UNIQUENESS OF JUDAISM

Judaism is a religious and cultural identity that is associated with those of the Jewish faith. There
are quite the number of variances between Judaism and other religions. What makes the largest
differentiation is that, while those of the Jewish faith do believe in the existence of one God, they
believe that Jesus was a false prophet and that the Son of God has yet to come to earth, and they
deny that Jesus was resurrected on Easter. The Judaism faith also has many differing opinions on
afterlife, some forms of Judaism do not believe that there is an afterlife.

Followers of the Jewish faith worship in a synagogue and their holy day is Saturday, which differs
from Islam, who worships on Fridays and Christians who worship on Sundays. Also, while the
Christian faith names Jesus as its founder, Judaism gives credit to Moses or Abraham as the
founder.

An individual can be considered Jewish by being born into the religion, by practicing the faith or
by converting to Judaism. Judaism is not exclusive to one nationality or race.

Although Judaism is one of the largest religions in the world it is considerably smaller than other
religions in terms of adherents. The Jewish faith has around 14 million followers, whereas
religions such as Islam have 1.3 billion followers and Christianity has around 2 billion followers.
The United States has a Jewish population of more than 5 million individuals and holds 40.1
percent of the worlds Jewish population.

It is important to be culturally competent when it comes to an individuals faith and beliefs. If

you are a colleague of, provide treatment to, or just interact with someone of the Jewish faith, it
is imperative to have an understanding and respect for their religion.

Due to cultural and religious beliefs, those of the Jewish faith can have a different view than you
on a number of ideologies such as food, holidays, general beliefs and more.

An individual could be kosher, meaning that they only eat foods that are suitable for a Jewish
individual to consume. Examles of kosher food are the meat that comes from an animal with
cloven hooves or chew their own cud, dairy must come from a kosher animal and not be mixed
with animal gelatin, fruits and vegetables must be examined and washed before consumption to
prevent non-kosher items like insects from being eaten.

They also observe holidays that those of other faiths do not and wear certain religious garb, such
as a kippot or prayer shawl. Regardless of what cultural and religious beliefs an individual has, it
is important to give them respect so they may practice their beliefs freely.

At your organization, it is recommended to provide education and training to your staff regarding
the religious and cultural beliefs of the Jewish faith. That training can explain and aid in
developing cultural competency in different ideologies that you, or your employees, may not
have engaged with before.
CulturaLink can help you and the Jewish community by providing consulting, education and
training. Not only will CulturaLink give an organization access to top-of-the-line instruction, but
they also are equipped the knowledge on those of Jewish faith and what steps must be taken to
provide a competent workplace, quality care in healthcare and how to generally be understanding
and empathetic of someone who is a believer of Judaism.

HOW IS JUDAISM DIFFERENT TO OTHER RELIGIONS?

The scriptures, only call on Israel who witnessed G-d's deeds to follow and keep his laws. No other
nation is threatened or blamed for not accepting the Torah/Law; they are not obligated to, for they
did not witness the miracles which prove the truth of the Torah/Law! Moses did not demand that
the children of Israel should believe in him, for none of them ever disputed the truth of the law,
which they had witnessed together with him. But the books of Islam and Christianity vehemently
curse everyone in the world who disbelieves them although they did not demonstrate their
proofs to the whole world. Judaism says the non-Jews who did not recieve the proofs that the
Torah is divine do not need to follow it. They just have to follow the seven laws of basic morality.

Therefore, do you believe it is fair that G-d would tell one guy like Jesus, or Mohammad about a
religion, and then expect the whole world to believe it, or go to hell? What about the people who
never get the message? It makes a lot more sense that G-d would tell everyone about the religion
he is creating and then tell them that covenant is eternal, so they have to pass down the religion
from generation to generation. "HASHEM said, 'Still, your wife Sarah will give birth to a son. You
must name him Isaac. I will keep My covenant with him as an eternal treaty, for his descendants
afterhim.(Genesis17:19)

It makes sense. G-d would only expect those that he demonstrated proof, to follow and pass the
religionontoeachgeneration.

I mean, what makes more sense, telling one guy about the religion you wish to create and expecting
the entire world to believe him? Or saying "Anochi, lo yihiyeh lechah" and giving the Torah in
front of the entire nation, after splitting the seas, and removing them from bondage (which more
and more proof is coming from archeology supporting the fact that the Israelites were indeed slaves
inEgyptandorsomereasonfreed.)

I challenge all reading this to find me another religion which claims to have had a mass revelation
and do not put all their hopes on one man saying G-d spoke to him. Of course, these religions could
not claim that G-d came to the masses and said Hello, I want to start Christianity, because the
masses dont know anything about it. If Jesus would have told everyone The Creator of the world
came to all of us 400 years ago and told all of our ancestors to follow Jesus, they of course would
have said, Hey Jesus, how come youre the only one that knows about this?. You cant make up
a story that involves the ancestors of millions upon millions of people. Not possible.

.
UNIQUENESS OF CHRISTIANITY

The biggest difference between Christianity & other religions is the FACT that we worship a
living God (Joshua 3:10, Hebrews 3:12). Other religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, even Islam
worship someone who lived once but is now dead or they worship idols. Other religions worship
a memory. Christianity worships the living, loving Christ.

