World Religion Class

"None of the religious traditions we have studied would still be around if they had not offered human beings valuable ways of thinking about and responding to ultimate reality.  What, in your opinion, is the single most valuable teaching of each religion we have studied?"

Judaism- There is one God and the covenant Moses made with God established a set of moral and ritual obligations.  Follow these obligations (follow Torah) and you will be happy. (and for all those who love Jesus, Jews believe Jesus to be a prophet.  I think they don't share the opinion that He is the Messiah because according to scripture (I think in Isaiah, it says that when the Messiah comes, there will be no  more war, no more fighting and no more tears, or something like that.  Well, there is not peace in the middle east yet, so I guess the Messiah hasn't come yet?)  A Christian response is that He did come, but He has to come again.  There's some difference for you.  I am not sure where it says He will come twice in the Old Testament.  But I am still reading it, so maybe I haven't gotten to that part.  However, I am not sure I'll find that part in my first straight read -thru, if a bazillion people before me haven't seen it.  Any way, interesting food for thought for me.  And, by the way, it is very wrong to say Jews hate Jesus.  My first Christmas card of the year came from one of my Jewish friends.  I know she doesn't have a hate bone in her body.)

Christianity- There is one God and God loved the world so much that He sent His son, Jesus to save humanity and to conquer humanity's weakness.  Claim Jesus as your Savior and you will be happy. (Other faiths may wonder if Christians are really monotheistic...is Jesus a god?  Is that polytheistic?  The theology of the trinity was actually adopted in the 4 century, so it's kinda a "new" belief.  Hindus embrace the Christian's view of the trinity because they believe there are many gods.  Jews and Muslims do not because they only believe in one God according to the first five books which all three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) happen to share.  Some Christians reject the interpretation of the trinity that says Jesus is a god.  Others believe He was God in human form but it makes me wonder who He was talking to on the cross and why He called God: "Father" throughout His life.  And why does John 3:16 say God sent His only begotten son?  Some Christians believe He was the actual begotten son of God (conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary), so He is separate just as my daughter is not Abigail and when addressing me, it would be weird for someone to address her, thinking they were talking to me.  Others keep the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost separate and never pray to Jesus, and only say His name at the end.  The book, The Shack, does a wonderful illustration of the trinity that might help some people discover a new way to look at things.)

Islam- There is one God.  Islam means submission.  If you will totally submit to God (follow the Qur'an, perform Salat, follow the Five Pillars), you will be happy.  (Jesus is a prophet in this faith and is mentioned in the Qur'an more times than Muhammad.  I know of Muslims who wear T Shirts that say, "I love Jesus"  and they do.  I loved reading about Jesus in the Qur'an.  It was awesome.  The Christmas story is in there and everything.  You should check it out if you ever get the chance.)  And please! Do not think Muslims are terrorists.  This is a bad misunderstanding.  I have heard so many people speculate if the President is a Muslim and the way they say it is as if this is terrible.  Just the other day, during a heated debate in English class, someone lumped terrorists with the entire Islamic faith in one sentence.  It is wrong.  It would be like me saying that all Christians are child molesters just because I know someone who was molested by their priest.  Please, terrorists make up a small (in comparison of the entire Muslim faith) handful of fanatics who are not following the teachings of their own faith.  They have twisted it and defiled it.  Just as some Christians may twist scriptures that might make it seem OK for them to beat their wives in order to exert their authority and make their wives submit. 

Hinduism- There is one Supreme Being (Brahman) but many gods and goddesses.  The heart of the religion is discovering experimental knowledge of the relationship between the human soul (Atman) and the Supreme Being. Practice the four yogas and you will be happy.  (Jesus is an avatara in this Faith.  You can follow Him.  He can be your "Way" in discovering your relationship between your soul and The Divine.  By the way, exploring other faiths, other Ways, can make your relationship with your Truth even stronger and more beautiful.)

Buddhism- Buddha passed into everlasting Nirvana 2,500 years ago.  He found enlightenment at the age of 35 and spent the following 45 years teaching what he knew (dharma.)  If you follow the Eightfold path, you will be happy. (At the Buddhist Temple, I was surprised how many times the teacher (a monk) emphasized not to leave your own belief, because it was all "There."  You can find enlightenment and happiness where you are today.  The Noble Eightfold Path is for everyone.  Meditation is for everyone.  In this faith, Jesus is a bodhisattva.  Look that up.  It's beautiful.)

After studying these five major world religions, I have found they all share so much in common.  I cannot even pick a favorite if my own beliefs did not exist.  I wouldn't know which one I would want to explore first.  It would be like asking me to choose which of my children I love the most.  They are all so different, but I love them all the same.  This does not mean I subscribe to every belief, because I don't.  But, it would be incorrect for me to state I love religion one over another.

It seems to me that the purpose of each religion is to discover a relationship with The Divine in order to find happiness.  Different religions use different tools and techniques to cultivate their relationship with The Divine, but at the heart of it all, maybe it's all the same.

Sometimes I like to think of an Ultimate Truth.  If we all knew what that Ultimate Truth was, we'd only have one religion to study and we'd all accept it.  At least that's my opinion.  Most people believe what they believe because to them, it's their Truth.  But my Truth might be different from your Truth and I don't like it when people say, "My Truth is truer than yours."  Let's face it, we all come from different life experiences and different traditions.  That plays a major part in what we decide to believe.  I have had a different life experience than a woman who lives in Afghanistan.  As well as I've had a different life experience than my next door neighbor.  How can we say other people are wrong when they are just going by their own personal experiences coming to their own conclusions of what the Truth is?

When I think about the Ultimate Truth, it makes me wonder if don't all have fragments of this Ultimate Truth.  Maybe it all got split apart and manifested into all these different world religions.  I like to think of the Ultimate Truth being like an enormous, glowing ball, like the sun.  It became so full of love, it exploded (big bang) and it burst into pieces. Orgasmic!  Maybe my Truth is just a piece of The Ultimate and everyone else has a different piece of it too.  Maybe if and when we all come together, we will see It, like a puzzle with scattered pieces being put together.  It will be the BIG LOVE right here on earth! 

I have learned so much in my World Religion class and it was only an introduction.  It has made me hungry for more knowledge, more understanding.  I wish everyone in the whole, wide world could take this class.  It wouldn't matter if they believed in a higher power or not.  Because whatever your Truth is, it matters to me and it matters to the world.  We need to all be friends so we can put our pieces together and create something so beautiful.  Imagine!