The Beliefs And Symbols Of Hinduism And Christianity

Hinduism is one of the earliest religons that is still practiced around the world. It seeks to answer the same questions that Christianity does, but arrives at different answers. It seeks truth, but fails to find it.

Symbols are utilized as a way for human beings to give expression their abstract ideas. Every religion and ideology has its own visual symbol, which illustrates a significant feature of its history or beliefs. Christianity is rich in tradition and symbolism. The most recognized symbol is the cross, the implement of the salvation. William Penn said, “No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.” In Matthew 10:39 Jesus also stated, “He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” Jesus’s crucifixion on the cross made the cross become one of the most influential symbols of Christianity for its victory over sin and death.

Explain the key beliefs within two religious traditions in a relation to a significant religious question.

When looking at Christianity and Hinduism there are many ways to look at each religion from a theological perspective. This is why the best way to look at the broad view of these religions would be to analyze each by comparing and contrasting what each religion is about. The first point to look at would be at how Hinduism and Christianity are very similar in how they view the world. This can be seen in how they both strive to achieve a state of higher being whether it be with the eternal state of Moksha or eternal life in heaven with God. They both also look to be more introspective of themselves in order to maintain a good relationship with their higher being. This can be seen with Christians trying their hardest to maintain their faithfulness to God (Letter to the Romans, Reader p. 200) or Hindus making sure to maintain their duties in their caste in order to climb the system (Bhagavad Gita, Reader p. 75). Another comparison would be that Christianity follows the “Golden Rule” which is better known in the Hindu religion as karma. This is an important cornerstone to both religions because it creates a system of justice for both religions to follow. To truly examine these two religions one must also look at the differences that each religion has to each other that make them each a unique belief. A main difference would be that Christianity focuses more on the short term while Hinduism focuses more on the long term. Another difference is the rewards that a Christian

Hinduism, the world’s oldest religion, is the third largest religion in the world after Islam and Christianity with close to one billion followers. The followers of the religion are called Hindus and are mainly located in India, and their place of worship is a temple. The religion doesn’t have any one specific founder, however,

Hindus worship everything around them. Hinduism is monotheistic, yet is thought to be polytheistic for the preceding reasons. The premise surrounding this belief is that the “Supreme Being” found in so many forms. Not placing limited parameters on the “Supreme Being”, as other religions are known to, is yet another modern appeal to Hinduism.

When growing up us as humans are given the right to choose what religion we want to follow. There are tons of different religions in this world. Many of these religions have similarities, but also quite a few differences. The two religions that will be discussed in this paper are Christianity and Buddhism. Two religions that worship one person, but in different ways.

The religions Judaism and Christianity are two of the five major belief systems. Some of the similarities they share are: they are both monotheist, believe in the afterlife, and they share the old Testament in their Holy Book. Some of their differences include: the Jews believe that Jesus isn't a divine being and the Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah, and their holy ceremonies are guided by Rabbis, for the Jews, and Priest, for the Christians.

Along with the temples and beliefs of individuals, the main vehicle that preserved Hinduism in other regions around the world has a lot to do with the sacred Sanskrit texts and various languages. During the first week of going to the temple in Cherry Hill, I was handed a thick looking binder. As I opened it up, there were multiple parts of prayers. The first was a morning ritual, which consisted of ways to pray and meditate in the mornings. The other sections were specifically for the Sundays that I visited there.

Buddhism and Hinduism are two of the world’s most influential and greatest religions. Buddhism is a religion based on the teachings of the awakened one (Abrams), and Hinduism is the oldest of the world’s greatest religions (Rice). Both of these religions arose in South Asia, thus they share similar culture and philosophy; however, they also contrast greatly with each other in many other aspects. By comparing the rituals of worship of the two religions it is proven that Hinduism worships various deities, whereas Buddhism does not worship any. Rituals of worship such as puja and meditation are practiced in both religions, nevertheless the way and purpose of how they are done differ.

Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world and it is a dominant religion is South Asia. The word Hindu comes from the Indus River and was used to name the people who lived beyond this river. Although Hindus adore many Gods, Hinduism is considered a monotheistic religion. In this sense, all Gods are part of one main God, the supreme spirit, Brahman. In its article "Hinduism: Beliefs about God," the BBC News website states that, “Brahman has many forms, pervades the whole universe, and is symbolized by the sacred syllable Om (or Aum)” (BBC News).

The diversity of religions in the world is almost as wide-ranging as the diversity of culture itself (Macionis, 526). Christianity seems to be the largest religion, with 2 billion followers, one-third of the world’s population. In the 1st century C.E, Christianity evolved out from Judaism. It is based on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and those who follow him are called “Christians.” Christianity is a monotheistic faith, which refers to only believing in one god. It is predominant in the Western World (North America, Europe and Oceania).

Hinduism is considered the oldest living religion in the world because some elements can be traced back thousands of years, predating even elements in other religions like Christianity and Buddhism (British Broadcasting Company, 2009). Despite the age of the religion, the range of practices and beliefs found in Hinduism make it difficult to give a concise definition regarding central tenets, scriptures, and practices. Hinduism is different from most other world religions because it does not have a solitary founder, no commonly agreed set of teachings, and no single scripture that is read. For these reasons, Hinduism is considered by many, especially practicing Hindus, as a “way of life,” or as a family of religions instead of one religion (2009). Some claim that Hinduism’s core feature involves the belief in a supreme being that is impersonal, while other strands of the religion describe and worship a personal God.

Om is the main symbol of Hinduism. It may seem a small word but has a lot of meaning to it. Hindus say it is the name of the universal Lord and surrounds all creations. They use this word in yoga classes as mediation and for peace. Om refers to soul, truth, divine, and knowledge. “In the Kaṭha Upaniṣad, the figure Death defines oṃ as the goal propounded by the Vedas, and proclaims that anyone who meditates on the syllable oṃ can attain brahma” (Jones). After meditating for many years and constantly saying “Om” can attain the Lord Brahma. After achieving your goal and meeting Brahma, you can ask for anything in favor and the lord gives it to you for praying with purity. Also, Om is said when

The world has many different belief systems including Christianity and Buddhism. Both are similar and different in many ways. These religions are used in different places around the world and influenced the lives of its followers and the society in which they are practiced. Christianity is more diverse and complicated in its beliefs and totally depends on faith. In contrast, Hinduism is a belief more based on the simplicity of culture and tradition.