World Religion Comparison Chart - Mr. Farshtey



Major World Religions - Comparison Chart

|Aspect |Hinduism |Buddhism |Judaism |Christianity |Islam |

|Title |Hindus |Buddhists |Jews |Christians |Moslems |

|Belief System |Polytheistic |Polytheistic |Monotheistic |Monotheistic |Monotheistic |

|Nation of Origin |India |India |Mesopotamia |Middle East |Arabia |

|Language |Indian |Indian |Hebrew |Latin, English, Greek |Arabic |

|Symbol |Om |Wheel of Life (Samsara) |Star of David |The Cross, (crucifiction) |Crescent & Star |

|Founder & Time |No Founder - < 3,000 years|Siddhartha Guatama |Abraham (Made covenant |Jesus – Born in Bethlehem, |Muhammad (570-632) |

| |old. |(563-483BC) |w/ G*d 3400 years ago– |Raised in Nazareth, |Born in Mecca, driven to Medina|

| | | |if Hebrews worship G*d, |Crucified in Jerusalem. |(Hajira). |

| | | |they will be the chosen | | |

| | | |people. | | |

|Sacred Texts |Upanishads, Mahabharata, |Sutras |1st 5 books of the Bible|The Bible |Qu’ran or Koran |

| |& 4 Vedas | |& Talmud | | |

|Major God(s) |Brahman, Vishnu, & Shiva. |No rituals, Gods, or |Yahweh, G*d |God |Allah |

| |Atman = Essential |Priests. Enlightenment | | | |

| |self/Perfect |through meditation only | | | |

| |understanding. | | | | |

|Place of Worship |Temple |Temple |Synagogue |Church |Mosgue |

|Clergy |Brahmins (Priestly Class) |Monks, Dalai Lama, no |Rabbi |Priest, Preacher, Bishop, |Prophet |

| | |rituals, Gods, or Priests. | |and Pope. | |

|Law | | |10 Commandments & Mishna|10 Commandments. Moses |No separation of Church and |

| | | |(Rabbinic Law) Moses was|was a prophet given God’s |State – Theocracy. Sharia – |

| | | |a prophet given G*d’s |law. |Laws based on the Qu’ran. |

| | | |Law. Torah. | |Moses was a prophet given God’s|

| | | | | |law. |

|Sacred Ideas |Cattle, Monkeys, Tree |Trinity: Buddha, Dharma |Covenent b/w G*d and the|Sunday Worship, Golden |Ablutions (washing of hands, |

| |Squirrels, & some snakes. |(teachings/laws), and |Jewish people. |Rule, Jesus died for man’s |face, and feet) before prayer, |

| |Ganges River & City of |Sangha (community of |Hannukkah, Passover, |sins. Trinity: Father, |Muezzin (Call to Prayer), |

| |Varanasi. All Hindus are |believers. |Bar/Bas Mitzvah, |Son, and Holy Ghost. |Minaret Towers, Friday Worship,|

| |vegetarian. Daily |April 8: Buddha’s birth. |Zionism, Rosh Hashhanah |Messiah. Disciples. |Ramadan, Jihad (the effort of a|

| |declaration of prayer, |Dec 8: Buddha’s |(New Year), Yom Kippur |Baptism, Communion |good Muslim to preserve |

| |pilgrimmage to places |enlightenment. |(Day of Atonement). |(Eucharist) & Confirmation.|community). Jesus was a |

| |where Buddha traveled. |Feb 15: Buddha’s Death. |Jesus was just a man. |Sunday, Christmas, Easter. |prophet. |

| | | |Wailing Wall. |Jesus was the Son of God. | |

|Goal of Life |Moksha |Nirvana |A moral life through |Salvation |Other World Paradise |

| | | |obedience to G*d’s law. | | |

|Moral Code |Kharma (Actions) + Dharma |4 Noble Truths & 8-Fold |A moral life through |Faith, prayer. |5 Pillars: Creed, Prayer, |

| |(Religious and Moral Duty)|Path. Prayer, meditation, |obedience to G*d’s law. | |Pilgrimage, Fasting, Zakat. |

| |= Reincarnation up or |and ritual to achieve | | | |

| |down. |enlightenment. | | | |

|Attitude towards |Ahimsa |Ahimsa |10 Commandments |10 Commandments |Concept of Jihad – the effort |

|violence | | |Golden Rule |Golden Rule |of a good Muslim to preserve |

| | | | | |community. Context sometimes |

| | | | | |perverted. |

|Afterlife |Reincarnation based on |Release from wheel of life |Arrival of Messiah |Heaven/Hell |Pleasant based on reward and |

| |moral code and Caste |and cycle of birth/rebirth.| | |punishment |

| |system: |Union w/the universe. |Do not presume to know. | | |

| |Priests, Warriors, | |Lead a good life and the| | |

| |Merchants, Servants | |afterlife will take care| | |

| |(Untouchables). Contact | |of itself. | | |

| |w/lower class requires | | | | |

| |ritual cleansing in the | | | | |

| |Ganges River. | | | | |

|Sects |Caste System |Theraveda: Strict |Orthodox / Conservative |Catholic, Protestant, |Fundamentalist, Shi’ite |

| | |fundamentalists (monks). | |hundreds of other groups |(radical traditionalists), |

| | |Mahayana: Less strict | |and denominations. |Sunni (Majority), Sufi |

| | |observance - commoners | | |(Mystics) |

|Importance of |None |None |Site of 1st Jewish |Church of Holy Sepulcher – |Gabriel’s ascendance to Heaven |

|Jerusalem | | |Temple – Temple of |Site of Crucifixion of |on horseback. |

| | | |Solomon. Birthplace. |Jesus | |

|Modern Issues |Widow Burning, Ghandi, | |Middle East Conflict |Political conflict s with |Ban against symbols |

| |Caste Abolishment. | |Israel v Palestine |Muslim world concerning |representing Allah. |

| | | |Jerusalem ownership |Israel and Palestine. | |

|Members (# or %) | |1/8 world population |17 Million – Diaspora | ................
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