What I LIKE about your religion

[Iti oj]

what i like about your religion is all the advances to science, arts, culture, society etc is has advanced. this is applied to all regions.

 

[paarsurrey]

I love the similarities between all of the different faiths. I don't know of any faith that does not value charity, humility, peace, truth, and above all else - love. I love that we all have the same goals - to find happiness and joy for all mankind. Different paths that God-willing will all lead to the same destination.

Yes the similarities are to be loved and from the difference without resorting to any hatred one could find the truthful path which is always one to destination.

 

[DanaTheJewishYogini]

Judaism is my religion so I like it, Christians believe in a Christ, Muslims believe in freedom of religion (Surah 2:256), Hindus invented yoga, and Buddhists are mindful.

 

[paarsurrey]

Judaism is my religion so I like it, Christians believe in a Christ, Muslims believe in freedom of religion (Surah 2:256), Hindus invented yoga, and Buddhists are mindful.

I give here the verse (Surah 2:256/257), for everybody's benefit:
[2:257] There should be no compulsion in religion. Surely, right has become distinct from wrong; so whosoever refuses to be led by those who transgress, and believes in Allah, has surely grasped a strong handle which knows no breaking. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

http://www.alislam.org/quran/search2/showChapter.php?submitCh=Read+from+verse%3A&ch=2&verse=257

 

[Vouthon]

A wonderful idea for a thread. Please allow me to comment on what I like about a few religions:

Judaism - The twin commandments of "love thy neighbour as thyself" & "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength" upon which the entire moral foundation of the Torah is based. The social teachings of the great Hebrew prophets of the first millennium BCE, decrying injustice towards the poor, weak, oppressed & foreigners. The cynicism and scepticism of the author of the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Tanakh. The timeless wisdom of the Jewish Rabbis of the first century BC till the 2nd century AD whose pithy sayings were recorded in the Pirke Avot section of the Talmud. The great spiritual tradition attested to by the first century CE philosopher Philo who synthesised Middle Platonism with Judaism, the Essenes, the early Merkabah (chariot) mysticism, the medieval Kabbalah, the Hasidic sages. Also the philosophy of Moses Maimonides. Finally, the example of Moses. In the Exodus account the prophet led the Israelites out of bondage with the powerful words, "Let my people go" that have since become the cry of countless victims of slavery & racism such as the Afro-Americans of the 19th-early 20th century. Moses continually reminds the Jews in the Torah to "remember" their bondage in Egypt and so not to mistreat any foreigners because they were once strangers in a foreign land and know what it felt like to be in asylum, or exile from their homeland. Wonderful scientific minds such as Einstein have sprung from Jewish stock. I also admire the Jewish respect for the Tetragrammaton, the Divine Name YHWH which they never utter but rather use other words to represent such as "the Lord" (Adonai) and "The Name" (HaShem). There is also an unparalleled insight given by the name YHWH which God reveals to Moses on Mount Horeb, it literally means something like "I AM THAT I AM", or "I AM WHO AM". Nowhere else have I seen such a bold affirmation of God's isness and essential Being.

Islam - The Tawhid (oneness) of God (no religion has been so emphatic in its monotheistic convictions as has Islam). The recognition of Jews and Christians as "people of the book" with a tolerated status. The simple beauty of its profession of faith, the shahada. The 99 Names for God in Islam are among the most beautiful of any sacred tradition. He is the Merciful, the Guardian, the Creator, The Evolver, The Developer, The Knowing, The Provider, The Truth, The Reality and much else besides. The Hadith Qudsi with its memorable aphorism about God being a "Hidden Treasure" who wanted to be known and so created the world. Muhammad's deep affection for the mother of Jesus, mentioned more in the Qur'an than she is in the New Testament. The Golden Age of Islam under the Abbasid Caliphate and its preservation of ancient Greek and Roman writings for posterity by Arab and Persian translators. The vast Sufi mystical tradition which boasts such luminaries as Al-Hallaj, Ibn Arabi, Saadi, Hafez, Iraqi, Rumi, Suhrawardi, Jami, Bulleh Shah & Attar. Innumerable literary masterpieces from this tradition such as The Masnavi, The Conference of the Birds, The Divine Flashes & The Rose Garden. In Shi'ism the strong social concern for waging a just battle against tyranny, the emphasis on rational inquiry into matters of faith, a healthy apprehension of the evils of excessive materialism & belief in the redemptive function of suffering and martyrdom. Islamic gardens, such as Moorish and Persian style ones, are also stunningly pretty, clearly earthy imitations of the poetic descriptions of Paradise contained in the Qur'an.

