4. To create a bond and a sense of identity.

The Significance of Birth Rites Of Passage

1. To mark the beginning of a new life in the family and community.

2. To welcome a new baby into the family and the community.
3. To create a bond between a mother and her baby.
4. To protect the wellbeing of a mother and her baby during and after birth.
5. To assist and equip the new mother with baby care skills.

The Significance of Puberty Rites Of Passage.

1. To mark the movement of boys and girls from childhood into adulthood.
2. To prepare the boys and girls for their responsibilities as adults.
3. To usher boys and girls into new social statuses in the family and the community.
4. To prepare boys and girls for the next stage of marriage, their roles and responsibilities as
wives and husbands.
5. To enable boys and girls to be accepted as full members of their religious groups.
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The Significance of Marriage Rites Of Passage.

1. To mark a change of status from being single to being married.

2. To prepare the couple for their new roles and responsibilities as husband and wife.
3. To officially blend the wife and husband’s family to become related.
4. To affirm love and commitment of the wife and the husband to each other.

The Significance of Death Rites Of Passage.

1. To mark the end of life.

2. To help the family members to accept their loss of a loved one and move on with their
own lives.
3. To affirm religious/cultural beliefs that different people have about death.eg Life after
death, reincarnation etc

Birth Rites and Rituals in ATR in Botswana.

In this religion, the birth of a new baby is a time of joy and the rituals begin from pregnancy
stage up to after birth of the baby. Some of the rituals are listed below;

1. Giving of traditional herbs to the pregnant mother by the traditional healer to

chase away evil spells that can harm the baby.
2. Observation of certain taboos related to food that is not allowed such as eggs and
liver. Also the pregnant mother abstains from sexual activities.
3. Burying of the placenta and umbilical cord (Khujwana) in a deep hole where it
can never be seen again.
4. Bathing a new baby with traditional herbs.
5. Confinement of a new mother and her baby (Botsetse).
6. Placing a log (mopakwana) at the entrance of the house (hut) where the new
mother and her baby are.
7. Shaving off of the baby’s hair, this will be buried with the umbilical cord.
8. Go bewa Phogwana, putting concoctions of herbs on the baby’s head for
protection.
9. Mantsho a ngwana, a ceremony that marks the end of confinement (Botsetsi).
10. Naming ceremony- an event where the new baby is given a name usually
dependent on the season of his or her birth, e.g. raining season.

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The Significance of Birth Rituals in ATR in Botswana.

They are meant to protect the mother and her baby from physical and spiritual harm. For
example;
 The traditional herbs given to the mother and her baby.
 Bathing the new baby with traditional herbs.
 Offering prayers to ancestors to ask for protection of the new mother and her
baby.
 Confinement (botsetsi) keeps away contact with evil members of the family and
the community.
 Burying the placenta and umbilical cord keep away evil spirits and witchcraft.
1. Confinement period gives the new mother a chance to rest and recover.
2. The baby rites also separate the ritually clean and the ritually unclean, for
instance, the log (mopakwana) placed at the entrance is a sign that (motsetsi) a
new mother is inside and no contact is allowed from outside (the community who
are ritually unclean).
3. They celebrate a new life and strengthen the baby. For example, go bewa
phogwana make the baby to overpower evil spirits. The shaving off of the new
baby’s hair too marks the end of the baby life inside its mother and a new
beginning outside the womb.
4. They welcome the new baby into the community, for example, Mantsho a
ngwana ceremony where confinement period ends and the community sees the
new baby for the first time.

Rituals Associated with Birth in Hinduism.

All Hindus believe a new life is a gift from god. They show appreciation for this new life
in a number of ways. All important stages of human development are marked by rituals
called samskaras. The Samskaras of birth and after birth are as follows;

Before birth.

1. The first samskara is done when the mother wants to get pregnant and is known as
Garbhahana. This ritual is done when a couple gets married and prays for fertility
and the kind of baby they wish for.
2. The second samskara is called the Pumsavana which is done at the early months
of pregnancy. Prayers are said to increase chances of giving birth to a male child.
3. The third samskara is called Simatonnayana. It is done at the last stages of
pregnancy (8th month). Special prayers are said to ask for safe delivery.

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 After birth

1. Birth ceremony is known as Jatakarma which makes it the fourth Samskara. The
priest leads the special prayers, hymns are sung from the Vedas and holy water is
sprinkled on the new mother and her baby. The father will then hold his new baby
a dip a golden pen in honey and write the sacred syllable AUM on the baby’s
tongue. Special prayers of wisdom will be said by the father into the baby’s ear.
2. Naming ceremony which marks the fifth samskara takes place on day twelve after
the birth of the baby. Choosing the right name is very crucial as it is believed to
shape the destiny of the baby’s future. The ceremony ends with prayer and songs
and snacks are shared among family members. It is called Namakarana.
3. The baby’s first contact with the outside world marks the sixth samskara. The
baby is shown the sun during the day and the moon at night. The baby will be
taken to the Mandir for special prayers too. It is called Nishkramana.
4. Introduction of solid foods marks the seventh samskara usually done when the
baby is 6 months old. Special prayers are offered to gods and goddesses. The baby
will be given a silver spoon. It is known as Annaprashana.
5. Shaving off the baby’s hair marks the eighth samskara which is done in front of a
sacred fire. It is known as Chudakarana.
6. The piercing of ear lobes (Karnavedha) marks the last samskara which makes
them nine. It is done after 3 years, if it’s a boy the right ear is pierced first and for
a girl it would be the left ear done first.

The Significance of Birth Rituals in Hinduism

1. They encourage married couples to have children of their own.

2. To protect the mother and her baby.
3. To cleanse and purify the baby.
4. They are meant to introduce and welcome the new baby into the community.
5. They are done to name and give a baby an identity and bless her or his life.

Rites Associated with Birth in Judaism.

In Jewish communities babies are considered to be a blessing, in Genesis1:28 “Be fruitful and
multiply”. Some of the birth rituals are as follows;

Cleansing and purifying a new mother after giving birth. The new mother bathes in a special
pool of water called Mikveh after seven days from the date of birth and when her bleeding has
stopped.

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NB: The birth of boys and girls are celebrated separately in Judaism.

Baby Girls

The naming ceremony

It takes place on the first Sabbath after the birth of the baby girl and a special ceremony is held at
home or the synagogue. The baby is dressed well and both parents are present. The father would
make a reading from the Torah and some special prayers follow. The rabbi names the child and
all present shout “Just as she entered the covenant”. The parents and guest would read speeches
and there after the rabbi says a final blessing and a small party is held.

Baby Boys

Greeting of the Baby

The special activity is held the first Friday after the birth of a baby boy. The family and friends
come together at home to each chick peas and have some refreshments. This is known as Shalom
Zachor which means greeting.

Circumcision (Birth Milah)

Eight days after the birth of the baby boy, a ceremony will take place either at home, synagogue
or hospital. The baby will be given a name and the father holds the baby wearing his tallit and
tephillin / teffillin. A short service will be held and thereafter the father hands the baby to the
sandek (God father). The mohel (a person educated in surgical techniques) carries out
circumcision. The baby is blessed and wine is shared among the present. A few drops of wine are
given to the baby. A meal will also be served with drinks (Sendat Mitzvah).

Redemption of the first born.

This special ceremony is for the first born boys only. When the baby is 30 days old the father
gives the priest five silver coins or something of that value to buy out the boy out of priest hood.
The Jews believe that first born baby boys are born priests but have to be redeemed from this
role because they cannot fulfill it.

The Significance of Birth Rituals in Judaism.

1. They give a child an identity.

2. They fulfill a covenant that God made with Abraham.
3. They help purify the woman.
4. Redeems baby boys from being priests

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 5. Brings people together

Rituals Associated with birth in Sikhism

Sikhs view the birth of babies as a gift from God and hence, somerituals are done to protect the
baby as they are part of the Guru Granth Sahib. They are as follows:

Whispering of prayer
The first words whispered to the baby as soon as after its birth start with Guru Granth Sahib, they
are known as Mool Mantra. The father of the baby is the one who performs this ritual, drops of
honey a put in the baby’s mouth.

Seclusion of the mother and the baby

For thirteen days after giving birth, the new mother and her baby are secluded (kept inside the
house).The new mother will be given a ritual bath called sutak and will also be given new clothes
to put on.

Giving the amrit

The amrit is a special mixture of sugar and water prepared by the Guru before the special
ceremony begins. A few drops are put into the baby’s mouth and this mixture is believed to be
powerful remedy for all illnesses.It is also said to make the baby a very sweet person, the mother
would take the rest of the remaining mixture.

The naming ceremony

This ceremony takes place at the Gurdwara when the new mother is fit enough. All members of
the family attend, the will be singing and recitation of verses from theGuru Granth Sahib. If the
baby is a boy the middle name would be Singh (lion) and for a girl Kaur (princess).At the end a
song of bliss (Arad Sahib) is sung and a prayer is offered on behalf of the parents and the baby.
A special meal will be served called Karah Parshard made of flour, semolina, butter and sugar.
The meal symbolizes goodness of God and the importance of sharing among all Sikhs.

The Significance of birth rituals in Sikhism

 To introduce the baby to the Sikh religion

 To bless the baby to be a caring person
 To emphasise the importance of the Guru Granth Sahib
 To promote the spirit of sharing

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  To protect and strengthen the new mother and her baby

PUBERTY RITES IN DIFFERENT RELIGIONS

JUDAISM
Jews mark the transition from childhood to adulthood with a special ceremony. The ceremony
for girls is conducted when they are twelve years, their ceremony is called Bat Mitzvah(daughter
of commandment) while for boys is done when they are thirteen years old, their ceremony is
called Bar Mitzvah(son of commandment).The ceremonies take place in the synagogue on the
Sabbath day.

 During Bat Mitzvah ceremony, the father recites the baruch shepatarani.The girls
are taught about the Jewish faith, Jewish dietary laws and how to prepare the
kosher meal. The girls might also read passages from the Torah or give the
sermon in the synagogue. The ceremony ends by sharing meals.

 During Bar Mitzvah, the boy recites a blessing on the Torah before it is read. He
reads the Torah for the first time in front of the congregation in the synagogue.
His father recites the baruchshepararani,this statement which the father thanks
Yahweh and rejoices that his son is now old enough to participate fully in the
religion. He then declares that now the boy is responsible for his own actions. The
Rabbi presents the teffillin and the tallit to the boy. The teffillin are the small
leather cubes containing the shema.The tallit is a prayer shawl which men put on
the shoulder when they worship. The fringes of the shawl called tzitzitremind the
wearer of the Ten Commandments. The ceremony ends by sharing of the Seder
meal and presenting gifts to the boy.
SIKHISM

When young Sikhs (boys and girls) approach adulthood they are initiated into the khalsa, so that
they become full members of the Sikh community. Khalsa is called the Amritsankar. The
Amritsanskar ceremony is conducted in the Gurdwara or any other place in the presence of the
Guru Granth Sahib.

During the ceremony there should be five Sikh men to represent panjpiare (beloved ones).The
initiates take bath and wear new clothes during the ceremony. The initiates stands before the five
panjpiaras with their hands held together. Prayers are said to bless the initiates. One of the
Panjpiaras reads the principles of the Sikh religion to the initiates. The initiates promise to follow
the principles of the Sikh religion.

