Religious Experience Analysis

Religious Experience Analysis
In William James's The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature and Émile
Durkheim's Elementary Forms of Religious life, the societal implications of religion are examined
and analyzed. James and Durkheim possess fairly similar methodologies in their approaches to
religion. Both scholars examine religious phenomena based on the experience on the participants.
For both of them the "religious experience is the point of departure for formulating a theory of
religion" (Joas). James refutes "medical materialism" (James, 19) and argues that it is the extreme
cases of religious fervor where true religious experiences will be found and Durkheim introduces his
theory on "collective effervescence" (Durkheim, 226) and the experiences ... Show more content on
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One of Durkheim's key concepts is found in his analysis of moral life and that "the most
fundamental structure for human belief was the distinction between the sacred and profane"
(Lynch). The sacred–things set apart and forbidden–and the profane–mundane, ordinary, quotidian–
represent Durkheim's demonstration society's tendency to develop categories for concepts and
organizations in life. A version of the sacred and profane can also be found in James's philosophy
within his discussion of "solemnity". James says the "sort of happiness in the absolute and
everlasting is what we find nowhere but in religion. It is parted off from all mere animal happiness,
all mere enjoyment of the present, by that element of solemnity of which I have already made so
much account. Solemnity is a hard thing to define abstractly, but certain marks are patent enough. A
solemn state of mind is never cruel or simple–it seems to contain a certain measure of its own
opposite in solution" (James 45) These shared "collective representations" and beliefs about the
existence of certain notions are what define societies and demonstrate collective individual will
(Seligman). This concept of the individual contained within the
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Saint Thomas Aquinas And The Philosophy Of Religion
The philosophy of religion addresses not only the ultimate question of, "is there a God?", but also
the question of, 'if there is, then what are they like?' But also, most importantly of all, philosophy
tries to answer what that means for us, as the human race and various societies of which each of us
are part of. The 'concept' of God is usually defined by the nature of not having a definition as to why
things happen. God is usually said to be unlimited in power, knowledge, and goodness and
unknowable to us mere mortals; but these are all traits that are defined by a lack of something
unknown. Regardless of the religion, Gods are mainly all seeing but virtually impossible to reach
for contact. Philosophy, however, can be defined as, "the use of reason in understanding such things
as the nature of the real world and existence, the use and limits of knowledge, and the principals of
moral judgement[.]" This seems to be the opposite of religion and God, as philosophy is
questioning; whereas God needs no questions as they are both unseen and unknown. But, as I will
now discuss in greater ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He was a Catholic Priest in the Dominican Order and seen as one of the most important Medieval
philosophers and theologians in this period. He was immensely influenced by the Ancient Greek,
Aristotle and was known for his formulation of a connection between philosophy and Christianity.
He wrote many papers and books about both philosophy and theology throughout his life, bu his
most influential work is certainly the Summa Theologica, which consisted of three parts. The first
part is on God. In it, he gives five 'proofs', or reasons for God's existence, as well as an explication
of God's many gifts. He argues that the power of God is so great, that He does not move
physisically, but through His thinking and willing. The second part is on Ethics. Thomas argues for
a change of how we view Aristotle's Ethics

Buddhism 's Philosophy And Religion
Buddhism stands as a philosophy and a religion founding itself on the theory of a possible eternal
soul. Until awakening is achieved, this eternal soul is locked in the vicious cycle of rebirth
(Samsara). According to the Four Noble Truths preached by the Buddha, life is a perpetual suffering
caused by desire and attachment, and freedom from suffering is only possible by practicing the
Eightfold Path. The World is suffering in a succession of temptations and negative experiences from
birth to death. Therefore Buddhism advises on searching to go beyond suffering, and only aspire to
rest, nothingness, and liberation, into a final state called Nirvana. Happiness or Nirvana can
eventually be achieved in a hereafter, another life, if man abandons any desire or perspective of
action within his present life, in order to go past suffering. Buddhism's teachings are paradoxical in
many ways, and even the very definition of Nirvana is not clear. Nirvana is not a place like heaven
for Christianity, but rather an eternal state of being. It is the state in which the law of Karma and the
rebirth cycle come to an end. Achieving enlightenment also implies to be able to see things as they
are. Since Buddhism emphasizes the importance of the soul more than the body, I wonder if there is
gender discrimination within Buddhism, and to a larger extent I find it interesting to question how
the notion of gender impacts the application of the Buddhist philosophy? Therefore, I will,
throughout this

Confucianism Is An Eastern Asia Religion / Philosophy
Confucianism is an Eastern Asia religion/philosophy. Described as a way of life. Confucianism is
neither said to be a monotheistic nor a polytheistic religion. This religion originated in China during
the 6th–5th century BCE, and has since then spread to countries such as Korea, Taiwan and
Vietnam. Confucianism which means "The School of the Scholars" developed from the teachings of
Confucius. It is more a system of ethics and social behavior. People who follow the teachings of
Confucius also observe traditional Chinese religion, which is a combination of Confucianism,
Taoism, and Buddhism alongside local practices and beliefs. Confucianism has greatly influenced
the history of Chinese civilizations, cultures, and territories up to the 21st century. Confucius, the
founder of Confucianism, was born in 551 BCE in what is now known as Shantung Province. He
grew up as a poverty–stricken commoner during the Chou dynasty, serving petty government posts
before he opened a school at 22. Little is known about who his early teachers were, but he was able
to master the six arts. Confucius developed education, society, and government theories which he
hoped would start his political career. By the age of 56, he realized that the king's inner circle did
not respect him and were not interested in his ideas, so he left and started to spread advice to
different rulers. Having self–exiled himself for almost 13 years he had begun to accumulate students
who spread his wisdom. At 67, Confucius

Confucianism : Religion Or Philosophy? Essay
Confucianism: Religion or Philosophy? Most ancient philosophical ideas developed in the ancient
Chinese empires are believed to have their roots from Confucius. Confucianism was a simple way
of life propagated by Confucius around the fifth and sixth century BC. Often perceived as a religion
and other times as philosophy, it is conceivably best unspoken as a comprehensive humanism that
neither slights nor denies heaven. The Chinese populaces have devotedly observed Confucianism
for nearly two millennia. It has become an implicit part of their culture. However, there seem to be a
cod division among its proponents holding contrasting perspectives and understanding with respect
to it. The central focus of this presentation is to address the questions whether Confucianism is a
religion or a philosophy or it encompasses both.
Historical Background of Confucianism: Confucianism was orchestrated and created by Master
Kong who was later named Confucius by missionaries from Jesuit when visiting China.
Nevertheless, the basic principles of Confucianism preceded his birth during the Zhan Empire.
During that time, the concepts of respect and the considerations for others flourished but there was
as well emphasis given to spiritual concerns– specifically, the divine's goodness and supremacy.
Such concepts focused on uniting the people, establishing stability and monitoring rebellion against
existing authorities. As Confucius set his course to develop his philosophy, he was also

