Variations In Religious Beliefs Around the World In Relation To Catholics, Jews, Christians and Muslims
Religion is often defined as a socially shared set of beliefs, ideas and actions which relate to a reality that cannot be verified empirically, yet is believed to affect the course of natural and human events. Because such beliefs condition people’s motivations and priorities, it affects their thoughts and actions including their behaviour. From a business person’s point of view, it is important to note that religious beliefs affect not only the political and economic environment of a country, but also many aspects of commercial and business operations, consumption patterns and the personal conduct and behaviour of individuals.
At the heart of the Islamic religion, for example, is the concept that the first law for man to obey is the law of God, not the law of the State. This means that what in one country might be expected to be purely an economic matter and discussed and negotiated within such a framework, becomes in another country a religious one and visitors from Western culture countries soon discover that their usual reference points are no longer applicable. There are numerous religions and religious groups in the world. The main adherents of literate religions are Buddhist, Christian (including Roman Catholic, Protestant, Anglican and Eastern Orthodox), Hindu, Muslim and others which include Sikh, Jewish, Confucian, Shinto, Baha’i, Parseeism and Zoroastrian. Non-literate religions include Chinese Folk religion, Tribalists, and Shamanists.
In addition to these there are also many millions of non-religious persons and atheists. One should be aware that there is unlikely to be complete religious homogeneity in a country, as there are people, sects and groups within most religions who place different interpretations on the requirements of their religion, and whose religious practices may therefore not conform to standard practices of their particular religion. Therefore stereotype conclusions about the impact of religion both nationally and worldwide should be guarded against.
Aspects of day-to-day life which may be affected by religious beliefs include food which may or may not be eaten; how food is to be prepared and as well as periods of fasting and feasting; whether alcohol may or may not be consumed; whether or not tobacco may be smoked; the trades and professions one can follow; work schedules which must make allowances for prayer periods; religious festivals; leisure activities and whether gambling is permitted; the type of garments and apparel which must be worn in religious or holy places, in public places and in the home; and the social and economic role of women.
To import products such as pigskin gloves and liqueur-filled chocolates into countries where in accordance with religious beliefs, to eat pork and to drink alcohol is strictly forbidden, might be obvious. One should also bear in mind that to present someone in India where cows are sacred, with a picture enclosed in a beautiful cowhide picture frame likely to give offence, as would be the gift of a bottle of whisky to someone in Saudi Arabia.
Religion has implications in many other fields.
Here are some examples — the attitude to life of some religions does not encourage materialism and consumerism; finance, where religious beliefs determine banking transactions that is, whether interest can be earned and paid; whether and how a commercial debt can be collected; personal taxation; it may affect work ethics and performance and respect for those who are their seniors, and prohibits the challenging of authority; similarly whether the rewards for merit or work is to be now or in the afterlife; in the legal sector where the commercial law may be an extension of religious law rather than of civil or common law; in employee relations where it could have a bearing on the employment of co-religionists, employment of members of the extended family and other forms of nepotism, also ethics regarding duties and responsibilities for one’s employees; advertising — what can and cannot be advertised and its method of presentation.
Under Sharia law, which governs the lives of the followers of Islam, investors are not allowed to hold stakes in bank or insurance companies because they are usurious. Nor are they allowed to buy shares in companies whose main business is alcohol, pork processing, defence, gambling or entertainment. Where religious beliefs determine banking operations, that is whether interest can be earned and paid, there are still some disagreements among banking institutions, as to what is and is not Sharia-compliant.
There is for example a divide between the Middle Eastern states where there is strict interpretation of Sharia law compared with its understanding in South East Asia. Religion has also effected the conduct of war. During the period of Ramadan (the daily fast between sunrise and sunset practised during Ramadan) in some of the 20th century wars in the Arab world there were unwritten rules which both side followed under their respective Arab leadership. To non-Arabs these rules might well be compared to the concepts of chivalry as used to be observed in Western culture countries. Religious divisions within countries can create both social and commercial opportunities and problems, particularly where there is antipathy between religious groups. The consequences of such divisions sometimes result, in addition to different places of worship, in separate and parallel organisations and communities.
Other consequences include separate schools, clubs, political parties, trade unions, financial institutions, newspapers, radio and TV stations, and even shopping centres. In a suburb of Tel Aviv in Israel which has a high concentration of ultra-orthodox Jews a shopping centre has been opened without coffee bars or a cinema, to guard against unnecessary fraternisation between men and women. Its second floor bans men. All mannequins are headless, because of the religious edit against any likeness of the human image. The bedding department has only single beds because even married ultra-orthodox couple must sleep separately.
Nearly every religion has symbols which are held sacred by its followers and these images must be treated with respect. Mistreating or insulting an image can not only give great offence, but can result in prosecution of offenders. It is therefore important to ascertain whether or not a sacred image or symbol can be used as souvenirs or as a work of art, or even more importantly, whether it would cause offence if it were used as a form of embellishment as part of an object of merchandise. There may also be restrictions on specific letters, monograms, words, names and terms associated with religious or non-religious beliefs, and whether they can be used in conjunction with merchandise and services.
Bibliography & Resources:
http://www.schieldenver.com
christian book publishers
, christian publishers
Processing your request, Please wait....
