Eastern Religion

Three major religions have ties to Southwest Asia. All three of those religions also have ties to one city, Jerusalem. The three religions are Judaism, Christianity, and finally Islam. The people who practice Judaism are called Jews, the people who practice Christianity are called Christians, and the people who practice Islam are called Muslims. All of these religions are widely practiced in Southwest Asia. They all are alike in some ways and different.

I am one who always wants to learn and I frequently emerge myself into cultures in which I feel out of place. I continually attract friends from different cultures and have close friends from Punjab, India as well as Russia, England, and Ireland. My willingness to learn contributes to my ability to assimilate and understand each and everyone’s background, heritage, and religion. My significant other is a second-generation immigrant from a traditional Yemeni family. These traditions are so deep-rooted that his parents would disown him if they learned that their son was dating at all, not to mention dating a white, atheist American; hence the reason his family is unaware of my existence.

The inherent personal expression found when one includes culture to a wedding ceremony provides a timeless experience for a bride or groom who see their marriage as a transitional rite of passage. Engaging in heritage can be a personal, frequent pursuit for some, thereby suggesting deeper importance when it is included in a wedding ceremony through venues, specific events, a symbolic activity, and so forth. Our society actively promotes this theory, from media resources meant specifically to appeal to the everyday American to smaller communal hubs like religious circles or family members who instill couples with the distinct values they subsequently carry into marital lives.

The eastern religions that we have discussed in class are Hinduism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The western religions that we have discussed in class are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The Eastern Religions have originated in countries such as China, India, and Japan. The western religions originated in Europe and the Americas. There are few similarities between eastern religions and western religions, but many differences. The biggest difference between the two religions is that eastern religions believe in more than one god, whereas western religions believe in one God.

The family issue I will be analyzing is interfaith marriage. Interfaith marriage is simply marriage between two people who belong to or identify with different religious groups. However simple the definition may seem, the reality of interfaith marriage can be far more complex. For most of human history it has been a social taboo to marry outside of one 's faith. However, in recent years it has become much more acceptable, even to the point of seeming to essentially be a non-factor as far as society is concerned. Nevertheless, with the inevitable differences in customs and beliefs, and despite social acceptance, interfaith marriages can still cause major conflict in the household. This paper will explore seven different sociological theories, and attempt to explain how they can decipher the effects of interfaith marriage upon the family.

“What does Eastern Religions mean to Americans?” Starting in the 19th century, Buddhism began to make its way to America through the immigration of the Chinese whom brought their religious traditions with them. Buddhism continued to gain popularity in America when Buddhist texts, as well as Buddhist teachers, were brought here to share and spread their religion. It wasn’t until the late 1950’s/early 1960’s that we see the interest in Buddhism, particularly Zen Buddhism, blossom throughout the country. Through the memoir “Sacred Hoops” by Phil Jackson, an NBA player and coach, we are able to see how Zen Buddhism not only altered his life, as well as his players, but how the religion also adapts to American culture. From reading both “Sacred Hoops” and learning about Buddhism throughout this semester, I would argue that Eastern religions, specifically Zen Buddhism, is not only a way for Americans to escape the reality of American culture but also provides a complete alternative to Christianity and other similar religions that are predominate in America.

Different parts of the world contain their own traditions. Not only do different regions have their own unique traditions, but also neighbors in a subdivision might not believe in

I would say that the second biggest difference between the ancient Near East religions and the religion of the Hebrews of the Old Testament, is the polytheistic views of the Near East and the monotheistic views of the Hebrews. Monotheism (according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary) is the “doctrine or belief that there is but one God”, while polytheism is “belief in or worship of more than one god”. One example of the many Near East religions is that of the Babylonians. In the old Babylonian story “The Atrahasis Epic”, there were major and minor gods.

The idea of the soul varies widely in religious tradition. While these variations exist, its basic definition is unvarying. The soul can be described as the ultimate internal principle by which we think, feel, and will, and by which our bodies are animated. The soul is seen as the core principle of life or as the essence of a being 1. Views on the permanence of the soul vary throughout religious tradition as well. While some view it as a mortal entity in flux others believe the soul is an immortal and permanent unit. These interpretations vary from time period to time period and between religions. These characteristics of the soul are interpreted differently through an Eastern or

Learning different religion and seeing what the eastern and western are like and comparing them.

As different as they may seem, all religions are pretty similar. Even just the small things that are just here and there can connect many religions together. That is not to say that there are also differences between them like their stances on many beliefs, gods, and followers of their religion. However the eastern and western religions are so similar and yet so different that I have decide to label the similarities and differences. That being said, I believe that the western are so similar and yet so different that they must be analyzed. After all they believe in a higher power, pray, and do other such things that are similar but still every reason they are similar is also how they're different. For example, in the religions Hinduism and

Around the World there are various differentiating religions. They all have a similar goal which is to see past everyday concerns in quest of a higher moral drive. Western and eastern religions both are very spiritual in various diverse ways. The western religions focus on monotheism, whereas the eastern religions are polytheistic.

On Sunday, February 21, Billy and I joined Arjun's father in his trip to the Hindu temple in Orlando—we had to wake up earlier than usual for a Sunday but it was for good cause. We arrived at the temple in Orlando just before 10AM for a prayer service that was difficult to

Marriage is a significant social event in contemporary society. It is a means of building new bonds between two individuals and their subsequent families. The foundations of memorable weddings are built on those that bring often-distant family and friends together for the occasion, while dressed in their most sophisticated attire, surrounded by elegant flowers, a night of dancing, captured through the lens of an exceptional photographer. Although Hinduism and Islam are two extremely distinctive religions, their matrimonial customs do share some comparable elements, like most other cultural wedding ceremonies. In both religions, they are devotedly obedient concerning religious and cultural practices in their marital ceremonies.

It is believed that anyone who honestly worships goddess Lakshmi without greed is favored with fortune and success. To anywhere there is bravery, hard work, and virtue, Lakshmi resides beneath there but once these qualities are no longer practiced she flees. Hindus who regularly worship Lakshmi, worship in home shrines or at temples. The most favorable day to worship Lakshmi is said to be on Friday’s. Diwali is a time where majority of Hindus worship goddess Lakshmi. The festival of Diwali is most famous to be celebrated annually during the months of October or November. Religiously talking the festival symbolizes the “triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over unawareness, good over evil and hope over misery”. The night before the festival people restore and clean their homes and workplace. On the actual night of Diwali, Hindu worshippers dress in their best clothes, light up diyas (oil lamps) and involve themselves in a family act where they demonstrate an act of reverence to goddess Lakshmi. Once they finish with the puja, fireworks are