Survey of World Religions

This study will provide a survey of the world religions, including consideration of the basic beliefs of the major religions of East and West, the contributions made by those religions, important terms, and the ways those religions deal with the relationships between the divine and the human, men and women, and classes within a given society. The study will conclude with a discussion of the values of Seventh Day Adventism in the context of other religions. The religions to be discussed, aside from Seventh Day Adventism, will be Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

Hinduism is the major religion of India. It is not the exclusively ascetic religion many believe it to be, but instead offers to the believer the opportunity to enjoy life's pleasures. On the other hand, there are warnings about the spiritual dangers which come from such pleasures: "If pleasure is what you want, do not suppress the desire." However, Hinduism adds, "Seek it intelligently." And: "The time . . . will come to everyone . . . when one realizes that one wants more than pleasure" (Smith, Illustrated, 18). Success in the world is also not rejected, but, again, with it comes dangers. Wealth, fame and power are rooted in competitiveness: "From the competitiveness of these goods to their precariousness is a short step, for as other people want them too, who knows when fortune will change hands?" (Smith, Illustrated, 19). In other words, the things upon which human life is

d by the individual's relationships with his group" (Smith, Religions, 154-155). This belief led Confucius to emphasize the necessity of tradition in holding individuals together in an ordered society. Like Hinduism, Confucianism inevitably evolved into a religion based on hierarchy. The Five Relationships of this hierarchy involved those between father and son, elder brother and junior brother, husband and wife, elder friend and junior friend, and ruler and subject (Smith, Religions, 162). This stands in stark contrast with Buddhism which did away with the biases toward the lower classes, power relationships, and man-woman relationships. Confucius glossed over the elements of a Divine Being and the division between Heaven and Earth, focusing instead on man's duties and traditions in the context of producing behavior conducive to an orderly and hierarchical society. Nevertheless, Confucius believed that "somewhere in the universe there was a power that was on the side of right. The spread of righteousness was . . . a cosmic demand, and 'the will of Heaven' the first thing a gentleman would fear" (Smith, Religions, 169). Whereas Hinduism's contributions are limited primarily to the spiritual consciousness of India, and Confucian

Category: Philosophy - S