Seven Important Lessons from World Religions Everyone Should Know
- The Golden Rule. If there's any universal truth or common teaching across various religions, it's probably the golden rule: Treat others as you would want to be treated yourself.
- Work for the Happiness of Others, Especially the Poor and Unfortunate. ...
- Focus on the Present. ...
- Aim for Achievements, Not Money. ...
- Interact with the Community. ...
Full Answer
What do religions have in common?
Most religions have the following things in common: A golden rule to follow for instruction on how people should relate to others A pilgrimage that may or may not be required by some religions Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself. No supreme being, the path of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama is followed to reach nirvana
What do religions teach us?
Religions often teach people to see past the material and seek peace in achievements and purpose. Life, they explain, is about more than mere resource acquisition.
Do different religions share a common goal?
We want different religions to share a common goal, to make it easier to work towards interreligious cooperation. Boston University religion scholar Stephen Prothero’s new book, God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions that Run the World—and Why Their Differences Matter, bluntly refutes the notion that all religions share a fundamental goal.
Do all religions teach the same thing?
Again, all religions teach the same thing! Confucius puts a great emphasis on speaking the truth as they believe that speaking honestly and with utmost sincerity can open up the doorway to heaven for them in the afterlife. According to Christian science- the truth is God.
Why is it important to practice religious beliefs?
That’s a good thing, because shared religious beliefs or not, we all depend on each other to not just survive but also thrive.
Which religions emphasize mindfulness?
Buddhism ’s emphasis on mindfulness and meditation might be the most prominent examples, but other religions also encourage us to savour the moment and sharpen our awareness.
What is Buddha's final instruction?
Buddha’s final instructions on “the mission” set before us, for example, is to work for the happiness of others: Go your ways, oh monks, for the benefit of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, benefit and happiness of gods and men.
What is the most important skill you can learn both for your career and social life?
In the secular world, this is called empathy , one of the most important skills you can learn both for your career and social life.
When one is acting within one's rightful stage, what is the meaning of "acting within one's?
When one was acting within one’s rightful stage (i.e. a householder doing their best to raise their family, work hard, and earn lots of money or a renouncer praying and meditating, having as little to do with other humans as possible), then one is actively contributing to the cosmic order.
Who pointed out that community is the defining trait of Judaism?
A Jewish rabbi, through Tyler Lear, pointed out that community is the defining trait of Judaism:
Is it important to learn from the world's religions?
It doesn’t matter if you’re an atheist, devout follower of your faith, an agnostic or something in between — there’s wisdom to be learnt from the world’s religions. Here are some of the most important, universally applicable teachings from sacred texts everyone would benefit from learning.
What is religion about?
Religion is all about community: people coming together for a common purpose. It’s about taking part and doing something that has the potential to make the lives of others better.
How long has religion been around?
Religion is an integral part of the daily lives of millions of people across the planet. It has been for countless centuries, ever since the first ancestral worship began, perhaps as much as 40,000 years ago.
What is the Golden Rule of Religion?
We need explicit instruction from religion on how we should behave and treat other people in the world. The Golden Rule is something that is found in practically every religion. The idea is that you should treat people in the same way that you’d like them to treat you (so long as you want them to be good to you).
Why do people go on mission trips?
It’s a tool that religions use to set young adults up for a life of ministry and service and a common practice all over the world.
Is religion a moral responsibility?
Parents, teachers, friends, and spouses all get the blame. Religion, however, ultimately places moral responsibility on our shoulders. It’s up to us how we live our lives and the decisions that we make.
How many people believe that the teaching of all religions is the same?
Fun Fact- Did you know that according to a survey, more than 50% of followers of different religions believe that the teaching of all religions is somewhat the same. You can find out more details here!
Why do religions have a community kitchen?
Almost every religion runs its community kitchen daily, and that is all possible because of people’s strong faith in the existence of God. 2. Do No Harm. A significant belief, according to Christian Science, discourages people from hurting any person, animal, environment, or nature.
How many times do people pray in the Eastern religion?
The eastern religions show their devotions by chanting mantras and reading prayers daily. Whereas in Christianity, Judaism and Islam followers pray five times a day, and in Hinduism, it is done mainly twice a day.
