Terms of World Religions Trivia Quiz

Answer: khanda

The word khanda is often used to refer to the religious symbol of Sikhism as a whole, while it also refers to one "piece" of the symbol, the double-edged sword that takes up the symbol's center. Within the amalgam of the symbol, there are a throwing weapon known as a chakram and two single-edged swords known as kirpan. Though the symbol is militaristic in nature, it represents the Sikh doctrine of "Deg Teg Fateh", which is for those in Sikh communities to provide food and protection to those who need it.

Answer: dukkha

"Dukkha" is a concept in Buddhism/Hinduism that explains one of the conditions of humanity. It is often translated as "suffering," though there are stronger or weaker translated meanings, including unhappiness, pain, anxiety, distress, and unsatisfactoriness. Within Buddhism, there are various subcategories of "dukkha" depending on what events are causing the discomfort. One of the ultimate goals of Buddhism is overcoming this condition in order to live a satisfied and complete life.

Answer: purgatory

In Roman Catholic doctrine, when some imperfect humans die, they escape the punishments of the damned. They instead enter a sort of state (sometimes referenced as a physical place) in which their sins are expiated, or ultimately forgiven, before they can enter the kingdom of heaven. This process of purification is most often referenced as being completed through the use of fire.

Answer: Hajj

For Muslims, the Hajj is a mandatory pilgrimage that must be made at least once in their lifetime; this applies only to those who are physically and financially capable of doing so. The pilgrimage's rites take place over six days, including perhaps the most widely-known rite of walking around the cube-shaped Kabaa counterclockwise. Around two million visitors a year make the trek to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, though in 2020, only local Saudi visitors could make the pilgrimage due to COVID-19 protections.

Answer: kami

The concept of "kami" is believed to have come from the animistic beliefs of early Japanese peoples, including the Ainu. As the spirits are not separate from nature, they are forces that can be both good and evil depending on the situation. The "kami" are worshipped, in a sense, as guardians of particular areas, and they are bound to endeavor to aid those who need their assistance in those areas.

There is a kami of the wind, kami of the roads, kami of diseases, etc.

Answer: analogion

It wouldn't be out of the ordinary to see an analogion in any Eastern Orthodox Church, as they are commonly used for multiple purposes. One of their main purposes is to hold the Gospel Book (sometimes called the Evangelion), but they are also used to hold candles, icons, crosses, and other religious items. Analogia are made of wood, though they are sometimes inlaid with precious metals or mother of pearl.

Answer: asha

In Zoroastriansim, "asha" is a difficult concept to define, but it can ultimately be simplified to a sort of truth or righteousness. That which is good, orderly, lawful, and right-working could be considered to be following the meaning of "asha". The opposite is "druj", which is considered to be that which is a lie or is dishonest in nature. "Asha" is everything that "druj" is not.

Answer: antinomy

While Agnosticism isn't a religion per se (and is more fittingly referred to as irreligion), there are still common ideas and terms that are found within that help guide its principles. Immanuel Kant and his "Critique of Pure Reason" helps philosophers come to the realization that it may be impossible to ever know if a higher power exists due to the inherent flaws that can be found in human reason.

His four antinomies are both true and contradictory at the same time, meaning reason and belief can guide humanity to both conclusions, yet the conclusions could be seen to be proving each other false.

Answer: samsara

Samsara is tied to karma in the Hindu religion in that seeking to be freed from the cycle of samsara is the ultimate goal of one's spiritual journey. The concept is often tied to a belief in a cyclical world or a karmic cycle, with some Indian religions professing a belief in reincarnation.

This continuation can be broken through some kind of self-actualization or understanding, the end result being nirvana.

Answer: mitzvah

There are traditionally considered to be 613 mitzvot (the plural form of the word "mitzvah"). These commandments are often broken down into two major categories: those that require you to do something (obligations) and those that require you to not do something (prohibitions).

The discussion of mitzvot leads to differences of opinion in Jewish law, with some seeing the commandments open to interpretation while other more orthodox traditions believe they are not meant to be questioned.