A common theme among many religions is the shared struggle each one faces, the problem to overcome. Overwhelmingly, the problems are similar in each religion: disconnection with one’s true self or nature, ignoring the balancing life force, having too strong of an attachment to desire or material things, avoiding the spiritual and not heeding the call of those less fortunate. The problems are similar even though the religions are very different. Each religion has a story of creation and existence and many are similar with there being a God(s)-like being(s) “above” or “surrounding” and humans being given life and eventually death, either in some kind of ideal afterlife or as a means to the ultimate liberation from life. People need a story of how they came into existence; it gives context and meaning to life. These stories get passed down through new generations, across borders and cultures, transforming into new ideas and morph into new stories with new plots added, sometimes creating new religions. Religion helped create civilization because it gave humans a common goal to pursue, a reason to live, a set of guidelines for how to conduct one’s self in all areas of life; morality was born out of religion. Communities were created, sacred beliefs were written down and people came to together for a common purpose of propagating life and ensuring that the values and convictions lived on in the future.
In Hinduism, the Karmic self is at the center of everything and explains every part of humans, emotionally, physically and intellectually (Young, pg. 61). Having strong desires will disrupt the delicate nature of the Karmic self and spoil chances for enlightened liberation. The Laws of Manu are responsible for a still-present caste system in much of Hindu-Indian culture. Even though laws have made discrimination illegal regarding caste, there is still widespread oppression of Hindu people based on their individual caste, which cannot be changed and affords limited upward mobility. Today, Karma is a popular concept that many people believe in, even those that aren’t Hindu. Karma is an idea that helps people act with virtue in hopes of avoiding the dreaded karmic retribution. Out of Hinduism came Buddhism, led by Siddhartha Gautama, who abandoned Hindu teachings by leaving his family life and setting out on a quest, faithfully trying to adhere to the basic Hindu principles yet it left him feeling unfulfilled and its methods unnecessary. One day, he sat down under a fig tree and realized that desire is what holds humans back from reaching enlightenment and spiritual fulfillment. He was enlightened, awake, so to speak, and thus entered a state of nirvana (Young 89). He spread his newfound knowledge and created an order of monastic living that included monks and nuns. Buddhism’s foothold spread beyond the borders of India and its focus remains on personal spiritual insight and liberation, free of the need to worship deities. Many subsequent branches of Buddhism have been formed.
Confucianism, while not widely considered to be a religion but more of a philosophy and tradition was integral in the evolution of education and government in the years leading up to the twentieth century. Humanity and all other aspects of its reality can be characterized by the forces of yin and yang (Young, 137). Virtue was at the heart of the problem and Confucians believed that in order for a society to progress and prosper, its rulers and upperclassmen must live virtuous lives. Leading by example is how communities knew how to behave. Education was critical to this balance and treating other with people with proper respect was fundamental to the sacred ideals of Confucianism. Confucianism’s message was distorted and exploited by Mao Zedong and communism dominated much of China and suppressed traditional Chinese religion and philosophy. Further repression continued into the 1960s where religious sites were closed and used for other purposes. During the late 1970s, freedom of religion was reinstated and guaranteed through the constitution. Today, Confucianism is seeing resurgence in China as well as a reverence for the fundamental principles of authoritarian respect and moral virtue in a modern climate of heavy consumerism and egocentric pursuits.
Just as Confucianism was essential to the formation of culture and identity for the people of China, Shintoism paved a similar path for the people of Japan. Followers of early Shinto believed the center of the universe and all humankind started in Japan. The sacred kami or spirits, gods and all of nature around us, including water, mountains and animals are at the heart of what Shinto encompasses and their numbers are infinite. As a way of self-preservation and rebuttal to Western influence in the 1800s and up to the end of World War II, the government mandated State Shinto and required all Japanese people to register at a shrine (Young, 168). Schools were required to teach Shinto doctrine and the ideal belief was that Emperor embodied the kami and citizens were to be loyal and committed to the Emperor and country. Shortly after the kamikaze pilots of WWII crashed into enemy targets and the subsequent end of the war, State Shinto was abolished and religious freedom was granted in the constitution. Cosmic harmony and balance with all things in nature remain at the center of true Shinto beliefs.