The other religions also set a standard that the people have to reach up to in order to get to
paradise. God wants a relationship with man so He reaches down to mankind. He washes us in
the blood of His Son to give make us righteous in His sight. Other religions have a list of dos
and donts. If you dont do all of the things required you will not get to this paradise after death.
God gave us a guide in the Holy Bible. Only one Man has ever lived in perfect obedience to the
Word. Everyone else has fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the bridge over the gap between God & man. Our living
God desires man to be forgiven of his shortcomings (1 John 1:9). He wants mankind to be with
Him so much that he sacrificed the life of His perfect Son so that we may have redemption (John
3:16, Romans 6:23).

Christians serve a LIVING God and not someone who lived long ago

It is unique because of one vision: the new creation, the kingdom of God.
In Genesis, after non-living things like the planets were created, the plant kingdom was created,
then the animal kingdom, all following the law of Genetics to beget "after their own kind".
But afterwards, God said, "let us make man after our image".
What was being created was not a " human kingdom" but a God-kingdom, meaning "like
us"(God).
To be like him is not "by works" as Adam wrongly did by "eating the fruit" and was driven off
the Garden of Eden, and not allowed to "eat the fruit from the tree of life".
Same was the fate of Nimrod who liked to "reach" into God via Tower of Babel, the successive
kingdoms from the "image of Nebuchadnezzar", till the 12 toes that also were destroyed and
taken over by the "stone" that field the whole earth.
God was not creating a human kingdom and did not like to from Genesis.
However, the creation of this "God-kingdom" started only with "an image", i.e., a template, a
temporary "mold" to continue to work on until the "final product" is finished.
What God/YHVH/Jesus has started, He will finish. He is the "Alpha and the Omega", the
"beginner and finisher" of our faith.

A template is a "temple" that God himself can "dwell into " as he does not " dwell in temples
made by (human) hands.
The " tent", "tabernacle" " 2 temples in Jerusalem were types of the "true temple" that God will
eventually dwell into "by the Spirit".
This Spirit, however will not be sent until after the resurrection of the man-Jesus.
His death was imputed to mankind as penalty for sin of Adam in Genesis.
But we "are saved by his life", i.e., after his resurrection, would only the Spirit be sent.
This occurred in Pentecost and since then this Spirit has been getting into the "firstfruits" for
development into the "body of Christ".
We are being "transformed" spiritually but our bodies will be changed from mortality to
immortality.
We will be in Christ, our Elder Brother and Head of the Church, and together be "higher than
angelic-kind", like man-Jesus as incarnate was lower than angels, but now higher than them.
The preceding makes Christianity unique with a foundational basis on the Rock, Jesus Christ. As
a creator, Word in John 1:1, Jesus as YHVH created all. Now, he is creating his family, a "new
creation", all under the Father but in the same "kingdom of God".

Christianity is also unique because it has the highest moral standard of any known religion. The
rewards for this standard found in the book of Revelation are also unique, such as a crown of life
for those who overcome (Rev 2:10) and sitting with Christ on his throne (Rev 3: 21). No other
religion grants authority over its members as a reward for outstanding obedience. As a unique
spirituality, Christianity might be called the Royal Religion for its objective in creating both a
royal kingship and a royal priesthood.