Amrit(mixture of sugar and water) is mixed in a bowl, then the five panjpiaras takes turn to stir
the amrit using a two edged sword. The initiates drink the amrit five times from the same bowl,

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as they drink they say the following words: Wahegurujikakhalsa Waheguru jikifateh (the pure
belong to God, victory of God).Then the remaining amrit is sprinkled on their hair, hands and
eyes five times and they are reminded to keep the 5k’s (kesh, kangha, kara, kachera,
kirpan).They are told not to be involved in any immoral behavior. Those who were not given
middle name at birth are given middle name which is Singh (lion) for boys and Kaur (princess)
for girls. The ceremony ends by sharing the Karaprashad meal by all who attended the ceremony.

At the age of thirteen or fourteen boys attend Dastaar Bandi ceremony where they are taught how
to tie their own turban. The Dastaar Bandi ceremony takes place in the front of the Guru Granth
Sahib. An elderly relative of the boy ties the turban around the boy’s head, then the Granthi
explains to the boy the reason why he should keep his hair long and always wear the turban.
Prayers are said to ask for the blessings for the boy.

HINDUISM

Seclusion of girls on the first menstruation until she stop bleeding. She is given gingerly oil
(sesame oil) eggs and selected food(pathiya).Elderly women teach and guide her on how to take
care of herself, the importance of chastity and good behavior as an adult are stressed .Girls who
have not yet reached puberty stage are selected and invited to stay with her. After seclusion a
feast is prepared to celebrate fertility of the girl. During feast rice seeds are put in a closed
container, an oil lamp is lit and put on the container then they are lowered three times in front of
the girl.

Upanayana for boys (sacred thread ceremony) which is the 10 samskara this marks the beginning
of the boys formal education and Hindu scriptures, spiritual birth of a boy. During the ceremony
the boy wears a special loincloth called Dhoti. The boy walks around the sacred fire his hands
folded, which was prepared by the priest, the boy asking the priest to be his student. The priest
agrees and gives him a sacred thread which he has to wear for the rest of his life. The sacred
thread will be placed over the boy’s shoulder so that it hangs across his chest and under his
arm.The boy makes a vow to abstain from sex until marriage. The sacred thread consists of three
strings which are a reminder that the boy has to be faithful to Brahman, his parents and his guru.
The thread also represents three gods (Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu).

After wearing the sacred thread, the priest takes the boy around sacred fire and asks the boy to
observe the religious laws, to pray three times each day and to perform religious ceremonies.The
priest whispers verses three times on the boy’s right ear.
The boy’s head is shaved to mark the start of his new life and to remove any bad karma from his
past life. The ceremony ends with a special meal for all those who have attended. Gifts are given
to the boy and his family. The sacred thread ceremony is only for boys of the higher castes.

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AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN BOTSWANA
The change from childhood to adulthood is marked by separation from the community when
young people go to initiation schools. The ceremony normally takes place in winter. Children
usually go when they are twelve to thirteen years. The initiation school for boys is called
bogwera while for girls is called bojale. Girls also have some rituals which are performed during
their first menstruation.

Girls will be in the seclusion on the first their menstruation until the bleeding stops. They would
be smeared with the cow dung or ochre around their joints for blood to flow well and to increase
fertility also they are not allowed to eat with bare hands, she has to use spoon as it was believed
that she would eat her dirt. No bathing at night because she would be exposing her nakedness to
the evil spirits who may still her fertility. She went through a ritual called ‘go umisa’ this ritual
trains the girl to be careful when handling breakable objects. In some ethnic groups the ceremony
of ‘go rafola’ ends by the girl being beaten by elderly women, this was meant to expose the girl
to hardships, pain and suffering that she might experience in life.

During bojale girls were taken care by the chief’s wife and other chosen elderly women. Girls’
faces and limbs were smeared with white ochre mixed with traditional medicines to strengthen
them. At bojale girls were taught female duties such as household chores, how to handle
husbands , children and the in- laws, customs and values of the society, roles as wives and
mother and traditional songs that contained the roles and responsibilities of a woman. At the end
of the initiation period, they return to the village, the celebration would be held at the main
kgotla. The chief announces the regiment name of the initiates.

Duringbogwera boys go to the bush, the chief give the boys traditional medicine (tshitlo) to
protect them from any form of evil and to make them brave. Boys were taken to the bush by
elderly men who have gone through initiation. When they are at bogwera they are called
magwane. At bogwera their bodies were smeared with white ochre mixed with traditional
medicines to strengthen them. They were also strengthened by being beaten and bathing with
cold water early in morning. Boys at bogwera were taught male duties such as traditional
customs, values and religious beliefs, how to work together as regiment (mophato) and how to
obey and respect the chief. They were also taught fighting skills which would help them to
defend their ethnic group from enemies, traditional songs (dikoma) and poems, carving
knobkerries (melamu) and how to take care of their wives, children and in laws.

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  At bogwera boys were circumcised. This ritual was performed to show that boys
can endure pain. Their heads were shaved, symbolizing a new stage of life. They
were welcomed to the kgotla and the chief announce their regiment name. At the
completion of the ceremony now they are regarded as adult, so they can attend
kgotla meetings and marry.

SIGNIFICANCE OF PUBERTY RITUALS IN AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN BOTSWANA

RELIGION RITUALS SIGNIFICANCE/IMPORTANCE

BOTSETSI JWA GO Seclusion Taught how to take care of
RAFOLA themselves and how to behave
Go omiwa ka dilwana Does not break / destroy household
items
Beating which is done by Strengthen the young girls
elderly women
BOJALE Regimental name Identification
Equality in the group
Cow dung/white ochre Value of fertility
Female duties Responsibilities
BOGWERA Regiment name Identification
Equality
Shaving of the head Signifies new life
Beating and bathing with Makes the boy to be strong
cold water
Circumcision Unite the boys with the ancestors
Provides sense of belonging
Protects a person from not infected
by sexually transmitted disease

SIGNIFICANCE OF PUBERTY RITUALS IN DIFFERENT RELIGION

RELIGION RITUALS SIGNIFICANCE\IMPORTANCE

JUDAISM Reading the Torah Shows the acceptance of their faith

Getting ready to carryout religious
duties and responsibilities
Tallith with fringes Shows fulfilment of the
commandments and is a reminder of
Jewish duty and identity
Bar mitzvah and Bat Identification
mitzvah ceremonies Give boys and girls responsibilities
Reciting of the baruch Acknowledges Yahweh’s protection
shepatarani over their lives
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 Sharing of the Seder meal Encourage the spirit of sharing
Giving of presents

RELIGION RITUALS SIGNIFICANCE/IMPORTANCE

SIKHISM Standing before the Unity and togetherness in the Sikh
panjipiaras with their hands religion
held together
Adoption of middle name Eliminate caste system and promote
equality in Sikhism
Amrit Promise to be true to Sikh faith and
avoid wrongdoing
Drinking amrit from the Symbolises equality
same bowl
Sprinkling the armit on the Devotion to Waheguru
hair, eyes and hands of the
initiates
5K’S Identification
Provides sense of belonging
Tying and wearing of Identification
turban Showing devotion, loyalty and
respect towards the Sikh faith

RELIGION RITUALS SIGNIFICANCE\IMPORTANCE

HINDUISM Seclusion of girls Signifies new life
Shaving of the boy’s hair
Use of rice seed Fertility
Sharing of meal Shows the value of sharing in
Hinduism
Sacred fire Presence of the spirit of Brahman
Purity
Wearing of sacred thread A sign of belonging to Hinduism
Shows commitment to Hindu faith
Identification
Walking towards sacred Humbleness and respect
fire with his hands folded Cleanse and purity of the boy from
his old ways and make him a new
person

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MARRIAGE
Marriage is the legal union or official union of a man and woman as a husband and wife.

Religions have rites and rituals (which may differ from one religion to another) which mark the
change in status of individuals from unmarried or single to being married.

RITES, RITUALS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE IN RELIGIONS

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN BOTSWANA.

GO TLHOMA LE TLHOKWA- (ENGAGEMENT)

Marriage was arranged during and after puberty initiation ceremonies (bogwera and bojale).

In the past, parents were responsible for selecting the marriage partners for their children. This
means the bride and the groom did not take part in the negotiations between the two families.
This was the duty of the uncles who decided on the number of cattle for bride wealth (bogadi).
Certain qualities such as respect, kindness and ability to work hard are considered when
choosing a partner, that’s why the girl was selected from a well behaved family. After
identifying the family, man’s parents would approach the girl’s family with a proposal. If the
girl’s parents accept it, they will be given a cow by a man’s family as engagement.

The beast is slaughtered and eaten by the girl’s family and close relatives on the day of
engagement. Then the young couple will be officially engaged. The girl is expected to remain a
virgin (virginity determined the number of dowry to be paid) that’s why the two were not
allowed to be in each other’s company for a long time without the presence of the third person.

PATLO
(This is a long marriage discussion when some of the man’s senior relatives go to the
bride’s place to ask for a wife)

 Patlo is normally attended only by people who are married.

 The man’s relatives are expected to have dress in a certain way when they go for
patlo, like they wear jackets and women cover their shoulders with shawls to
show respect and humility.
 Patlo has to be carried out before sunrise, therefore man’s relatives have to arrive
in the early hours of morning.
 The women from the bride and grooms families sit together and council the bride
to be on the expected behaviour of her new status.

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  The groom to be sits with the men from his family and that of the bride’s family,
and then he is advised on how to take of his family and how to be a good father
and husband.
BOGADI
 Bogadi which was discussed and set before patlo is handed over to the bride’s family.
 The men receive the dowry the time women are counselling the bride. The dowry may be
in the form of cattle or sheep. The dowry is paid as public expression of a man’s gratitude
for the gift of a wife and a compensation for the bride’s family for the loss. Paying bogadi
is seen as a public way of sealing the marriage like a marriage certificate.
 Once everything has been agreed on by the bride and the groom’s families, they hold the
marriage ceremonies.
 The first marriage ceremony takes place at the bride’s family, usually on a Saturday.
 Family members, relatives and community members eat and drink during the celebration.
 Two cows are slaughtered, one from each side of the marriage party.
 A special kind of meat is prepared and shared by the newly-wed couple. This signifies
that marriage process is complete and the couple has been joined together.
 The people who come to see the bride often bring presents.
 The occasion is blessed by the traditional doctor to offer protection against evil spirits.
 After both ceremonies, the bride’s uncle takes her to the groom’s family home so that she
officially becomes a member of their family.
 This ceremony is held at the grooms place to welcome the bride to her new home and
family.
 In the past the bride was expected to wear lemipi (the fat from a slaughtered animal) as a
sign of purity.

JUDAISM

In Judaism marriage is seen as a holy ceremony or covenant between a man and a woman. It is
known as Kiddushin (sanctification). To the Jews this ceremony signifies the covenant between
Yawheh and his people (the Jews). Therefore, men and women are encouraged to marry, if not
they are considered incomplete.

Jewish marriage rituals are as follows:

Marriage service may take place in the Synagogue or at the bride’s home.