Questions On Philosophy Of Religion
Brandyn d bartz mr.millen philosophy
4/4/2016
Philosophy of religion Most religions and forms of worship in the human society have long held the
notion and perception that God is ever–powerful, all–knowing, has endless powers, and His general
goodness rivals no other deity. Accordingly, the main dominant forms of religion such as Islam,
Judaism and Christianity are founded on these premises of religious accuracy. However, it is
important to note and mention that these attributes are not the expression or entire elements or
compositions of God in the history and global traditions. It is to say that there are some elements
and aspects of contradiction and academic difference regarding the omnipotence, goodness, and
might of God. A practical case and instance are the Bible in 1st Samuel chapter 15 where God
orders Saul to kill everything in the land of the Amalekites. The express instructions required Saul,
the king to kill everything from men, women, children and the livestock. However, when Saul
spared the fatted oxen so as to give God a sacrifice, He was angry at why He had allowed Saul to
become king. In all aspects and fairness, the fact that God would allow the people to be killed
contradicts the notion of goodness and at best represents tribal God. It is presumed that He was
supposed to show unwavering goodness and favor to the Amalekites. Similarly, the omnipotence
and divine power of God should have shown Him that Saul would have been rebellious.

Comparing The Impact Of Religion And Philosophy In India...
When comparing the impact of religion and philosophy in India with the impact of religion and
philosophy on these classical civilization's governments between 600 BCE and 600 CE, they were
similar in that they used religion and philosophy to support social and caste divisions, they stressed
the importance of following and obeying rules and the men who followed the teachings of the
religion or philosophy were on the top of the social hierarchy. This was because both China and
India religion and philosophy used religion to justify the social divisions like the caste system in
India by talking about reincarnation or the Confucian stress on the importance of obeying authority.
Both India and China also had a religion or philosophy that encouraged ... Show more content on
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One social difference was that in India, religion didn't help the government unify their empire.
Hinduism was so diverse and had so many offshoots and sects like the Shaivites and the
Vaishnavites that it wasn't uniform enough to be shared across India and bring together the Indian
subcontinent and empire. This was distinct from China where Confucianism was fairly consistent in
its teachings and values. Because of this, all across China the idea of Confucianism linked various
provinces and areas like the vastly different North and South China together. A follower of
Confucius from a remote southern province would probably follow the same ideals that another
follower of Confucius from the North. This let the government unify the Chinese empire and bring
together otherwise very different people under one government. This difference was probably due to
the fact that Hinduism had no one founder to dispense core values and it was a polytheistic religion
so there were many different gods to follow while Confucianism was based on the teachings of one
man, Confucius and followed his individual teachings and the interpretations of them. Of the two,
China was much more unified while India remained incredibly diverse. However, both these
governments and empires were more united than the Classical Greek civilization which was
composed of fiercely independent city–states. A social similarity was that these religions helped
helped the government maintain social differences in society. India had the highly inflexible caste
system while China had a more lenient social pyramid. The caste system was supported by the belief
in reincarnation and karma in India where if you lived a good life as a good person you would
reincarnate into a good caste because of your karma so you were ultimately responsible for your
own caste. In China, Confucianism promoted the idea that those in lower classes should stay there
and respect their

Buddhism Is Considered A Religion Or A Philosophy
Many people are curious as to whether buddhism is considered a religion or a philosophy but I
believe that it is both. According to (https://www.google.com/#q=buddhismBuddhism) is a non–
theistic religion or philosophy that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices
largely based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. Buddhism inhabits several traits that consider it
a religion and a philosophy. There is not a clear distinction that defines buddhism as one or the
other. Some practices of Buddhism display faith and belief which are qualities of religion and other
practices display reality, existence and knowledge which are qualities of philosophy. Trying to
separate religion from philosophy does not work well in the case of Buddhism. According to
(https://www.google.com/#q=religion) religion is a cultural system of behaviors, practices, world
views, ethics and social organization that relate humanity to an order of existence. Buddhism is
considered a religion because it does in fact involve elements of self–transformation, faith and
belief. It has a core set of beliefs that are common to almost all branches of buddhism. Buddhism
clearly defines a mythology, a soteriology, and a eschatology which is what religion consists of.
Much of Mahayana Buddhism is religious for example, Pure Land Buddhism has many parallels to
the theistic religions. Buddhism contains an explanation of the origin of existence, a morality and a
specific set or

Personal Reflection On Ethics : Religion And Philosophy
This is my last journal for this course; I will be reflecting on what I've learned so far. When I
decided to take ethics as my elective (I'm a computer science student), I thought that I would be
learning something like civics of my high school. However, I was left enchanted by the depth of the
course and its coherence with ancient philosophy. I will certainly be reading the remaining chapters
and make myself better aware of ongoing ethical issues.
I liked how our book started with the definition and types of ethics. The introduction of metaethics
gave me an insight into the major questions asked in ethics. The other thing which I find most
important from the first chapter was the evaluation of arguments. I think one of the reasons for my
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Who knows, there might be an animal that can see our invisible wind. But it is not improbable to
think that we don't fully understand morality. Human thoughts change over time and therefore aren't
sufficient to be intrinsically grounded upon
The third chapter was about individual relativism with cultural relativism. For me, the notion of
prima facie duties was really interesting. Like I mentioned in our discussions, the true test of ethics
happens in extreme situations. Most of us have our beliefs about what's ethical or what's not but we
often don't weigh our values on a scale of importance. What is the most important value we have? Is
it family, property, service to others, pleasure (utilitarianism equates it with satisfaction), or none?
When we have time to think, these values can be easily ordered. However, situations that invoke
split–second response produce unwanted results if we don't prioritize our values.
Egoism, altruism, and the social contract was yet another enjoyable chapter. I had never thought that
I was an egoistic person until I read this chapter. Regardless of how much we uphold an altruistic
action, I believe that we are always conscious about how we benefit from it. For instance, there was
this amazing event last September at a nonprofit that I volunteer at (Open Arms) where we had to
cook 11,000 meals in less than 24 hours! The slots for the two–hour shifts were almost full; there
was only one open that was

Reaction Paper On The Philosophy Of Religion
Abstract: this paper examines the philosophy of religion and its branches, it discusses the history of
philosophy and the types of religious philosophy.
Moreover, it compares the Islamic and western perspective of philosophy in religion.
Key terms: Metaphysics– Epistemology– God– Hinduism– Logic
Introduction
Philosophy of religion is a division of thinking concerned with questions concerning about religion,
as well as the natural world and existence of God, the assessment of religious knowledge, analysis
of religious language and texts, and the association of religion and science. It is an ancient
regulation, being found in the earliest known documents concerning philosophy, and relates to many
other kindling of viewpoint and general thought, including metaphysics, reason, and the past.
Furthermore, A general explanation of philosophy is of a order that "arises from the history of its
primary activity of asking and answering questions about reality, meaning, and value."
Religion can be the subject of theoretical question, as we saw with William James and John Hick.
The conclusion that mystical experiences led to spiritual belief and the portrayal of religion as a
vehicle of self–transformation both follow logically from the notion we discussed of religion. While
it ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Since insensible things usually do not move apart from when caused by an cause (for instance, the
axe moves just when swung by an agent), and since the decree of karma is an thick and unconscious
law, Sankara argues there must be a conscious supreme Being who knows the merits and demerits
which persons have earned by their actions, and who functions as an active cause in helping
individuals reap their suitable fruits. accordingly, God affects the person's surroundings, yet to its
atoms, and for those souls who revive, produces the suitable rebirth body, all in order that the person
might have the karmically fitting

