Desire In Religion Essay

The egotistical nature of desire presents a complex problem throughout the history of religion. Religious traditions tend to agree that human nature either leads individuals to or away from a “supra-material realm or spirit” (Ward, p.1). In all religious traditions, it is also agreed that selfish desire, an intense feeling of want, is holding humans to a general succession of suffering. Buddhism, Judaism, and Christianity all follow this same path in a way, but the three tend to contrast on the severity of desire, its importance in human nature, and its use in reaching a form of spiritual state. Based off of research and the study of human nature in religion, Buddhism and Judaism have the most similar perception of desire, while Christianity

All three agree that certain desires can cause suffering, yet they all have their own outlooks on how to resolve the issue. Buddhism and Judaism are most similar in their perception of desire because they both suggest that ridding or rejecting of this desire is an important step in the ending of suffering. However, Buddhism is more severe than Judaism as it suggests that desire must be eradicated, whereas Judaism just states that one will be rewarded when they reject it. Christianity, although also rejects selfish desires, does not deny them as a whole. Christianity instead feels that wants should be improved, thus focusing on desires that strengthen a relationship with God. This principle also supports the idea that Christianity and Buddhism are most different. Buddhism goes so far as to suggest that the afterlife should not be discussed as it leads to “long-term egoism, if it encourages desires for quasi-sensory pleasures” (Ward, p.78). On the contrary, Christianity supports that desires for God actually lead one to Heaven as God “teaches the way to liberation” (Ward, p.200). All in all, these religions are only three of the many religious traditions that attempt to answer the issue of desire in human nature. These traditions have different approaches, yet the same end goal of being released from suffering and into a blissful and altered state of