Faith, Philosophy And Government
Running head: Faith, Philosophy and Government
Faith, Philosophy and Government
Faith, Philosophy and Government
It is a natural curiosity and desire to decipher the unknown that directs human kind in a search for answers. Religion in all forms provides answers to these questions and curiosities; defines man’s place in the universe, shapes cultures, and furnishes purpose to societies. Whether it is the polytheistic beliefs of Hindus, the monotheistic beliefs of Christians, or the philosophies of Buddhists, all religions were created by man in an attempt to find answers, purpose, and hope. Though each religion has their major differences, it can be said that at the core of each lies a common purpose.
We must start our journey into the history and influence of religion with Hinduism, the oldest surviving religion. Historians know little about the beginning of this ancient religion; and unlike Buddhism and Christianity, there is no documentation of a single person who founded it (Religion Facts, 2009) . What we do know is that Hinduism has shaped a culture of an entire country and has maintained its status for thousands of years. Hinduism is polytheistic, worshiping many Gods with many different forms. They believe that time is cyclical and that one will continue to be reincarnated until they rid themselves of all karma and reach moksha, the point when the soul is liberated from the re-birth cycle and can reside in eternal bliss. To reach the point of liberation one must live a righteous life, meditate, perform rituals and worship their Gods. The sacred texts of Hinduism are the four Vedas, which are believed to be the word of God; though they worship more than one God, there is also the belief in one immanent and transcendent Supreme Reality. Within Hinduism all life is considered sacred and they believe that their path is not the only path to salvation. Hindus extend tolerance and acceptance to other world religions. There was a time, however, that...
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