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?
Final Thought
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
Hinduism: http://www.htflt.org/
Buddhism: http://www.meditationintampabay.org/
Christianity: http://www.stlawrence.org/
Islam: http://www.istaba.org/
Marilyn Medina
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