Contributions of World Religions

All religions have made contributions in particular areas, which although present in other religions as well, are not as predominant. Thus one can learn something from all religions. In this thread we will look at only the contributions made by the religions in the world and not their shortcomings.

Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism

These are known as the dharmic religions and have all originated from the original Vedic religion known as Santana dharma or eternal religion. What is common to all of these religions are the doctrines of enlightenment as being the ultimate salvation by realising some ultimate reality. The doctrine of karma and reincarnation as the moral law of reality. The practice of Yoga as a means to achieiving enlightenment. However, they differ in how they interpret these doctrines. In Hinduism the ultimate reality is often a supreme being of which all beings are an aspect of. In Jainism the ultimate reality is a state of consciousness which enlightened beings realise. In Buddhism the ultimate reality is absolute silence and stilness.

The dharmic religions contribution is in philosophy, science and logic. The best discourses in these areas that have ever been composed are found in the dharmic religions. Most of philosophy, science, logic, mathematics comes from the contributions of dharmic religions. Also, the very best research in consciousness. The science of meditation is a dharmic gift to the world.

Sikhism

Sikhism is a syncretic religion which combines Hinduism with Islam, but has more Hinduism than Islam within it. It is India’s first proper monotheistic religion in that it does away with all the Hindu deities and accepts only one almighty and supreme god that loves us, but can also punish us for misdeeds. It does away with all the rituals, diversity, caste system and rituals of Hinduism, in order to develop an organized religion with a canon of scripture, clergy, liturgy and dogmas. The Sikh is expected, like Muslims, to pray a number of times a day. There are also baptism rites.

Sikhism’s contribution is in social upliftment and social equality. Sikhism is the only religion that builds its religion around social work (seva) and it believes that food, water, shelter should be free for all. This is why it is the only religion where you can go to a temple(Gudwara) and be served food for free throughout the day. It is heavily involved in social upliftment programs such as womens rights; women are considered the absolute equal of a man. There are no double standards. The life of a Sikh adherent is heavily based on participation in the temple life, which they go to frequently throughout the week. This is why the Sikh community is very communal.

Islam

Islam is not just a religion but it a socio-political system, with its own judicial and banking systems. There is no separation of state and religion in Islam, as can be found in other religions. It is basically a theocracy. It was founded by Prophet Mohammed as a new code of conduct described in the Quran, addressing matters like how to share booty won in a war, dealing with prisoners, taxes, the rights of men, women and children. Islam means surrender, this is not just surrender to the Islamic god Allah, but a surrender to Islam as the state to rule your life.

Islams contribution is to fully integrate the individual with religion such that their national identity becomes a religious identity. Then social life is religious life. Social ritual is religious ritual. The Muslims are some of the most loyal, most ardent and most faithful people on the planet. To them Islam is not just a religion they practice, it is their entire way of life. They pray religiously 5 times a day, go on pilgramages, and attend their mosques and masjids without fail. Islam is the most organized religion of all religions in the world. This means that an aggressor against any Islamic nation on the planet, automatically becomes an aggressor to all Muslims.

Christianity

Christianity is a particular way of life that was lived by Jesus Christ. In order to be a Christian one must accept first Jesus as the way, and then imbibe within themselves the qualities that Jesus had such as forgiveness, humility, love and compassion, being non judgemenetal etc It is the only religion that worships a man who is mortal or half mortal as god or the son of god(in Hinduism there are sects that worship Krishna, but Krishna is an avatar of the deity Vishnu, thus not a human being and the Vaishnavites worship Vishnu rather than Krishna ) It would be safe to say then that Christianity is personality worship. There is feverish devotion for this man called Jesus, in hearing and reciting his name, in remembering his life and his sacrifice, and the goal of Christianity is to be with Jesus for eterntiy.

Christianity contribution is the immense work it has done in charity and alleviating the suffering of people on the planet. Christianity has done huge work in helping the poor and countless saints have come from this tradition. If you meet a good Christian they will be the most compassionate and loving person you will have met, exuding love, understanding, tolerance and compassion. They will never refuse you help.

Taoism

Taoism is the most practical of religions on this planet. It is not concerned with the transcendental like other religions. In Taoism the sacred is the flow of life in the world itself, known as the tao. This principle of flow is the natural outcome of the masculine and feminine(ying and yang) aspects of the world. If one lives by this balance of the tao, then one lives in harmony with the world.