UNIQUENESS OF ISLAM

1. It divides the whole human race into believers and kafirs. Qur'an 48.29 "Muhammad is
the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard (ruthless) against the disbelievers
and merciful among themselves" Islam is notabout treating everyone equally. This verse
tells Muslims that there are two very distinct standards that are applied based on religious
status.
2. It urges believers to kill kafirs till there are only muslims left. Quran 2.191- 193: And kill
them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out.
And Al-Fitnah[disbelief or unrest] is worse than killing... but if they desist, then lo! Allah
is forgiving and merciful. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah [disbelief and
worshipping of others along with Allah] and worship is for Allah alone. But if they cease,
let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimun(the polytheists, and wrong-
doers, etc.)"(Translation is from the Noble Quran) The verse prior to this (190) refers to
"fighting for the cause of Allah those who fight you"leading some to claim that the entire
passage refers to a defensive war in which Muslims are defending their homes and
families. The historical of this passage is notdefensive warfare, however, since
Muhammad and his Muslims had just relocated to Medina and were not under attack by
their Meccan adversaries. In fact, the verses urge offensive warfare, in that Muslims are to
drive Meccans out of their own city (which they lare did). Verse 190 thus means to fight
those who offer resistance to Allah's rule (ie. Muslim conquest). The use of the word
"persecution" by some Muslim translators is disingenuous - the actual Arabic words for
persecution (idtihad) - and oppression (a variation of "z-l-m") do not appear in the verse.
The word used instead, "fitna", can mean disbelief, or the disorder that results from
unbelief or temptation. This is certainly what is meant in this context since the violence is
explicitly commissioned "until religion is for Allah" - ie. unbelievers desist in their
unbelief. And Quran 9.5: "So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the
 idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captive and besiege them and lie in wait
for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate,
leave their way free to them." According to this verse, the best way of staying safe from
Muslim violence at the time of Muhammad was to convert to Islam: prayer (salat) and
the poor tax (zakat) are among the religion's Five Pillars. The popular claim that the
Quran only inspires violence within the context of self-defense is seriously challenged by
this passage as well, since the Muslims to whom it was written were obviously not under
attack. Had they been, then there would have been no waiting period (earlier verses make
it a duty for Muslims to fight in self-defense, even during the sacred months). The
historical context is Mecca after the idolaters were subjugated by Muhammad and posed
no threat. Once the Muslims had power, they violently evicted those unbelievers who
would not convert. (Note: The verse says to fight unbelievers "wherever you find them".
Even if the context is in a time of battle (which it was not) the reading appears to sanction
attacks against those "unbelievers" who are not on the battlefield). And Quran 9.29 -
"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which
hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth,
(even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing
submission, and feel themselves subdued.""People of the Book" refers to Christians and
Jews. According to this verse, they are to be violently subjugated, with the sole
justification being their religious status. Verse 9.33 tells Muslims that Allah has charted
them to make Islam "superior over all religions." This chapter was one of the final
"revelations" from Allah and it set in motion the tenacious military expansion, in which
Muhammad's companions managed to conquer two-thirds of the Christian world in the
next 100 years. Islam is intended to dominate all other people and faiths. And Quran
47.3-4: "Those who disbelieve follow falsehood, while those who believe follow the truth
from their Lord... So, when you meet (in fight Jihad in Allah's Cause), those who
disbelieve smite at their necks till when you have killed and wounded many of them, then
bind a bond firmly (on them, i.e. take them as captives)... If it had been Allah's Will, He
Himself could certainly have punished them (without you). But (He lets you fight), in
order to test you, some with others. But those who are killed in the Way of Allah, He will
never let their deeds be lost." Those who reject Allah are to be killed in Jihad. The
wounded are to be held captive for ransom. The only reason Allah doesn't do the dirty
work himself is to to test the faithfulness of Muslims. Those who kill pass the test.
3. Qur'an (the word of God) has many scientific blunders: The moons light is not the one
reflected from sun, but is its own light according to Quran 10.5: He it is Who appointed
the sun a splendour and the moon a light, and measured for her stages, that ye might
know the number of the years, and the reckoning. Allah created not (all) that save in
truth. He detaileth the revelations for people who have knowledge.The sun sets in a
muddy pool according to Quran 18.86: Till, when he reached the setting-place of the
sun, he found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people thereabout. We said: O
Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Either punish or show them kindness.Semen is originated from
between backbone and ribs according to Quran 86.6-7: He is created from a drop
emitted- Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribsthe muscular system of the
fetus is formed after the skeletal system according to Quran 23.14: Then We made the
sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we
made out of that lump bones then (not and) clothed the bones with flesh; then we
 developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!. But in
reality, both form simultaneously.the fresh water and sea water never mix according to
Quran 25.53: It is He Who has let free the two bodies of flowing water: One palatable
and sweet, and the other salt and bitter; yet has He made a barrier between them, a
partition that is forbidden to be passedthere are mountains in the sky from which
hailstones come, according to Quran 24.43: Do you not see that God moves the clouds
gently, brings them together, piles them up, and then you can see the rain coming from
them. He sends down hailstones from the mountains in the sky. With them He strikes or
protects from them whomever He wants. The lightening can almost take away the sight.
4. Islam permits sex slavery according to Quran 4.24: Also (forbidden are) women already
married, except those whom your right hands possess. Thus has Allah ordained for you.
All others are lawful, provided you seek them from your property, desiring chastity, not
fornication. So with those among them whom you have enjoyed, give them their required
due, but if you agree mutually after the requirement (has been determined), there is no
sin on you. Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise. The term right hand possess
means slaves.

UNIQUENESS OF TAOISM

Taoism (also spelled Daoism) is based on the teachings of the Tao Te Ching, a short tract written
in the 6th century BCE in China. Taoism emphasizes spiritual harmony within the individual,
complementing Confucianism's focus on social duty. The two great Chinese belief systems were
founded at about the same time and continue to exist side-by-side in today's China. There are two
main schools within Taoism, usually called "philosophical Taoism" (Tao-chia) and "religious
Taoism" (Tao-chaio). The two are not as strongly distinguished as once thought, but
philosophical Taoism tends to focus on the philosophical writings of Lao-Tzu, Chuang-Tzu and
other early mystics while religious Taoism emphasizes religious rituals aimed at attaining
immortality. There are 20 million Taoists worldwide, most of whom live in China, Taiwan or
Southeast Asia. Taoism is also increasingly influential in the West, especially in the fields of
alternative medicine and martial arts like Tai Chi. According to the earliest Taoist texts, when
human nature is aligned with the rest of nature, order and harmony are the result. From this
perspective, the purpose of self-cultivation is to return to a mode of existence that is natural, but
has been obscured by social conditioning. Repeating certain actions, such as physical exercises,
is a way of training the body so that it is free to react in a spontaneous, natural way. It is similar
to the experience of practicing one's shots in basketball and then making a clutch basket in the
big game the preparation through repetition makes it possible to act, at a certain moment,
without thinking, in pure spontaneity (zi-ran). That spontaneity is the mode of being that is
experienced fully, at all times, only by the immortals. For most people, however, including the
laity and many of the Taoshi, the goal is less lofty: to experience a long and healthy life.