In ancient Northern Israel, during biblical times, a Rabbi called Jesus wandered the land preaching compassion, healing the sick and walking on water. He would become the founder and face of the largest religion in the world, Christianity. His message was for the downtrodden and outcasts, it was a new message reflecting a new Israel and a new contract with God. He was executed by Romans due to a clash in ideologies and famously nailed to a cross. His body was placed in a tomb and three days later it was gone. He would come to be known as the messiah, the savior of the Jews in Israel. After his death, apostles continued to spread his message and by 200 C.E. Christianity had enveloped the Roman Empire. Emperor Constantine’s decision to end the killing of Christians and recognize Christianity as the dominant religion paved the way for all the ensuing branches of the Christianity. Major tenets of the religion dictate that God created all of existence and that all humans are born with original sin. In modern times, Christianity – Catholicism in particular – has been rocked by scandal of sex abuse and attempts to keep it hidden from public view. The religion has become a driving agenda in the right-wing political arena, creating a widening chasm that shows no signs of narrowing. Its followers are vast, devout and unwavering in their dedication to trust in the unknown.
Islam is second to Christianity in its following with near two billion followers, the majority concentrated in Indonesia, with almost ninety percent of the population identifying as Muslim (Young, 235). Like Christianity and Judaism, Islam originated in the Middle East and is one of the Abrahamic religions. A prophet known by the name Muhammad is considered to be Islam’s final messenger of God and it’s believed that the words he received from God are authentic, true and are the basis of the holiest Islamic text, the Qur’an. Muslims are bound by the five pillars of faith, which include hours of daily prayer to Allah or God, charity to the less fortunate, fasting during the holy month of Ramadan and lastly, a pilgrimage to Mecca which is considered to be holiest city of the Islamic faith. When Muhammad died, he left no plan of succession, which caused a major split in the religion (Young, pg. 237). Men known as caliphs or successors began taking his place in the years after his death. Ultimately, Islam split into three factions: The Sunni, the Shi’ite and the Sufi with the Sunni and Shi’ite being the most distinct. They split over differences about who was to succeed Muhammad after his death. Sunni is the stricter of the branches with many adhering to Sharia law which includes extreme mandates such as the amputating of hands because of theft, death for becoming a non-Muslim, death to women who commit adultery; even men who rape women or girls are set free if they marry their victim. Most Muslims are Sunni. Today, Islam has spun off into various branches and movements that spread messages of divisiveness and hate toward Western culture. Violence and terrorism is used in Allah’s name in organizations like the Taliban, ISIS and Hamas and cells of recruits have popped up all over the Middle East, Europe and even in the United States.
It could take pages and pages to explain and describe how religion throughout history has evolved, how it’s changed people, communities and its leaders for good and at times, for worse. Since its inception, religion has been used to control, change, force, help and mold people and countries for personal and economic reasons. It’s equally a binder and a divider of humanity, wars have been fought in its name, unspeakable acts have been committed in the name of religion, yet it’s had a profound ability throughout time to give people hope, guide them through the unknown and the trials of life, bring them comfort in the face of death and be an ethereal shoulder to cry on when faith seems all but lost. There are skeptics and believers and that will remain until the end of time. Religion is a thread in the quilt of human existence, even for those who don’t identify with a religion or practice faith. It’s around us all the time, in art, in books, on the news, in music, even driving down the road past a church. Everyday on my way to and from work, I pass by St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church on Pine Grove Road in Yardley and they’re notorious in the community for their thought-provoking signs on the front lawn. I’m not religious, I don’t go to church, yet I look forward to reading those signs every single day because they make me stop and think, take stock of what’s really important, reflect on my own behavior and look inside myself and recognize where I might be able to do better. That’s pretty damned amazing, even for a skeptic like me.
Works Cited
- Young, William A. The World’s Religions: Worldviews and Contemporary Issues. Fourth Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc., 2013. Print.