What denominations did the Orthodox Church split into?
When Orthodox Church got marked by the great schism or split, and it got divided into are three primary denominations with a slight difference in the manner of worship and beliefs, namely Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, and Protestant Reformation.
Do all religions teach the same thing?
All religions teach the same thing. There must not be any religion in the world who would tell its followers to believe in anything other than God. We agree that different religion has different gods, but the ultimate point of all this is putting your belief in the hands of a supreme, who can guide their followers to lead an eternal life.
Does religion give you peace?
It is not something that just gives you peace or happiness for a short period ; all religion teaches the same thing and has immense wisdom and life lessons to provide to its followers.
Is religion single?
Religion could have been single, but that is not the case in the current scenario. There are numerous religions in our world, giving birth to the concept of religious pluralism, which offers the right to people to believe or not according to their conscience.
How do religions respond to different problems?
Different religions are responding to different problems, says Prothero , and therefore each religion offers a different solution. For example, Christians identify the problem as sin, and the solution is salvation; for Buddhists, however, the problem is suffering and the solution is nirvana. In addition, each religion has different techniques for moving from problem to solution, and different exemplars who show us how to get to the solution. Christians use the techniques of faith and good works, and Christian exemplars are saints or ordinary people of faith. But Buddhists use the techniques of the Eightfold Path, and their exemplars are arhats, bodhisattvas, or lamas.
Who said all religions are one?
Article, continued. “All religions are one,” said poet William Blake; Huston Smith, the well-known philosopher of religions, said, “It is possible to climb life’s mountain from any side, but when the top is reached the trails converge.”. Many of us Unitarian Universalists want to believe just this. We tend to be religious pluralists who want ...
What does the Dalai Lama believe?
In his new book, Toward a True Kinship of Faiths: How the World’s Religions Can Come Together, the Dalai Lama begins by saying that when he was growing up, he thought his own Buddhist religion was the best religion in the world: “I thought that there simply could not be any other faith tradition that could rival the depth, sophistication, and inspirational power of Buddhism.” But as he met serious practitioners of other religious traditions, particularly after he fled Tibet and went into exile, he changed his opinion.
What does Prothero believe about religion?
Though he assures us that religions have quite different goals, Prothero believes that “a clear-eyed understanding of the fundamental differences” between religions is our best hope for getting people from those religious traditions to be able to work together.
What did Patton do to promote eclecticism?
Beyond finding presumed commonalities, Patton advocated a creative eclecticism. His book describes how he incorporated innovative ideas into worship services, like a service that featured an interpretation of a pagan maypole dance as performed by a modern dance troupe. A Religion for One World details how Patton installed an expensive sound system in the Meeting House so he could use recordings of Western music, as well as ethnographic recordings of non-Western music. His eclecticism included science as a kind of religious expression: A painting of the Andromeda Nebula formed a backdrop for worship services, and a fanciful sculpture of an atom hung in the middle of the main hall of the Meeting House.
What is the fundamental conviction of compassion?
He came to believe it is compassion: It is my fundamental conviction that compassion—the natural capacity of the human heart to feel concern for and connection with another being—constitutes a basic aspect of our nature shared by all human beings, as well as being the foundation of our happiness.
What is the best hope for promoting cooperation among different religions?
A clear-eyed understanding of our religious differences may be the best hope for promoting cooperation among different religions.
What do religions have in common?
Most religions have the following things in common: 1 A supreme being to worship 2 Sacred texts for instructions 3 A golden rule to follow for instruction on how people should relate to others 4 A pilgrimage that may or may not be required by some religions
What did students take away from the major religions course?
The one thing that students took away from the course is that all religions have some of the same things in common.
How many religions are there in the world?
There are thousands of religions in the world but only twelve major ones. Those twelve are the ones that are often included in world religion surveys and studied in world religions classes.
What is the golden rule of religion?
The Golden Rule in all religions encourages people to treat others as they would like to be treated.