Humans can deviate from the natural order. When they do so, they bring destruction upon
themselves and those around them. Confucian scholars were criticized in the Taode jing for
imposing rules and social expectations. According to the Taode jing, social mores and threats of
punishment cause more harm than good, as they are methods of forcing appropriate behavior
rather than allowing it to occur spontaneously and naturally.
Instead, the only way to encourage appropriate behavior is by modeling it. If a ruler is a person
of impeccable character, those he leads would naturally follow. But how is the ruler to become
the ideal role model, thus insuring harmony for his empire? As an 8th century Taoist master said
to a Tang emperor, "Who governs his body, governs the country." Self-cultivation practices
were common among the Chinese nobility as early as the Warring States period, if not
before. The types of practices have varied widely, from simple reflection and self-examination
being "watchful over oneself when alone" (The Doctrine of the Mean) to, on the opposite
end of the spectrum, taking elixirs in hopes of becoming an immortal.

In the case of Taoism, some practices that were once the province of shamans and fangshi, or of
practitioners of inner and outer alchemy, were adopted by the Taoshi. Also called methods of
"nourishing life," or promoting longevity (and potentially immortality), these included
"gymnastics," that is, physical exercises designed to improve one's health and lengthen life;
breathing exercises; dietary restrictions, such as the avoidance of grains; drinking talisman water
(the ashes of a sacred diagram are drawn on paper, then burned, and the ashes dissolved in
water); sexual practices designed to generate sexual energy but then redirect it toward the brain,
rather than dissipating it through orgasm; and many more.

Concepts of human nature in Taoism are thus intimately connected with the body. Because of its
body sciences and experimentation with diet and chemistry, Taoism had a great influence on the
development of traditional Chinese medicine. According to Taoist principles, illness can be
viewed as a lack of alignment, or harmony, within the body. For example, an imbalance of yin
and yang within the body can prevent qi from flowing freely, which, in turn, causes pain and
physical illness. Acupuncture is based on adjusting the flow of qi as it moves through the
meridians of the body.

Some self-cultivation practices seek to balance yin and yang within the body, and also within the
personality. Men should become more feminine and women more masculine. The Taode jing,
written by and for men, includes a number of references encouraging "feminine" behavior. One
Way of the Celestial Masters' scripture instructed men to never raise their voices, never to hunt
or carry arms, and even not to urinate when standing.

This attitude led to the development of an esoteric practice for male Taoshi that involved
cultivating a divine embryo within. Laozi is the model for this practice, and the story of his
being born at the age of 81 years was interpreted to mean, not that a female mother had carried
him for that long, but that he was his own mother that is, that the deity Laozi was a divine
embryo that had been nourished within the man for all of that time, and eventually was born and
replaced the mortal man. It was believed that one who is able to merge male and female energies
within, sparking the creation of an embryo, and then was able to successfully nourish that
embryo to term, would be able to replace the mortal body with the body of an immortal.

Another way of viewing the body was introduced in the Scripture of the Yellow Court, a
Shangqing Taoist text, which stated that the gods resided within the human body. This scripture
described the body as a divine court with internal dwelling places for each god. There was a god
residing in each organ, a god located at the top of the head, one in each eye, one between the
eyebrows, and so on. These deities oversaw the proper functioning of each part of the
body. This concept led to ritual practices designed to welcome deities into the body.

UNIQUENESS OF SHINTOISM
Torii gates mark sites of Shinto worship.

Japan's native religion, Shintoism lacks a universally accepted religious text or spiritual
authority. Although Shinto practice and belief differs from region to region, basic aspects of the
faith, such as the veneration of spirits called kami, remain similar across Japan unifying the
disparate elements of the faith and differentiating Shintoism from other world religions.

Nationality

The one overriding factor that makes Shintoism unique as a world religion is its ties to Japanese
identity and history. One of its central myths describes the Shinto gods creating the country and
alleges that the Emperor is a direct descendant of these same deities. Although the Emperor was
forced to renounce his divine status after World War II, Shintoism's effect on the nation of Japan
remains undeniable, with the Emperor participating in Shinto ceremonies and followers praying
for the preservation of the nation at Shinto shrines.

Kami

Another unique aspect of Shintoism is the veneration of divine spirits that represent people and
objects in the natural world. Shinto tradition teaches that these kami bridge the visible world
humans live in to the invisible one that exists all around us. By traveling to shrines and praying
to kami, followers of Shintoism believe they can gain good fortune. Unlike other religions, such
as Judaism or Buddhism, which emphasize understanding God or one's place in the world,
Shintoism primarily focuses on helping people communicate with these kami.

Ecology

Shinto belief equates purity with morality, and many Japanese rituals involve Shinto priests
cleansing an area or object. Since these objects primarily represent the natural world, Shintoists
have an obligation to keep the environment clean and free of pollution. This provides a moral
basis for environmental protection that other religions do not emphasize as much.

