Abrahamic vs Hindu Religions: Beliefs and Practices - Essay Sample

Introduction

Contrary to Hinduism that has no known origin, the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, trace their ancestry through Abraham. Therefore, there exist diverse beliefs among the two sets of religions. For the Abrahamic religions, there is a single supreme God who created the world with love for mankind. On the other hand, Hindus are tolerant of doctrinal differences and believe in the ultimate reality. As such, they believe in a divine cosmic order on their ways of life, Karma that is a moral law of cause and effect, and the mystical identity to the neighbors and God. Compared to Christianity, their happiness is in the spiritual possession of God. Additionally, spirituality is considered more than morality and ethics, even though religion values moral intentions. For Abrahamic religions, morality and ethics are perceived philosophically with which when a religious dimension is added, morality becomes God's will for mankind. Therefore, ethics are central to orderly social life in Hindu.

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Every Hindu is mandated to acknowledge the religion of universal compassion. It is through the process that they can achieve the greatest good. Additionally, those who associate every creature as themselves and attribute good behavior to them attain happiness. It is unethical to do what could hurt other people in the Hindu religion (Sivaraman & Noor, 2016). This is considered a rule of righteousness. Every judgment made to a situation ought to be carefully considered regardless of the prevailing happiness or misery. Therefore, every Hindu believer is mandated to judge everything as if it were their own. Additionally, Hindus do good to people without expecting any right in return because they can understand their feelings and those of their neighbors. The fruits of the holy places are also only given to those who consider all creatures as their own. Every practice should involve casting an eye everywhere and being kind and practicing righteousness.

Morality and ethics are a requirement for the Hindu religion. However, Abrahamic relations believe in morality only because God created his people in his image and likeness and with the abilities to differentiate the right from the wrong (Hooper, 2017). Abrahamic religions have the capacity to choose between the two. Therefore, morality becomes a serious and objective phenomenon that defines the personal relationship with God. Ethical Abrahamic life is composed of both high and low religious motives. Upon successful living, Judaists, Christians, and Muslims are drawn closer to their destiny of eternal happiness with their creator. However, for Hindu, ethical life yields well for the person who acts ethically. Therefore, Hindus are as well careful not to forget the core values that would lead them to their creator. Some believers from any Abrahamic religion could forget their religious values and only spread division and hatred.

Hindus worship different idols. Only a few belief in one God and look at the idols as being the images of one same God. Abrahamic religions believe in one supernatural God, who is the creator of mankind. Furthermore, Christianity and Islam are founded on the ethical ideals and notions of the supernatural being. The duties to God by the Jews include keeping the Sabbath holy, not making any idols in God's name, and using the name of the Lord God in vain. They are also mandated to their families and other people. On the other hand, Christianity is built on Judaism. Therefore, the same supernatural being is worshipped among the two religions. The Islamic religion is founded on both Judaism and Christianity. Sometimes words may lack in the Qur'an but deliver the same message as it appears in other Abrahamic books. For instance, the phrase "love your neighbor as you love yourself" is not directly put in the Qur'an, but it only notes about showing kindness and doing good to orphans, parents, and relatives (Kadhim, Ahmad, Owoyemi, & Ahmad, 2017). Therefore, ethical worship is better practiced amongst the Abrahamic religions compared to amongst the Hindus.

Hindus believe in reincarnation, yet the Abrahamic religions do not place their beliefs on it. According to the Hindu religion, the views are logically before various ethical values and practices. Reincarnation is of the idea that there is no serious harm done to a moral life (Rosik, 2014). However, the living being starts a new life in a different form after their death. Some other people term it as rebirth or transmigration. Reincarnation is a traditional yet tenet practice of non-Abrahamic religions (Rosik, 2014). On the other hand, the Bible, as well as other Abrahamic books, does not include the concept of reincarnation. People are not given a second chance of life as something different. The Christian, Islam, and Jew body is considered mortal, and the spirit is the only one to have eternal life. Many Christians do not find a connection between ethics and reincarnation even though the non-Abrahamic religions tend to believe in reincarnation and the associated phenomenon.

Hindus believe in "Karma." The concept of Karma is a fundamental belief that an individual fate is determined by their deeds. The soul that does good Karma ends up being rewarded positively with a better life in the next incarnation (Akhavan, 2015). Consequentially, the souls that do bad Karma are punished for their sins. Even if not in the next generation, incarnation effects can be felt in the world every time. The souls that do good are liberated from the circle of rebirth and attain freedom; a concept referred to as "Moksha" (Akhavan, 2015). In the process of cremation, Hindus believe that the deceased should have done good Karma and will be going to heaven. However, there are only a few cases of Hindu saints who commit the Moksha and miss the opportunity.

Abrahamic religions do not believe in the action and consequences of an action. Therefore, none amongst the religion believes in reincarnation. Additionally, the promises of a new life for the souls and the promised lands are not assured for everyone. Christians are only expected to practice and act in accordance with the demands of the commandments, rituals, tenants, and doctrines (Hooper, 2017). Another unique characteristic is that the Abrahamic religions believe that their believers will continuously be exposed to tribulations, trials, and discomforts present in the world. Instead of Karma, the concept of theodicy is shared as it religiously explains the sufferings that good and faithful undergo.

For Hindus, ethics are central to orderly social life as could be explained through universal compassion, their requirement to remain ethical in every practice, and their presentation even when worshipping idols connected to a single supernatural being. The concept of reincarnation can also be explained as moral as no serious harm is made to ethical life. On the other hand, Abrahamic books do not note concepts such as reincarnation, and the believers are left to choose amongst acting right and acting wrong. The practices of such religions do not have a connection with ethical matters. Additionally, even though Christians worship one God, it is believed that a more significant percentage compared to that of Hindus act immorally and could miss the chances of attaining eternal life. Hindus believe in the law of Karma as being the cause of suffering, whereas for Abrahamic religions, every believer is bound to encounter sufferings, trials, and tribulations.

References

Akhavan, O. (2015). Samsara, Karma, and Self-Enlightenment: A Buddhist Perspective on Mo Yan's Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out. Studies in Literature and Language, 10(2), 11-35.

Hooper, D. (2017). Cruciformity, differentiation, and Christian spiritual formation. Discernment: Theology and the Practice of Ministry, 3(1), 1-15.

Kadhim, A. S., Ahmad, S. B., Owoyemi, M. Y., & Ahmad, M. (2017). Islamic ethics: The attributes of Al-Ihsan in the Quran and its effects on Muslim morality. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 8(11), 2219-1933.

Rosik, C. H. (2014). The reincarnation of Shidlo and Schroeder (2002): New studies introduce anti-SOCE advocacy research to the next generation. Journal of Human Sexuality, 6, 22-48.

Sivaraman, M. A. F., & Noor, S. N. M. (2016). Human embryonic stem cell research: ethical views of Buddhist, Hindu, and Catholic Leaders in Malaysia. Science and engineering ethics, 22(2), 467-485.