Religion: Christianity and Buddhism

1495 Words3 Pages

Among all the great religions to which most of humanity belongs, Christianity and Buddhism unlike the rest of the religions are world religions which spreads more than the scope of a small country or a vast continent. Both religions cover metaphysical ideas that are prevalent in understanding the way we live our lives and how we come to believe in something beyond our understanding. Some may state that Buddhist teachings can be compatible with the teachings of Christianity, and others find many truths of in the teachings of both religions to be incompatible with one another. In examining both religions side by side to see the differences and similarities, we come to know both doctrines better than we first engaged with them. In exploring both religions, we must first understand the basic teaching and beliefs of both religions. We’ll explore both religions worldview as pertaining to the claims from both religions that either support or negate God’s existence and what does suffering mean for both religions. For Christianity the concept of God has always been standard. God is said to be Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscience, e.t.c. Man was therefore made from Gods image according to Christians. Therefore part of the Christianity’s goal is to be one withe maker “God” because we were created by this external being. In the teachings of the Bible if you are to attain this oneness with God one must follow the teachings that Jesus Christ the son of God who came to earth as a physical being. God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are considered as one with God, the “trinity”. The teachings which he professed came from God and through Jesus did God share the scriptures of the Bible to his disciples. Unlike Christianity, the concept of God f... ... middle of paper ... ...om one another because of their fundamental beliefs of God or about the afterlife. While exploring both of these religions, we realize that although they have their differences they still have the same concept and ideas. Jesus was known as the anointed one, the messiah “christ’. The buddha similarly was known as the Awakened one “enlightened”. The 10 commandments which is an important part of christianity shares some similarity with the eightfold path of the Buddhist religion. Both religions teach selfless love, carefree giving, a love that is beyond friends and family but includes those that we do not find to be our friends but are included in our prayers. These fundamental truths shows how both religions are aligned with each other and strive for an ultimate sense of awakening or enlightenment. They are both equally searching for the same thing Nirvana and Haven.

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