There are many contrasts between Western and Eastern religions. Western religions commonly referred to as the Abrahamic religions, include Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The most common Eastern religions include Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Shinto. The differences between the two categories of religion are strongly influenced by geography. Some countries like India are very isolated and this creates no opportunity to explore different ideas. Western religions are monotheistic and Nonwestern religions are monistic. The world cosmology view of Western religions is more linear where as in Nonwestern religions the world is viewed more circular. Also, Western religions are more orthodox apposed to Nonwestern religions which are orthopraxis.
Monotheism is the belief in one God with personal attributes. It is belief in one personal God who interacts with his or her followers. Judaism believes in Yahweh, which is actually an early Hebrew word just to represent the divine name of their Lord. They believe that Yahweh had relationships with certain people and made covenants or promises with them. In the religion Islam, a Muslim worships their one God named Allah. They believe that Allah made Muhammad his conduit to the Qur’an. Christianity believes that their God gave his one and only son to save the world from sin and that he will come again. Monotheism is an important aspect in the difference between Western and Nonwestern religions.
Nonwestern religions are monistic. Monism is the belief in one impersonal force. This is, that ultimate reality is everything, and in everything. These religions believe that ‘god’ is everything. Hinduism for example has the monistic idea of Brahman. Brahman is everything, in everything. The Atman is the soul, there is no separation between anyone or object and everything is the world. Male and female can also be interchangeable and considered one thing. The term demigod refers to a divinity that is in everything because of the one thing. Because anything can represent the one thing than everything is divine.
Cosmology is a worldview and how someone sees the system works. Western cosmology has the idea that time begins at one point and ends at another. Followers in western religions believe and life and death alone. In the both the Hebrew bible and the Catholic bible there is a book of Genesis. The book of Genesis tells the story of creation. It clearly and quite literally states that there was a beginning, because the first phrase in the book is, “In the beginning…” (Rudavsky 158). The end in one’s life is death.
Cosmology in Nonwestern religions is slightly different. Nonwestern cosmology views the world as being circular. Reincarnation is a popular idea in Nonwestern cosmology. When someone is born, lives, and eventually dies, then is born again by receiving a body again, is reincarnation. The process is viewed in a circle that never ends. There is no end to time in Nonwestern cosmology. In Hinduism there is the belief in a tri-murti or three aspects. The tri-murti is images or faces of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the preserver, and Shiva is the destroyer. During parts of someone’s life they will worship the aspects for creation, life, and death.
The last two major contrasts in Western and Nonwestern religions is the difference of Orthodoxy and Orthopraxis. Orthodoxy in Western religions is the expression of belief. Western religions express “right belief” or correct belief through words. A creed is a statement of belief. The words read or spoken in a creed or text is an example of orthodoxy in Western religions. The Jewish creed is the Shema and the creed in Islam is the Shahadah or profession of faith. Nonwestern religions are adamant in proper behavior, practice, and activity. Proper behavior can be expressed through yoga. Yoga is for discipline and there are four common types of yoga. There is Karma Yoga, Jhana Yoga, Hatha Yoga, and Bhatki Yoga. The different types focus on aspects of work, knowledge, the body, and love.
No comments:
Post a Comment