Taoism contribution is that it prescribes an art of living which will produce harmony in the world. One important principle in Taoism is the principle of economy, such can be seen with Far Eastern art which is minimalist, simple and elegant. The Far Eastern cultures which are heavily inspired by Taoism are all about economy, etiquette and grace. The art of Feng shu is all about improving the flow.

Shamanism

Shamanism does not refer to any one particular religion, but a whole collection of religions which share Shamanic features. Such as Native American religion, Australian Aboriginal religion, African religions, European religions/Drudism. The common feature of all these religions is that they are nature worshipping. There is a much greater sense in religions than of nature being sacred and how one should like in harmony with nature. These religions also have great love and care for animals, plants and environments. They do not seek to exploit nature, but to share nature. A great quote comes from the recent Avatar movie, “Everything we take is borrowed” The adherants of these religions aspire to live according to nature. Nothing that is natural is wrong. Thus Shamans have very liberal views on sexuality.

The contributions of Shamanism is the great all encompassing ecological view it presents. While most religions to some extent or the other give nature a subordinate or even sinister role, Shamanism embraces nature and natural living. Shamanism is especially relevant today in a world that is ravaged by capitalism, deforestation, climate change, pollution, destruction of natural ecosystems.

Secular Humanism

Secularism Humanism is based on the rejection of the belief in deity and mysticism. It divests the world of mysticism and religious jargon and concentrating on what really matters: the truth, justice, beauty, equality, harmony, happiness. If there is a god in Secular Humanism then that god is a collection of qualities like truth, justice, beauty, equality, harmony and happiness.

Secular Humanism has made massive contributions to the world in the areas of technology, civil and human rights and material progress. The current spirituality worldview that is emerging has significant contributions from secular humanism.

And if you want more look here for an unbiased over view

Hinduism

Buddhism

Jainism

Sikhism

Islam

Christianity

Taoism

Shamanism

Secular Humanism

Rastafari movement

Pastafarianism

The above wikipedia articles do not give any insights into these religions and show what their specific contributions are. You will find wikipedia is a generally good starting point to get general information about something, but it a never substitute for critical, insightful and discursive analysis. Which is what I have tried to do in the OP.

[QUOTE=Surya Deva;44225]The above wikipedia articles do not give any insights into these religions and show what their specific contributions are. You will find wikipedia is a generally good starting point to get general information about something, but it a never substitute for critical, insightful and discursive analysis. Which is what I have tried to do in the OP.[/QUOTE]

Do you ever just say thanks? Or just let something go?

You have the need to over shadow and prove your superiority in absolutely everything don’t you.

Of course Wiki is a starting point but it gives people a point from which to compare what you are saying to the basic definition of the religion and form their own opinion and not take your, and it is your opinion by the way, as all there is. It can promote learning

Junior when I was 24 I was an arrogant ass too and I hope when you reach my age you realize you were as well.

And no I’m not angry or emotional, well I am tired of you and dome with you

Read this and maybe you will learn something… but I doubt you will

“The perfect man has no self;
the spiritual man has no achievement;
the sage has no name.”

  • Chauang Tzu

and I can easily admit, unlike you, I am far from perfect.

Junior when I was 24 I was an arrogant ass too and I hope when you reach my age you realize you were as well.

You still are my friend. It is shameful that somebody of your age, experience and maturity feels the need to constantly insult, abuse, undermine people who are almost twice as young as you.

You posted a wikipedia articles for both Buddhism and Atheism, when Thomas asked for the difference between them. He responded, “No thanks” He does not want article, but an insightful answer to his question by a Buddhist. Wikipedia does not give you insightful, thoughtful and detailed information.

I will not write anything further to you if you continue abusing me like this. All I can say your behaviour is very disapponting. This was a positive thread celeberating the contributions of world religions, and you have unnecessarily turned it into a negative thread by unnecessarily abusing me unprovoked.

You called me a troll in another thread, but your behaviour here is more worthy of being called trollish.

[QUOTE=Surya Deva;44262]You still are my friend. It is shameful that somebody of your age, experience and maturity feels the need to constantly insult, abuse, undermine people who are almost twice as young as you.

You posted a wikipedia articles for both Buddhism and Atheism, when Thomas asked for the difference between them. He responded, “No thanks” He does not want article, but an insightful answer to his question by a Buddhist. Wikipedia does not give you insightful, thoughtful and detailed information.

I will not write anything further to you if you continue abusing me like this. All I can say your behaviour is very disapponting. This was a positive thread celeberating the contributions of world religions, and you have unnecessarily turned it into a negative thread by unnecessarily abusing me unprovoked.

