Chrispin Sangano

Hum 2300
Suzanne Jacob
Friday, May 09, 2014
Comparison and contrast of some world religion
Have you have time of thinking about people surrounding you? What are their beliefs and
their relation with the rest of world? With billions of people sharing one planet, its important to
understand how these people view the humanity and how they live together even though they
have different way of understanding one another in term of religion. Some people have any view
when it comes to religion. They call themselves atheists (people who disbelieve in the existence
of God or gods). But, there are those who believe that there is the existence of a supreme being
or beings. Someone or something who is in control of human behavior. We will see how these
people who are different to one another. Before we look at the different of these religions, we
will have an understanding of same religion that we learned in class then we will see how these
religions differ.
Let start with Abraham tradition religions. Among these religions there are Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam
1. Christianity: Christianity is a religion founded by Jesus approximately 2000 years ago,
and its one of the most influenced religions in the world with more than billion believers. This
religion started as a small sect of Judaism in Israel and today its at least founded in every corner
of the universal. Christians have doctrine of one god in three persons called the Trinity (God,
Jesus and The Holy Spirit), and all three persons are in union. They cannot be separated from
God. Where one is, all three are. God is the Father, Jesus the Word of God (Fathers message)
and the Holy Spirit is the Fathers Love. Christians use Bible as their holy book. This book
contains two parts. One is the Old Testament and the other is the New Testament which
comprises the four gospels (life and teaching of Jesus) Acts of the Apostles (the history) letters
(advice, instruction and encouragement) and the Revelations which gives warning regarding the
end of times. Most Christians believe in the resurrection of the dead which will be followed by
the last judgment. Our sins separate us from God.
2. Islam: The religion (Islam) was founded by the prophet Muhammad to whom the Quran
was delivered and revealed by the age Gabriel. This is not the only text that Muslims use. They
do have also the Hadith which is the traditions, examples, and saying of the prophet. This text
(Hadith) is not a revelation. Its also known in Islam tradition that there will be a last judgment,
and this divine judgment in Islam leads to either in hell or heaven. What are interesting in Islam
are the five pillars. Theses pillars are recommended to every Muslim who seeks for perfection.
The first is Shahada (faith). Muslims believe that there is only one God, and Mohammad his
prophet. So, God is the creator, and the absolutely one (not associate to anyone or to anything).
The next one is Salat (prayer). It recommended to every Muslim to five times a day facing
Mecca. Then there is Sawm( Fasting). This should be during the ninth month of Islamic calendar.
Also there is Zakat (charity) paid after one lunar year has passed. And finally there is Hajj
(pilgrimage) recommended to every Muslim for visiting Mecca once through their life if able.
These pillars are way to follow for everyone who confesses to be a Muslim. The major problem
in I slam is sin. Whenever you committed a sin you are way from God because is the first enemy
of the sin. What Muslims seek after this life on the earth is to be God in paradise after the last
judgment. Its very important for Muslims to be as good as they can in turn of living with God
eternally.
3. Judaism: is one of the greatest monotheist religions in the world. They do believe in one
God provider of everything. They used the Tanakh which is the complete Jewish Bible and
contains the Torah (teachings that comprise the first five book of the Bible). Jews are still
waiting for the Messiah who is a human of the lineage of King David, and who will know the
Torah well, teach with authority and restore the Kingdom of Israel to come. There are the 13
principles of faith:
1. God exists
2. God is one and unique
3. God is incorporeal
4. God is eternal
5. Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other
6. The words of the prophets are true
7. Moses' prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets
8. The Written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and Oral Torah (teachings now
contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses
9. There will be no other Torah
10. God knows the thoughts and deeds of men
11. God will reward the good and punish the wicked
12. The Messiah will come
13. The dead will be resurrected
These three religions are the greatest monotheist religions in the world. There have something in
common between these religions even though they have their unique way of praying, different
initiation rites etc. what they have in common is the beliefs. Muslims, Christians, Jews believe
in the same God of Abram, Isaac, Moses, Jacobs. They do believe in prophets and revelation also
in resurrection and judgment. All three and other monotheists church have different views on
the role and nature of Jesus.
Let look others religions that are not from Abraham tradition.
1. Hindu: is the dominant religion of the Indian subcontinent, which consists of many
diverse traditions. Its known as the oldest religion in the world. Below is some Hindus belief
according to himalayanacademy.com:
- Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and
transcendent, both Creator and Unman fest Reality.
-Hindus believe in the divinity of the four Vedas, the world's most ancient scripture, and
venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God's word and
the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion.
-Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and
dissolution.
-Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates
his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.
-Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas
bhas been resolved, and moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a
single soul will be deprived of this destiny.
-Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship,
rituals, sacraments and personal devotionals create a communion with these devas and
Gods.
-Hindus believe that an enlightened master, or satguru, is essential to know the
Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage,
self-inquiry, meditation and surrender in God.
-Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice
ahimsa, no injury, in thought, word and deed.
-Hindus believe that no religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but
that all genuine paths are facets of God's Light, deserving tolerance and understanding.

2 Buddhism: is the religion with beliefs and practices largely based on teachings attributed to
Siddhartha Gautama known as Buddha. There are some beliefs and practices of Buddhism
according to cnn.com that should know:
Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) grew up in a wealthy family. He decided to follow a path
of self-denial, but did not find truth until he sat down under a tree, now known as the Bo
tree. There he was "enlightened" and obtained the knowledge he had been looking for.
According to legend, Buddha sat under the Bo Tree for 49 days and was tempted by
demons. He discovered four noble truths and the Eightfold Path to Nirvana, or ultimate
bliss.
The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism: 1) existence is suffering, 2) the cause of suffering is
craving and attachment, 3) suffering ceases at some point and turns to Nirvana (liberation
or total bliss), and 4) there is a path to Nirvana which is made up of eight steps,
sometimes called the Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path to Nirvana is to be "right" in all these areas: concentration, views,
speech, resolve, action, livelihood, effort, and mindfulness.
There are two major schools of Buddhism, Mahayana and Theravada or Hinayana. There
is a third school, the Vajrayana, but it only has a small following.
Dozens of different sects of Buddhism are derived from these schools, all having
different characteristics, but sharing the basic beliefs.
Buddhists believe in reincarnation and that one must stop the cycle of rebirth as a
suffering, selfish individual, and must attain Nirvana, which are the highest point and the
end of the self.
Karma is the belief that good deeds/behavior will be visited back on individuals as well
as bad deeds/behavior. This is the basis for living a good, moral life.
The Pali Tipitaka is the earliest collection of sacred Buddhist writings; used mostly in the
Theravada school. It is translated, the "Three Baskets."
So Buddhism has different of view and conception of the universal and humanity.
There is some comparison and contrast of Hinduism and Buddhism. Hinduism is about
understanding Brahma or existence from within their own Atman, roughly soul, while Buddhism
is about finding the anatman or not soul. In Hinduism, attaining the highest life is a process of
removing the bodily distractions from life, allowing one to eventually understand the Brahma
nature. In Buddhism, one follows a disciplined life to move through and understand that nothing
in ourselves is me such that we dispel the very illusion of existence. In so doing one realizes
Nirvana.

In conclusion, its important to understand the conception of every religion. In my
thoughtful all religions lead us to the same finality although every church takes it to its
consideration. We all seek to a finality which parfait either you believe to reincarnation or
resurrection or neither.