Download Hu Yun-Hsiang Hu HUMA-2300-007 Wijitha Yapa Bandara

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Yun-Hsiang Hu
HUMA-2300-007
Wijitha Yapa Bandara
Signature Assignment
Throughout the spring semester of 2014, my World Religion Class explored and
experienced several of the most influential religions in the world. Understanding other religions
is extremely important to live peacefully with others and to eliminate discrimination or hate
towards other religions. Many people who are ignorant of other religions, show lots of hate
towards their members. If you can learn about someone else religion and compare the similarities
and difference with your own religion, you will have a better understanding of them. Knowing
and understanding their religion will also help someone respect it not just hate out of ignorance.
The focus for this paper is to compare and contrast among Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam.
Buddhism is a philosophy of life preached by Gautama Buddha. Buddhism is a major
religion in China, Japan, India, and Tibet. Buddhism branches off from Hinduism, mainly
because they differ in the beliefs of god and the life cycle. It rejects a lot of the broader teachings
of Hinduism, but its core beliefs are the same. They both believe that the goal of each individual
is to attain unity with the universal life force thru enlightenment. They both also believe that all
religions are valid paths to approach enlightenment. Buddhism stresses the teaching of no-self.
There is a famous saying, 'where can dust be collected if there is nothing to start out with.' Thus
attachment to the idea of substantial and enduring self is only an illusion, which can only lead to
suffering. Therefore, suffering is a consequence of one's volitional actions. This is consistent
with the Buddhist doctrine of causes and effects. The Major Philosophy of Buddhism states that
existence is a continuing cycle of death and rebirth called reincarnation. Each person's position in
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life is determined by his or her behavior in the previous life. In addition, Buddhism believes
there is no god to love or take care of its people. Buddhism is one of the world's oldest universal
religions and it is the second fastest growing religion.
The early Hebrews who eventually developed into the Jewish religion became the
foundation of Christianity. Jesus, or the Messiah, was a Jewish boy who disagreed with some of
the Jewish principles of his day began to profess a new way of thinking. This eventually led to
the beginning of the Christian religion. Christianity started about 2000 years ago about the same
time of Jesus. The central point of Christian belief is that God, the Father, entered into human
history as the Jesus, and arose as the Holy Spirit. Christian Philosophy states that God is the
Creator of the universe. There is only one true God in Christianity. The Christianity Holy trinities
are Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Believe Jesus is the Son of God. Main holy book is the Bible.
Salvation is given as long as one accepts Jesus Christ. Jesus is both fully man and God. He was
born of the Virgin Mary, resurrected from the dead, and ascended to the Father. Most of all,
Christian faith is the relationship with God, the Creator of all things. A person is accepted by
God because he is a chosen child of God. Christians believe in a loving God who has revealed
himself and can be known in a personal way in this life.
Islam is the name given to the religion preached by the prophet Muhammad in the 600s A.
D. The holy book of Islam is the “Quran”; Muslims believe its words to be those of Allah
himself, spoken to Muhammad by an angel. The Quran symbolize as a direct message from God
to earth. Other translated versions of the Quran are considered not to be direct message from God
besides Islamic. The Muslims also believe in one god known as Allah, who is the Islamic God.
Muslims believe Allah is the one almighty God who is infinitely superior to and transcendent
from humankind. Allah is viewed as the creator of the universe and the source of all good and all
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evil. Everything that happens is Allah's will. A follower's relationship with Allah is as a servant
to Allah. Islamic Philosophy states that Muslims learn that life on earth is a period of testing and
preparation for the life to come. Angels record good and bad deeds. People should behave
themselves and help others, trusting in Allah's justice and mercy for their reward. In addition, the
religion of Islam is built upon the Five Pillars that define the essential elements of Islam. The
Five Pillars are: Shahadah (Testimony of Faith), Salat (Five daily worships), Zakat (Donation to
charity), Sawm (Fasting in the month of Ramadan), and Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca once in a
lifetime). Salvation is based on work through implementing the Five Pillars in life. Finally, Islam
is one of the fastest growing religions in the world and is the second largest, behind Christianity.
Islam is also one of the Abrahamic religions, along with Judaism and Christianity, and is
monotheistic.
In conclusion, these three religions have different message about the views of the universe,
however, all of them want the same consequence for their followers. The consequence is to be
faithful to the religion and good things will come to them. There will always be guidance for the
mankind to reach the highest state of spiritual, emotional, and physical enlightenment.