The Philosophy Of Confucianism: Philosophy And Religion
Confucianism; Philosophy and Religion Confucianism, also known as Ruism, is described as a
tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or
simply a way of life. It was founded by Kung Futzhu or "Great Master Kung" Zhou Dynasty then
was made the political ideology of the government during the Han Dynasty. Confucianism is viewed
with particular emphasis on the importance of the family and social harmony, rather than on worldly
source of spiritual values as such that the core of Confucianism is humanistic. However, from the
beginning there was a strong view that Confucianism was mainly a pragmatic, social and ethical
philosophy that promoted social harmony and good morals and ethics. This more philosophical and
social approach was critiqued by other religions.
This is an important point as it illustrates the essential difference between a moral philosophy, which
places emphasis on social and humanistic goals, and a traditional religion that is in the first instance
transcendent and which views moral and humanistic goals as secondary to the transcendental aspect.
Traditionally, cultures and countries in the East Asian cultural sphere are strongly influenced by ...
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He also proposed no new gods, nor did he practice new ways of achieving salvation form daily life.
The Analects only marginally concerns either the sacred or the afterlife. Regardless of that, even
humanism, although substantively not a religion, can function as a religion. If a primary reason for
people to be religious is to find a way to peacefully accept death, then Confucianism could be a
functional alternative to religion by encouraging scholars to transcend death through public service
or by preserving the Confucian legacy. In such ways, people may live on through their contributions
to

Essay on Discussion over the Existence of God
The discussion over the existence of God remains one of the finest pursuits of the human mind to
break out of the world and surpass the practical or extraordinary realm of experience. Without a
doubt, the question of God's existence is one of the most significant questions of human philosophy.
It alters the whole meaning of human life, and it challenges if man is really the Supreme Being in
the universe or if man has a greater being that he must love and obey, or possibly defy. So the
question is; does God exist? Look at the proof produced by the voraciously religious spirit of man,
the origins of the universe, and morality. There are many different theories and opinions on how
man came to be, evolution, space, Adam and Eve, God...etc. ... Show more content on
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It is harder for me to conceive that God doesn't exist because there is no other conceivable
explanation for how all of the magnificent thinks here on Earth were created; there is no other
logical explanation for how things so complex came to exist; as far as I'm concerned. William Paley
explains it best; "But suppose I had found a watch upon the ground, and it should be inquired how
the watch happened to be in that place, I should hardly think of the answer which I had before
given,––that, for anything I know, the watch might have always been there. Yet why should not this
answer serve for the watch as well as for the stone?...For this reason, and for no other, namely, that,
when we come to inspect the watch we perceive – what we could not discover in the stone – that its
several parts are famed put together for a purpose... This mechanism being observed... the inference,
we think, is inevitable, that the watch must have had a maker....who comprehended its construction,
and designed its use" (Wolff, 2012, p. 315) Some would argue that evolution is the reason for
everything and that we all evolved from a single cell that emerged from Earth. Okay then; why
haven't we continued to evolve? If we started out as apes then why are there still apes here; what
determines which apes will be Human? To me this sounds more far–fetched than there being a God.
Some have wondered, if God made the universe, who or what made God?" God, as

The Philosophy Of Religion : Thomas Aquinas And Fredrich...
One of the most controversial topics of modern times is actually not all that new. People have been
arguing for centuries about a multitude of subjects and how they influence the big picture as well as
the day to day norms. Religion has and always will be a hot subject because of this; However,
philosophers have developed theories and guidelines to help people to realize what is most suitable,
important, and critical in their spiritual lives. However, the Philosophy of Religion caters to
everyone, not just "believers". Today we will look at Thomas Aquinas and Fredrich Nietzsche and
their takes on religion.
To fully understand their viewpoints it's important to first understand what the philosophy of
religion entails. The philosophy of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
and how do these philosophical powerhouses of religious idea compare? Aquinas's view on religion
was that the purpose of human existence is union and eternal fellowship with God. In fact, those
who have experienced this salvation and redemption through Christ while living on earth will get to
encounter Heaven; a place of perfect, unending happiness through comprehending the very essence
of God. Aquinas proposed five positive statements about the divine qualities or the nature of God.
Basically, stating that God is simple, without composition of parts, such as body and soul, or matter
and form. He is perfect, lacking nothing and is infinite, not limited in the ways that created beings
are physical, intellectually, and emotionally limited. God is immutable, incapable of change in
respect of essence and character. He is one, such that God's essence is the same as God's existence.
Aquinas also believed that the existence of God is neither self–evident nor beyond proof meaning
that faith was needed.
In the "Summa Theologica", Aquinas describes five rational proofs for the existence of God, which
are known as the "quinquae viae". The argument of the unmoved mover, simply stated, is everything
that is moved is moved by a mover, therefore there is an unmoved mover from whom all motion
proceeds, which is God. The argument of the first cause which is everything that is caused is caused
by something else, therefore there must be an uncaused

Philosophy Of Religion
Philosophy of religion is defined as a critical reflection on the justification of religious beliefs and
the analysis of the concepts in terms of which those beliefs are expressed. Philosophy is about
thinking critically about religion in all of its aspects. Thinking critically about religious beliefs
might indicate that they are flawed in a number of ways such as evidence that is inconsistent,
contradictory, or insufficient to support the basic claims. The existence of god is one religious belief
that had been debated for centuries. Contrasting religious beliefs such as Christianity and Islam
make up more than half of the world's population, both religions believe in a god but disagree on
many other aspects of religion. How ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Rowe brings up the problem of "pointless evil "which I find is one of the best arguments against
god's existence because to me there is really no way around it, taking into consideration the
characteristics of a classical theistic god. I believe rowes argument is the most easily understood
argument and most influential of its kind He defines pointless evil as evil which god (if he exists)
could prevent without thereby preventing a greater good or allowing an equal or greater evil. He
doesn't bring about a greater good or prevent an equal or greater evil. Rowe would agree that we see
pointless evils every day in life. Rowe's arguments basically states that pointless evils exist therefore
god does not exist. The case of Bambi is what Rowe uses to demonstrate his meaning of pointless
evil. This in my opinion is a perfect example. I don't believe any objection given renders this case
invalid. "In some distant forest lightning strikes a dead tree, resulting in a forest fire. In the fire a
fawn is trapped, horribly burned, and lies in terrible agony for several days before death relieves its
suffering" (Rowe 1979: 337). A classical theistic god would not allow pointless evils but yet we
know they exist. He is faced with two kinds of objections direct and indirect. Direct objections point
out goods to which the suffering may well be connected, goods which god could not achieve
without permitting suffering. God would only allow as much evil or suffering as is absolutely
necessary in order to achieve greater goods. But when we look at the world around us, we find
prevalent instances of apparently pointless evils from which no greater good seems to result.
According to proponents of Rowe's argument, the existence of apparently gratuitous evil provides
strong evidence that God (as traditionally defined) does not exist. An indirect

