Why Do Religions Exist - Essay Example

? Religion and Theology what is religion, why do religions exist, and why do you think the study of religion is important? In an effort to understand what religion is, a scholar of religion a scholar of religion can start by analyzing the following scenes. Cave dwellers in Europe thirty five thousand years ago bury one of the children of their own tribe. They are at pain arranging the body in a particular pattern and adorning it with an exceptional ornament and pigmentation. In Indian at the same time, an aged ascetic sits quietly in contemplation at the edge of the forest. In Sri Lanka, a Buddhist Monk walks effortlessly along a pebbled pathway meditating in a Monastery garden. At the same time, a prophet in Israel announces the coming of the ‘Day of the Lord.’ Such activities have been going on for many years, and they are likely to continue for longer (Houtman, 2010). Scholars have been trying to explore and comprehend the idea about religion, Nevertheless, for a long time they have not been able to state precisely what religion is. They have always tried to define religion but always come up with less satisfying results. Regardless of how carefully they define the concept religion, others will always indicate what the definition has left out (Evans, 1985). When someone pose a question, what religion is, one may point to a church, a mosque, a temple, a Sikh Gurdwara or any other sacred place of worship and claim that people who go to this places are religious. He will draw attention to the places of worship and the people who goes there. He will also site sacred texts such as the bible and the Koran. Many have tried to understand religion based on its effect on society and individual persons. Scholars have been trying to explain the universal existence of religion in all cultures. Every culture has some system of supernatural beliefs; however, it is not possible to prove beyond doubt that any supernatural powers such as gods, witches, angels or devils exist. Moreover, these supernatural powers do not always work as effectively as the practitioners want. For instance, praying to God for the recovery of a sick person but the person dies, a ritual specialist conducts a rain dance, but it still does not rain: or relatives sacrificing a goat at the grave site of the ancestor-god, but drought still destroy them (James, 2008). Nonetheless, disengaging certain characteristics from the totality of human life and labeling it as religion receives considerable support by the fact that such gestures are clearly different from ordinary ways of behaving. Religious activities often take place in an artificially contrived time, space or a certain mode of consciousness. Liturgical calendars’, Sacred places, meditative moods, extraordinary fasting, exceptional communal or private actions, meditating, sacrificing, prophesying, praying, self denial are some of the gestures that gives a notion of being stylized divergence from normality. They all have a quality of caricature, play-acting, and sometimes unnaturalness. They stand out so obviously from every day such that they are difficult to avoid. They have a special name, and that is ‘religion’. However, there is no single anniversary accepted definition of religion (Evans, 1985). Experts disagree with regard to definition so much that religion is one thing to Anthropologist, another to the Sociologist and Another to the psychologist. Consequently, there is a great variety of religious theories of the nature of religion. Definition of religion can be too broad and may include what dominates or appear to be the ultimate concern in the human life; Children, Home, Work Entertainment among other. Religion can also mean to bid worshippers to the deity by observance of cultish ceremonies and acts of devotion. Max Weber argues that trying to define religion as a scholar of religion at the start is a mistake. One of the difficulties is that religion is highly pooled with other things to the extent   that it is not a distinctive category, and it varies in different places and time. There are Anti-religious scholars such as Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx and the biologist Richard Dawkins. Dawkins compares religion to a computer virus that passes from one computer to another. Karl Marx refers the religion as the Compensator, justify and concealer of exploitation. He says that religion is the opium of the masses. He argues that religion endorses the status quo by enabling the poor to accept their inequality and teaches that the capitalist power was God given. However, Marx studied Christian and Marxist religions only (Evans, 1985). For a long time, the terms spirituality and religion are sometimes used interchangeably implying that they are the same. Significant researches previously mentioned no clear definitions to the terms spirituality and religion. However, current research on the conceptualization of the two terms indicates that the two terms should not be used interchangeably. According to current views from research, Spirituality involves transcendent personal experience with a higher being. On the other hand, religion involves traditional practices in a social setting. While spirituality involves transcendent personal experience with a higher being and it represents a functional quality pertaining wholeness and life goal, religion represents a static substantive component. Spirituality is directed at attaining the highest human prospects while religion is mundane and institutional (Shenesey, 2009) Religion is complicated and rich human phenomenon and thus studied by academicians and scholars from different disciplines including historians, sociologists, psychologists, theologians among other disciplines. Religion touches on a whole human existence, practicing and adhering to a particular religion portrays certain characteristics beliefs and also characteristic emotions, attitude and experiences. The believers associate