 The parents choose marriage partners for their children (arranged marriage).
 The Sabbath before the wedding the groom reads the Torah, as he reads people throw
nuts, sweets, raisings at him as a symbol of wishing him sweet life.
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  Man and woman will fast just before the wedding, seeking forgiveness for past sins.
 The groom wears a suit and the skull cap, the bride wears a long white gown with veil
covering her face.
 The couple stands under the canopy, decorated with flowers called the Chuppah (huppa)
symbolising their new home.
 The wedding ceremony starts with the couple sipping wine from the same cup while the
rabbi recites a blessing.
 While they share the wine, the rabbi recite seven blessings which bring happiness and
good life to the couple.
 Then the groom places a ring on the bride’s finger in the presence of witnesses and also
exchange wedding vows.
 The groom then reads the marriage contract called Ketubah (it outlines the groom’s
duties like how to take care of his wife.
 The ceremony ends with the groom breaking the glass of wine with his foot. This act
commemorates the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 CE).

SIKHISM

Marriage is usually arranged by parents. Parents are to find suitable partner for their children.
Marriage is known as ANAND KARAS or ceremony of Bliss. Sikhs Believe marriage should be
built on love and respect for this helps the couple to grow spiritually. Most marriages are held at
the bride’s home or the Gurdwara. Any Sikh may conduct the ceremony.

The night before the wedding the ceremony is held for the bride at home, arranged by friends and
relatives.

 She is beautifully adorned in readiness for the ceremony the next day.

 She is also given wedding presents.

 The Guru Granth Sahib should be present during the ceremony

 The groom is first seated before the Guru Granth Sahib, when the bride arrives. She takes
her place on the left.

 The couple then sits cross-legged facing the Guru Granth Sahib.

 The couple and their parents are asked to stand while the rest of the congregation (mainly
the bridegroom and the bride’s relatives) remains seated.

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  The congregation then says a prayer to ask for Satnam’s blessings for the proposed
marriage and for his grace on the union of the couple. This signifies the consent of the
bride and the bridegroom and their parents.

 The parties then resume their seats and sing a short hymn.

 The person conducting the ceremony explains the importance of marriage (explaining the
responsibilities of being faithful, kind, loving, and caring to each partner).

 The couple then bow before the Guru Granth Sahib to indicate that they agree to marry in
the presence of Satnam.

 The bride’s father places garlands of flowers around the couple’s necks and on the Guru
Granth sahib.

 The bride’s father then joins the couple with a scarf by placing the end of the groom’s
scarf in the bride’s hand.

 Then they are made to walk four times, clock wise around the Guru Granth Sahib, as the
first verse is sung by other people present as the couple continues around the holy book.

 The couple is showered with flowers as they walk around the Guru Granth Sahib.

 After this they are declared husband and wife.

 At the end of the ceremony, the bride’s mother gives the groom a piece of sweetmeat.

 The ceremony ends with the sharing of Kara prashad and the Langar meal.

HINDUISM

Hindus view marriage as a sacrament and not a contract. It is life-long commitment between one
husband and one wife. In Hindu tradition marriage is not a relationship between two individuals
but rather two families. Arranged marriages are common in this religion, the bride and the groom
are selected by the parents or the elders since they have more experience and wisdom than them.
The wedding takes place in a temple or the bride’s home.

 The first ritual is engagement, when men from both families meet for a meal to say
prayers and to read the Vedas.

 During the ceremony, a sacred fire is lit to represent the presence of Brahman.

 The wedding ceremony begins with giving offerings to Lord Ganesha. The offerings are
sprinkled on the fire asking for the blessings from the gods.

50 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
  The groom sits under a well decorated canopy called Mandap. He is given a special
drink made of ghee, milk, honey and yoghurt.

 The couple sits in front of the sacred with hands tied together.

 The couple takes seven steps towards and around the sacred fire. Each step, they make
promises to each other saying prayers of fertility, strength and happiness’

 While taking these steps they are joined by a piece of cloth to symbolise that they are
now husband and wife.

 Holy water is sprinkled over them.

 The bride is rubbed with special ointment to keep flies away.

 She wears a red Sari trimmed with gold and gold jewellery.

 Both the groom and the bride has garlands of flowers around their necks

 They are blessed with red dots painted on foreheads.

 The couple exchange gifts e.g. wedding ring and dowry, (dowry is paid by the woman to
the man’s family as a gift for starting a new home.

 The couple also receive presents from friends and relatives wishing them happy life
together.

 A festive meal is shared after the ceremony.

SIGNIFICANCE OF MARRIAGE RITUALS IN RELIGIONS

 To teach new couple their rights and responsibilities in

marriage.

Shown by counselling them on their expected behaviour on

their new status and gender roles.
African Traditional
 Enable people to offer prayers and blessings for the
religion in Botswana
couple.

Couples showered with sorghum seeds wish them to have

children in their marriage as this symbolises fertility. To
Batswana tradition the birth of the first child is the seal to
marriage and makes it to be complete.

51 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
  Bring people together and establish relationships
between them.

Rituals like patlo, bogadi and lenyalo bring people from the
bride and groom’s families together. They carry out duties
together.

 Give people new status

The married person‘s status changes in the society it gives one

a legal seal and recognition that a man become husband and a
woman become a wife.

 To show appreciation

Rituals like bogadi are a way of thanking the bride’s family for
agreeing to give out their daughter to them and for raising her
up.

 Signifies sexual purity

The wearing of lemipi is a symbol of purity which is a virtue

desired by all families for their daughters. Nowadays, they
wear a veil.

 It fulfils an important cultural value

Gives the bridal couple an important new social role and status
in the society. IT facilitates the strengthening of the society
through procreation.

Sikhism  to acknowledge the presence of God

Shown by the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib.

 Encourage equality among people

Sitting cross-legged in front of the Guru Granth Sahib to show

humbleness and that all people are equal before Satnam.

 Demonstrate unity in marriage

Shown by the couple joined with a scarf to symbolise unity.

52 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
  to show acceptance of responsibilities

Bowing before the Guru Granth sahib show obedience and

acceptance to take responsibilities towards each other in
marriage.

 Bring about the importance of sharing

Shown by sharing of Kara prashad and langar meal during

marriage.

Hinduism  To recognise the presence of gods

Shown by giving of offerings to the Lord Ganesha.

 Encourage unity in marriage

Couple‘s right hands tied together as a sign that they are now
one in marriage.

 Provide time for people to bless and wish good things for
the marriage couple

Shown by dipping roses in water and sprinkling the couple with

it as a sign of blessing the couple.

 teach rules and behaviours in marriage

E.g. taking the seven steps around the fire their commitment to
each other in their life.

 Give women identity

Bindi displayed on the woman’s forehead to show that she is

now married and therefore no longer available.

53 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
Judaism  Encourage people to keep their faith

Wearing of the skull cap during the wedding to show that

Yawheh is above all things.

 Reminds the Jews for their historical changes

Breaking of the glass symbolising the destruction of the temple

in Jerusalem reminds that their joy is never complete without
the temple.

 Encourage commitment and attachment of the bride and

groom to each other.

Putting of the ring on the bride’s finger by the groom

symbolises eternal love etc.

 Express future marriage responsibilities

The reading of the marriage contract explaining their

responsibilities.

 Are meant to wish the bride and groom good life.

E.g. the seven blessing they recite during the wedding.

Nuts, sweets and raisings are thrown to the groom wishing

them a sweet life in marriage.

 Emphasise importance of sexual purity

E.g. wearing of white gown and veil by the bride.

 _Encourage unity within marriage

E.g. Drinking wine from the same cup, showing they share
whatever they have in life.

54 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
INTER-RELIGIOUS MARRIAGE (marrying outside one’s religion)
RELIGION VIEWS OM INTER_RELIGIOUS MARRIAGE

ATR in Marrying someone who belongs to a different culture and who follows
Botswana different customs and beliefs is discouraged in ATR in Botswana. It is often
believed that this kind of marriage will confuse children who will be born to
the couple. Children might not know which culture or customs they should
follow.

Such marriages may cause conflicts and disagreement in the family and can
break up the family as the couple may fail to tolerate each other’s culture,
beliefs and customs.

Judaism Jews are encouraged to marry within their own religion, therefore not allowed
to marry non-Jews. They believe that Yahweh does not allow them to mix or
inter-marry other nations. A Jew who decides to marry a non-Jew is not
allowed to hold the marriage ceremony in the Synagogue. Nowadays, the
partner who is not Jewish converts to Judaism in order to marry his or her
beloved.

Inter-religious marriage can only be allowed in a case where a mother is a

Jew, because in that case, the children will be considered Jews. If the mother
is a non-Jew, the children would not be Jews even if the father is a Jew.

Hinduism Hindus do not allow or encourage marrying outside their religion. A Hindu
should marry another Hindu since the elders consider the horoscopes of
young people. They want to see whether or not the couple is suitable for each
other. Therefore it difficult for them to marry from other religions since it
will not be possible to check whether the couple suits each other.

They also argue that children of inter- religious marriage may have difficulty
in choosing the religion to follow. It also leads to conflicts and intolerance in
the family.

Sikhism Sikhs do not encourage inter-religious marriage although they do not base
their marriage on socio- economic classes (caste system), rather they believe
in equality. However, they will not accept the marriage of their daughter or
son to a non- Sikh. They believe this can to values of Sikhism being lost.

Also it not good for children born in this family for they have to choose
which religion of parents to follow. Again they say, a person cannot have two

55 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
 faiths.

DEATH RITUALS IN JUDAISM

 A dying Jew should recite the shema (declaration of faith) the most important prayer in
Judaism to ask for forgiveness so that one can have eternal life in heaven. To the Jews
death is a chance to be reconciled with Yahweh or Adonai, time of atonement.
 During death , the dead body is covered and placed on the floor and candles are lit next to
it
 The holy society (chevra kaddisha) will care for it as a sign of respect
 They wash the body and prepare it for burial by wrapping it in white linen
 Men’s bodies are wrapped in a tallit or prayer shawl with one of its fingers cut off
 Dead bodies will be placed in a simple rough coffin
 The body is buried so that it returns to its original form of being dust
 Holy soil of Israel is sprinkled over the body before the coffin is sealed. When the coffin
is laid in the grave relatives tear off a piece of their clothing(keria)
 No flowers and no music is played
 Some Jewish tradition a Jew belonging to the sherpadic tradition walks around the coffin
seven times reciting prayers before the coffin is lowered
 After burial hard boiled eggs and bread is eaten by family members only not visitors
 Mourning period is seven days and family members will stay in the same house and they
should sit on lowered stools not shave, not cutting their hair and nails, not attending
school or work, they have to keep the door unlocked so that visitors will not disturb by
knocking or ringing the bells
 All mirrors must be covered, they must not have sex, not wear leather shoes, keep candles
burning day and night
 After a year a tombstone is erected

DEATH RITUALS IN SIKHISM

 Death is a joyous moment for Sikhs as it offers the soul chance to unite with Waheguru,
they sing a sohila or evening hymn as a symbol of this joyous moment
 After death Sikhs prepare the body for the funeral with yoghurt bath by member of the
same sex while reciting prayers, the dead body is then dressed in new clothes and the five
k’s if it’s a man to symbolize the complete religious life of a Sikh placed with the body.
 Women’s body is placed in the coffin wearing a turban
 A dying Sikh must recite the Sikh chant “Waheguru, Waheguru” as a call to be united
with Waheguru and a declaration of faith
 mourners dress in white
 dead bodies are cremated
 short ceremony takes place before cremation ,prayers may be said and some say few
words from the Guru Granth Sahib
56 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
  dead bodies will be taken to the Gurdwara for the farewell and bathing or straight to the
crematorium for cremation within 48 hours of death
 a close male relative will light the funeral pyre and chant prayers
 after cremation langar meal or Kara pashad are served to all who attended the service
 the following day they will be collecting the ashes and throwing them in the river
 Sikhs will then gather at the deceased house for ten days reciting passages from the Guru
Granth Sahib