You called me a troll in another thread, but your behaviour here is more worthy of being called trollish.[/QUOTE]

I am not insulting or undermining I am stating truth which is something you have a real problem with. And sonny you are too young and too inexperienced and too hung up on yourself to mince words with or be nice to any longer. You insult people and hound people, answer questions that were not asked in order to look smarter, avoid questions that are asked in order to look smarter and basically you are annoying and you cover it all up with denial, changing definition and of course ;)… maybe someday you will realize all this and change but sometimes a ass at 24 is an ass at 50

As far as not writing anything further to me… thank you… but you’ll respond… you threatened this before and I was so hopeful you would ignore me… but you didn’t

And I told you not to make me post what you are a troll but you didn’t listen in true Surya Deva style…now please go to the Surya Deva Tolerance thread for why I think you are a troll

You have called me an ass, a troll and spoken with great disrespect towards me and undermined everything I have said or done. Such as in this thread where I am making an effort to celeberate other religions and their contributions. In the past you have told me I have an agenda and equated me with some Hindu terrorist group or called me the leader of one. You have also called me racist. Of course you are insulting and undermining me. You are doing it constantly.

It is very clear for the objective reader to see that compared to you the way I speak is very polite :slight_smile: In fact, considering the constant abuse and hatred I get thrown my way, my behaviour in response is quite dignified.

You are not leaving this forum because of me, you are leaving this forum because your interaction with me has shown a much darker side of your own persona, that you would rather not see.

All religions are flowers from the same tree.

I really do not see that much of a difference between being spiritual and being Hindu. This is why I call myself both Hindu and spiritual. Isn’t spirituality about accepting you are a spiritual being, and your spiritual journey is realise your true spiritual nature and raise your level of conscousness. If that is so, then that is identical to Hinduism.

Wow…I can feel the lerve just emanating from this thread.
at least sarcasm beats killing people

Before anybody says it, I am 46, terribly arrogant and a troll of the highest order…now we have got that out of the way…

All religions have contributed to the spiritual development of mankind in their own unique way…

please ignore any generalisations that I make

Hinduism and Sufi - These are the most ‘esoteric’ of all religions and delve into the more ‘scientific’ and trans-personal aspects of spirituality.

Buddhism - A religion based upon compassion and mindfulness, hoping to end the suffering of mankind without the need for a deity.

Islam - A religion that’s more a ‘way of life’ and attempts to bring the holy teachings into the daily routine of all aspirants (not to say that Islam is the only religion to do this, it just does it way better).

Taoism - like the OP said, the most practical and logical of all religions. It is based upon universal harmony and the flow of energies.

Christianity - A religion based solely upon love, faith and devotion through the worship of Jesus Christ and showing kindness, respect and charity towards their fellow man.

Each religion is not inferior/superior to any other.

As the above poster suggested, each religion is like a different flower on the same tree.

How I like to see it, is that each religion is like a separate path that eventually leads to the same destination…there’s just different ‘scenery’ along the way. :slight_smile:

Each religion is not inferior/superior to any other.

They are when it comes to looking at different aspects. As you say yourself, the way Islam integrates religion into the daily life is done so much better than any other religion. Likewise the scientific and logical analysis of spirituality and correct teachings about the nature of reality and soul is done much better in Hinduism than in any other religion. Similarly, the humanitarian aspect found in Sikhism of promoting egalitarianism and providing food, water and shelter in abundance to all is done better in Sikhism than all of the other religions.

In truth though Sanatana dharma, the true spirituality includes all. The paths in Yoga include every temperment(scientific, devotional, worker, artist) In Sanatana dharma every desire is legitimate. Wordly desires; Intellectual desires; Work desires and spiritual desires. Nobody gets left out. Unfortunately, contemporary Hinduism has become so diverse and overriden with blind ritualism and superstition, that the original Vedic religion remains a pale shadow of what it was once. The true Sanatana dharma is made up of the merits of each religion today.

Take the philosophy and the spiritual sciences and practices from Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism
Take the humanitarianism and egalitarianism from Sikhism
Take the socio-political integration from Islam
Take the art of living and flowing with the world from Taoism
Take the devotion and love, chairy and kindness to each from Christianity
Take the love for nature and the ecological awareness from Shamanism
Take the skepticism, technology and progress from secular humanism

Together they will produce a global and world religion we can all practice and I think at some point this is what is going to happen. However do not do this

Take the philosophy and methods from Christianity. These are all mythologies and superstitions. Anti-scientific and widely rejected by rational people.
Take the humanitarianism and egalitarian from Islam. Islam is only humanitarian and egalitarian to the believers, for the non believers it prescribes condemneation.
Take the devoiton, love and charity from secular humanism. Secular humanism is all about technology and material progress. It is not about loving the fellow man.
Take the art of living from Shamanism. If you take the art of living from Shamanism you would be living in the jungle or the forest amongst nature and the animals and not in cities.