with other believers in a community and usually act differently from the nonbelievers. He engages in worship and other religious practices. He always attempts to follow set rules and principles throughout life. Mostly, the life of the founder of religion is the role model. However, religion cannot be reduced to a purely intellectual phenomenon: religion is not simply a set of believes or dogma; nevertheless, most religions include beliefs in their systems. A religious person does not merely have different feelings or attitudes. He thinks differently about himself and his world. He worships as part of the community, and that partially, beliefs define a community (James, 2008). There are various approaches that scholars have used in studying religion. The first one is the evolutionary approach which developed in conjunction with Anthropology. Societies evolved from the lower to the higher. Primitive man saw his world in terms of magic and impersonal forces (animatisms). He then came to think of spirits residing on trees, mountains and rocks (animism). Later he worshiped animals as the symbol or emblem of tribe (totemism). The spirit of an eminent chief would be venerated with sacrifices. Fascination by nature caused man to start worshipping nature gods, Polytheism, and these became the religion of ancient Greek, Romans and some features of Hinduism. In the nineteenth century scholars believe religion progressed from Animatisms, Animisms, Totemism and Polytheism to Monotheism which is a belief in one supreme God (Evans, 1985). 2. What are significant similarities and differences between the Hinduism and Buddhism? Initially, Hinduism did not imply the name of any religion. It is a Persian word that stands for all the inhabitants who live in and about the Indus valley and beyond. However, Hinduism now denotes a religion in India. Hinduism is a blanket term which stands for Brahmin, Jainism, Buddhism and the indigenous religions of India. Religion such as Kabir, panthis, Nathas and Sikhs, do not accept the nomenclature of Hinduism, but they are also forms of Hinduism. In a wider sense, Hinduism is a federation of religions with their different creed and practices. Hinduism has no founder; however, there are eminent teachers’ within this fold such as Lord Mahavira, Lord Buddha, Manu, Kabir, Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Chaitanya, Sikh Gurus and many more. Numerous rishis and sages have accepted Hinduism as their religion and their saintly lives and teachings; they have enriched Hinduism. For this reason, Hinduism is an encyclopedic religion that has room for atheism, theism, Yogic spiritualism, casteism and non-casteism among others (Masih, 2010). Therefore, Hinduism is represented the entire culture, spiritual values and general way of life with its origin in India about five thousand years ago. Naturally, Hindus have learnt to live in peace and have orthodoxy and non-orthodoxy within their limits. In Hinduism, Intolerance in different forms and sects does not take violent form as the way we find with prophetic religions such as Christianity and Islam. Shankara, the most celebrated orthodox Brahmin and Kabir a Shundra and an outcaste have even forged the most formidable principle of Unity among Hinduism religions. Similarly, Ramanuja and Alvars have evolved as the most important forms of theism known by mankind in the form of Bhakti Cult (Masih, 2010). Buddhism is also a truly Indian religion since it belongs to the tradition of Indus Valley civilization. It is essentially non-Vedic and probably pre-Aryan World View of India. It is in it that the doctrine of ‘Karma-samsara-jnana-mukti’ was clearly defined and adopted. It appears to have been influenced by the 62-63 heretical views that Brahmajara- Sutta mentions. These heretical views of Brahmajara Sutta do not have any kinship with the then prevailing Brahiminism. Besides, Samkhya is considered non-Vedic, and Lord Buddha at first was instructed by Alara Karama. Even when Buddhism is assimilated in Hinduism, its distinctiveness still stands since it has developed its own scripture. The teaching of Buddhism centers on the life and teaching of its founder, Gotama, the Buddha; it is an international ramification, and it is a missionary religion. It adopted the vernacular of the people for the propagation of its faith. This is a clear indicator that it is quite different from Vedism which is based on Sanskita (Masih, 2010). All forms of religions in Indian accept the four fold Principle of Buddhism and Hinduism ‘Karma-samsara-jnana-mukti’ as their fundamental similarity. However, apart from these fundamental similarities, there are deep-seated differences between Brahiminical Hinduism and Buddhism. This difference indicates clearly that Hinduism and Buddhism are two parallel and independent religious movements. Buddhism cannot be said to be an offshoot of Hinduism. For a long time, Buddhism has consistently opposed Hinduism. Hinduism, specifically of Shankara accepts the Authority of Vedas as the ultimate court of appeal for all religious issues. In Contrast, Buddhism advice that any Authority should not taken for granted. Every religious truth has to be rationally evaluated. Hinduism accepts the reality of God in general and more so in modern times. However, Buddhism accepts the postulate of momentariness. According to it, there is nothing with substantial character and essence. Naturally, there are no eternal or immortal souls; there is no creator God. Therefore, Buddhism in principle is atheistic while Hinduism is whole theistic. Buddhism has no place for caste and Lord Buddha has presented very convincing argument against the caste. In contrary Hinduism is based on caste with the superiority of Brahmins’ in the caste-system (Masih, 2010). Buddhism was formed by Kshatriya and not by Brahimins, so with the rise of Brahimism, Buddhism has almost disappeared in India. This is a good indicator that Brahism and Buddhism were opposed in their