The Golden Rule
- If there's any universal truth or common teaching across various religions, it's probably the golden rule: Treat others as you would want to be treated yourself. As TeachingValues.com points out, this tenet is expressed in Christianity, Confuscianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Taoi…
Work For The Happiness of Others, Especially The Poor and Unfortunate
- This teaching is similar to the golden rule, but expressly asks us to look out for others less fortunate than us. Studies have found that the most successful people tend to be giversrather than takers, and religions advocate this idea of selflessness and charity. Buddha's final instructions on "the mission" set before us, for example, is to work for the happiness of others: T…
Focus on The Present
- As much as religions preach about the afterlife, they also emphasize making the most of the time we have available now (and isn't that the point of all our productivity hacks?). Buddhism's emphasis on mindfulness and meditationmight be the most prominent examples, but other religions also encourage us to savor the moment and sharpen our awareness. Tyler Lear, a form…
Aim For Achievements, Not Money
- More money doesn't always mean more happiness—an idea most religions are happy to point out. Stop running after material things, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism agree. Imam Ali ibn abi Talib says: Money can also distract you from the bigger picture, as Jesus said: That's not to say we have to cast off all material possessions. Buddhism teaches the joy of not being in debt …
Interact with The Community
- Religious practice forces you out of your shell (if you're the type, like me, to have a social shell). That's a good thing, because shared religious beliefs or not, we all depend on each other to not just survive but also thrive. A Jewish rabbi, through Tyler Lear, pointed out that community is the defining trait of Judaism: Other religions also emphasize this. Islam's five daily prayer practices, …
Know Yourself
- Many people associate religion with indoctrination, but if you study the texts from the world's major religions, they actually advocate looking within yourself to make up your own mind—and maybe find your spiritual core within yourself. My favorite Zen story is this: And also: Even though religions have very structured practices, self-reflection Is strongly encouraged. John Calvin's Chr…
Bonus: "Do. Or Do not. There Is No try."
- ~ Master Yoda Special thanks to Zeeshan Rasool and Tyler Lear for helping out with this article. Photos by jeh_somwang(Shutterstock), oskay, San Jose Library, Moyan Brenn, North Charleston, Celestine Chua, Brian Hillegas.
The Golden Rule
Work For The Happiness of Others, Especially The Poor and Unfortunate
- This teaching is similar to the golden rule, but expressly asks us to look out for others less fortunate than us. Studies have found that the most successful people tend to be giversrather than takers, and religions advocate this idea of selflessness and charity. Buddha’s final instructions on “the mission” set before us, for example, is to work for the happiness of others: T…
Focus on The Present
- As much as religions preach about the afterlife, they also emphasise making the most of the time we have available now (and isn’t that the point of all our productivity hacks?). Buddhism’s emphasis on mindfulness and meditationmight be the most prominent examples, but other religions also encourage us to savour the moment and sharpen our awareness....
Aim For Achievements, Not Money
- More money doesn’t always mean more happiness — an idea most religions are happy to point out. Stop running after material things, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism agree. Imam Ali ibn abi Talib says: Money can also distract you from the bigger picture, as Jesus said: That’s not to say we have to cast off all material possessions. Buddhism teaches the joy of not being i…
Interact with The Community
- Religious practice forces you out of your shell (if you’re the type, like me, to have a social shell). That’s a good thing, because shared religious beliefs or not, we all depend on each other to not just survive but also thrive. A Jewish rabbi, through Tyler Lear, pointed out that community is the defining trait of Judaism: Other religions also emphasise this. Islam’s five daily prayer practices, …
Take Responsibility For Your Actions
- “What goes around, comes around.” Most religions have their own interpretation of karma and warn followers that your choices and actions have consequences. Karma yoga is perhaps the central teaching from Hinduism’s Bhagavad Gita. It’s not the action itself that matters, but the quality of mind behind your actions that bind you. Act for the sake of acting, without desire for th…
Know Yourself
- Many people associate religion with indoctrination, but if you study the texts from the world’s major religions, they actually advocate looking within yourself to make up your own mind — and maybe find your spiritual core within yourself. My favourite Zen story is this: And also: Even though religions have very structured practices, self-reflection Is strongly encouraged. John Calv…