DEATH RITUALS IN HINDUISM

To Hindus death is a temporary pause in physical activities

When death occurs in Hinduism, the gods and goddesses of a Hindu home are removed to
avoid being made dirty by death

 The dead bodies is bathed by people of the same gender, a man’s head is shaved to purify
it,
 A paste of sandal wood is then applied to the corpse and it is wrapped in a cloth white for
men and red for women
 Close relatives are informed and the dead body is placed in their room or passage with
head facing east, lamp is lit near the dying person and the dying person is encouraged to
chant the mantras
 Close relatives sing hymns pray and read scriptures at the side of the body
 Cremation takes place in a cremation ground by the river bank, the funeral pure is the
large pile of wood used for cremation.
 During cremation the body is placed on the pyre with its head facing north and feet facing
south towards the home of Yama ruler of the dead
 Family members wash the body with clear water, apply spices and paste to the body,
decorate it with ornaments, wrap it in a white cloth, place it on a wooden mat, important
male relatives carry it to the cremation on grounds
 After cremation, Hindus drinks water containing sesame seeds
 They do not shed tears while offering this water, they leave behind or discard anything
that was brought from their home
 Mourners go for a bath in a river or a sea, chief mourners shave their head
 At the door of their house families chew neen leaves rinse their mouth with water, take a
shower immediately with clothes on
 They do not eat meat or salt, drink alcohol or wear perfumes
 They shower daily with minimum luxury
 No cooking in the house, food should be brought from friends houses or take away
outlets
 They should sleep on the ground and not engage in any form of entertainment
 They should not greet anyone or even to return a greeting
 Visitors must not be entertained in any way

57 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS ABOUT LIFE AFTER DEATH IN ATR IN BOTSWANA,
JUDAISM, HINDUISM AND SIKHISM

RELIGIONS BELIEFS AND CUSTOMS ON LIFE AFTER DEATH

ATR IN -They believe that once a person dies, they join the spirits of the living
BOTSWANA dead or the spirits of the ancestors, therefore the deceased presence even
after death remains important and relevant.
-the customs are that they bury the dead with their belongings
-they also shave the heads of close relatives and this affirms the belief in
life after death
-people respect and honour their ancestors because they know that the
ancestors can bring good fortune if they are happy or misfortune if they
are unhappy
- they communicate with their through pouring libations, offerings and
sacrifices

JUDAISM They believe in the judgement day and the resurrection

A dying Jew recites the shema, this is asking for forgiveness from
Yahweh so that the dead can have eternal life in heaven
- Jews hold the belief that the spirit of the dead person descend to the
bode of the dead where it continues in some kind of shadow existence
waiting for the day of judgement to either receive awards or punishment
- they believe that the soul of the dead person does not die it will
continue living in the next life which is heaven, this belief is shown by
family members eating eggs to indicate that Jews believe in life after
death, the shell of an egg looks lifeless but when you break it there is life
inside

HINDUISM According to Hindu holy scriptures, the soul of the deceased is believed
to travel either to the heavenly words or to the ancestral worlds
depending on the deceased behavior and actions while they were alive.
They believe that in death everything is reversed because the soul of a
person is going to be re-born into another body, this is seen through the
ritual where chief mourner or the son of the deceased walks anti-
clockwise three times around the sacred fire before cremation of the
body
- they believe that the departed souls can be pushed further up the
scale of evolution of their direct descendants on earth, especially
the male ones, perform some annuals rites and make sacrificial
offerings to gods on behalf of the departed souls
- belief in reincarnation of the soul when a person dies his or her
soul is born in another form this is shown through offering rice
and cow milk to the so as to release their soul after this the soul

58 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
 is free to be re-born into another form.
- Hindus believe in moksha (the end of cycle of birth, life, death
and re-birth) this belief has led to the custom where those who
attend the cremation ceremony dress in white as a way of
expressing a wish that the soul of the dead person should not be
re-born but should join the supreme spirit of Brahman, thus
attaining moksha.
- Hindus chant mantra before they die to ensure that one is in a
right state of mind when he/she dies.

SIKHISM They believe in reincarnation, this believe is shown by the custom where
the Sikh say the bedtime prayer before the cremation of the dead body
- the dead person is believed to be sleeping and will soon re- enter
another body
- They teach immortality of the soul, they believe that souls have
to move from one body to another as part of the evolution
process of the soul.
- The evolution of the soul will eventually result in union with
Waheguru once the soul has been purified
- If a person is not morally and ethically upright while they are
alive, their soul will be subjected to the cycle of re-birth and
reincarnation, while an individual who is both morally and
ethically upright has an opportunity for their soul to overcome
re-birth and reincarnation and eventually qualify to be God like.

SUMMARY

In all religions death is seen as a final rite of passage with the dead body being treated with
respect, in all religions death and dying are processes associated with the power of the infinite
(god/gods/spirit of the ancestors)

All religions believe in continued spiritual life after death whether it takes place in heaven or
hell, or through an evolution of the soul through reincarnation

In all religions the dead are mourned, religions such as Judaism, mourning continues for many
months after the body has been disposed off.

While most religions do dispose off the dead body within the shortest time possible, modern
technologies such as refrigerated morgues, have allowed members of religions such as ATR in
Botswana, more time for closer family members relatives and friends to arrive for the burial
59 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
 RITUALS IN WORSHIP
Religious worship: is the practice of showing great respect or reverence towards the Supreme
Being or a god through prayers and singing with others.

Is an expression of love, respect and devotion to a Supreme Being, deity or Supernatural power.

It is a process or act of communication with the Supreme Being or a deity which involves
praying, offering of sacrifices.

PURPOSE OF WORSHIP IN WORLD RELIGIONS

There are several reasons as to why worship is an important activity in all religions and these
include: to

 Honour, respect, praise and glorify the Supreme Being, deity or Supernatural power.
 Make worshippers conscious of the Supreme Being in thought and action as it will put
one in a better position to receive God’s blessings both in life and after death.
 Ask for moral guidance.
 Help people to maintain a good relationship with the Supreme Being or deity.
 Ask for forgiveness or mercy for any wrong actions they may have committed.
 Give thanks to the Supreme Being or deity for all the good things he might have done.
 Strengthen faith of followers in the teachings and beliefs of their religion.
 Draw followers closer to the Supreme Being or deity. Worship is believed to help
followers feel the presence of the Supreme Being amongst them because it links the
physical with the spiritual world.
 Bring followers of a religion together e.g. followers may gather to worship in a home, a
building- like a church or mosque or sacred places such as hills, caves or under trees.
 Make the Supreme Being or deity happy by showing devotion, love and loyalty.
 Acknowledge the Supreme Being or any other divine power is in control of natural events
forces that affect people directly or indirectly. People therefore worship to seek divine
intervention.
FORMS OF WORSHIP IN DIFFERENT RELIGIONS

Worship may take many different forms even within one religion or denominations but can be
the same in most religions.

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN BOTSWANA

Followers of ATR in Botswana worship the Supreme Being who is known by different names
e.g. In Setswana—Modimo, In Kalanga—Ndzimu but also belief in ancestral spirits (badimo).
Worship can be done in different places such as caves, hills or under big trees.
60 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
N.B.: followers of ATR in Botswana do not worship their ancestors but worship Modimo
through their ancestors.

Batswana worship through:

Praying, beating of drums, pouring Libation i.e. (pouring some beer and food on the ground or
graveside for ancestors before anyone else takes any), making offerings and sacrifices to the
family gods, singing, dancing, clapping of hands and giving offerings to mark Letsema (work
parties) and dikgafela (harvest time).

CHRISTIANITY

Christianity is one of the most wide spread religions in the world. Worship in Christianity is
conducted in temples or churches and it is done on Saturday or Sunday.

Christians worship through:

Preaching, laying on of hands, serving of the Holy Communion, making offerings, praying,
fasting, singing, dancing and reading of the Holy Bible. They can also meet in their cell groups
(i.e. where people from the same neighbourhood gather to worship together a few evenings in a
week) and tithing.

ISLAM

Muslims meet in the Mosque to worship on Fridays and usually called by the Muezzin (the
caller) to prayer who uses a loud speaker. They may also pray on their own. Before they pray,
they perform ceremonial ablutions (act of washing oneself) i.e. washing certain parts of their
bodies such as the face, mouth, feet and ankles. Men and women use separate rooms when
worshipping

Muslims worship through:

Singing, reading and reciting from the Qur’an on daily basis, listening to the sermon, Praying
facing the direction of Mecca, meditating, declaring their faith to Allah (Shahadah), paying
purification tax (Zakat) annually, making a ritual prayer (salat) five times a day, going on
pilgrimage (hajj) and fasting (sawn).

HINDUISM

Worship plays an important part in Hindu life and takes place in temples (Mandir) or in the
shrines in their houses. Followers worship a variety of gods that are associated with different
activities. Prayer can be done individually or as a group. In the home prayers are conducted early
in the morning after bathing.

61 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
Hindus worship through:

Using different images or idols for different gods, praying, reading the Holy Scriptures, fasting,
singing dancing and clapping of hands (bhajan), offering gifts and special items such as
flowers and spices to the gods (Puja), sharing of the holy food (Prashad) , using the sacred fire
to perform a ritual sacrifice to the god Agni who brings good luck (havan), presenting
themselves before the gods and goddesses (darshan), lighting of the lamp that has five pointed
ends representing the earth, fire, air, water and spirit (arti), meditation, preaching which is given
in the form of lecture based from one of the verses of the Hindu scriptures (pravachan).

BUDDHISM

Buddhists worship in temple. Their worship centres on finding the ultimate truth about life and
reaching nirvana. Once they experience this, they are said to be enlightened which leads to
Nirvana. Nirvana is the state of being free from any form of worldly concerns such as suffering,
greed, hate and ignorance. Nirvana also breaks the endless cycle of rebirth or reincarnation.

Buddhists worship through:

The puja (facing the statue of the Buddha when worshipping to remember his good qualities),
meditating, making pilgrimages to important sites associated with Buddha’s life, chanting verses
from Buddha’s teachings, reading and studying the Buddhist scriptures, making offerings,
singing and dancing.

FORMS OF WORSHIP AND RITUALS PERFORMED DURING WORSHIP IN

DIFFERENT WORLD RELIGIONS

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN BOTSWANA

Praying:

This is the commonest form of worship which can be done by the individual, as a family or as a
whole community, For Example:

An individual: can say a prayer before taking a journey or before going to bed

A family: can pray together when someone is just about to embark on a journey or for the health
of the family.

62 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
A community: can pray together to thank Modimo through Badimo for good harvest, good
rains, when there are disasters such as drought or floods. These are normally done at the kgotla
or any other chosen sacred place.