religious outlook, social order, metaphysics and logic. Buddhist teaching used the language of the people which was Pali. On the contrary, Hinduism has maintained Sanskrit as its language. Buddhism religion was missionary, and it went throughout the whole of Asia where even now it is a living religion in Asia. However, Hinduism never believed in missionary enterprise and Radhakrishnan was opposed to missionary enterprise. It is only now that Arya Samaj has taken up the work of missionary enterprise. Finally, while Buddhism favors Sannyasa for obtaining nirvana; Hinduism does not favor Sannyasa without undergoing the earlier three stages of Studentship, house-holder-ship and forest dwelling. Mandana was opposed to Shankara, when the later advanced the acceptance of Sannyasa without observing the first three stages of life. Nevertheless, apart from the conceptual comparison, these two religions have interrelations in general (Masih, 2010). 4. What are significant similarities and differences Islam and Christianity? The Islam religion was founded by Prophet Muhammad. He was born in 570 A.D. and died in 632 A.D. The prophet received his first revelation through the Angel Jibrail (Gabriel) at the age of 40 years in a cave at Mt. Hira. In the beginning of preaching Islam, He faced a lot of opposition including a threat to his life. His undaunted faith in Allah helped him conquer every difficulty, and finally he died in the midst of successes of his mission work. Islam is a prophetic religion and, and has issued out of both Christianity and Judaism There is a place for asceticism in both Judaism and Christianity. However, Islam is a Middle- roader for it does not ignore worldly pursuit along with its concern for the other worldly values. Islam accepts the twenty five prophets of the Old Testament and three in the New Testament as indicated in the Quran. However, Islam accepts that Prophet Muhammad is the final and last prophet who puts a seal on all that is the most genuine message of God for the whole Mankind. Islam means surrendering one’s will to the will of God, throughout one’s life. It means total obedience to the laws of God as they have been unveiled in the Holy Quran and Hadith and later in Shariah. According to Islam, faith in Allah means believing in Allah who is omniscient and omnipotent. He is neither begotten nor does He beget. Muslim believes that true existence is of God alone and that the entire creation is there because of God's will and that He is the one who created everything in the Universe. The Supreme God alone is the sole maker of everything that is there. To Islam, mere faith without corresponding into action is dead. Faith means that Man is accountable for all he does before the judgment throne of Allah. The Action of Muslim is exemplified in life and teaching of the prophet. It is embodied in the five pillars of Islam. The Five pillars include five prayers every day; observing Ramadhan fast, Hajj to Mecca, giving of Zakat and the utterance of Kalima (Masih, 2010). On the other hand, Christian Faith is grounded in the Holy Spirit, God’s communication of the divine self in all its richness. Christian believes in Jesus Christ as the son of God. Christians believe in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christian faith believes in the teachings of the Bible. The Christian religion consists of three primary divisions: Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Protestantism. Christianity is further subdivided into thousands of distinct denominations each differing to some degree in belief and practice. The Christian religion was started by Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish. During that time, He went preaching in Palestine as He attracted followers (Masih, 2010). After His crucifixion by the roman governors, His followers continued to preach in His name proclaiming Him as the Messiah or Christ. Christianity emerged as a sect of Judaism in Roman Palestine. It quickly developed into various competing functions. Some of these functions remained primarily Jewish while others opened the doors to the Gentiles (The Non-Jews). They developed Christianity that exists to date. Christians believes the Bible is an inspired word of God and gives it a privileged status over all other literature (Masih, 2010). Both Christianity and Islam differ from each other, however, in some respect, they have some similarities. The two religions have similarities in that both the Quran and the Bible run the story of Jesus. References of Jesus Christ are made in the Quran. The Quran refers to the birth of Christ by Mary. However, the Islam recognizes Jesus as a Prophet rather than a Son of God. Little is reported about the teaching of Christ in the Quran. The Quran talks of Jesus as the one who foretold the messenger who was to come after Him whose name would be Ahmad, the highly praised one (Evans, 1985). The Quran makes it clear that Christ was rejected by the majority of the Children of Israel. It also refers to their intention to kill Him, but God protected Him. In regard to Christian that Just was Son of God and one of the Trinity, the Quran asserts that both Christ and Mary were mortals who ate food and that Christ was not more than a messenger and that He was not a Son of God. However, Christians strongly holds that Jesus was the Son of God, and it was John the Baptist who prophesied of His coming (Evans, 1985). References Evans, S. (1985). Philosophy of Religion: Thinking About Faith. Illinois: Intervarsity Press. Houtman, D. (2010). Religions of Modernity: Relocating the Sacred to the Self and the Digital. Netherlands: BRILL. James, W. (2008). The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature. USA: Arc Manor. Masih.Y. (2000). A Comparative Study of Religions. India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.  Shenesey, J. W. (2009). An Examination of Spirituality, Religious Commitment, Personality and Mental. USA: Pro-Quest Publishers. Read More