The
main religions that we will have a look at are Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam. These five
religions share similarities in having a sacred text, worship, and a belief of a
superior being. Sacred texts are the guides of the religions which help the
follower stay focused in the belief and develop specific morals. Worship can be
expressed in different forms through prayer, meditation and yoga that all serve
as a gateway for communication with the Ultimate. We will discuss how each of
these religions practices their beliefs in the order of establishment on Earth.
Hinduism
Brahman
is their Ultimate power making this religion Monotheistic. Yoga
is their type of worship and there are four forms of Yoga. The four types of
yoga are Jnana Yoga (knowledge yoga), Karma Yoga (action), Bhakti Yoga
(devotion), and Raja Yoga (Royal/Psychological).
Bhagavad-Gita
is the sacred text in Hinduism.
Buddhism
Nirvana
is the Ultimate goal. It is considered a goal instead of power, because in
Buddhism they view each and every one of us and our surrounding as one. The
main goal is to reach Nirvana as the one ultimate position which is destined by
Karma. The reason I view this religion as monotheistic is because we are all
one (one Supreme Being that governs us).
The
form of worship for Buddhism is meditation.
The
sacred text is T[r]ipitaka also known as the three baskets.
Judaism
Judaism
Ultimate power is Gd. They believe only in Gd, making this religion
monotheistic. Jews
perform prayer between 3 to 5 times a day. Tanakh
(TNK) is the sacred text of Judaism and is comprised of three subdivisions
called Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvm. Torah (teachings) includes laws, morals,
ancestry, and rituals. Nevi’im (prophets) is spoken in Gd’s name (ex: Joshua,
Isaiah, and Ezekiel). Ketuvm (writings) describes morals, social situations,
and ideas for laity.
Christianity
God
is the Ultimate power. This religion is also monotheistic because of the belief
in only one superior being. There
are no set times of worship but it is typically done as a prayer to God. Prayer
is generally the acknowledgement and thanks to God for the beginning and end of
each day and the blessing of food (approximately 3 times a day). The
Bible is the sacred text for Christianity.
Islam
Allah
is the Ultimate power in Islam. There is no greater power than Allah. That is
why Islam is monotheistic as well. In
Islam you must pray five times a day. There are set times throughout the day
you must pray. The five times of prayer are as follows: 1) Dawn, before sunrise
2) Noon 3) Mid afternoon 4) Sunset and 5) Night. The exact times of prayer are
announced by a Muezzin from a Minaret. The
sacred text in Islam is the Qur’an.
Woman’s
Similarities with in Religion
Since
we are talking about similarities in religion I want to touch on an area that
has drawn interest to me through my research. When we see someone dressed differently,
we wonder why they are dressed that way. In particular, we see it in Muslim
women. They are covered from head to toe covering their precious jewels. What
is our thought when we see a Muslim women covered? Is it that she is being
oppressed by her religion? Take a minute and reflect upon the following image.
Do
you see any similarities? They all cover their hair and wear long loose
clothing. Are all these women being oppressed by religion? In different sacred
text it states, the female should respect herself and dress modestly. Even
though we see Christian women dress in a more modern style, that does not make
it modest under the sacred text description. Therefore are Muslim women being
oppressed or does the Muslim community have more obedient followers of the
sacred teachings?
Looking
back at these religions, are we all really that different? We are all humans
and all have the need or want to answer questions such as: Who or what created
us, a supreme power? What guidelines do I follow? Will there be life after
death? What is my purpose while living? Even though all of these religions are
considered different they seem to serve the same purpose and it is to make us a
better person or show us how to live a better life while on earth.
Other lnformation
The
links that follows gives you information of where you can learn more of each
religion in the Tampa Bay area. These links are in regards to every single religion
discussed earlier.
Hinduism:
http://www.htflt.org/
Buddhism:
http://www.meditationintampabay.org/
Judaism:
http://www.shoreshdavid.org/
Christianity:
http://www.stlawrence.org/
Islam:
http://www.istaba.org/
Marilyn Medina
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