Boundaries Of Philosophy: An Introduction To The...
VIDEO LECTURE OF INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
Hello! We welcome you to an Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion. The study of man and the
society is incomplete without the study of religion, for it plays a significant role in the development
and sustenance human society.
INTRODUCTION
Boundaries of Philosophy
Philosophy of religion is not limited to mere collection of facts such as religious rites, customs,
activities, beliefs, sentiments, aspirations of men and of communities but goes beyond this
periphery.
It is an intellectual inquiry of facts and penetrate into the ultimate meaning of facts. It seeks to
apprehend its ultimate meaning, validity and ground by envisaging the universe from the point of
view of totality of interests ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The historic–sociological perspective studies religion as a social phenomenon. Its aim is to
understand the social behaviour of human beings with respect to religion. The philosophy of
religion, on the other hand, seeks to understand the metaphysical, logical and epistemological
grounds of those behaviour. Thus these aspects are complementary to, and are incomplete without,
each other. The historic– psychological aspects deals with the normal and practical facts of human
life, whereas the metaphysical aspect deals with the relation of religious experience to the real truth
and nature of things.
It is not possible to seek or to discover some principles of classification and some law of religious
evolution,without the necessary materials of anthropology, sociology, history and comparative study
of religion, the psychology of religion.
It means to arrange the perplexing mass of material in an intelligent form, so as to bring forth some
sort of order, out of the apparent chaos of incoherent facts. On the other hand, only mere gathering
and arranging of the materials does not create a philosophy of religion. We have to interpret and
evaluate this complicated system of arranged facts and

The Birth of Religions and Philosophies in the Ancient World
The Birth of Religions and Philosophies in the Ancient World From the beginning of time, people
all over the world have wondered where we come from, what our divine purpose in life is, and what
we can expect after death. Questions about right and wrong, society and government, and nature and
the cosmos, are some of the few wonders that ultimately created some of the earliest philosophies
and religions, helping people find peace and explanation to the vast curiosity that still troubles us in
modern times. From a technical standpoint, religion is defined as an everlasting devotion to a
recognized higher being or entity, through a personal or formed practice of belief. Philosophy on the
other hand, refers to the particular study of common ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The role of karma, which kept people in the constant cycle of death and rebirth, was a key factor
that kept followers destined on the earth for eternities. The use of statutes and pictures to portray
and give credit to leaders or teachers was commonly found in both religions. Giant statues of
Buddha can be seen in many countries where the philosophy has spread, and temples covered in
many different Hindu gods and goddesses where seen throughout the India continent. Meditation,
compassion for all living things, and the belief in non–violence towards animals and humans were
some similar exercises seem. From a different aspect, the vast variety of followers of these religions
where generally accepting of the same kinds of people. Anyone could follow the teachings of
Buddhism or the words of Hindu gods, as long as they devoted their lives and personal self to
embodying its principles. This often included the rare atheists that were able to partake in both these
practices. In addition, the mythical perception of nature was a strong similarity. Hindus and
Buddhists treasured nature and all that it brought them, and did all in their power to keep the earth
intact and untouched as when they were first brought into the world. Unlike other religions to
follow, Hinduism was not spread much past India, where it originated. Buddhism however, was
spread to other Asian countries. It reached China in the 4th century, following with Japan in the 6th
century; the

Essay on Great Religions And Philosophies. : Greek...
Great Religions and Philosophies. : Greek Philosophy.
In the 6th century B.C, there began a dualism in Greek Philosophy. The development of Greek
Philosophy became a compromise between Greek monistic and oriental influences, in other words, a
combination of intellectualism and mysticism. Thus began the pre–Socratic philosophy. The
interests of pre–
Socratic philosophers were centered on the world that surrounds man, the Cosmos.
This was during the time of great internal and external disturbances in the
Greek society, as it was right after the Peloponnesian war. The pre–Socratic era of Greek Philosophy
came to an end when the Sophists turned their attention to man himself, delving into the moral and
mental ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Homeric songs tells stories of how man realizes that all events are governed by natural laws. In the
Homeric world, fantastic beliefs and superstitions governed one important aspect of the ancient
Greeks–– immutable fate. Homeric poems reflect the occasional doubts of the ancient Greeks in
prophecy, and the observation about the shortness of life, and the suffering of earthly existence.
The great epic writer Hesiod's philosophy of life rests on the idea of the deterioration of mankind.
Hesiod's perspective runs along the idea that according to the will of Zeus, the human world is
governed by justice and the animal world is governed by might. Hesiod reflects a society then that
were seeking the truth and searching for the morality guidelines. And the human conduct of the
ancients Greeks of the time were very much intertwined with the behavior of Nature, for example, if
they were morally good, they would be blessed and rewarded with bountiful harvests. However, on
the other end of the continuum, when a sin has been committed, such as the unconscious incest of
Oedipus, all Nature is affected by the offense of man.
During the period of the Dorian migration, the ancient Greeks were extending their territorial
possessions to a greater extent. This brought about a lot of

Philosophy Vs Religion Research Paper
Reading a chapter from a book based on how philosophy differs from science and religion. In a way
it does not, they are really the same. They just use different terminology in how they discipline is
expressed. For example, the scientific method is how the scientist comes to a conclusion, just how
philosophers ask certain questions to prove their debates or theories. Religion, on the other hand, is
more closely related to philosophy because both deal with beliefs and faith base systems.
In the early days of philosophy, philosophers like galileo, Socrates, and Plato were they early
scientist of their day. Philosophy and science differ in many aspects. Science more based on
morality. When scientists take on a scientific endeavor their interest ... Show more content on
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Religion, on the other hand, looks at philosophy as it prodigy and also its own personal antagonist.
Religion is more about should searching, and not empirical investigations. if someone wants to
know more about god, there most meaningful insight will come through prayer, meditation, and
self–revelation. Science cannot deal with the idea of incarnation that god became Jesus, and
philosophy has yet to debate it. Science and philosophy can't deal with the methods of religious
issues. Religion, however, possess the answer to understanding the reality of philosophy and
science.
Philosophy and religion do have something in common that neither has a method for searching out
god. Both disciplines are cognitive endeavors in how they reach their end goal. Through the
existence of man philosophy, science, and religion have changed through the centuries. We can't be
blinded by the principal of discipline but most remember that science is not philosophy or religion,
and religion is not science or philosophy. How we have our own ways of looking at the world. The
disciplines themselves have their own ways of viewing the world and how the world views

