Among the religions of Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism, there are many similarities and differences that interconnect with one another. Each religion is unique in its own ways but share similarities with other religions as seen in their rituals and beliefs. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are all monotheistic religions. They are all derived from the same idea of God. Contrary to Judaism with the belief in one creator God, Christians believe that God is made of three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the son of the Father and is considered to be the visible expression of God. Muslims, however, deny the Trinity; they believe that Jesus is a prophet of God, but do not accept Jesus’s divinity. Christianity is based on Jesus while Jews deny Jesus Christ. The cross is the main symbol of Christianity and it represents Jesus dying on the cross so their sins can be forgiven for salvation. Judaism and Christianity are both based on the principles of the old testament as the basis of their religion. Christians further developed the religion in the New Testament which the Jews also deny. Muslims believe that Judaism and Christianity have contaminated the word of God with human misunderstanding. They believe Muhammad freed the divine message from human error.
On the contrary of the belief in one god, Hinduism is a polytheistic religion. Many people outside the religion believe that individuals worship multiple gods, but in reality, they tend to hold strong faith in one particular god and believe that god is above all others within the religion. Hindus believe that all gods are expressions of a single divine reality. Some major Hindu Gods include Brahma (god of creation), Vishnu (god of preservation), and Shiva (god of destruction and re-creation). Buddhism, on the other hand, does not have a personal God. Buddhists follow the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama who later became known as Buddha after he reached his enlightenment. Siddhartha embarked on a journey to search for questions he has about life. During his journey, he saw many sufferings, death, and aging in which he accepts as common aspects of life, but he also saw the possibility of release.
Sacraments, important rituals for Christians, are considered to be active signs of God’s grace. Baptism is an important ritual involving complete immersion of the body to cleanse one of their sins. Individuals can be baptised at any part of their life, but most often, babies are baptised. Some forms of Christianity only involves sprinkling the head with water. The concept of baptism was introduced into Christianity by Judaism. Ritual bathing was an ancient form of purification. Judaism accepted converts through baptism, and Essences practiced daily ritual bathing. Early Christians believe baptism is a sign of moral purification and readiness for God’s kingdom. The act of immersion of the body allowed individuals to recall the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians believe in an afterlife. Orthodox Christians believe that atonement for a dead person’s sins can be partially achieved through the prayers and good works of the living. Christians are laid to rest in the hope of the resurrection of the dead. Eucharist is known as the Lord’s Supper in which bread and wine is served to recall Jesus’s life and death. Christians receive baptism to cleanse their sins, receive the blood and body of Christ through communion, and pray and attend mass.
Muslims live their life following the Five Pillars: Creed (Shahadah), Prayer (Salat), Charity to the Poor (Zakat), Fasting during Ramadan (Sawm), and Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj). “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger” is the first sentence that is whispered into the ears of a newborn infant. Muslims pray five times a day with Friday being the day of public prayer. Muslims denote a percentage of their income to the poor and fast during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. Ramadan is the period during which Muhammad first received his revelations. An important part of the Muslim tradition is the pilgrimage to Mecca. Death rituals of Muslims include reciting prayers from the Qur’an for the dying person, and after death the body is buried in a plain white shroud. At the burial, the face of the deceased is turned towards Mecca and the headstone is left undecorated which signifies equality of all people in death.
Jews do not have an official creed; instead, there is a set of central beliefs. Some beliefs include the belief in God as one formless, all-knowing creator who is loving and just, the belief in the words of the prophets, and the belief that God gave the law to Moses. Some believe that they are God’s image and they must carry out his will in the world. Others believe that they suffer due to reasons that are only known to God. There is no agreement about the Jewish role, Jews believe they hold a special place in the world. The Ten Commandments are at the heart of Jewish morality, but there are also other laws and customs that dictate their life. The Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, is a day of rest and prayer where everyone is allowed to rest. Sexuality and birth are sacred in Judaism so there are special rituals relating to these aspects. A male receives his name eight days after birth, and at this time, he is also circumcised. It is believed that this prevention could be due to health related issues or “as a way of recognizing divine control over sex and generation.” Males receive a coming-of-age ceremony (bar mitzvah) at age 13 while females are honored between the ages of 12 to 18 with a ceremony called bat mitzvah.
Hinduism pursue three life goals: pleasure (kama), economic security and power (artha), and social and religious duty (dharma). These life goals are considered virtuous as long as they are pursued with moderation. However, the highest goal is known as moksha which means complete freedom. Meditation is an important aspect of Hinduism because it allows individuals to empty their minds and ease their stress. Hindus follow the path of devotion (bhakti) to a god or gods. They worship at home altars and in village temples.Three gods are particularly important in the life of Hinduism: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Together they are known as the Trimurti. Hindus believe in rebirth in which the direction of rebirth is determined by karma. Good karma brings higher rebirth while bad karma brings lower rebirths. Reincarnation is an important concept of Hinduism. Hindus believe we are in a constant state of rebirth until we reach Moksha which means “freedom.” Traditional Hinduism holds that each stage of life also has its proper way of being lived: student (brahmacharin), householder(grihastha), and retiree (vanaprastha). During the first stage, individuals between the ages of 8 and 20 study religious works. The second stage, householder, is when individuals get married and carry on their duties of having children. The last stage, retiree, is the time when individuals are allowed to once again spend time on religious matters and continue to live with their children and grandchildren.
Buddhists do not worship a god. Many people mistake that Buddhists worship Buddha; however, Buddha was once a normal human being known as Siddhartha Gautama. He is not a divine being, but he was able to achieve enlightenment and freedom from the continuous cycle of life and death. Buddhists seek to end the endless cycles of rebirth which is part of their suffering. Similar to Hinduism, Buddhism focuses on the philosophy of karma, reincarnation, and self discipline. Buddhists follow guidelines, but there is no holy scripture that they use to guide them in life; instead, they look to themselves for questions and answers. They follow the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama to obtain enlightenment and reach nirvana which is a state of peace and immortality in which the future and past vanishes and one lives at the present moment. Monks and nuns read the scriptures during religious services. Most weddings, funeral, and other family events are considered to be incomplete without the presence of monks who are expected to chant from the sutras (saying of the Buddha). Mourners and monks gather at a funeral to seek merit so that the deceased person might be reborn closer to nirvana.
Religions all around the world share similarities and differences with one another. From Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism to Western religious such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, there are many fundamental values, beliefs, and rituals that make them unique. Among these religions, there are some similar practices, but the diverse range of beliefs and customs allow us to open up our mind to other perspectives. This way, we not only expand our mind but we learn to accept the ideas and practices of religions that are different from ours.
Works Cited
Molloy, Michael. Experiencing the World's Religions: Tradition, Challenge, and Change. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2013. Print.