Locality

Shintoism is a folk religion, which means that beliefs differ from region to region, and adherents
are more concerned with maintaining local shrines than preserving the beliefs of the religion as a
whole. Followers sometimes make pilgrimages to shrines in other parts of the country, but the
majority of rituals take place at one's own neighborhood shrine. Although other major religions
like Hinduism also differ from region to region, only Shintoism emphasizes the importance of
local practice over universal belief.
UNIQUENESS OF CONFUCIANISM

Confucianism (rujiao) is a way of life taught by Confucius (Kong Fuzi) in China in the 6th-5th
century BCE and the rituals and traditions associated with him. Sometimes viewed as a
philosophy, sometimes as a religion, Confucianism is perhaps best understood as an all-
encompassing humanism that is compatible with other forms of religion.Confucianism has
deeply influenced spiritual and political life in China; its influence has also extended to Korea,
Japan, and Vietnam. East Asians may profess themselves to be Shintoists, Taoists, Buddhists,
Muslims, or Christians - but seldom do they cease to be Confucians. "Confucius," the common
name of Confucianism's founder, is a Latinized form of the Chinese K'ung-fu-tzu, "Master
K'ung." The terms "Confucianism" and "Confucian" are not meaningful terms in Chinese. They
are Western terms, coined in Europe in the 19th century.

Confucianism is often characterized as a system of social and ethical philosophy rather than a
religion. In fact, Confucianism built on an ancient religious foundation to establish the social
values, institutions, and transcendent ideals of traditional Chinese society. It was what
sociologist Robert Bellah called a "civil religion,"1 the sense of religious identity and common
moral understanding at the foundation of a society's central institutions. It is also what a Chinese
sociologist called a "diffused religion";3 its institutions were not a separate church, but those of
society, family, school, and state; its priests were not separate liturgical specialists, but parents,
teachers, and officials. Confucianism was part of the Chinese social fabric and way of life; to
Confucians, everyday life was the arena of religion.

The founder of Confucianism, Master Kong (K'ung, Confucius, 551-479 B.C.E.) did not intend
to found a new religion, but to interpret and revive the unnamed religion of the Zhou (Chou)
dynasty, under which many people thought the ancient system of religious rule was bankrupt;
why couldn't the gods prevent the social upheavals? The burning issue of the day was: If it is not
the ancestral and nature spirits, what then is the basis of a stable, unified, and enduring social
order? The dominant view of the day, espoused by Realists and Legalists, was that strict law and
statecraft were the bases of sound policy. Confucius, however, believed that the basis lay in Zhou
religion, in its rituals (li). He interpreted these not as sacrifices asking for the blessings of the
gods, but as ceremonies performed by human agents and embodying the civilized and cultured
patterns of behavior developed through generations of human wisdom. They embodied, for him,
the ethical core of Chinese society. Moreover, Confucius applied the term "ritual" to actions
beyond the formal sacrifices and religious ceremonies to include social rituals: courtesies and
accepted standards of behavior -- what we today call social mores. He saw these time-honored
and traditional rituals as the basis of human civilization, and he felt that only a civilized society
could have a stable, unified, and enduring social order.

Thus one side of Confucianism was the affirmation of accepted values and norms of behavior in
primary social institutions and basic human relationships. All human relationships involved a set
of defined roles and mutual obligations; each participant should understand and conform to
his/her proper role. Starting from individual and family, people acting rightly could reform and
perfect the society. The blueprint of this process was described in "The Great Learning, " a
section of the Classic of Rituals:
Only when things are investigated is knowledge extended; only when knowledge is extended are
thoughts sincere; only when thoughts are sincere are minds rectified; only when minds are
rectified are the characters of persons cultivated; only when character is cultivated are our
families regulated; only when families are regulated are states well governed; only when states
are well governed is there peace in the world.3

Confucius' ethical vision ran against the grain of the legalistic mind set of his day. Only under
the Han Emperor Wu (r. 140-87 B.C.E.) did Confucianism become accepted as state ideology
and orthodoxy. From that time on the imperial state promoted Confucian values to maintain law,
order, and the status quo. In late traditional China, emperors sought to establish village lectures
on Confucian moral precepts and to give civic awards to filial sons and chaste wives. The
imperial family and other notables sponsored the publication of morality books that encouraged
the practice of Confucian values: respect for parents, loyalty to government, and keeping to one's
place in society -- farmers should remain farmers, and practice the ethics of farming. This side of
Confucianism was conservative, and served to bolster established institutions and long-standing
social divisions.

There was, however, another side to Confucianism. Confucius not only stressed social rituals (li),
but also humaneness (ren [jen]). Ren, sometimes translated love or kindness, is not any one
virtue, but the source of all virtues. The Chinese character literally represents the relationship
between "two persons," or co-humanity -- the potential to live together humanely rather than
scrapping like birds or beasts. Ren keeps ritual forms from becoming hollow; a ritual performed
with ren has not only form, but ethical content; it nurtures the inner character of the person,
furthers his/her ethical maturation. Thus if the "outer" side of Confucianism was conformity and
acceptance of social roles, the "inner" side was cultivation of conscience and character.
Cultivation involved broad education and reflection on one's actions. It was a lifetime
commitment to character building carving and polishing the stone of one's character until it was a
lustrous gem. Master Kong described his own lifetime:

At fifteen, I set my heart on learning. At thirty, I was firmly established. At forty, I had no more
doubts. At fifty, I knew the will of heaven. At sixty, I was ready to listen to it. At seventy, I could
follow my heart's desire without transgressing what was right. Analects, 2:4

The inner pole of Confucianism was reformist, idealistic, and spiritual. It generated a high ideal
for family interaction: members were to treat each other with love, respect, and consideration for
the needs of all. It prescribed a lofty ideal for the state: the ruler was to be a father to his people
and look after their basic needs. It required officials to criticize their rulers and refuse to serve
the corrupt. This inner and idealist wing spawned a Confucian reformation known in the West as
Neo-Confucianism. The movement produced reformers, philanthropists, dedicated teachers and
officials, and social philosophers from the eleventh through the nineteenth centuries.