Buddhism Is A Religion And Philosophy Essay
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. It is the
oldest and fourth largest religion in the world with around 500 million followers. Buddhism focuses
on teaching people how to come to terms with and end the suffering of themselves and others by
cutting out greed, hatred, and ignorance from their lives. Unlike most major world religions,
Buddhism does not revolve around worshiping a god or divine creator, instead the focus of
Buddhism is living one 's best life and transforming the lives of others. The ultimate goal of
Buddhism is to reach Enlightenment and upon death achieve Nirvana, the liberation of pain and
suffering. For Buddhists, it is the individual's responsibility to find his or her own path to
enlightenment; the principles of Buddhism are seen more as guidelines than rules.
Siddhartha Gautama was born between 563 and 480 BCE as the prince of Lumbini (in what is now
Nepal). His mother died in either in childbirth or shortly thereafter and and his father was left to
raise him. During his birth celebrations, it was predicted that Siddhartha would either become a
great king or a great spiritual leader. His father wanted him to take over the throne, so he avoided
religious teachings and sheltered him from suffering. Siddhartha, unsatisfied with with the life he
was leading and yearning to learn about the world, he left his home at twenty–nine to seek the true
meaning of life. On his travels he saw an old man, a diseased man,

Confucianism And Daoism As Forms Of Philosophy And Religion
While Confucianism and Daoism as forms of philosophy and religion differ on many levels they
share some level of basic similarities of understanding in the world. Surprisingly, in comparison to
teachings in other religions, neither of these two religions have a creation myth in the traditional
sense but instead believe that in the "state of "undifferentiated chaos"" (IWR, 280) that was all of
existence, "two polar yet complementary energies known as qi ("breath", "energy", or "force")"
(IWR 280) had risen from it: yin and yang; continuously interacting and residing in most things in
existence. One could not exist without the other, as they are what the other is not and are in a
constant state of change. This concept had come to represent all things in existence that could be
seen as binary, for instance hot and cold or day and night, but even though they are opposites they
are still connected to each other and everything is still connected to the cosmos itself (IWR, 280).
Humans are no different in the sense that yin and yang make up the physical manifestation that is
the human body, though the immaterial self is made up of another binary: hun (representative of
yang, purity, and upward–rising) and po (representative of yin, turgidity, and downward–sinking)
(IWR, 281); once a person dies then both hun an po depart from the body to again be a part of future
beings. As can be seen, both Confucianism and Daoism recognize and emphasize a "bipolar and
complementary view" (IWR,

Religion And Philosophy Research Paper
In various cultures, religion and philosophy have a big impact on daily life. Religion affected India
in several ways, and philosophy affected China. Hinduism and Buddhism are two religions that
influenced India. China was also impacted by philosophies such as Legalism, Daoism, and
Confucianism. People's daily lives evolved around all of these factors. Hinduism and Buddhism are
two major religions in the world and had a huge effect on India. 1500 BC was the beginning of
modern Hinduism. In the Hindu religion, people held many beliefs. Hinduism is and was
polytheistic because people believed in several gods. Document A states,"In this kind of Hinduism,
people believed in reincarnation– that people could be reborn into other bodies after they ... Show
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These philosophies started with Feudalism. In Feudalism, the king gave land to the lords. In return,
the lords gave protection. Several leaders thought there was a different way to go about life, so they
came up with different philosophies. The three main philosophies included Legalism, Daoism, and
Confucianism. Legalism was founded by Hanfeizi. Legalism consisted of people that couldn't be
trusted, strict government and laws, and harsh punishments. The founder of Daoism was Laozi. In
Daoism, you had to achieve oneness with the Dao, see and live in harmony with nature, have no
laws, and have leaders that were good. Founder of Confucianism was Confucius. Confucianism was
very popular in China. Respect and example were to be shown in Confucianism. People would
believe in all these philosophies. In conclusion, philosophies had a big impact on the everyday lives
of people in China. China and India were affected by religion and philosophy in several ways.
Hinduism Buddhism would play a huge role in India. Whereas, Legalism, Daoism, and
Confucianism played a big role in China. Although they may seem similar, philosophy and religion
are different for many reasons. However, they share one similarity. Both religion and philosophy
conclude that people have to believe in

Philosophy Of Religion Research Paper
Many believe that religion is the process an individual uses to obtain or receive those things that
God has reserved for us. Others see religion as the process to obtain a high power, or protection
from God. We all want to get to a level in our life where we can reach everything that humans need
and achieve spirituality in a way that we can feel peace and joy inside us. Many see Roman
Catholicism as the one true religion that assures the promise of God. Other Christian religions
challenge this belief. I will argue that regardless of personal beliefs, if a person truly follows God
and has a close relationship with God, then their religion will make a great impact in their life, no
matter what denomination they follow. When a human being has the opportunity to practice and
follow a religion, the things that such person can reach is unimaginable. ... Show more content on
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Catholicism is just one of many religions that proclaims to believe in God, but it is unique in that it
claims to be the true religion to reach the promises of God. It is important to go back into the history
of Christianity and the foundation of the Roman Catholic Church in order to understand its position
in today's work and how their beliefs and traditions were

Is Buddhism A Philosophy Or A Religion?
Is Buddhism a Philosophy Or a Religion?
Joe Gilmore
Mr. Porter
4–17–16
Buddhist teachings consist of teaching others how to end suffering in their own lives. Buddha
teaches that if you follow an eightfold path, then you are moving toward reaching nirvana. This is
the end of all suffering and the goal of all Buddhists.
Though Buddhism is commonly labeled as a religion, it fits the definition of a philosophy rather
than a religion.
Buddhism's founder was a man named Siddhartha Gautama, meaning "one who realized his goal."
Buddhists believe that when Siddhartha's mother, Maha, was conceived she had a dream involving a
white elephant carrying a lotus flower. She interpreted the dream to mean that her son would grow
up to become a great spiritual leader. Just a week after Siddhartha was born, his mother died. Upon
her death, he lived with his wealthy aunt and his father on a large estate. As Siddhartha grew up, his
father kept him away from all suffering and anguish of the world. Unlike many of his peers, he was
well educated and free from the world's sorrows.
When he was 17 years old, Siddhartha grew bored of his easy life and left his family. As he traveled
through the town, he encountered three men: an old man, a sick man, and a dead man. These three
encounters symbolized the different levels of suffering Siddhartha had never experienced while
living on the estate. These encounters made Siddhartha realize how much pain and suffering filled
the world.

