Society and Various Religious Practices - Essay Example

World Religions Table of Contents I. Hinduism 3 II. Buddhism 5 III. China and Japan 7 IV. Islam 8 V. Christianity 10 VI. Scientology 11 Works Cited 13 I. Hinduism Karma- Karma is in one way a universal law of cause and effect, where the actions of all individuals as well as their circumstances are conditioned by past actions.. The context for karma is not limited to just one lifetime, but is the entire series of lives of a person, so that particular circumstances that may not be obviously due to a set of actions done in this lifetime may be understood in the larger context of actions done in previous lifetimes. For instance, an insect in this lifetime may have been a man in previous lifetimes, whose actions may have caused him to gain negative karma to the extent that he lost his human birth in this lifetime, and devolved into a lower life form. The word karma itself, on the other hand, is literally action, from the root kri, which translates in English to to do. The importance of karma is in the way in which it is able to account for the fates of all men and the consequences of their actions in Hinduism, that makes of the Hindu world one that is just and emphasizes consequences for everything that people do (Dasa). Avatar- An avatar is simply an incarnation of a divine being, a free and liberated soul sent back to the world of men to perform specific deeds to aid others in their paths to God. Examples of avatars are Buddha, Jesus, and Krishna (Ananda Sangha). Hinduism can be construed as a world religion that recognizes that the divinity exists in all, and that all religions contain the sacred truth. It is expansive and accommodating, and diverse in its worship practices, considering even that the worship of Jesus is a form of Hinduism. It holds that God is one, that reincarnation and karma are fundamental tenets of reality (Dasa (b)). Kali and Shiva are married to each other. Kali is the female principle that embodies sexuality and destruction, while Shiva is the male principle embodying the creation potentiality (Kumar). A puja is simply a worship ceremony, undertaken to communicate with the gods. It is individual in nature, and constitutes a major form of undertaking worship in Hindu tradition (Dasa (c)). II. Buddhism The Four Noble Truths are the foundational teachings of the Buddha, which lie at the core of the principle of suffering as the key teaching, as well as the means to cure suffering. The first two truths relate to suffering as truth and the origin of suffering, while the last two relate to the truth relating to suffering ceasing, and the path to making suffering disappear or cease (BBC). Nirvana translates to extinguishing, or the cessation of suffering. Enlightenment is associated with the nirvana experience, which also means that delusion, hatred and greed have ceased in a conscious being. Nirvana is important because it attests to the reality of the cessation of an individuals suffering, and is the apex of the practice of Buddhism. Where nirvana is attained compassion for others naturally arises (BBC). While Therevada and Mahayana Buddhism root themselves in the teachings of the hisorical Buddha, their practices are fundamentally different, and so are their geographical influences. Mahayana emphasizes the way of the boddhisatva, which to this lineage is the ideal form of practicing Buddhism, and has a heavy emphasis on caring for the liberation of all. This is the Buddhism that has rooted in China, Korea and Japan. Where Mahayana emphasizes engagement with the world, meanwhile, Theravada emphasizes the monastic life, or withdrawing from the world and living the life of the monk in communities. This latter form is strong in Cambodia and Sri Lanka, as well as Thailand, among others (BBC). The happiness challenge in Buddhism is that as emphasized by the doctrine, happiness can be had only via the path as laid out by Buddha, and in a sense foregoing oneself and ones happiness in order to work for the liberation of others (BBC). The sites portion relating to the Dalai Lama, and how the Dalai Lama emphasizes non-violence in relation to ones daily actions and regard towards others, is arguably an important part of the information on the religion, because here one is able to see how Buddhism works out in daily life, and how the religion shapes the thinking of its great leaders in modern contexts (BBC). III. China and Japan Daoism is an organic religion from China, emphasizing the Tao or the way as the primordial force of creation pervading the universe. The key features are the emphasis on an understanding of the way, and of the Tao being something that cannot be grasped but only lived (BBC (b)). Shinto is about rituals that allow man to communicate with kami, or spiritual beings, as they key aspect of the religion that has its roots in Japanese tradition (BBC (c)). Nature is treated differently in Shinto and in Daoism, in that in Daoism in China nature is treated reverently, as an aspect or as an arena for the Tao or the way, whereas in Shinto the emphasis is on the spirits rather than on nature as the object of worship in itself. On the other hand, in Shinto too nature is considered to be part of a single whole, and the religion does no differentiate between the spirit world and the world of nature, seeing both as aspects of one whole reality. On the other hand, in Daoism, while nature is an aspect of the Tao, it is not itself the Tao. The Tao pervades nature, but is not itself nature (BBC (c)). Religions in China are so interrelated because they have common foundations, and because the different religions come to influence one another through time (BBC (b)). Ritual is important in Shinto because the religion itself puts primary emphasis on the communication with spirits, which is the essence of such worship rituals. Worship rituals are what allow people to talk to spirits in Shinto (BBC (c)). IV. Islam Sufism is the mystical aspect of Islam, or that branch of Islam that emphasizes personal relationship and an individual vision of God over doctrine and organization. In this sense it is antithetical to the formal side and the doctrinal side of Islam, which emphasizes scripture, dogma, and formal practices that differentiate rather than unite. Mysticism is attractive precisely because of the emphasis on the personal and the subjective, on individuality and commonality with other faiths rather than differences and adherence to strict laws (BBC (d)). The Five Pillars are the five fundamental practices or obligations that Muslims must undertake or observe in order to live good lives. These five pillars are the Shahadah, or