The idealist wing of Confucianism had a religious character. Its ideals were transcendent, not in
the sense that they were otherworldly (the Confucians were not interested in a far-off heavenly
realm), but in the sense of the transcendent ideal -- perfection. On the one hand, Confucian
values are so closely linked with everyday life that they sometimes seem trivial. Everyday life is
so familiar that we do not take its moral content seriously. We are each a friend to someone, or a
parent, or certainly the child of a parent. On the other hand, Confucians remind us that the
familiar ideals of friendship, parenthood, and filiality are far from trivial; in real life we only
rarely attain these ideals. We all too often just go through the motions, too preoccupied to give
our full attention to the relationship. If we consistently and wholeheartedly realized our potential
to be the very best friend, parent, son, or daughter humanly possible, we would establish a level
of caring, of moral excellence, that would approach the utopian. This is Confucian
transcendence: to take the actions of everyday life seriously as the arena of moral and spiritual
fulfillment.4

The outer and inner aspects of Confucianism -- its conforming and reforming sides -- were in
tension throughout Chinese history. Moreover, the tensions between social and political realities
and the high-minded moral ideals of the Confucians were an ongoing source of concern for the
leaders of this tradition. The dangers of moral sterility and hypocrisy were always present.
Confucianism, they knew well, served both as a conservative state orthodoxy and a stimulus for
reform. Great Confucians, like religious leaders everywhere, sought periodically to revive and
renew the moral, intellectual, and spiritual vigor of the tradition.. Until the 1890s, serious-
minded Chinese saw Confucianism, despite its failures to realize its ideal society, as the source
of hope for China and the core of what it meant to be Chinese.

Although since the revolution, the public ideology of the People's Republic has abandoned
Confucian teachings, one can say that there is a continuity of form: like Confucianism before it,
Maoism teaches a commitment to transforming the world by applying the lessons of a utopian
ideology to the actions and institutions of everyday life. This is not to claim that Mao was a
"closet Confucian," but to emphasize that the Confucian way was virtually synonymous with the
Chinese way. Both Confucianism and Maoism are uniquely Chinese.

UNIOQUENESS OF BUDDHISM

Do not believe in a Creator or an Almighty God who is responsible for all our actions.
Buddhism, in actual sense, is not a religion, though people generally call it so, because there is
no belief in, recognition of, or of a higher unseen authority, or a controlling power, but emotions
and morality connected therewith. Is a moral philosophy in pursuit of wisdom and knowledge,
norms and laws, and all other things connected therewith.
In Buddhist reasoning the modern reader will find many familiar logical operations from the
calculus of propositions. But Buddhism also employs a fourfold scheme that is not found in
Aristotelian logic.
The famous philosopher and mathematician, who was a Christian, says:

"Of the great religions of history, I prefer Buddhism, especially in its orthodox form, because it
has had the smallest element of persecution". The intellectuals of the West have agreed that for
the first time in the history of the world, Buddha proclaimed a salvation, which each man
could gain for himself, and by himself in this world, during his life, without the least help
from God or Gods."
Buddhism is a religion of self-help, the first and foremost duty of a Buddhist is to understand the
supreme position of the human being and one's responsibility toward both oneself and fellow
sentient beings. The Buddha did not claim any divine affinity. His enlightenment was a result
of his own efforts, unaided by teachers or divine providence. There was no need for him to base
his teachings on divine revelation, as is usually done by religious teachers and prophets. The
Dhamma that he expounded is the Truth itself -- to introduce divine elements into it would be a
superfluous exercise. His realization of the Dhamma and the validity of the teaching itself are the
strength of his teachings, and this has rendered so-called divine inspiration or intervention
irrelevant in the Buddhist context.

According to Buddhism, humanity's position is supreme. Human beings are their own
masters, endowed with great potential, from mundane material concerns up to the highest
spiritual achievements. This position is clearly exemplified by the Buddha's own struggles and
successes. He attributed his enlightenment and all his achievements to human effort, not to
divine grace. It is encouraging to know that, according to the Buddha, only a human being can
become a Buddha, a position to which even gods and deities cannot aspire. Every human being
possesses the seed of Buddha-nature, the potential to become a Buddha, and that potential can
only be actualized through human endeavor.

According to Buddhism, there is no such thing as sin as explained by other religions. To the
Buddhists, sin is unskillful or unwholesome action - Akusala Kamma, which creates Papa - the
downfall of man. The wicked man is an ignorant man. He needs instruction more than he needs
punishment and condemnation. He is not regarded as violating god's will or as a person who
must beg for divine mercy and forgiveness. He needs only guidance for his enlightenment.