Rituals performed during prayer

 Followers kneel down as a sign of showing humbleness to the Supreme Being

 They sing different songs and use different names such as Rramasedi, Mmabaledi,
Mmopi as a way of praising Modimo.
Giving offerings and sacrifices:

Since ancestors are believed to be a link between people and Modimo, they speak directly with
Modimo on behalf of people. Offerings and sacrifices are often made to ancestors. When
offerings are made, certain items are given such as traditional beer, tobacco, money and food.
Sacrifice normally involves the killing of an animal e.g. a goat, sheep, cattle or chicken and this
animal is carefully chosen so that it is accepted by ancestors i.e. it should have one colour
(black), healthy and owned by a morally up right person

Offerings and sacrifices are made for different reasons: for example: To………….

 Please and thank Modimo and the ancestors.

 Request ancestors to ask Modimo to protect them from danger or to bring to an end
drought, floods or epidemic diseases.
Rituals performed during offerings and sacrifices:

 Giving of gifts such as tobacco, money, food or traditional beer to ancestors as a way of
asking them for blessings or thanking them for any good things that might have occurred.
 Killing of animals and shedding their blood as a sacrifice to ancestors.
 The burying or burning of bones of the sacrificed animal.
 Taking the grains and fruits to the sacrifice spots or to the gravesides of their dead
ancestors.
Pouring libation:

This is when food or drink (traditional beer) is spilled on the ground as a way of appeasing the
ancestors. People can perform them as individuals, as a family or as a community. This is often
done during the rain making ceremony or sometimes individuals would spill a little bit of their
drink or food before they drink or eat as a way of appeasing their ancestors.

Rituals performed during pouring libation:

63 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
  Followers spill food and drink particularly traditional beer on the ground (showing
respect to ancestors)
 They chant names of their ancestors as they do that.
 They say their plea or thanks giving as they pour libation.
Beating of drums

This usually accompanies singing and dancing. Drums are beaten to the tune of a song and the
sound of the drum is said to evoke the spirits which may come in their midst and possess
individuals. Individual may go into a trance and roll on the ground as a sign of being possessed.

Rituals performed during beating of drums:

 Drums are beaten to the rhythm of a song.

 Followers make body movements to the tune of the drums.
 Some people fall into a trance and roll on the ground.
CHRISTIANITY

Praying

According to Christianity prayers are a conversation that they have with God. They can be said
loudly or silently and can use their own words or set prayers e.g. The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew
6:9-13). Christians pray for different reasons e.g. appreciating, thanking and honouring God for
what he has done or request God to bless them e.g. asking God to heal their loved ones.
Christians believe that strong and devoted prayer to God will ensure that one’s concerns will be
heard e.g. Daniel, who was not touched by lions even after being thrown into their den all
because of prayer.

Rituals performed during prayer

 Worshippers stand, kneel or sit down with heads bowed to show complete submission to
God.
 Followers pray loudly or silently calling God’s name repeatedly
 They may hold religious artefacts such as rosary beads or the cross to help them
concentrate in their prayers.
Preaching

Preaching is done during a service in church and is usually conducted by the Priest. This is done
to teach and guide followers on how to live their lives in ways that honour and respect God.
Preaching is often followed by songs of praise and prayers.

Rituals performed during Preaching

64 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
  The preacher identifies a verse from the Bible.
 He then asks someone to read it or reads it himself.
 He then interprets the verses read as a way of teaching people the word of God.
Fasting

Fasting is a form of worship in Christianity whereby followers pray to God and thank him for
blessings bestowed upon them.

Rituals performed during fasting:

 Followers do not eat food and drinks for a specified period of time as this is believed to
strengthen one’s faith and to help them change some undesirable behaviours.
 Some do not engage in sexual intercourse during this time.
 Followers meet every evening at a particular time to break the fast.
 Prayers are said and people are free to eat.
Holy Communion

It consists of unleavened bread and unfermented wine. The bread symbolises Jesus Christ’s body
and the wine symbolises his blood. It is believed that this is a covenant binding the partaker of
these items with god and therefore declares their faith in Jesus Christ and God. It may be taken
weekly or monthly depending on the denomination. Churches use different names for the Holy
Communion such as: Last Supper or the Eucharist. When Christians receive the Holy
Communion, they remember Jesus Christ death and his resurrection.

Rituals performed during the Holy Communion

 Worshippers share a symbolic bread and wine.

 During the sharing of the Eucharist: the wine is put on a chalice and bread is put on a
paten, and then served to the congregation.
 Before eating the bread and drinking the wine, a scripture is read from the Holy Book
 Followers bow or bend their knees as they receive the bread and wine.
 In some churches bells are rung during the sharing of the Eucharist.
Offerings

In most Christian denominations people are asked to give an offering in the form of money or
food items which are later donated to the needy. They are made during the communal worship
while others are given as tithes i.e. 10% of a follower’s earnings

Rituals performed during offerings:

65 | P a g e RE form 2 notes
  Followers go forward to give their offerings or put them in baskets that are passed around
during a church service.
 They may give their tithes to show thanksgiving for what God has done for them.
 Offerings are then blessed by lifting up the baskets and saying a prayer.

ISLAM

Shahadah (Declaration of Faith):

This is a statement that is uttered by Muslims to declare their faith. It means that there is no god
but Allah and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah and it is said throughout the day. It is
performed to allow young people’s official entry into Islam.

Rituals performed

 Followers utter the words for everyone to hear.

 They bow as they utter the words.
Praying five times a day (Salat):

Muslims have a religious duty of praying five times a day i.e. in the morning, mid-day, late
afternoon, after sunset and at night. They also have a duty of attending the Jumu’ah prayers
every Friday which are called by the Muezzin.

In Islam prayers can be said in private (the Dua) which is said at any time and place or in public
(the Jumu’ah) which is held in the Mosque every Friday.

Rituals performed during prayer

 Muslims remove their shoes before prayer.

 They perform the Wudu (ablutions) before praying i.e. the cleansing ritual such as: washing
their hands, rinsing the mouth three times, blow their nose three times, washing their face
three times using both hands, washing the both arms from the wrist to the elbow, wiping the
head with wet hands and washing their feet up to the ankles starting with the right and then
left.

1. They wash their hands well 2. They rinse their mouth three
times

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3.They blow their nose three times 4. They wash the rest of the face three
times using hands

5.The right arm is washed from wrist to elbow, 6. They wipe the head with wet hands

then the left arm three times

7.They wash their feet, right foot first then left. The feet are washed up to the ankle

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 Then they sit on prayer mats performing the rak’ah i.e. a set of prayer positions. During the
rak’ah they change positions and each position has its own prayers. (They stand, bow, put
their foreheads on the ground and kneel down.)

o Perform Takbir, standing to attention with hands raised to the position of the ears. This
position shows that they see Allah as the Mighty God.

 Stand putting the right hand over the left on the chest

 They perform Ruku, bowing with the body slightly bent forward with the hands on the
knees. This is a sign of respect and love to Allah. The position is repeated three times

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  Then perform Qiyam, standing up again in attention with hands on their sides.

 Perform Sajdah, they prostrate on the ground three times, kneel, touch the ground with
their foreheads, nose and the palms of their hands. This shows humility, love complete
submission to Allah and peace.

 Then do Salam, ina kneeling position, they turn the heads to the right and left shoulders to
bless others.

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 Some use the 99 prayer beads. This is called Subdah.
Almsgiving (Zakat):

Muslims have a religious duty to give alms i.e. giving some of their wealth to benefit the needy.
It helps to keep the givers free from greed and selfishness and the receivers free from envy and
jealousy. This is a form of worship because it is a duty set aside by Allah as Muslims have to
submit to the will and command of Allah.

Rituals performed during Alms Giving:

 Muslims give 2.5% of the money received but not spent in a year
 The money is given in private to avoid shaming the poor.
Fasting (Sawn):

Fasting is prescribed for all Muslims who are able to do so. This is done to give followers bliss,
satisfaction and a sense of religious accomplishment. Children and those who are ill are excused
but have to donate to charity. Fasting is a form of worship because it allows oneself from worldly
pleasures and devotes oneself to the will of Allah and strengthens relationship between believers
and Allah.

Rituals performed during fasting

 Muslims stop eating before sunrise.

 During the day, they do not allow anything to pass their lips.
 They do not engage in sex or any sexual pleasures during the day.
 Small amount of food may be eaten after sunset(iftar)
 They spend most of their time in the Mosque praying and reciting the Qur’an
 Special celebration is done at the end of the fast( Eid-ul-fitr)
Meditation

The Qur’an states that the meditation should be done as often as possible especially at dawn and
at night. It involves thinking about how Allah created the universe or anything that can make
them love and appreciate him. It is believed to strengthen believer’s soul and also makes them
feel relaxed and experience a sense of assurance and happiness.

Rituals performed during Meditation

 Worshippers may stand, sit, lie down or walk and reflect upon Allah’s words.
 They hold the prayer beads to help them concentrate
 They stay calm and quiet.

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PILGRIMAGE (HAJJ)
This is a holy journey that Muslims are expected to make to Mecca at least once in their life time
if they can afford it. It is a form of worship because it is an expression of submission to Allah.
During the Hajj believers seek Allah’s blessings and forgiveness for their sins.

RITUALS PERFORMED DURING PIGRIMAGE (HAJJ)

 All pilgrims wear same clothes, called ihram(simple cloths without any seam, wrapped
around the loin and over the shoulder)
 All walk bare footed or wear simple sandals
 No jewelry, perfumes or scented soaps used
 Every pilgrim walks around the Kaba seven times. Some touch or kiss it.
 They drink water from the Zamzam well and often take the water with them to their
homes
 They perform the ritual of the wuquf (travel to the plain of Araft to stand before Allah
and ask for forgiveness.
 They go to Mina and throw stones seven times to the three stone pillars as a sign of
throwing away the devil that always tempts them
 After the pilgrimage, each pilgrim is given a piece of cloth cut from the cloth that covers
the Kaba.

SERMON (KHUTBAH)
This is a sermon that takes place on Friday in the Mosque. The Khatib (an imam who preaches
during the sermon) reads from the Quran and then explains the readings. His aim should be to
educate and unite Muslims community. The message should give hope and guide the
community.

RITUALS PERFORMED DURING SERMON (KHUTBAH)

 The Khatib explains what he will be talking about based on Islamic foundations
 Reads from the Holy Quran then explains his message
 After the teaching the preacher spends some time with people shaking their hands or
hugging them. Looks at their eyes for feedback regarding the sermon
 People tell him what they learnt and what they did not understand

He listens carefully in order to correct mistakes in next service

READING AND RECITING OF THE HOLY BOOKS

Muslims can read and recite through the Holy Quran and the Hadith as a way of worship.

 They recite from the Holy Quran twice daily and is called (Athkar)
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  Phrases from the Holy Quran and Hadith can also be recited after prayer and used in
their conversations (Thikr)
 They believe reading and reciting the words from the Holy Quran draw them closer to
Allah because they the actual words spoken by Allah.
 Reading and reflecting over the Quran fulfils one’s obligation as a follower of Islam.

RITUALS PERFORMED DURNG THE READING AND RECITING OF THE QURAN

 Followers wash their hands before touching the Quran

 The Quran is put on an elevated area
 There is no eating, talking or chewing when the Quran is read

HINDUISM
Puja

This is a form of worship that shows respect and honours the different gods and goddesses which
in turn pleases the Supreme Spirit (Brahman). It is an individual form of worship whereby one
chooses which god to worship at a particular time. It is performed in front of a shrine, home or in
a Mandir. It is led by the head of the household to show adoration and worship to their deities.