There Are Two Main Issues In The Philosophy Of Religion
There are two main issues in the philosophy of religion that focus on the existence of God. First and
foremost, there are four arguments that describes the philosophy of religion which are cosmological
arguments, ontological arguments and teleological arguments. Cosmological idea are empirical a
posteriori arguments based on experience and sense perception. Our experience of the world shows
God as the cause, creator or ultimate explanation of the word. Ontological concept are rational a
posteriori arguments based on the pure reason, independently of sense experience. The definition or
essence of God, the sort of being God is requires its existence. The third concept is teleological
argument which is empirical a posteriori arguments also ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The definition or essence of God 's the sort of being God is requires His existence. God is the
supremely perfect being. Decastes knows this because he clearly and distinctly apprehends the
essence of God. The essence of supremely perfect being includes His existence. In the same, the
essence of a triangle is that the sum of its interior angle equals 180 degree, hence this definitely
concludes that God 's existence. St.Anselm 's ontological arguments describes that God is the
greatest possible being. What exists in reality is greater than what exists only in the mind. Real
things are metaphysically superior to imaginary things. If the great possible being exists only in the
mind, then there is a being greater than the greatest possible being. Namely, one that exists in reality.
This is contradiction, there cannot be a being greater than greatest possible being. Therefore, the
greatest possible being must exist in reality thus, God is real. Kant 's and Russell 's have a different
objection to ontological arguments that the existence is not a property or a quality of a thing that
some entity can have or not have. For example, there is a logic of existence of these claims. To say
"x exist" is to say there is an x such that the sentence "x exist" is true. What makes the sentence "x
exist true" is the presence of the existence. It is clear evidence that God has special attributes that is
common to Him and

Religion And Philosophy During The Hellenistic Era
Religion and Philosophy were very important during the Hellenistic era due to the mixing of people.
When new cities were built by Hellenistic kings, temples were also built honoring the old Olympian
gods of Greece. Religious groups sponsored literary, musical, and athletic contests (McKay et al,
Western Society, 107). The festivals were both intellectual and physical. I think these events helped
shape everyday life by allowing people to get involved. The people were able to get together and
have fun as well as praise their gods during the festivals. Philosophy was more for the educated and
wealthy people during the Hellenistic era. One important philosophy from this time was Stoicism.
Stoicism was taught by a man from Cyprus named Zeno (McKay

Comparing Thoreau's Views On Philosophy And Religion
Thoreau said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in
them"? As a Christian, I think Thoreau recognized the spiritual truth of Romans 8:26, that says, men
have "groanings too deep for words." I feel sure most people experience these deep inner struggles.
These are spiritual struggles that cannot be easily expressed in words but are more easily pondered
in the spirit and in the heart. Throughout the ages, man has always wondered WHY? What is the
meaning of life? What is my purpose? That is the reason we have things like philosophy and
religion.
Philosophy and religion are both attempts to answer, WHY? Most of us have this inner yearning for
something more. Thoreau and Emerson (as well as many other transcendentalists) believed that
organized religion and political parties corrupted the purity of individuals. Therefore, many
transcendentalists (Thoreau, Emerson, Muir, etc.) sought solitude as a refuge so they could truly
experience life and spirituality free from the trappings of organized religion or political parties. ...
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The simple man may be content with just his basic needs–food, water, and shelter. However, most of
us want and have a desperate desire for more. Thoreau believed that many people waste their lives
on the temporary things like food, fun, and trivial pursuits. If Thoreau thought things were bad in his
day he should see us now? Almost everyone I know has fallen into this trap of chasing the next
latest fad or gadget. How many of you were eagerly awaiting the launch of Iphone 6? In my
opinion, Thoreau was exactly right. We waste ourselves on things that do not matter (cars, clothes,
celebrity gossip, tv, MTV, etc.) usually at the expense of things that do matter (our families, our
planet, our

Eastern Religion Philosophy of Care
An Analysis of Different Religions, Care, and Christianity
Introduction
The Christian philosophy of care involves the act of charity, the virtue of looking after someone or
something outside of one's self. Jesus Christ essentially divided the Mosaic law into two parts, the
first concerning man's duty towards God, and the second concerning man's duty towards his fellow
man. In a sense, Christ intimated that we are all our brother's keeper. Eastern religions have a
different philosophy of care, however. Their spiritual perspective on healing is derived from their
spiritual objective which is release from the circle of life. Karma represents the Eastern
philosophical equivalent of the Western maxim, "What goes around, comes around." Release from
this continuous cycle is what is meant by moksha or, the attainment of nirvana (a place free of
suffering, according to Buddhism). The Eastern religions and philosophies all give varying accounts
of karma, samsara, moksha, and nirvana.This paper will examine Sikhism, Buddhism, and
Hinduism, analyze their belief systems, and show how they compare and contrast with one another
and with Christianity.
Sikhism
Sikhism was founded at the beginning of the 16th century in Punjab by Guru Nanak. His philosophy
was similar to that of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Nanak observed the way in which
selfishness and decadence brought about unhappiness, tyranny, and trouble in the soul. Nanak
followed on a tradition of Guru teachings but behind

The Differences Between Religion And The Philosophies Of...
As we see our world continually changing all around us, there are many things of interest that have
not because of technology but because of the beliefs held in various societies. One such change has
been with current religious beliefs compared with philosophies of the past. One may wonder if these
ideas still have value, and, if so, what are the differences and similarities between current religion,
such as Christianity and the philosophies of the ancients.
When we compare both modern religion and ancient philosophy, some people may believe that they
are two completely different ideas with no commonalities. The truth is that they sometimes serve the
same purpose. In literal terms, philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature or knowledge,
reality and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline. Religion, on the other
hand, is defined as a belief in which a superhuman, controlling power such as a god or gods is in
control of the existing world. While, by definition, these two concepts may seem very different, they
are actually quite similar. For example, many of the fundamental ideas associated with
Epicureanism, an ancient philosophy from the Greeks, are very relatable to Christianity today.
Epicureanism is a philosophical system in which the central idea states that the external world is a
series of fortuitous combinations of atoms and that the highest good is pleasure, interpreted as
freedom from disturbance or pain. To fully understand

The Philosophy Of Everyone, Despite Their Religion
I think this should be the philosophy of everyone, despite their religion. Doing good should be a
mantra that we all live by, and we can tell when we are doing good by how we feel. If you are
feeling good, then you are doing good for yourself and for others. But, if you are feeling bad, then
you are doing bad for yourself and others. Let 's all do what feels good because it is very important
for creating a better world.
12. We All Want To Live Forever, But...
"Everyone desires to live long, but no one would be old."
Is this quote ever true! We all want to live forever, but we want to do it with the gusto of a teenager.
It is truly a shame that our most energetic years are wasted on our ignorance. But, they are. All we
can do is keep ourselves as healthy as possible. The good news is that in this day and age, it is easier
than ever to do. We know more about maintaining good health, and we have more medicine and
machines to maintain good health than ever before, and we should be making our health a priority –
as much as living a long and healthy life is.
13. You Can Have Peace In Your Life
"Avoid popularity if you would have peace."
I think that all kids should be taught this in school at a very young age and every year until they
graduate. The curriculum on how to have a peaceful life needs to be understood before a kid signs
up to become a star or put themselves out there on a reality show for everyone to remember.
I don 't think there is anything wrong with

