Judaism, Christianity, Islamic and Buddhisms beliefs on Heaven and Hell - Research Paper Example

Judaism, Christianity, Islamic and Buddhism’s beliefs on Heaven and Hell The freedom of religion provides each individual with the occasion to believe and practice any faith he or she delights. That explains why segments of the population practice Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and why certain individuals are Buddhists. In as much as all the religions have the common goal of ensuring that their believers remain spiritually enriched, some of their teachings differ from each other. Consequently, this research paper aims to provide more insight on Judaism, Christianity, Islamic and Buddhism’s beliefs and practices of heaven and hell. Judaism, which is the main religion of the Jews, believes in the existence of both heaven and hell. According to Hebrew, the Jews refer to heaven as Olam HaBa, which translates to the world to come. Their main belief is that heaven is a place for the righteous, and that those who live in it are blessed to reside under continuous divine intervention. Furthermore, the Jews believe that those who live in heaven are customarily rewarded with a better life to make up for the misfortunes that they underwent on earth (Ellens 38). According to Judaism, the experience of this world is aimed at preparing their believers for the next, and that fulfilling the commandments is instrumental in earning one entry into heaven. The Jews similarly share the ideology that the soul should be purified before its final rest, a process that often goes on for eleven months. Given the wideness of Judaism, a section of Jews believes that God is the resuscitator of the dead through a process known as the transmigration of souls (Ellens 43). They regard the transmigration of souls as a second chance, and an opportunity for an individual to make up for some of the commandments he or she never fulfilled while on earth. Christianity, just like Judaism teaches on the existence of both heaven and hell. In as much as information on both heaven and hell remains light, Christians believe that heaven is a place where all their suffering and pain will end, and that they will live forever. The Christian teachings on the existence of heaven provide hope on some of the things that devotees are to expect in the presence of the Lord (Donnelly 14). Specifically, Christians have faith in the fact that their potential will be heavily maximized in heaven, and that it is a place where they are to enjoy Gods love eternally. Christians similarly share the ideology that hell is a place for sinners where fires burn. Furthermore, Christians have confidence in the fact that judgment often takes place with the wicked being sent to the fires of hell, and the obedient being subjected to the bliss of heaven. In that regard therefore, Christian teachings emphasize the need to seek God’s forgiveness while still living on earth. In the middle of all that clarity, certain segments of Christians believe that Jesus Christ died for the sins of all, an event that will enable each one to experience the bliss of heaven (Donnelly 23). Additionally, a section of Roman Catholics and the Orthodox believe in purgatory, which is the transitional state between life and heaven. Their trust is that purgatory provides an opportunity for one’s soul to be purified, thereby guaranteeing an individual eternity with God. Just like Judaism and Christianity, Islamic beliefs on heaven and hell are quite important for Muslim believers. In as much as Muslims share the ideology that the soul continues to exist even after death, they have confidence in the fact that the fate of each devotee will be determined on judgment day. On this occasion, they presume that sinners will be sent to hell, whereas those of good character will be sent to heaven, which they frequently refer to as paradise. Islamic teachings on heaven and hell are one of the central doctrines of the Quran, and are considered one of the key teachings of Prophet Muhammad. They believe that in as much as Allah raises the dead to be judged on the separation day, deceased souls customarily begin to experience a taste of their destiny while still in death. The hell bound for example, are prospective to suffer while the heaven bound are likely to experience peace even in death (IBPC 62). The Islamic teachings on heaven dictate that it can be compared to paradise, with those in it experiencing both physical and spiritual pleasures, accompanied by lofty mansions, good food as well as virgins. In addition, the teachings outline that hell is place of total suffering, where individuals are subjected to high intensity fire based on their levels of sin. Islam has confidence in the fact that Allah is forgiving in nature, and that he will not allow fellow Muslims to burn in hell forever, but will uplift them at some point and grant them the chance to reside in paradise. On the other hand, they believe that non-Muslims will be left to reside in hell forever. From the discussions above, it is apparent that Judaism, Christianity and Islam have similar teachings on heaven and hell. Buddhism nonetheless has an entirely different concept on the two factors, for Buddhists do not believe that both heaven and hell are eternal places. Concerning hell, Buddhists share the ideology that hell is a temporary place, and that there is no reason for an individual to suffer forever (Okawa 58). Moreover, they believe that hell is not beyond the world, but is within the world itself. Buddhism similarly dictates that heaven is a temporary place where those who have done good deeds experience the sensual pleasures of love. As such, Buddhists argue that it is important for each individual to focus on character building and mental training. In conclusion, it is apparent that the teachings of the religions discussed above are extremely important to the destiny of their devotees. Christianity, Judaism and Islam share similar concepts in the existence of heaven and hell, while Buddhism differs. Over and above, it is important for an individual to have faith in his or her religion, for such provides them with the opportunity to develop spiritually and mentally. Works-Cited Donnelly, Edward. Biblical Teaching on the Doctrines of Heaven and Hell. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 2001. Print. Ellens, J H. Heaven, Hell, and the Afterlife: Eternity in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. , 2013. Islamic Beliefs, Practices, and Cultures. Tarrytown, N.Y: Marshall Cavendish Reference, 2010. Print. Ōkawa, Ryūhō. The Essence of Buddha: The Path to Enlightenment. Educa Books, 2008. Print. Read More