Rituals performed during Puja

 Followers bath and dress in clean clothes

 They take off their shoes and sit cross legged on the floor before the shrine.
 The bells are rung to invite the gods into the shrine, then they are bathed and sweet
perfume is applied
 Red powder called kum-kum and sandal wood paste is put on a deity and they are
offered rice, flowers and water.
 Incense is burnt to produce a sweet smell and to destroy all selfish desires
 A lamp is lit and waved before the gods.
 A dish containing five cottons dipped in butter is lit and the container is rotated around
the gods while a small bell is rung.
 They chant the mantras to arouse and appease the gods so that the followers’ interests and
requests can be met
 The remaining food served to the gods is shared among those who attended worship
(prashad or blessed food).

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Bhakti

Is a form of worship done by an individual to express love, devotion and adoration to a particular
god such Vishnu or Shiva. It is usually performed when something good has happened to a
person.

Rituals performed during Bhakti:

 Gifts in the form of fruits, flowers or valued items are given to statues and to pictures of
deities.
 Worshippers sing hymns called the bhajans or kirtan composed by saints.
 They chant names of gods and goddesses.

Meditation (yoga)

This is a common form of worship in Hinduism. The mantra is recited silently and is known as
japa. Hindus believe that meditation purifies the heart from selfish desires and reflects upon love
of the Supreme spirit Brahman. They can meditate alone or as a group and is normally done at
dawn, noon and dusk.

Rituals performed during meditation:

 Worshippers sit cross legged in a lotus position on the floor or they sit on the chair with
feet on the ground as it helps them not to fall asleep.
 They use mala beads (string of wooden beads) to help them concentrate.
 They count the beads to a mantra

Pravachan (Preaching)

This is preaching given in the form of a lecture based on verses from the Hindu scriptures and is
done by the priest. Preaching is followed by discussion from the congregation where they ask
questions. Hindus believe that preaching helps turn away their minds from worldly things and
purifies their hearts.

Rituals performed

 The priest sits on an elevated seat to show respect to the holy book.
 He chooses a verse from the holy book and reads it to the congregation and explains the
reading.
 The congregation then asks questions which the priest is expected to answer.

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Prashad (offerings to the gods)

This is sacred food offered to the gods. It is a form of worship that enables followers to receive
blessings and power from the gods.

Rituals performed during Prashad

 Worshippers wash the feet of the idol or god with milk or water.
 They give offerings such as sweet rice, fruits, milk, water and coconut to the gods to
please them.
 Then they share the left over Prashad amongst themselves as this is believed to bestow
blessings of to them. Hindus also believe that Prashad destroys all pains, sins, misery and
anxiety.
BUDDHISM
Buddhists worship centres on finding the ultimate truth and reaching nirvana (state of being free
from any form of worldly concerns such as suffering, greed, hate and ignorance). Once this is
done, they are said to be enlightened.

Puja

This form of worship can be performed in the home, shrine or temple. Buddhist face the statue of
the Buddha when performing the puja but this does not mean they worship him. It is only a way
of remembering his good qualities. Through the puja they try to develop the qualities of Buddha
in themselves so that they can reach nirvana just like the Buddha did.

Rituals performed during the Puja

 Followers remove their shoes before they enter the temple.

 They face the image of the Buddha or his shrine with folded hands.
 They chant the Mantras and recite some prayers.
 They meditate and use beads and a prayer wheel to concentrate during worship.
 They give offerings such as incense, flowers, water and perfumes to the shrines or images
of Buddha.
Meditation

This is mainly done by monks and nuns and the basic aim of meditation is to calm the mind and
train it to concentrate in order to understand the ultimate truth about life. Buddhists believe that
is only through meditation that one can reach enlightenment and attain nirvana.

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Rituals performed during meditation

 Worshippers may sit very still, cross legged with each foot resting, sole up and on the
opposite thigh. This is done to control their inner thoughts and concentrate on
understanding the truth provided by Buddha’s teachings.
 They may walk slowly in a circle to and fro in a straight line.
 They chant the Mantras repeatedly either silently or aloud.
 They hold holy beads to enhance their concentration.
Chanting

This shows commitment to Dhamma. They believe that continuous chanting of the Mantras
(short phrases) can help one to reach enlightenment. It also gives the opportunity to learn and
reflect upon various teachings of Buddha and show honour and respect to Buddha. Chanting
plays an important part in Buddhist ceremonies.

Rituals performed during worship

 Followers sit in a comfortable position, close their eyes and repeat the Mantras silently or
aloud.
 They count the mala as they chant the Mantras.
 They maintain and slow and deep breath and allow their minds to be focused on the
Mantra.
Offerings

These are made to the three jewels, which are the Buddha, Dhamma (teachings of Buddha) and
the Sangha (Buddhist community). These offerings can be a lit candle, flowers, burning incense,
perfume, food, water and drinks. Buddhists believe that giving offerings to the gods leads to a
better rebirth in the cycle of reincarnation. It also helps people to move towards the goal of
reaching enlightenment and nirvana.

Rituals performed during offerings

 Worshippers burn incense as it is believed to purify the air and its sweet smell symbolises
the Dhamma
 They bow before the altar, chant full prostrations( lying with your face downwards)
before putting food at the altar
 Food is then brought silently before the statues of the images of Buddha.

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 SACRED OBJECTS
 The term sacred when used in reference to objects means symbolic items that are
considered holy and used for religious purposes e.g. performing rituals.

 Items which are believed to be Holy because they are connected to the Supreme Being or
associated with certain religious beliefs.

 Tangible and visible items which are divine, holy and are used in different religions to
recognise or glorify the Supreme Being. Such objects are considered to be religious and
are treated with respect and honour.

USES OF SACRED OBJECTS IN DIFFERENT RELIGIONS

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN BOTSWANA

Here some sacred objects are used during the performance of religious rituals while others are
worn by individuals for protection

Sacred Object Uses

Clay pots -used for brewing and storing of traditional beer used as
an offering when performing rituals like dikgafela or rain
making ceremonies.

Calabash -used for drinking traditional beer during religious

ceremonies

-used when offerings are given to ancestors such as

pouring libation and healing rituals.

Fly whisk -used to sprinkle traditional medicine on the person or in

the yard for protection, purification or healing purposes
e.g. in homes, kraals or any other property.

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Horn -used by traditional healers to remove foreign items from
the body (go dupa)

-used to store medicine used to heal and protect people.

Traditional drums -used as musical instruments when performing certain

religious ceremonies e.g. rainmaking ceremonies to evoke
the spirits to come and be in the midst of the people
during the ceremony.

Divining bones -used to diagnose the cause of illness or problems that

people have and what to be done to cure the illness e.g.
they may tell that the cause of illness is due to ancestors
being unhappy and may recommend that an offering or
sacrifice be made to appease them

Traditional medicine -used to cleanse and protect people from danger e.g.:

Birth: it is given to the baby to strengthen it and keep

away evil spirits and put on the baby’s
fontanelle(phogwana)

Puberty: during bogwera boys are given medicine

known as tshitlo by the kgosi to protect them from evil
and make them brave while the girls’ faces and limbs are

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 smeared with white ochre mixed with traditional medicine
to strengthen them

Marriage: the traditional doctor may be called to put

medicine on the fire place where the wedding food will be
cooked. He may also give medicine to the bride and
groom to strengthen and protect the newlyweds against
evil.

Death: when people come back from burial, they wash

their hands with a mixture of water and herbs before they
enter the yard to remove bad luck

Healing: traditional medicines are used to treat various

illnesses that people suffer from.

Ancestral shrines -used as places of worship

-venerate ancestors through offerings(go fa badimo) and

pouring libation(go phekola)

ISLAM

Sacred Objects Uses

Crescent moon and star -used as a form of identification

-used on flags of some Muslim countries as a

national symbol

Mosque -used as a place of worship where prayers are

recited

-used for special occasions e.g. festivals,

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 weddings and preparing for burial

-used as a school for Muslims

Calligraphy (special kind of decoration that is -used for decoration purposes since Muslims
artistically and skillfully written) do not use pictures

-patterns are used on pottery, tiles, Islamic

buildings, plates, bowls and jewellery worn
by Muslim women

Ka’ba (cubed shaped structure in the centre -walk around it seven times, kiss and touch it
of the Mosque in Mecca) with the hope of being blessed and to show
submission to Allah.

-a centre in the Mosque used to worship

Allah

-used as a place of pilgrimage for Muslims

throughout the world

Prayer mats -used for kneeling down when praying in

order to keep clean

Minbar (raised platform) -used by the preacher (Imam) when reading

the holy Qur’an and delivers the sermon.

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Mihrab (alcove in the wall of a Mosque) -used to show the direction of Mecca as
Muslims must always face Mecca when
praying

-used to help amplify the voice of the

preacher when preaching in the Mosque.

Prayer beads(tasbih or subhah) -used to help Muslims concentrate during

prayer

Water from Zamzam well -Muslims drink water from this well to
quench their thirst, satisfy their hunger and
cure sickness with the believe that they will
be blessed.

-given to those who are ill

-some wash the sheets that will be used for

burial.

-people wash their faces and clothes there in

order to purify themselves.

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Skull cap

SIKHISM

Sacred objects Uses

Takht (special wooden stool covered with a -used for holding the Guru Granth Sahib
cloth) while reading it

Chauri (a whisk made of tail hair of an -used to fan the Guru Granth Sahib as it is
animal and set in a wooden or metal holder) read to show respect for its authority.

Khanda (Sikh symbol) -used to identify followers and places of

worship of the Sikh religion

-used to stir the kara Prashad and Amrit

during preparation

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Rumala (a piece of Sikh cloth) -used to cover the Guru Granth Sahib when it
is closed or being moved around the
Gurdwara

Nishan Sahib (Sikh flag which is triangle and -flown outside the Gurdwara to identify the
orange in colour) Sikh building

Turban -used to cover and protect the uncut hair from

becoming tangled and coming into contact
with pollutants.

Used as a form of identity.

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Gurdwara -used as a place of worship and for keeping
the Guru Granth Sahib.

Kara Prashad -holy food eaten as part of worship

JUDAISM

Sacred Objects Uses

Ark (cabinet found in the synagogue) -used for storing the scrolls of the Torah

Tallit (prayer shawl) -men use it to cover their shoulders during

prayer

-used as a shroud for burial

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Teffillin (two small leather boxes worn by -used to remind Jews that they must serve
men on the left upper arm and on the God with their hearts and minds.
forehead containing Jewish scripture verses)
-used to remind the wearer to work hard and
get rid of undesirable thoughts and feelings.

Yamulkah (small round skull cap usually --worn during prayer at home, in the
white in colour and worn by Jewish men) synagogue during religious events or when
studying the Torah.

-used to show that God is above all and to

identify Jewish men with their faith.

Bimah (large table) -used to put the scrolls of the Torah when
being read.

Star of David -used for identification purposes

-used as the Jewish symbol.

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Synagogue -used as a house of worship

-Used to conduct religious activities such as

marriages and festivals.