the professing of the Islamic faith; the Salat, or ritual prayers done five times a day; the Zakat, or the payment of taxes to aid those in need; the Sawm, or the Ramadan fast; and the Hajj, or the Mecca pilgrmage (BBC (d)). Whereas initial differences between Sunni and Shiite Muslims came from differences in views relating to succession from the death of Muhammad onwards, through time differences extended to doctrinal interpretations and practices relating to the five pillars, such as frequency of prayer, and the centrality of hadith and sunna from various sources in the practice of the religion (BBC (d)). The Quran relates to the words of the prophet that came directly from God, while the Hadith are the words of the prophet in his own person. The contention about the hadith is that the Shiites rigorously screen the hadiths as they were handed from different sources, whereas the Sunni Muslims accept the validity of hadith coming from all of the prophets recognized companions, numbering 12,000. The Shiites only consider those hadith coming from close associates and members of the prophets immediate family (BBC (d)). Sawm is an important practice because of the way the Ramadan, during which Sawm is practiced en masse, is an important part of the year for Muslims. It is important too for the way sawm fortifies Muslims spiritually, by making the body turn away from the needs of the physical body and towards his spiritual needs and fortification (BBC (d)). V. Christianity Paul thought that the church was a universal church, and belonged to all the Gentiles of the world. This resonates with the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. On the other hand, whereas the Gospels teachings emphasized the kingdom of God, in Paul the emphasis is on the theology of faith. This faith-based theology is markedly different from the kingdom-based theology of the Gospels (McKnight; BBC (e)). The schism between The Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches stemmed from differences in interpreting doctrine and the powers and actions of the pope, going back to 1054 (BBC (e)). The issue of the English reformers with the Roman Catholic church was with regard to the power of the pope. With Luther and Calvin the issues related to the centrality of a personal faith and a personal relationship with God and the centrality of the Bible over Church practices and the mediation of the Catholic church (BBC (e)). The different Christian groups differ with regard to the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, in the observance of the Sabbath, and with regard to the what parts of the scriptures are canonical and what are non-canonical texts, among many other small and major differences (BBC (e)). The Quaker faith developed in England in the 1650s and have deep roots to Christianity. Its emphasis on a personal spirituality and one that also recognizes the divine in everyone, as well as the corollary principles of non-harming and conscience as arbiter of morality, are relevant today, and so those propel the community through time (BBC (e)). VI. Scientology Scientology emphasizes a relationship with the Divine and the spirit that resides in the physical body One can say that its appeal lies in its roots in science and in modernity (Church of Scientology International). Science and religion are differentiated by their methods and their view of what can be considered as acceptable reality. Religion starts with revelation, it can be said, with a divine message or intuition of spirit and the reality of other worlds, and works from the starting point of something that is beyond the grip of reason to make sense of the world and the place of man in that world. Its preoccupation is with soul and qualities that cannot be measured, such as love, peace, and human relationships. On the other hand, science starts with reason as the bedrock of it practice, and the material world is its arena of inquiry. It rejects what cannot be measured and what lies beyond the scope of the scientific method (BBC). Globalization is a movement characterized by the global spread of ideas, goods, services, and cultures, as well as religions.. Globalization implies the activation of a marketplace of religious thinking, and the Internet is one of it primary purveyors or enablers. Globalization via the Internet allows people to make sense of religions and religious worldviews apart from ones own, to find commonalities or points of differences, even as it also fosters understanding. Atheisms role is to stand apart from the established religious practices and provide a different perspective from those that are commonly held by the major religions (BBC; Infed.org). Secularism is the focus on aspects of life that are human-centered rather than religion-centered. In practical terms it calls for the separation of the church and the state in the management of the daily affairs of men, and pushes religion away from public life and into the sphere of the private. States are better off being secular rather than religious, because from experience religious states devolve into dogmatism and the restrictions of the freedoms of people (BBC). Contemporary society is tolerant of various religious practices, and value freedoms such as freedom of worship, The tenets of Wicca emphasize closeness to nature and individuality that does not do harm to others, and so have appeal to people who may otherwise shun religion (Church and School of Wicca). Works Cited Ananda Sangha. “Avatar”. Ananda Sangha Worldwide. n.d. Web. 24 February 2014. BBC. “Buddhism”. BBC Religions. 2014. Web. 24 February 2014. BBC (b). “Taoism”. BBC Religions. 2014. Web. 24 February 2014. BBC (c). “Shinto”. BBC Religions. 2014. Web. 24 February 2014. BBC (d). “Islam”. BBC Religions. 2014. Web. 24 February 2014. BBC (e). “Christianity”. BBC Religions. 2014. Web. 24 February 2014. Church and School of Wicca. “A Definition of Wicca?”. Wicca.org. 2014. Web. 24 February 2014. Church of Scientology International. “What is Scientology?”. Scientology.org. 2014. Web. 24 February 2014. Dasa, Shukavak. “A Hindu Primer- Action: Karma, Punya and Papa”. Devasthanam. 2007. Web. 24 February 2014. Dasa, Shukavak (b). “A Hindu Primer- The Term Hinduism”. Devasthanam. 2007. Web. 24 February 2014. Dasa, Shukavak (c). “A Hindu Primer- Puja and Archana”. Devasthanam. 2007. Web. 24 February 2014. Infed.org. “Globalization: theory and experience”. Infed. 2014. Web. 24 February 2014. Kumar, Nitin. “Mother Goddess as Kali- The Feminine Force in Indian Art”. Exotic India. 2000. Web. 24 February 2014. McKnight, Scot. “Jesus vs. Paul”. Christianity Today. 3 December 2010. Web. 24 February 2014. Read More