Thus we must take from each religion that is valid and positive and from that forment a global religion that includes the valid and positive aspects of all religions.

They are when it comes to looking at different aspects.

Then that’s just your personal interpretation though, isn’t it?

Each religion seeks a better understanding of ‘self’ through its own unique way, be it love, compassion, mindfulness, routine and daily living etc…

Anything that makes us better as human beings cannot be wrong can it? Any way to do that cannot be better or worse can it?

That’s what I mean.

Thus we must take from each religion that is valid and positive and from that forment a global religion that includes the valid and positive aspects of all religions.

It would be nice if we all could do that and just stop fighting wouldn’t it?

Then that’s just your personal interpretation though, isn’t it?

Nope, it is objective. If there is any hope of reconcilation between the religions of the world and the development of a world religion for future humanity, each religion is going to have to concede their merits and demerits.

Relativism will not get you anywhere.

Christianity falls short in its philosophy. It teaches mythology like the cause of suffering is because some mythical man called Adam ate a mythical apple from a mythical tree bought to him by a mythical woman, who was tempted by a mythical talking serpent. They were punished by a mythical god for their mythical transgression. In Hinduism/Buddhism/Jainism, there is no myth. The cause of suffering is because of your attachments to objects. If your attachment to the objects become solidified it becomes lodged in your unconscious mind as a habit pattern and you begin to crave that object. If you do not get that object, then you suffer.

Likewise Christianity teaches your soul is created at birth by god and fuses with your body. Then at death, your soul goes and your body remains here. One day comes the day of judgement where all the bodies buried in the earth will rise and become people again and the soul will return from heaven in these bodies and stand judgement before almighty god. Then almighty god will either damn you to eternal hell or save you by giving you eternal life in eternal bodies on earth and then heaven will from thereon be on earth. This will all happen with Jesus returning on a white cloud by the way. It is easy for a rationalist to see how bogus, unscientific and childish this is. It appears to be from the imagination of a 5 year old.

In Hinduism the teaching is the soul comes into being at the time of creation and it then evolves gradually by taking on various bodies first as simple organisms then as complex organisms. It continues to incarnate to complete its spiritual journey, and then when it is fortunate enough to attain a human body whereby it developes the ability to look inwards and metacognition the ability to reason, it gradually starts to become aware that it is a spiritual being and its purpose is to attain the divine. When it is not in this realization or not pursuing that realization, it continues to incarnate as per its human desires to experience its objects of desire in countless human bodies. This process goes on until the soul realises their divine nature. However, beyond the human stage there are yet further stages but the human stage is an important station.

The doctrine of reincarnation makes complete philosophical and metaphysical sense and it can be proven though various logical arguments. It is also backed up now extensive research into past life memories in cross-cultural studies spanning continents, with more than 2000 subjects. In fact people of other religions have had past life memories. Thus proving that reincarnation is an objective and scientific fact of reality.

There is absolutely no scientific evidence to back up resurrection. Nobody has ever seen a skeleton become a person again. It is also completely illogical, in that we know that the particles that made up the body of the deceased have long been recycled by nature.
So it is not just a matter of personal interpretation, Christian philosophy is out and out wrong. We should give credit where credit is due, and Christianity deserves absolutely no credit when it comes to philosophy. It deserves credit in its great work in charity and helping the poor and the great saints that come from this tradition and helped so many people.

Well…I am a very relative and reductionist kinda person and it has got me to where I like to be.

As for ‘no proof of resurrection’ I totally agree.

I was fine being a Christian until I had to believe that Christ came back from the dead…
I was fine being a Hindu until I had to swallow that whole reincarnation thing (irrespective of any ‘proof’ to the contrary).

To be brutally honest, I believe that when you cark it, you cark it.

Even though I believe in a soul, I also believe that it dies when the body does and all this belief in either an ‘afterlife’ or the ‘transmigration of a soul’ is just an attempt by mankind to allay some of the fear associated with death and dying…but that’s just me.

Even though I believe in a soul, I also believe that it dies when the body does and all this belief in either an ‘afterlife’ or the ‘transmigration of a soul’ is just an attempt by mankind to allay some of the fear associated with death and dying…but that’s just me.