Menorah

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 PLACES OF WORSHIP

Places of worship: are buildings in the environment where followers of a religion gather to
worship a Supreme Being, deities or Supernatural power. Different religions have specific places
where they worship. Some of these places are built by people while others are places within the
environment

Church –Christianity Mosque- Islam Synagogue- Judaism

Bahai Temple- Bahai Faith Gurdwara- Sikhism Mandir- Hinduism

Buddhist Temple- Buddhism Gurdwara- Sikhism

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RELIGION PLACES OF WORSHIP

ATR in Botswana Hills, caves, rivers, under sacred trees, mountains and
the kgotla

Christianity Church

Islam Mosque

Sikhism Gurdwara

Hinduism Mandir

Buddhism Buddhist Temple

Bahai Faith Bahai Centre and Bahai Temple

Judaism Synagogue

THE PURPOSE OF PLACES OF WORSHIP IN DIFFERENT RELIGIONS

Places of worship provide a venue where followers can come together for communal worship.
They are also said to be holy and allow worshippers to feel closer to the Supreme Being or deity.

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN BOTSWANA

Members of ATR in Botswana visit their places of worship because: They are:

 Quiet places and are near where the spirits of the ancestors are believed to be staying.
 Places of worship where followers meet to worship e.g. they may meet at the kgotla or
sacred hills to pray for rain in times of drought.
 Places where communal rituals and ceremonies are held e.g. installation of the new
chief, Dikgafela, Go bolotsa letsema.
 Used for sacrifices and offerings e.g. followers can go to the sacred hills to offer
sacrifices and pour libation to thank or ask ancestors for blessings and healing.

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CHRISTIANITY

Places of worship in Christianity have the following purposes: They

 Gather in church for communal worship, form friendships and unite.

 Can be used as centres to educate people about the teachings of the Bible as well as the
traditions and beliefs of a particular denomination e.g. children may attend Sunday school
classes while adults attend Bible study lessons.
 Conduct certain rituals and ceremonies in church e.g. baptism, confirmation, weddings
and funerals.
 Used to display and store sacred objects e.g. cross, pulpit, fonts as these create an
atmosphere that help believers to experience the presence of God.
 May offer services such as libraries, bookshops or counselling.

ISLAM

The mosque is important because: it

 Is a Place where communal prayers are held on Fridays

 May offer services such as library, learning how to pray and perform rituals like the
Wudu or where children can learn how to read and write Arabic and recite the Qur’an,
counselling.
 Are used in performing ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.

HINDUISM

The Mandir has the following purposes: it

 Is a venue for communal worship.

 Houses the images of gods (murti) and kept in the room called garbagriha.
 Offers facilities such as a library, special classes for Sanskrit language, music and dance.
 Serves as a venue for ceremonies such as weddings and festivals like Diwali.
 Is used to make offerings and sacrifices.

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SIKHISM

The Gurdwara has the following purposes: it

 Is where members meet to worship e.g. to meditate and sing songs of praise.
 Is used for educational purposes e.g. children learn the Punjab language, how to read the
Guru Granth Sahib and learn about the teachings and beliefs of Sikhism.
 Used to provide hospitality e.g. houses a free kitchen where the people can get free meals
from and temporary rooms for travellers.
 Has a place set aside for treating and caring for the sick.
 Is used to conduct certain rituals and ceremonies such as: amrit, weddings and funerals
(but the corpse is just left at the entrance of the hall to respect the presence of the Guru
Granth Sahib in the Gurdwara).
 Used to store sacred objects e.g. Guru Granth Sahib has a special room, chauri and takht.
BAHAI FAITH

Members of Baha’i Faith gather at the Baha’i Temple for:

 Communal worship e.g. to read scriptures.

 Performance of certain rituals and ceremonies such as celebrations of holy days and
weddings.
 They offer services such as; a library, classes for discussing spiritual issues and
counseling.
 Carrying out administrative services e.g. elections for Local Spiritual Assembly.
JUDAISM
The main purpose of the Synagogue is:

 Where worship is conducted on the Sabbath day.

 Is used as a community service centre for holding ceremonies like weddings and Bar
Mitzvah.
 Offers facilities and services such as: teaching followers the Hebrew language, reading of
the scrolls, teaching them the Jewish culture, baking and selling unleavened bread and
selling it to the Jewish community and providing accommodation to visitors.
 Is used to store sacred objects like the ark and bimah.
 Is used as a house of law or courtroom to decide on judicial matters.
BUDDHISM

The purposes of the Buddhist Temple include the following: it is

 A place where communal worship is held e.g. meditation and prayers.

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  Used to keep Buddhist treasures such as: images, statues and relics of the Buddha.
 Used to conduct rituals and ceremonies e.g. ordination of monks and nuns, festivals such
as Wesak.

SACRED LITERATURE
 Sacred when used in reference to literature means oral or written information which is
believed to be holy.

 Holy books, scriptures or writings that are read and used during worship by followers of
religions.

 Holy and divine pieces of writings or books found in different religions and are believed
to contain messages or words from the Supreme Being

Oral literature: is the information that relies on the individual to tell the information to others. It
is often passed informally from one generation to another and it was used mostly in ancient
times.Information about people’s culture such as folktales and other kind of stories such as
myths, sayings, riddles, proverbs, songs and poems that is passed by word of mouth from one
generation to another.

Written literature: refers to information that is written down by hand or typed and reproduced
in the form of books or internet. This is the most reliable form of literature because it avoids the
possibility of loss of facts and interpretations as it is passed on form one person to the other. It
ensures that principles, faith, beliefs and important issues in the religion are safeguarded.

The only oral literature is found in ATR in Botswana while other religious literatures are written:

Holy Bible- Christianity kitab –i-aqdas scroll- Judaism

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Sikhism Islam Vedas- Hinduism

SACRED LITERATURE (oral and written) IN DIFFERENT RELIGIONS

RELIGION SACRED LITERATURE

ATR in Botswana Tales (mainane), riddles (dithamalakane),

proverbs (diane), prayers, sayings, songs,
praise poems, stories about the origin people
and death.

Christianity Holy Bible

Islam Qur’an, Hadith

Judaism Tenakh, Talmud

Hinduism Rig Veda

Buddhism Tripitaka, Pali Canon

Bahai Faith Kitabi-A-qdas, seven valleys, four valleys

Sikhism Guru Granth Sahib, Dasam Granth

HOW SACRED LITERATURE (oral and written) IS USED IN DIFFERENT

RELIGIONS

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN BOTSWANA

ATR in Botswana has oral literature which may be communicated through speaking, singing or
acting. It includes folktales (e.g. the story of the baboon and the snake), riddles (e.g.se ya tampa

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tampa se ya go tsalela fale), proverbs (e.g. ntwa kgolo keya molomo) and the story of how death
came about (e.g. the story of the chameleon and the lizard).

How sacred literature is used in ATR in Botswana: they are used to:

 Provide people with wisdom, ability to develop quickly and wisely e.g. with riddles.
 Teach people especially children moral values such as respect, sharing, peace, to
distinguish between good and bad behaviour and choose the good over bad.
 Teach people how they should live their lives so that there is peace and harmony in the
community e.g. folktales teach the importance of respect and behaving according to the
norms and expectations of the society.
 Teach people how to develop and maintain good relationship with the ancestors and the
Supreme Being e.g. proverb which says ‘fa badimo ba sa rate dinkgo di a thubega’
encourages followers to respect ancestors.
 Educate children about the customs, history, norms and values of the community.
 Promote the spirit of Botho among people teaching children how to behave towards
adults and demonstrate love, kindness, humanity and compassion to others.
 Promote the spirit of self reliance and being hardworking.
 Make people fear doing the wrong things e.g. it is a taboo for a woman to have sex before
having her first period after her child’s delivery to give her time to take care of her child.
CHRISTIANITY

Ways in which the Bible is used: it is used:

 To Worship, the priest or pastor read verses from it and explain them during individual or
communal worship.
 To Read relevant verses from it during certain rituals and ceremonies e.g. baptism,
confirmation and ordination of the priest.
 As a source of moral and ethical guidance on how to live morally upright lives.
 To provide information about Christian history, doctrines and ethical codes of conduct.
 To take oaths e.g. in a court of law, swearing judges and presidents.
 To heal the sick or diagnose people’s personal problems e.g. AIC’s.
 Christians use it to study and enrich themselves spiritually.
 To console the bereaved during funerals.
 To bless or solemnise (formalise) marriage
SIKHISM

The Guru Granth Sahib is used:

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 o Facilitate Sikh worship at all times i.e. recited in the form of hymns during
worship in the morning or evenings.
o Serve as a backdrop for all the important social functions such as marriage that
are held in front of it.
o Guide Sikh’s lives i.e. on what they should or should not do as it contains the Sikh
teachings.
o Help Sikhs choose names of their children.
o Bless couples when they get married.
o Represent the presence of God.

HOW RELIGIONS SHOW RESPECT TO THEIR SACRED LITERATURE

ISLAM

The Qur’an is the most important book to Muslims. It is believed to be divine revelation of Allah
and has to be treated with respect. While they read the Qur’an:

 People must not speak, eat or drink or make noise.

 It should not be touched unnecessarily
 Before one touches it, they need to take a bath
 People should be in the right state of mind before they touch the Qur’an
 Women should not handle it while in their menstrual period.
 It should be covered and be kept free from dust when not in use.
 It should be placed high up so that nothing is put on top of it.
 No form of critical study of the Qur’an is allowed to be undertaken because it is the word
of Allah.
JUDAISM

Jewish

Jewish people show much respect to their scriptures especially to the Torah

The Torah is kept covered in an embroidered cloth

The scrolls of the Torah are kept in a special cupboard called the Holy Ark.
When it is read, a pointer is used to avoid touching the parchment
During the service, it is moved around for people to kiss or touch it as an expression of
love and devotion to Yahweh.
Pages of the Torah are buried like a deceased person when they are old to be used
anymore.

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SIKHISM

The Guru Granth Sahib is believed to be the living Guru, it must be treated with great
respect in the following ways:

 It must be kept in a place where it can be seen by all in the Gurdwara.

 It must be opened everyday and closed when not in read.
 Before it is taken out of the cover, a prayer must be said and everyone must stand when it
is carried.
 It must be read from a platform called a takht, which is cushioned for the reader.
 It must be held in a position on the platform by a small stool that is covered and
cushioned.
 There must be a canopy to cover it.
 Since the Guru Granth Sahib is believed to have human qualities, it is put to bed at night
like person and prayers are said as it is laid.
 It must be kept free from dust.
 Worshippers bow and kneel before the Guru Granth Sahib when they enter Gurdwara.

MYTHS ON THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE AND HUMANKIND

Myth: are stories that try to explain mysteries of life.

Are stories that explain why certain things are currently the way they are or came into being
but they cannot be proved because they are not based on facts or scientific evidence.

Are stories that explain things which are beyond human understanding?

Religious Myths: are stories that are closely linked with religions and religious beliefs. They
explain how things came into being or existence e.g. how, when and why the universe was
created. They attribute the origins of things to the Supreme Being, deity or supernatural
power

Non-Religious Myths: are stories that have no spiritual interpretation attached to them e.g.
how the hawk and the hen became enemies which explains why the hawk prey on chicks for
food.

Are stories which are not associated with any religion or religious beliefs. These stories are
often told for entertainment or to instill moral values in people.

