18) What two religions have Japanese Shintoists persecuted? i) ii) 19) In Saudi Arabia what are two requirements of non -Muslims? i) ii) 20) In India, since 1947, what two religions have had tensions between them? (2 marks) 21) How much of the world's population rejects faith choices around them? 22) What final question should be asked about religion and its place in the world? __

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18) What two religions have Japanese Shintoists persecuted? i) ii) 19) In Saudi Arabia what are two requirements of non -Muslims? i) ii) 20) In India, since 1947, what two religions have had tensions between them? (2 marks) 21) How much of the world's population rejects faith choices around them? 22) What final question should be asked about religion and its place in the world? __

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18) Japanese Shintoists have historically been *syncretic*, meaning they blended their beliefs with others, rather than persecuting them. Therefore, it's inaccurate to say they persecuted any religions. However, during periods of Japanese nationalism, particularly in the lead-up to and during World War II, State Shinto was used to suppress other religions and beliefs. While not persecution by Shintoists themselves, it was persecution *in the name of* a form of Shinto. Two groups affected were: i) **Christians:** Christianity was suppressed, and believers faced discrimination and pressure to renounce their faith. ii) **Buddhists:** While Buddhism had coexisted with Shinto for centuries, certain Buddhist sects were targeted for not conforming to State Shinto ideology.19) Two requirements of non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia are: i) **No public worship of other religions:** Non-Muslims are not allowed to practice their religion openly or build places of worship. ii) **Abiding by Islamic law and customs:** Even in private matters, non-Muslims are expected to respect and follow the legal and social norms based on Islamic principles.20) In India, since 1947, tensions have existed between: **Hinduism and Islam**21) It's difficult to quantify precisely how much of the world's population "rejects faith choices around them." "Rejection" can range from mild indifference to active opposition. Furthermore, reliable global data on personal beliefs is challenging to collect. Instead of a percentage, it's more accurate to say a **significant minority** of the global population identifies as atheist, agnostic, non-religious, or otherwise unaffiliated with established religions. This group is growing in many parts of the world.22) A final question to consider about religion and its place in the world could be: **How can we foster understanding and respect between people of different or no religious beliefs, so that we can build a more peaceful and inclusive global society?** This question encourages reflection on the role of religion in both conflict and cooperation.

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