This is not just you, this is a common atheist view. It is a stawman though and an adhominem. It is true that some people have tried to replace their ignorance and suffering with faith in god, supernatural to comfort them. However god and the supernatural is also the pursuit of philosophers and scientists, who pursue these questions using valid and objective methods - or inadvertently discover these ‘truths’ through scientific discovery.

Reincarnation is completely logical and can easily be demonstrated through a set of logical arguments beginning with real facts as your premise. However, I will not get into this, because I have already mentioned this many times in the past on this forum and in some current threads. It will only suffice to say that physical matter does not just arise in a vacuum but it has precursor stages, and if you reduce it to its ultimate, it will be found to be just consciousness. There is pure consciousness, then there is mind and then there is physical matter. Observe accurately, and you will see mind turning into matter and matter turning into mind all the time. They are the same substance, the mind is just a finer form of it. The reason you reincarnate is because you have desires to fulfill that require objects. At the time of physical death of the body, your mind exists disembodied in the mental plane, full of desires. You experience those desires very vividly but you cannot fulfill them because you have no vehicle to express them through. It is then that your deep impressions thrust you back into the physical and you start to develop a new body and new personality.

You clearly are not your body, for you are the ones that is aware of your body. Like the spider is aware of the web. The web is projected out of the spider and returns to the spider. Similarily, your body is projected out of your mind and returns to the mind. Yet, just as the spider can project a new web, your mind can project a new body. If your soul was present in the physical world, then you would be able to see it. Like all things in the physical world the soul would also be subject to change and decay. This is not true, the soul always remains present and still, unchanging, watching your body change and decay and your minds content, but itself remains still.

This is a case of scientific fact now and as I said extensive cross-cultural studies have been done on people with past life memories with over 2000 subjects, and they have found that the memories do indeed refer to real people. Physical traumas from past lives have been shown to continue in new bodies. For example somebody shot in the throat in a past life has a physical trauma in their new body in that region corresponding to the place where they were shot in a previous life.

You don’t even have to wait until the death of your physical body to find out. You can practice cetain exercises and project out of your body(OBE) to realise you are not the body, but simply in association with your current body. This also is backed up by vigorous scientific research.

Skepticism is great, I would not have it any way, but irrationality is not. The skeptic needs to constantly revise your worldview as new information becomes available. Unfortunately, many skeptics do not do this, they stick like a leech to flesh to their worldviews and never revise them.

It is important the very basic fact of the soul, the nature of reality be understood in a world religion. That we are all spiritual beings and are on a journey towards the divine. It is not a choice to believe in reincarnation or not, as much as it is not a choice to believe in atoms or gravity. It is scientific law of the mind. Hinduism and Buddhism are the best religions that explain the nature of the self, time and space, causation using plenty of arguments and examples that no rational person can reject. This is why I suggest that a world religion needs to draw valid points from each other. In Hinduism, Buddhism that is true philosophy. When it comes to philosophy there is more philosophy more scientific, sublime and elevated than the dharmic philosophy, compared to which modern Western philosophy looks a trifle.

Notice I made distinction between science and technology. I attributed to secular humanism technology but not science. This is because modern science doesn’t have a clue what real science is. They have recently been startled in the previous century with the double slit experiment how the particle and the wave depends on their observation of it. If they are observing the wave it becomes a particle. Now, they have been forced to admit the priority of consciousness before physical matter.

The skeptic needs to constantly revise your worldview as new information becomes available. Unfortunately, many skeptics do not do this, they stick like a leech to flesh to their worldviews and never revise them.

  • The skeptic needs to constantly revise their worldview

When it comes to philosophy there is more philosophy more scientific, sublime and elevated than the dharmic philosophy, compared to which modern Western philosophy looks a trifle.

  • No more scientific, sublime and elevated than the dharmic philosophy

To be brutally honest, I believe that when you cark it, you cark it.

Then what’s the point about all religions leading to the same place?

I can make it to the hole in the ground without any religion.

As for ‘no proof of resurrection’ I totally agree.

What proof would suffice?

Do you think Christians accept this on blind faith?

[QUOTE=thomas;44442]Then what’s the point about all religions leading to the same place?

I can make it to the hole in the ground without any religion.[/QUOTE]

I can believe in God without believing in an heaven or a hell can’t I?

I can become realised in this lifetime without having to believe in the next one can’t I?

When we realise we only have got ‘one shot at this’ it makes it all the more important.

It’s just my personal belief and I really don’t care if others disagree with it, but they won’t change my mind either.