Confucianism : Religion, Religions, Ideologies, And...
Over the course of history many beliefs, religions, ideologies and philosophies have risen and
declined thorough out humanity. These religions have their origins, a set of beliefs, a follower–ship,
religious or important texts, a spread of the religion, views on women, dietary habits, holidays and
like any thing else it has critiques. These are all important aspect when talking about a religion.
Religions describe societies and set moral standard of those people who choose to follow said
religion. These religions are a good historical insight into the minds of the ancient people whom
crafted these religions and follow them. There is many misconceptions of any religion which can
create a bias against learning about the religion. By doing ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
As China expanded as well as trade the religion was naturally talked about with rulers and people
alike converting. Territories close to China adopted Confucianism mainly through interaction like
trade and local rivalries. The spread of Confucianism much less rapid in modern times but however
a large people converted in the Nineteen thirties into the late Nineteen forties as Imperial Japan
invaded islands on the pacific and mainland countries as well. With their conquest they heard about
Confucian ideology and would bring these ideologies back home to mainland Japan, where some
Japanese converted to Confucianism. Confucianism originated in Ancient China. It was devised by
Confucius (A.K.A Kongzi) an ancient Chinese Philosopher born in 551 BC. His father was a
military officer and died when Confucius was just 3 years old and was raised primarily by his
Mother. He was married at 19 and had a kid, his second one was believed to have died in labor. He
would collect the history of ancient china and write it down in what is called the Analects, which is
where much of our knowledge of ancient china comes from. His teachings were based on the belief
that humans behave ethically and had a seed of virtue. He believe all humans were naturally good
until coerced and persuaded

Religion vs. Philosophy
Religion Term Paper
Philosophy and Religion
"An Idea is more powerful than an army (pg 14, Munroe)."
When first looking at the relationship between philosophy and religion, I found it easier to explain
the differences rather than the similarities. I began this paper the same way I do others. This
generally involves a profound amount of research on the topic at hand. However, in contrast to the
other papers I have done, the definitions of philosophy and religion only raised more questions for
me. It was fascinating how the explanations differed dramatically from author to author.
I will begin this paper by reciting some of the definitions that I did find.
The simplest definition states, "In many cultures and times, religion has ... Show more content on
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To challenge someone 's philosophy is considered a reasonable and almost scientific thing to do, but
to challenge someone 's religion can instigate hostile and sometimes violent reactions.
A very good example of how violent and atrocious religious hatred can be is that of the Holocaust.
The Holocaust, which appropriately means "sacrifice by fire," was the horrific annihilation of six
million Jews by the Nazi regime during World War II. Around 1933 an estimated nine million
Jewish people were killed for no other reason but because of their religious belief. Children were no
exception either. Even though it is not entirely clear how many children were murdered or died in
concentration camps, historians ' guess that it could be as high as 1.5 million. Adolf Hitler was the
Chancellor of Germany and leader of the Nazi Regime and what began as a very strong
philosophical belief of his turned into the slaughter of millions of Jews.
The Holocaust, while one of mankind 's worst acts, was unfortunately not the first nor the last
horrific act to be done that was based on religious focuses and ideas. Appalling acts such as
massacres, mass executions or suicides can all be linked back to specific religious backgrounds.
Underneath the noticeable effect of human lives lost is the undeniable loss of peace that human 's
originally craved when seeking out their religion in the first place. It appears to me that in many
cases a strong opinion or idea can be developed

Relationship Between Religion And Philosophy
When we talk about Buddhism do we consider it as a religion or Philosophy and is there any
connection between Religion and Philosophy? Relation between religion and philosophy always has
been narrow and complicated and sometimes it is not easy to find their distinctions and at the same
time their similarities. Whenever, we want to know the philosophy of a country we cannot avoid to
talk about their religion because of their interactions between each other as we discuss about Indian
philosophy from religious perspective or about religious philosophy of India or philosophy of
religion in India. In fact, when human want to connect faith with reasoning and quest, this question
comes out that is there connection between them as deliberately, wisdom and philosophy cannot
believe in faith or anything without questioning and somehow deny faith. Though in some articles
define philosophy that it "denotes specific type of intellectual activities" or "mental activities– a
form of practice, often describe as something like, the systematic and rigorous exercise of
rationality" (King). According to the Cambridge Dictionary, philosophy is "the study of the nature
of reality and existence, of what it is possible to know, and of right and wrong behavior, or a
particular set of beliefs of this type" and religion is "the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or
any such system of belief and worship" in this dictionary. As well, this dictionary defines the
Buddhism as "a religion that

Similarities Between Religion And Philosophy
Although religion and philosophy may have similarities, they also have differences. Religion is a set
of morals, principles, rules, and ethics, whereas philosophy is more of searching for the ultimate
truth, life, and knowledge (Julita, 2017). In general, religion often perform rituals and ceremonies,
apply their set of beliefs such as having faith, and involves many supernatural beliefs and
superstitions, whether they can be proved or not. Philosophy, on the other hand, does not involve
rituals and ceremonies, will only believe if there is evidence to be true backed up by a means of
reasoning or testing, and believe more in the hidden meanings in religion that help men and women
discover the truth about themselves and life. Greek religion was known to be an important part of
the citizen's public and private life (Matthews, Noble, & Platt, 2014). We have heard many stories
about the famous, immortal, and rebellious Greek gods and goddesses. During the Archaic Age,
there were two categories of religions that held their own version of gods and goddesses: the
Olympian, ones who lived in the sky or mountains, and the chthonian, ones who lived on the earth
or associated with nature (Matthews et al, 2014). Delphi was home to both religions. Despite all
cities having their own gods, Delphi belonged to all the Greeks. (Matthews et al, 2014). The
Olympian religion had common traits similar to the gods and goddesses, showing that it was very
similar to the way human beings were.

Philosophy and Religion in Education Essay
Philosophy and Religion in Education
The education mission of the philosophy and religion department serves the general studies core and
the major. The department takes seriously its obligation to introduce general studies students to
philosophy and religion as humanities disciplines. All courses at the 100 and 200 level are open to
and designed for students at different stages of their general education, yet the department also seeks
to offer a balanced array of courses for majors and minors. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy major requirements
30 semester hours
Including 3 semester hours in logic:
PHIL 125 General Logic (3)
221t Classical Thought (3)
222t Modern Thought (3)
18 semester hours at the 200–300 level
Philosophy minor requirements
15 semester hours
9 semester hours at the 200–300 level, including:
PHIL 125 General Logic (3)
3 semester hours in history of philosophy:
221t Classical Thought (3)