Hinduism - The perennial wisdom of the Upanishads, the first sages of any religion too detail - for future generations - their experiential, direct knowledge of the highest spiritual states. Many of the metaphors used first by the first millennium BC Upanishadic mystics - such as the metaphor of a drop of water dissolving in the ocean to explain the supreme awareness of union with the Absolute - appear in much later mystical texts from different religions. The real, substantial spiritual experience of oneness with the Divine begins within the body of ancient Indian Hinduism. The broad philosophies, the catholicity of sympathy for distinct styles of worship, deities, theological systems and doctrines. The different forms of traditional Indian thought, made up of polytheistic, atheistic, monistic, monotheistic, pantheistic and various other diverse schools. The pioneering Vedantic spirituality of Shankara. The tolerance of different religions and the recognition of many paths leading to the One, Inexpressible Truth. The recognition of a Divine Feminine. The Bhagavad Gita's teaching about the importance of action without attachment to the results ie being loving for the sake of being love and the joy of being love, rather than doing it in the hope for some kind of benefit. Also for the gift to the world of Yoga a set of psycho-physical techniques for mental awareness, bodily health and consciousness of the Supreme Being that has been succeeded by later systems of spiritual practice involving body posture, breathing techniques and stances in many different faiths.

Buddhism - The Buddha's unmatched insight into the human psyche and the origin of human suffering. He recognised this as stemming from craving for impermanent things. Buddhism teaches one to develop the necessary skills to observe and direct the mind, calmly and without attachment. Buddhism's gave a great gift to humanity in outlining the three marks of existence: impermanence, suffering & notself. The latter doctrine is particularly of great import. The Buddha saw through the fact that what we usually assume to be our "self" is in fact not a constant, tangible "thing" in itself but rather a combination of fleeting aggregates such as feelings, sensations, forms & mental formations that together give us the illusion of a "self". The entire universe is in a constant flux, everything is conditioned and has no permanence. I thank Buddhism for Vispassana (insight) meditation and the Therevada Sutras in-depth outline of the various stages of attainment, such as entering jhana, that the person must pass through before attaining enlightenment. The Buddhist belief that true happiness can be found in this life through non-attachment and insight into the impermanence of reality and the unconditioned state of pure bliss beyond the world which he called Nirvana is priceless. I love the Jakata Tales and my favourite portion of Buddhist literature is the The Dhammapada a true gem and classic of world literature. I very much admire the Mahayana belief in emptiness as well as the teaching about Bodhisattva's. The idea of a being attaining enlightenment and yet returning to earth and postponing eternal bliss to re-enter the cycle of birth for the sake of leading others beings to liberation, is very moving for me. The Zen tradition is likewise incredible. I practised Zen meditation techniques when I was younger. As with Islam, their gardens are spectacular. I adore the abstract nature of the art in those gardens, such as the way pebbles are placed and the lakes. Its all very exotic relaxing, deeply thought-provoking and serene. And how can I forget the tea ceremony which is all about the harmony of nature and self cultivation. Zen koans are rich sources of paradoxical thought that if pondered can lead the mind beyond opposites to the unconditioned.

That will do for the moment, I will give my reflections on other religions in a later post :bow:

 

[Shia Islam]

...

Islam - The Tawhid (oneness) of God (no religion has been so emphatic in its monotheistic convictions as has Islam). The recognition of Jews and Christians as "people of the book" with a tolerated status. The simple beauty of its profession of faith, the shahada. The 99 Names for God in Islam are among the most beautiful of any sacred tradition. He is the Merciful, the Guardian, the Creator, The Evolver, The Developer, The Knowing, The Provider, The Truth, The Reality and much else besides. The Hadith Qudsi with its memorable aphorism about God being a "Hidden Treasure" who wanted to be known and so created the world. Muhammad's deep affection for the mother of Jesus, mentioned more in the Qur'an than she is in the New Testament. The Golden Age of Islam under the Abbasid Caliphate and its preservation of ancient Greek and Roman writings for posterity by Arab and Persian translators. The vast Sufi mystical tradition which boasts such luminaries as Al-Hallaj, Ibn Arabi, Saadi, Iraqi, Rumi, Suhrawardi, Jami, Bulleh Shah & Attar. Innumerable literary masterpieces from this tradition such as The Masnavi, The Conference of the Birds, The Divine Flashes & The Rose Garden. In Shi'ism the strong social concern for waging a just battle against tyranny, the emphasis on rational inquiry into matters of faith, a healthy apprehension of the evils of excessive materialism & belief in the redemptive function of suffering and martyrdom. Islamic gardens, such as Moorish and Persian style ones, are also stunningly pretty, clearly earthy imitations of the poetic descriptions of Paradise contained in the Qur'an.
...
That will do for the moment, I will give my reflections on other religions in a later post :bow:

When I read in your post, I supposed that you are over 60 as I thought that decades are needed for someone to have the knowledge you showed in your post! I was amazed to know that you are only 20 - as written in your profile

 

[Vouthon]

When I read in your post, I supposed that you are over 60 as I thought that decades are needed for someone to have the knowledge you showed in your post! I was amazed to know that you are only 20 - as written in your profile

Dear Shia

Bless you brother, your words are most kind :cloud9:

I am indeed 20 years of age and a law/history student.

I am very pleased to meet you. That was my first post on this forum. I found it through an online friend who is a member. I am so far impressed by the openness of the forum, the diversity of its subjects and the interesting discussions going on.

