similarities among religions

[syo]

there are many similarities among religions and denominations. people focus on the differences and start religious wars and terrorism and they shun the similarities. so I want to mention some similarities. christianity and islam both have fasting. catholics and orthodox venerate common saints. christianity and hinduism have a trinity concept. all religions as far as I know have a soul/spirit concept. and the list continues.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

Yes, well done, this is so. I also think if we look deeper than doctrine, look at the original Word in as Pure form we can, that many more identical concepts will be found.

Baha'u'llah has Written God is the Word behind all of the Major Faiths.

Regards Tony

 

[Viraja]

Hi,

This topic has interested me for so long...

To do proper justice to my interest, I intend to read the Bible and the Quran and also gain further knowledge of Hindu schools of philosophy...

Hinduism is very diverse and contains various schools of thought such as Sankhya, Vaiseshika, Nyaya, and so forth... And then there is Dwaitham, Advaitham, and Visishtadhvaitham, which are also a further classification of schools of thought.

I'm sure the doctrines of Islam and Christianity will be found embedded on some existing Hindu principle, if only someone should dig deeper.

As an example, according to Islam, on the night of Isra and Mairaj, Prophet Mohammad ascended to 7 levels of heavens/spiritual skies and met with various prophets at those levels.

In Hinduism, we find there are 7 chakras (spiritual centers of the body) starting at Mooladhara, Swadhishtana, Manipooraka, and so forth, ending at Sahasrara and our deities are believed to exist and guard in any of these varying planes... (for example, Ganapathi is said to be the guardian of Mooladhara).

 

[Unveiled Artist]

In Hinduism, we find there are 7 chakras (spiritual centers of the body) starting at Mooladhara, Swadhishtana, Manipooraka, and so forth, ending at Sahasrara and our deities are believed to exist and guard in any of these varying planes... (for example, Ganapathi is said to be the guardian of Mooladhara).

I have a question. The Western view of Chakras, if I can call it that, doesn't have deities involved. It's focusing on healing by practicing techniques incorporating the different chakra areas and where the energy is to do the healing. Without the deities, would that still be called practicing Chakras or would it be something else entirely?

 

[Unveiled Artist]

there are many similarities among religions and denominations. people focus on the differences and start religious wars and terrorism and they shun the similarities. so I want to mention some similarities. christianity and islam both have fasting. catholics and orthodox venerate common saints. christianity and hinduism have a trinity concept. all religions as far as I know have a soul/spirit concept. and the list continues.

I see similarities in their goals of wanting peace. I don't see similarities in their methods and results, though.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

there are many similarities among religions and denominations. people focus on the differences and start religious wars and terrorism and they shun the similarities. so I want to mention some similarities. christianity and islam both have fasting. catholics and orthodox venerate common saints. christianity and hinduism have a trinity concept. all religions as far as I know have a soul/spirit concept. and the list continues.

Religious history would suggest common elements between Christianity and Islam, and (particularly) Catholic and Orthodox should hardly be surprising though?
And the Trinity concept of Hinduism would be heresy if applied to Christian trinitarian beliefs.

I find religious similarities interesting, due to what they say about us as people, but I think they are commonly overstated in a more detailed sense, or can be explained through a historical perspective.

 

[Viraja]

I have a question. The Western view of Chakras, if I can call it that, doesn't have deities involved. It's focusing on healing by practicing techniques incorporating the different chakra areas and where the energy is to do the healing. Without the deities, would that still be called practicing Chakras or would it be something else entirely?

Carlita,

That would be tantamount to going to a saint and asking for relief from debts and coming back after that.

In the Hindu sense, there are various yogic practices (hatha, pranayama, etc) that would deal with the Kundalini (serpent energy residing at Mooladhara) to rise and ascend to the various chakras, each manifesting their results in many profound ways such as emotional, spiritual (visions, special abilities, etc) as well as physiological (being able to walk on water, go without hunger, etc).

 

[Vinayaka]

I have a question. The Western view of Chakras, if I can call it that, doesn't have deities involved. It's focusing on healing by practicing techniques incorporating the different chakra areas and where the energy is to do the healing. Without the deities, would that still be called practicing Chakras or would it be something else entirely?

The western view of chakras isn't the same. In the east, you have to start at the muladara, and be really balanced there. So dharma starts there. My opinion is that the esoteric teachings were exposed, and then, because of ego and false assumptions, westerners 'jumped' to the higher chakras. It's called neo-Hinduism, and new agey stuff. In traditional Hinduism it's slow but steady hard work. You can't just jump up and down at will.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Carlita,

That would be tantamount to going to a saint and asking for relief from debts and coming back after that.

In the Hindu sense, there are various yogic practices (hatha, pranayama, etc) that would deal with the Kundalini (serpent energy residing at Mooladhara) to rise and ascend to the various chakras, each manifesting their results in many profound ways such as emotional, spiritual (visions, special abilities, etc) as well as physiological (being able to walk on water, go without hunger, etc).

Are the deities embedded in the goal of Chakra healing?

 

[Vinayaka]

And the Trinity concept of Hinduism would be heresy if applied to Christian trinitarian beliefs.