222t Modern Thought (3)
3 semester hours from the following:
240t

Philosophy And Practices Of Religion
The idea, concept, and practices of religion have never really been something that is of importance
to me during my life. For the longest time I did not identify as any certain or specific religion and
when asked I would simply state how I was not a religious person. It was not until high school when
I discovered the religion of Agnosticism. In our English class we had to research different religions
and our group received Agnosticism. Before then I had never heard of that religion, but after
learning about Agnosticism it pretty much summed up how I feel and what I believe about God and
religion. Basically Agnosticism entails that the person believes that the existence of God is uncertain
and claims neither a faith nor a disbelief in God. I feel like this religion perfectly sums up how I feel
when it comes to my faith and ideas about God and just religion as a whole. Since I am not a
religious type of person, the idea of me choosing another one that I would be a part of seems like a
difficult task. When I do think about the various religions that I have studied, written, and read
about during the course of this semester there is one that stands out to me. If I had to choose another
religion to join instead of my own, I would join Buddhism because their fundamental principles and
values are those that I can agree with and their ultimate purpose in life is something I can see myself
believing in as well. To begin, in the Buddhist religion there are various principles and

Buddhism : The Philosophy And Religion
Buddhism originated 2,500 years ago in India and today – is the prevailing world religion in the
East. There are more than 360 million followers of Buddhism, including one million American
followers. Buddhism has branched into a diverse selection of forms throughout its long history,
however, all methods of Buddhism share an admiration for the teachings of Buddha with the
ultimate focus on ending suffering (Religionfacts.com, 2015). In the 6th century BC, Siddhartha or
Gautama Buddha was born in a royal family in the hills of the Himalayas. Prince Siddhartha was
constantly in search of the origin of all sufferings and the path to end these sufferings. Practicing
powerful meditation and freeing his mind from disturbing thoughts – ... Show more content on
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The eight fold path incorporates eight practices which are all interrelated and nourish each other.
These include: right view, right thinking, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right diligence,
right mindfulness and right concentration (Hanh, 1999). Right mindfulness is particularly significant
amongst the backdrop of Western psychology. Mindfulness refers to a kind of meditation involving
a tolerance of thoughts and perceptions – an ability to look at life in an objective way and eventually
develop a fuller, richer awareness of life (Aich, 2013). This is the seventh step on the eight fold path
and plays a substantial role in meditation and Zen Buddhism.
A particular branch of Buddhism called Zen Buddhism has sparked an interest in psychologists with
a focus on mindfulness, meditation and non–violence (Berger, 1962). Zen Buddhism is a practice
that was transferred from master to disciple and dates back to the spiritual awakening of Siddhartha
(Buddha). Zen means , quiet simply, meditation and the experience of living in the moment. The
teaching of Zen Buddhism claims to be "a special transmission outside the scripture, not depending
upon the letter, but pointing directly to one's Mind to see into Nature itself and attain Buddha–hood"
(Suzuki, 1938). Berger (1962) described Zen as a form of Buddhism that originated in India and was
introduced to China in the first century A.D. The

My Personal Philosophy Of Different Religions
There are many different religions around the world like Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism,
Atheism, Islam, etc. In my opinion all human beings have some sort of their own personal
philosophy that is guided mainly by their religion, if they have one. Also each individual has gone
through certain events that shape you as a person and create their unique personal philosophy. In my
case, my personal philosophy mainly revolves around Catholicism.
Both of my parents were raised Catholics and have kept their religion until now. They passed it onto
my siblings and I. I remember going to church and praying at mornings, before eating, and going to
sleep since I was a child. Like most every other small kid, I didn't like going to church and sit down
for a whole hour, but now I enjoy going to church and I feels normal to go there every Sunday. I
went to a Catholic elementary school and I ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In other words, you are not born extraordinary, you become extraordinary depending on your
actions. For example saving someone's life makes you extraordinary, because this action must be
done by someone who has an immense amount of courage and a great heart and not every single one
of us has those . I definitely not agree with Raskolnikov's theory that extraordinary people have the
right to kill. In my opinion no one has the right to take away someone else's life, and nothing will
ever justify murder. It gets complicated when I think about self defense for example, because if I
was in a life or death situation where I had to kill someone in order to survive, I think I wouldn't like
to die, so I would kill the person who wanted to harm me. Even though I really didn't want to kill
this person, I had to, it still doesn't justify it because only God decides who dies. Even though
someone may have to kill in order to survive, the fact that you killed someone will never be

The Philosophy Of The Religion Of Buddhism
Religion essay In many religions they are similar principles and philosophy that we live by. The
philosophy of the religion of Buddhism, is to live is to suffer. Often people ask "what is the meaning
of life?" and different religions find a way to interpret the answer to this question in their own way.
For example, the Christianity religion often answers this questions by saying that we are here on
earth to help those in need and to do Gods will. Others questions may be "how can I live my life, so
that I would be free of suffering?" and this is where the Buddhism religion comes in. As part of this
religion, the Buddhas find a way to stop or lessen the suffering of one, by following very simple
laws, principles, or simply by following suggestions. However, it is not mandatory to follow these
alternatives, therefore if you wish to not follow them, then you don 't have too although its would be
in your benefit too. To live is to suffer in a Buddhist point of view is the idea of the inevitable
suffering, that no matter who you are, in your life you will experience suffering. Suffering is
depicted in the religion itself by the origins of their founder Siddhartha Gautama, through their
principles, and lastly through any other general aspects of the religion of Buddhism. Firstly, what
does the term Buddha really mean? A man once asked the Buddha "Not who are you but what are
you" and the Buddha answer, I am awake meaning that he is awake, aware of everything (insight).
The

Philosophy of Religion
The Cosmological argument argues for the existence of God a posteriori based on the apparent order
in the universe. For Aristotle, the existence of the universe needs an explanation, a cause, as it could
not have come from nothing. Nothing comes from nothing so since there is something, there must
have been some other thing that is its cause. Aristotle rules out an infinite progression of causes, so,
that led to the conclusion that there must be a First Cause. Likewise with motion, there must have
been a first cause; Aristotle calls this the 'Prime Mover'. There is a God, says Aristotle –for how else
does motion begin? Whilst this argument does generally offer some support for the existence of
God, it does not prove his existence.
Aquinas ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Thus, Hume claimed that it is not possible to prove the existence of a being who is unknowable and
existentially different from all other beings.
A further argument against the cosmological argument is presented by Anthony Kenny. According
to his analysis, the cause of change must possess a property which will initiate the change. For
example, for something to become hot, the thing that causes the change must itself possess the
property of heat. But modern science rejects this argument, for instance, microwaves can generate
heat without themselves being hot. Therefore, it is not foolhardy to argue that the universe exists
and as a result of highly finely–tuned probabilities, from simple compounds to what we see today.
But still, Descartes reconstruction of the argument seems to postulate that, the cause of change must
possess a property which will initiate the change, which is in direct conflict with Kenny's point. Yet,
Aquinas says Kenny is not giving a straightforward metaphysical analysis, but an analysis which
presumes a standard, and also doubtful physics.
Overall, the cosmological argument, while making a good attempt to prove the existence of God is
largely unsuccessful chiefly because it makes huge empirical assumptions. Firstly, it assumes that
the world does, in fact, exist. And secondly, we cannot prove that a world exists on the basis of a
posteriori premises, therefore cannot infer from it that it has a cause, and

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