Analysis of the Six Major World Religions
Uploaded by schoolblows on May 04, 2007
Analysis of the Six Major World Religions
World religions are religions that are not only widely known but are also contrived of millions of worshipers. The six most popular world religions; Hinduism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are practiced by at least four billion people alone, almost three- fourths of the world’s population. These religions have many similarities among them, involving their practices, beliefs and structure.
Hinduism is the oldest world religion, which originated in the Indus River Valley over 4,000 years ago. Hinduism does not follow any kind of sacred text, nor does it worship a supreme ruler. Instead, Hindus believe in. and practice, the principles of dharma and karma. Dharma is the moral force in the universe that gives everyone responsibilities and karma is the belief that, through reincarnation, the individual is reborn into a life which reflects the moral qualities of the last. Both of these principles help the Hindu to reach moska, or the state of spiritual perfection in which the soul can no longer be reborn. Also, the Hindus practice many public rituals, like the Kumbu Mela, which, every twelve years, brings millions to the sacred Ganges River to bathe, while others hold private devotions at home.
Confucianism began around 200 BC and is centered on the teachings of one man, Confucius. He was deeply concerned about people’s suffering and created a code of moral conduct to prevent it. The central Confucius concept is jen, or humanness, in which one must always set their moral principles above self- interest. For example, the individual must be loyal and considerate to the family and likewise, the family must be aware of their duties to the larger community. Like Hinduism, Confucianism does not have a sacred writing to follow and has a goal of worldly social harmony.
The religion of Buddhism mirrors both Hinduism and Confucianism. As in Confucianism, Buddhists are concerned with suffering, but of the individual, not society as a whole. Also, they follow the experiences of one man, Siddhartha Gauama, or Buddha, who invented his own rules for conduct known as the Eight Fold Path. Like the Hindus, Buddhists share in the practice of dharma and the goal of spiritual perfection or enlightenment. The Buddhist idea of suffering originated from Buddha’s travels in a society rampant with poverty. He concluded that wealth is not a solution to this problem....