All that is necessary is for someone to help him use his reason to realize that he is responsible for
his wrong action and that he must pay for the consequences. Therefore the belief in confession is
foreign to Buddhism.The purpose of the Buddha's appearance in this world is not to wash away
the sins committed by human beings nor to punish or to destroy the wicked people, but to make
the people understand how foolish it is to commit evil and to point out the reaction of such evil
deeds. Consequently there are no commandments in Buddhism, since no one can command
another for his spiritual upliftment. The Buddha has encouraged us to develop and use our
understanding. He has shown us the path for our liberation from suffering. The precepts that we
undertake to observe are not commandments: they are observed voluntarily. The Buddha's
Teaching is thus: 'Please pay attention; take this advice and think it over. If you think it is
suitable for you to practise my advice, then try to practise it. You can see the results through
your own experience.' There is no religious value in blindly observing any commandment
without proper conviction and understanding. However, we should not take advantage of the
liberty given by the Buddha to do anything we like. It is our duty to behave as cultured, civilized
and understanding human beings to lead a religious life. If we can understand this,
commandments are not important. As an enlightened teacher, the Buddha advised us on how to
lead a pure life without imposing commandments and using the fear of punishment.

Serenity of spirit and love for all sentient creation are enjoined by the Buddha. He does not
speak of sin, but only of ignorance and foolishness which could be cured by enlightenment
and sympathy.
UNIQUENESS OF HINDUISM

Hinduism is unique compared to other religions for a varied number of reasons. ... Hinduism
does not have one founder or core doctrine that can be referenced. The religion is an assembly of
religious, philosophical and cultural ideas and practices that originated in the country of India.

Hinduism is a way of life, a culture and not an organized religion like Islam or Christianity.
There is no POPE or hierarchy in Hinduism. Only thing Hinduism have a lot of scriptures.
2. . Hinduism is a Culture and all the eastern religions like Buddhism, to some extend Jainism,
Sikhism came from Hinduism. Judaism is also a culture/religion from which organized religions
like Islam and Christianity came.
3. Hinduism never ever had a spring cleaning like all other religions do. What ever any
one wrote for the last thousands of years are still there for people to study and discuss.
4 No body is killed or crucified since he or she challenged Vedas or any other scriptures. In
fact, Hindus worship Lord Buddha who challenged authority of Vedas and Hindu form of
worship.
5 Hinduism never state it has monopoly on truth or God. According to Hinduism, God &
truth are universal.
Rig Veda states: 'ekam sat viprah bahudaa vadanti' meaning Truth or God is one but learnt
men describe it in many ways.
6 Hindu scriptures state, Sathya meva Jayathe meaning Truth alone triumps, never
falsehood. So Hindu scriptures allow FREE FLOW OF THOUGHTS.
Hindu authors knew that by allowing absolute free of expression, every one will finally end up
attaining truth. They preached, "Ignorance is the root cause of all evils and knowledge eradicates
ignorance.'
7 Hinduism never state only by becoming a Hindu, one can attain salvation. Instead Hindu
scriptures state, Salvation or self-realization is open to all, irrespective whether a person Hindu
or not. Even an agnostic and atheist can attain salvation.
8 Nobody is denied salvation in Hinduism. The best among us will attain with one life. The
worst among us will attain through many lives.
Salvation or self-realization is the process by which one is attaining the true knowledge that he is
the immortal soul Atman within and giving up the false knowledge that one is the perishable
material body.
9 Hinduism never forcefully convert others to Hinduism like other religions do. Hinduism as
a culture and it does not force any one to become a Hindu. Those who convert to Hinduism are
doing that since they fell in love with Hinduism.
10 Hinduism believes in one and only God Brahman which expresses itself in trillions of
forms. Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and
transcendent, both Creator and Un manifested Reality.
According to Hindu scriptures you can worship that God which has NO name or form [nama-
roopa] in any form & with any name.
You can worship that God calling it Jesus or Allah or Brahman or Krishna or Buddha or
anything else you wish. In all worships, finally worshiper ends with a God which is spirit, which
has no name or form.
11 Even atheists can proudly proclaim they are Hindus. In fact the Charvaka philosophy or
Nastika philosophy, (existed during the Vedic period) founded by Charvaka rejected the
existence of God and considered religion as an aberration. Nobody killed Charvaka. He died a
natural death.
12 Hindus do NOT worship idols.. Hindus use idols like everyone else to concentrate on a God
who has no name or form. All worships in all religions start with God with a name and form. As
the devotee matures in devotion, devotee start sees a God without any form at all.
14 Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and
dissolution. This belief is in parallel with the modern big bang theory.
15 Voltaire in Essay on Tolerance wrote:: "I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend
to the death, your right to say it."

SIMILARITIES OF HINDUISM AND BUDDHISM

Hinduism and Buddhism. -Both Believe in karma:good/evil actions will find there way back to
you. -Hinduism believed in several gods and goddess where as Buddhism didn't believe in any
gods. ... -Buddhism has an eight fold path that helps you reach nirvana.
SIMILARITIES OF ISLAM,JUDAISM,CHRISTIANITY

There are a few common roots and many common elements to Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam--the so-called Abrahamic religious heritage. Here are a few major ones that
these religions share similarities:

Belief about God.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are monotheistic religions, namely they believe that
there is only one God. Jews and Muslims greatly stress the oneness and unity of God.
The affirmation of the oneness of God by Christians is sometimes misunderstood,
because Christians believe that the one God is triune (the Holy Trinity). However, this is
not a denial of monotheism but an affirmation of the complexity of the Divine Being.