Mythical stories with moral values

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 Moral values: the beliefs or ideas about what is good, right and appropriate

Some mythical stories have moral lessons which teach certain moral values. These are meant
to encourage people to behave in morally acceptable way. They also help people to
understand the difference between right and wrong behaviour.

For example: stories such as:

Myth Moral value

People who climb the Teaches that people need to be obedient and respectful towards
Otse hills never come spiritual forces
back

Why people die and Explains that death and punishment came from the divine power
never come back: the after people failed to obey him
chameleon and the It also teaches that people need to do things in good time if they
want to have a good relationship with the spiritual world.
lizard
Why the cat is always Teaches that laziness does not pay, one needs to work hard to
chasing after the survive
mouse It also shows that stealing is wrong especially form a friend as it
can lead to breakdown of friendship.

STORIES ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE

Most religions have stories that explain how the world came into being. These stories differ from
one religion to another while others are similar e.g. stories in Christianity, Judaism and Islam are
a bit similar.

AFRICAN TRADITIOANL RELIGION IN BOTSWANA

The story of Matsieng

Tswana ethnic groups trace their origins to a man called Matsieng who is believed to be the first
man on earth. He is said to have come out of a hole in the ground at a time when the rocks were
still soft and the land was wet and muddy. Matsieng lived underground with a controlling god
called Tintibane. A spirit named Lowe then helped Matsieng escape from Tintibane coming out
of the surface of the earth through a hole. He came out with his people and their livestock and
their foot prints were left on the soft rocks and ground. One location that Matsieng is believed to
have emerged from is in Rasesa near Mochudi. The impressions that look like footprints are said
to be those of Matsieng and his animals.

CHRISTIANITY

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The story of the creation of the universe is found in the book of Genesis (1:1-31) of the Bible
which explains that God created the universe in six days by commanding things into being and
they became

In the beginning the world was empty and formless. Only darkness existed. Then God said ‘let
there be light and there was light’. God divided light from darkness and called light day and
darkness night. That was the first day. On the second day God created the sky and the waters,
separating water from the sky. The sky was called heaven. On the third day he brought all the
waters together to create the seas. In between the seas appeared the dry land. He created plant
life by saying ‘let all sorts of plants grow on earth and produce seeds and fruits. Plants and trees
were made to grow on dry land. The sun, moon and stars were made on the fourth day. The sun
was to shine was to shine during the day while the moon and stars were to shine during the night.
On the fifth day, God said let there be fish to live in water, birds to fly above the earth and all
kinds of animals. On the sixth day God created human beings.

ISLAM

Muslims believe that Allah has always been there since time began, he was not created. They
believe that when God wants to create something, all he needs to say is ‘Be’ and it becomes.

According to Islam, Allah made all creatures wild and domestic that walks, swim, crawl and fly
on the face of earth; he made angels, the sun, moon and stars in the universe. The earth was
created to give food to man; the sun and moon to give light. The Qur’an says God commanded
rain to fall, and then poured down heavy rains which broke up the soil to bring forth different
species of edible and non-edible plants, the corn, grapes and other plants. Lastly man named
Adam was created and then a woman called Eve.

HINDUISM

In the beginning there was no heaven and earth. All that existed was a dark ocean. A giant cobra
floated on the waters asleep. Within the cobra’s coils laid lord Vishnu. The ocean was peaceful
and silent, so Vishnu slept deeply. From the depth of the ocean came the trembling sound of
AUM. It grew and spread filling the emptiness. The sound signalled the end of darkness that is,
end of night.

Vishnu woke up and from his navel grew a lotus flower. In the middle of the lotus flower sat
Brahma, Vishnu’s servant. Vishnu commanded Brahma to create the world, the wind swept
across the waters and Vishnu vanished. Brahma divided the lotus flower into three parts: from

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the first part he made the heavens; from the second part he made the earth; and from the third
and final part he made the skies.

The earth was bare, so Brahma started to create the grass, flowers, trees and plants. Then he
created the animals and insects to live on earth. He made the birds in the skies and fish in seas.
To all these creatures, he gave movement, senses of touch, smell, sight and hearing.

THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE ACCORDING TO THE BIG BANG THEORY

In the beginning the universe was formless. Only swirling (hydrogen) gas existed. The whole
universe began to form 15-18 thousand million years ago. The sun was formed from a
Mora/immense explosion caused by the death of an old star. The sun started as a revolving cloud
which was pushed together by the explosion. When this gas began to contract, other small bodies
began to form and these were planets, one of them being earth.

The centre of the earth was hot and liquid. The water trapped inside escaped as steam to make
the earth’s atmosphere forming other gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. As the earth
began to cool, denser materials sank to the centre of the earth and less dense materials formed the
earth’s crust. As the crust cooled, the water vapour condensed into water and fell as rain. The
valleys and cavities on the earth’s surface were filled with water forming rivers, lakes and
oceans. The crust of the earth was not stable and is still not stable today. Movement of the earth’s
crust caused earthquakes, volcanoes and these gave rise to mountains and rocks. Volcanoes
produced much of the earth’s atmosphere. With the formation of other gases, water and the
correct temperature, the condition became suitable for living things.

Life on earth started in the waters in the form of plants and later single celled animals. When
these plants and animals decayed, the decayed matter formed soil. The change in climate over
millions of years enabled life to develop form the lowest form to the highest form (human
beings). Some forms of life were able to survive on both land and sea (amphibians), others such
as reptile went on land to look for food, while some such as birds developed wings so that they
could travel further to increase their chances of survival. Some types of animals became extinct.
New types of animals appeared that had adapted themselves to the environment e.g. some had
scales (fish) and others had fur covering their bodies (mammals). Finally over 1 million years
ago ape-like creatures developed and these were thought to ancestors of humankind

STORIES ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF HUMANKIND IN STUDENTS COMMUNITIES

The Bahambukushu story explains that people and all living creatures were lowered onto a hill
from the sky by Modimo using a rope. As the people and animals descended, they left their
footprints in the soft rock.

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Bakalanga on the other hand believe that Mwali was their creator and was a child of God who
lived in a cave. It is therefore believed that the first people and their animals came from that
cave.

STORIES OF CREATION OF HUMAN BEINGS AS PRESENTED BY DIFFERENT

RELIGIONS

Christians believe that God created man on the 6th day. He said ‘let us make man in our own
image and likeness’. Then God created man out of soil or dust and breathed air into his nostrils.
Man sprang to life and became a living being. God called him Adam. God then realised that
Adam was lonely and decided to make him a partner. He put him into a deep sleep, took one of
his ribs, and closed up the place with flesh and created a woman from these ribs. Man referred to
woman as bone of his bones, flesh of his flesh and said he shall be called Eve, the mother of all
living things.

ISLAM

According to the Qur’an, Allah created human beings. He ordered an angel to go to earth and
fetch seven handfuls of soil of different colours. Allah took the soil and created man out of it,
breathed life and power into him and sprang to life. The man came to life and called him Adam.
Allah saw that the Adam was lonely and from his ribs, he created a woman and called her Eve
(or Hawwa). Allah taught them the names of all the creatures and commanded the angels to bow
down before Adam.

BUDDHISM

A Chinese creation myth in Buddhism says a giant figure called Pan Ku who never stopped
growing throughout his life created human beings. After he created everything in the world, he
realised that there were no people. He then made human figures out of clay. When they were dry,
they were impregnated by the vital force of Yin Tan so that they could have life. Before they
could be given life, a storm came and Pan Ku brought them into the house. As he was carrying
them into the house, some of the figures were damaged. After they were completely dry, Yin
Yan gave them the vital force and they came to full life. Those who were given life by Yan
became males and those who were given life by Yin became females. All the damaged figures
became lame people. This explains why some people are born lame or sick.

HINDUISM

The story of Purusha as read from the Rig Veda explains the origin of the caste system and how
humanity came into existence in Hinduism. According to the story, Brahma created the first man
Purusha. Later on Purusha was sacrificed; the gods cut him up and placed him on a sacrificial
fire. Out of his different body parts, different groups of people were created. People came from

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Purusha’s head, arms, thighs and feet and these gave rise to the caste system. For example: the
head represent the- Brahmins (teachers, doctors, lawyers) i.e. the brains of society. Arms
represented the Kshatriyas (soldiers, rulers and other local authorities i.e. the strength of society.
Form the thighs came Vaishyas (farmers and minor official classes) i.e. the stomach of society.
Lastly from his feet came the Sudra (unskilled people) i.e. the labourers of society.

HOW STORIES OF CREATION IN DIFFERENT RELIGIONS INFLUENCE THE

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN

In many societies the relationship between men and women is unequal. Men have a higher status
and always regarded as superior to women. They are considered to be decision makers, leaders
and breadwinners in the family as well as in society. Women on the other hand are considered to
be subordinates and inferior to men. They are expected to be submissive and serve men. These
stories of creation have influenced the relationship between men and women especially in
Christianity and Islam

CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM

 Some followers believe that men are superior to women because according to the creation
story, man was created first and woman created out of his ribs. This is used to justify why
women have to be submissive to men.
 People believe that women have a corrupting influence to men as Eve made Adam to
break God’s law by making him to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree.
 The punishment God gave Adam and Eve after they disobeyed him is used to justify roles
that men and women have in the family and society e.g. men was made to work hard in
order to earn a living and provide for his family. On the other hand, women were to have
labour pains when giving birth.
 As men were created first, it is believed that he has been liberty to be the head of the
family
 Women are considered to have less strength than men and do simpler tasks as they were
created from a man’s ribs while men are said to be stronger and perform major tasks in
the society.
 The position of women in terms of power and decision making was below the position of
men and denied women the opportunity to realise their potential and freedom.

THE ORIGIN OF HUMANKIND ACCORDING TO THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION

Scientists use the theory of evolution to explain how human beings came into existence.
Evolution means gradual change. According to a British scientist by the name of Charles

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Darwin, the evolution took place as a result of the process of natural selection which happens
when the strongest, healthiest and fittest livings adapt to a changing environment and survive.

Human beings evolved over millions of years from ape-like creatures called hominids. There was
plenty of food to eat in the forest but when these ape-lie creatures grew in number, the forest
could not give enough food and as a result some died while adapted to the environment. They
developed different characteristics to suit the environment e.g. they learnt how to use two legs so
that they could see their enemies from a distance, learnt how to communicate and eventually
changed to the present day human beings

Australopithecines: this first stage shows that this hominid:

o Walked on two legs but with a forward stoop.

o They had very small brains with protruding forehead.
o Their teeth were very strong and big
o They used stones and sticks to defend themselves from their enemies.
Homo habilis

They evolved from Australopithecines and evidence shows that:

 They walked better on two legs

 They had bigger skulls and brains
 Their faces were flatter than australopithecines
 They were the first ones to make tools i.e. scrapping and cutting tools.
Homo erectus

They evolved from Homo habilis and it shows that:

 They walked upright

 They had larger brains than homo habilis
 They had large square faces
 They hunted small and big animals and are believed to have discovered how to make fire
and use it to cook food to keep them warm.
Homo sapiens-These evolved from Homo erectus and existed around 300 000 years ago

 They had larger brains than homo erectus

 They had full upright posture and striding walking style
 They lived in caves and cooked food
 They used language to communicate and could plan

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