You know, I have always had a long-term interest in learning about Shi'ite Islam. I have often thought it to have some similarities to my own faith, Catholicism. We both have high regard for a great female figure (ie the Virgin Mary & Fatimah Zahra) and the long tradition of social justice in the Shi'ite tradition stretching back to the Imam Husayn himself and his martyrdom, reminds one of similar trends in the Catholic Church (ie think the Franciscans, the Sisters of Charity and Liberation theology in modern times). Ashura also reminds me of the Catholic Stations of the Cross and Passion processions on Good Friday.

Suffering for the sake of others and for the sake of truth and justice is exemplified by martyrs in both of our traditions.

We share a great spiritual patrimony.

And it should not be forgotten that despite some differences in our perception of the One God and certain doctrines, we worship the same God, as the late Pope John Paul II once said:

"...Christians and Muslims, we have many things in common, as believers and as human beings. We live in the same world, marked by many signs of hope, but also by multiple signs of anguish. For us, Abraham is a very model of faith in God, of submission to his will and of confidence in his goodness. We believe in the same God, the one God, the living God, the God who created the world and brings his creatures to their perfection...The Catholic Church regards with respect and recognizes the equality of your religious progress, the richness of your spiritual tradition...On this path, you are assured, of the esteem and the collaboration of your Catholic brothers and sisters whom I represent among you this evening..."

- Blessed Pope John Paul II: Address to young Muslims in Casablanca, 1985

Peace be with you brother.

 

[Revoltingest]

What I like about Buddhhism:
- Rhymes with "nudism".
- Tend to mind their own business.
- No gods needed.
- They seem to smile a lot.

 

[ratikala]

jai jai madhuri devi ,

I want to make a positive thread because sometimes we get too distracted by our differences.

:bow:

Judaism: deep respect for tradition .

Christianity: the word 'felowship '

Islam: the expression 'Inshal'Allah'

Baha'i: the Ideal of spiritual unity .

Hinduism: the amazing love of story telling , the sheer joy and celebration of the realisation of the countless aspects of god .

Jainism: sheer comitment to simplicity

Buddhism: commitment to meditation

Sikhism:...Chardikala , and amazing sincerity and devotion to the service of others .

Paganism: joy of life and repect of nature

 

[Shia Islam]

Dear Shia

Bless you brother, your words are most kind :cloud9:

I am indeed 20 years of age and a law/history student.

I am very pleased to meet you. That was my first post on this forum. I found it through an online friend who is a member. I am so far impressed by the openness of the forum, the diversity of its subjects and the interesting discussions going on.

You know, I have always had a long-term interest in learning about Shi'ite Islam. I have often thought it to have some similarities to my own faith, Catholicism. We both have high regard for a great female figure (ie the Virgin Mary & Fatimah Zahra) and the long tradition of social justice in the Shi'ite tradition stretching back to the Imam Husayn himself and his martyrdom, reminds one of similar trends in the Catholic Church (ie think the Franciscans, the Sisters of Charity and Liberation theology in modern times). Ashura also reminds me of the Catholic Stations of the Cross and Passion processions on Good Friday.

Suffering for the sake of others and for the sake of truth and justice is exemplified by martyrs in both of our traditions.

We share a great spiritual patrimony.

And it should not be forgotten that despite some differences in our perception of the One God and certain doctrines, we worship the same God, as the late Pope John Paul II once said:




Peace be with you brother.

Peace be with you brother too

Very true, We share many similarities…
Within this area, The Quran says:

And argue not with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong; and say: We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our Allah and your Allah is One, and unto Him we surrender.

ولا تجادلوا اهل الكتاب الا بالتي هي احسن الا الذين ظلموا منهم وقولوا امنا بالذي انزل الينا وانزل اليكم والهنا والهكم واحد ونحن له مسلمون
سورة العنكبوت - سورة 29 - آية 46



Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him).


قل يا اهل الكتاب تعالوا الى كلمة سواء بيننا وبينكم الا نعبد الا الله ولا نشرك به شيئا ولا يتخذ بعضنا بعضا اربابا من دون الله فان تولوا فقولوا اشهدوا بانا مسلمون
سورة آل عمران - سورة 3 - آية 64

Wish you a very successful membership in RF :bow:

 

[Shia Islam]

What I like about Buddhhism:
- Tend to mind their own business.

In a sense, this is a nice quality

 

[Maija]

what i liked about Hinduism was flexibility, what I like about Islam is a definite answer and method for everything. in SD i found the more i learned the more questions i had, in Islam i found simplicity and structure. in the end my mind sought simplicity and i found that in the end. for others SD is a simple truth, for me now that truth is Islam.

this list could go on, but ill keep it short and sweet.

 

[savagewind]

What I like about the Jehovah's Witnesses. I like the regiment of Bible study. And I especially like the real feeling of FREEDOM that one has who leaves.

 

[Revoltingest]

What I like about the Jehovah's Witnesses. I like the regiment of Bible study. And I especially like the real feeling of FREEDOM that one has who leaves.

I've never met one with a harsh word towards me.
Always pleasant.