There is no trinity concept in Hinduism. There is the trimurthi concept, and the only commonality between the 2 is the number 3. People looking for similarities often say this. But it's a very surface comparison.

 

[Viraja]

I don't know too much about chakra healing, except the whole chakra thing is viewed there as 'pressure points' for various methods like accupuncture to take effect.

The Hindu view of chakras is of a 'target' that can be reached only by profound spiritual/yogic practices.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

The western view of chakras isn't the same. In the east, you have to start at the muladara, and be really balanced there. So dharma starts there. My opinion is that the esoteric teachings were exposed, and then, because of ego and false assumptions, westerners 'jumped' to the higher chakras. It's called neo-Hinduism, and new agey stuff. In traditional Hinduism it's slow but steady hard work. You can't just jump up and down at will.

I'm not familiar with all the Chakra positions. After going to a healing sermon at the Spiritualist Church, I was looking at other approaches to health in regards to how one balances energy. Do you mean that Westerners tend to start from the top and work their way down?

Which part should, if going by Hindu tradition, a person go to first (head, stomach, mind, etc) before going to the higher Chakras (which are...?)

 

[Vinayaka]

I'm not familiar with all the Chakra positions. After going to a healing sermon at the Spiritualist Church, I was looking at other approaches to health in regards to how one balances energy. Do you mean that Westerners tend to start from the top and work their way down?

Which part should, if going by Hindu tradition, a person go to first (head, stomach, mind, etc) before going to the higher Chakras (which are...?)

Ganesha, sometimes called the Gatekeeper to dharma, and inner stuff, resides on the manipura chakra at the base of the spine. Most people, just because of nature and inability to change, live predominantly in one chakra, and can move up or done about one from there.

There are 7 chakras below the muladhara, where emotions rule. Fear, anger, despair, all of them are there. Most people actually live in those chakras, but it's hard to admit. The goal, in traditional Hinduism, is to get to the muladhara, and the rest will happen quite naturally after that. But it takes great discipline.

Westerners often tend to ignore the discipline factor. It's too boring.

The starting point, in almost all Hindu, and yoga schools, is breath control. Stabilizing the breath, so you're breathing diaphramatically, same count in as out. This takes some practice.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Everybody's guessing, but nobody is very original.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Ganesha, sometimes called the Gatekeeper to dharma, and inner stuff, resides on the manipura chakra at the base of the spine. Most people, just because of nature and inability to change, live predominantly in one chakra, and can move up or done about one from there.

There are 7 chakras below the muladhara, where emotions rule. Fear, anger, despair, all of them are there. Most people actually live in those chakras, but it's hard to admit. The goal, in traditional Hinduism, is to get to the muladhara, and the rest will happen quite naturally after that. But it takes great discipline.

Westerners often tend to ignore the discipline factor. It's too boring.

The starting point, in almost all Hindu, and yoga schools, is breath control. Stabilizing the breath, so you're breathing diaphramatically, same count in as out. This takes some practice.

Interesting. I do agree, we are lazy. There is barely any places to understand more formally here. We have many Hindu temples but Im sure with the right (lobw) guru, one can start by themselves?

 

[Vinayaka]

Interesting. I do agree, we are lazy. There is barely any places to understand more formally here. We have many Hindu temples but Im sure with the right (lobw) guru, one can start by themselves?

Your Lincoln quote pretty much sums up the Hindu traditional approach. Another reason westerners are impatient is the lack of belief in reincarnation, and this sense of 'hurry up' confuses things. Hindus, strongly programmed about reincarnation, have all the time it takes.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Your Lincoln quote pretty much sums up the Hindu traditional approach. Another reason westerners are impatient is the lack of belief in reincarnation, and this sense of 'hurry up' confuses things. Hindus, strongly programmed about reincarnation, have all the time it takes.

Lincoln quote?

I know many westerners (I hate that phrase) or many of us raised in GOA thinking do not have the view of life going in a circle. Ive never believed in heaven so both views are foregn to me. Though, they also misinterpret rebirh with reincarnation. Its a toss salid here in the States.

With reincarnation, the closest, if correct, I believe is life runs in a cycle and we dont die but continue to learn until full understanding of kamma, rebirth, as well as self and helping others from suffering.

But I honestly dont know where else hinduism differs from buddhism other than their approach and belief in one god. I mean, The Buddha believed hindu gods exist (another overlooked teaching) they just werw in the boat as we in regards to obtaining freedom from suffering.

I dont know if Buddhism teaches about the Chakras though the similar environment, Id assume he knows it at least culturally and prior practicez.

 

[DavidFirth]

Christianity has no similarities. You either accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God or you do not. If you do you go to heaven. If you do not you do not go to heaven. Pretty simple, really.

 

[Vinayaka]

Lincoln quote?

From your profile page. "If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six sharpening my axe. - Abraham Lincoln"

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Christianity has no similarities. You either accept Jesus Christ as the Son of God or you do not. If you do you go to heaven. If you do not you do not go to heaven. Pretty simple, really.

Most fantasies are.