All three religions believe that this God is the origin and source of all that exists. God
cares about the entire creation and desires the well-being of all. God is just and has
provided basic rules for our guidance so that we may be good and righteous, according
to God's intention. God is also merciful; by means of God's grace we are given strength
to be more like what we ought to be.

Children of Abraham: Understanding human beings

The three religions believe that human beings are the highest creatures here on earth.
We are the children of Abraham. God created us full of mystery, which means potential
for continuous growth, both as a species and as individuals. We are capable of both
good and evil. When we grow in goodness, righteousness, and love we become more
like what God intended human goodness to be. When we abuse our freedom and do
harm to other people, ourselves, and the environment it means that we are going
against God's plans as we become evil-doers. Each person is capable, with God's help,
to turn away from evil, repent, and do good. We owe God our devotion, glorification, and
obedience.

The Future

No matter how difficult the past and present may be, the three religions are hopeful
about the future. Evil and suffering cannot ultimately prevail. God has provided a
condition (or state of being) for which our three religions have different names, but we
agree on the term Paradise. This future will bring about God's unchallenged rule;
unconditional bliss for all who live with God.

Divine Human Encounter

The three Abrahamic religions believe that God and human beings can and should
communicate with each other. By revelation God communicates to people, among
which the most important are revelation through prophets. These revelations are
recorded in the Holy Scriptures of each religion. While the Holy Scriptures of the three
religions are not the very same, nevertheless the younger two religions acknowledge
God's truth as found in the previous religions, and encourage respect to the Holy Books.
While each of the three religions does not merely focus on one set of writings, the key
Scripture of Judaism is the Torah, the key Scripture of Christianity is the Bible, which
consists of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) and the New Testament, and the key
Scripture of Islam is the Qur'an.

The duty of people is to read or listen to God's Holy Writings and to respond with prayer,
praise, and with an appropriate acceptance of God's commandments in our life-style.

God's Guidance

God did not leave us without guidelines for behavior. God provided us with sound basic
rules to live by as well as a rational mind to learn how and when to apply those rules to
our everyday life. All three religions, for example, abhor murder, the arbitrary killing of
innocent people. Likewise, God wants us to be telling the truth and not to take from
others what rightfully belongs to them. We are to respect the dignity of every person and
help especially those who are not capable of helping themselves, such as widows,
orphans, and the poor. All three religions believe in Golden Rule: doing to others what
we wish others do unto us. All three religions foster modesty, moderation, and honest
work. We are to submit ourselves to the will of God.

All three religions closely link religion and morality. Religion is to be manifested by
showing concern for the well-being and dignity of others, in a life of service to others,
and in personal and social ethical behavior.

What Difference Does It Make?

As monotheistic religions, sharing common ancestors, belief in divinely given written

scriptures, and common rituals and practices, such as regular prayer and charity;
valuing pilgrimage and sharing many common holy places; promising that behavior will
receive its proper rewards and punishments in the future, on earth and in an afterlife;
balancing and integrating strands of mysticism, legalism, and pious devotion; the three
religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam would appear to be naturally suited to co-
existence and even to mutual reinforcement. And indeed at times, notably in Spain,
during much, but not all, of the period from about 750 to about 1250, the three faiths
coexisted and gladly learned from one another. But such warm, reciprocally beneficial
coexistence has been the exception rather than the rule.

Perhaps two factors can explain the hostility that has often characterized the
relationships among these religions. First all three have been proselytizing religions--
although Judaism abandoned this practice early in the Christian era-- and their very
closeness has made them bitterly competitive. Each has had some feeling that it has
come the closest to the essential truths of God and the world, and that the others have
somehow failed to recognize this. Both Christianity and Islam, for example, accuse
Judaism of stubbornly refusing to accept later revelations that modify and update its
original truths. Both Judaism and Islam accuse Christianity of a kind of idolatry in
claiming that God begat a son who as actually a form of God and who walked the earth
in human form. Both Judaism and Christianity argue that God did not give a special,
final revelation to Muhammad. In each case these religions have looked at one another
and said that, despite elements of deep commonality, there exist also fundamental
heresies. Indeed within each of these religions, at various times, splits have turned one
group against another amidst cries of heresy and calls to armed opposition. Truth was
to be maintained, asserted, and defended through the force of arms. (Religions with
less insistence on doctrinal correctness, such as Hinduism, and Buddhism, have had
less, and less bitter, religious warfare.)

Second, as each religion developed, it sought the support of government. It often

sought to be the government. Truth was to be reinforced by power. Basic competition
over spiritual and philosophical truths spilled over into competition also for tax monies,
office, land, and public acceptance of specific ritual and architectural symbols, and
suppression of opposition. When they could, these religions marched through the world
armed. The idea that the state and religion should be separated appeared as early as
Augustine; but until recently, in the lands where these three religions predominated, the
state and religion were usually intimately bound up with one another, and in many
places, the religion of the leader of the state was excepted to be accepted as the
religion of his subjects, or at least to be given preferred treatment over others.