Choose ONE (1) category (origin of all things, nature of god, view of human nature, view of good and evil, etc.) from the chart to focus on for this assignment. Consider how the selected category relates to all of the religions covered and to your own social or work experiences.
Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you:
- Select ONE (1) category from the completed World View Chart. Provide a rationale for choosing this category. What is compelling about this category? Why is it important in the study of religion?
- Describe the selected content and explain the significance of the selected category across all of the religions studied. Show in what ways the category is significant for each religion.
- Give an example of how you have noticed this category in your life, town or country. What impact does this category have in the everyday lives of people who practice religion in your area? (You do not have to give examples of all the religions in your area, just one you have noticed besides any you practice). For example, in Cincinnati, Ohio we have Hindu, Greek Orthodox, Catholic festivals in the summer. So if my category were “Festivals and Celebrations” I could use those events as my example.
- Use at least three (3) quality resources as references for the assignment and document your sources using APA Style for in-text citations and references. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.
- Write clearly and coherently using correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, and mechanics.
Expert answer:
Nature of God in Hinduism
Nature of God is a category that has been studied widely across many religions and has raised many questions among theologians and philosophers on what form does God take (Chrysostom, 2010). My rationale is, therefore, to try to understand how faith and reasoning can be reconciled. There is a school of thought stating that belief in God is opposed to logic while others are of a different opinion. This article has focused on this category from Hinduism point of view. Hinduism is a religion that is derived from Hindu term Brahma that refers to the vastness usually perceived as infinite dimensions Supreme Being.
Unlike other religions, Hinduism does not view the pursuit of wealth as a sin but instead celebrate material things and the pursuit of pleasure, liberation, and power. This closely relates to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs thus making its followers be natural capitalists. Any religion is a strong force in human experience with different religion agendas conflicting with each other. Study of Hinduism assists in looking at the tradition and the foundation of human rights, social justice, tolerance and international peace. Hinduism is more of a culture as opposed to the organized religions like Christianity or Islam.
Many Hindus understand God to be Brahman or the Infinite.
Significance of Nature of God
Each individual is understood to be an embodied of the all divine aspects in Hinduism. Application of human logical and language to what transcends rational thinking is a paradox that leads to believing God is present in all things while still being highly personal. According to Chrysostom (2010), Hinduism teaches that there only one true god who is a Supreme Spirit called Brahman who is portrayed in many forms usually symbolized by Om and pervades the universe.
Jainism which is closely related to Hinduism does not believe in God supernatural being but believes as God as a perfect being. In Christianity, God is viewed as sovereign, subject to no one and rules with authority and is not questioned (Newbigin, 2008). Every man is God’s creation and s obliged to worship and live according to the word of God which is given in the scriptures contained in the bible. Nature of God is crucial in Christianity as it helps to understand why Christians believe and do what is said in the bible. According to Hinduism, life’s purpose is very straightforward and human ought to give sacrifices to the gods who takes many forms. The philosophy in Hinduism tries to show that the life of a person is more or less microscopic in nature. The focus is more on what one is destined to be as opposed to concentrating on how one came to be. The fundamental law referred to as Karma in Hinduism is regarded as the main conditioning factor as to where one is destined to (Chrysostom, 2010).
Hinduism Practice in Dallas
I noticed Hinduism practice in Dallas through puja which is a religious riteand celebrations that they perform within the community. Although most of the people who practice Hinduism in the United States are immigrant from Asia, they have a lot of influence in Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex (Bauman & Saunders, 2009). Their influence is widely felt in Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex where Hindus have the highest education attainment rates among all the other religious groups; the majority of them hold postgraduate degrees. They strong uphold family values and hence the rates of divorce are low.
It is also evident that they have a high level of income compared to other religious groups in the United States. Economically, Hinduism has established various businesses which are turning to be major sources of incomes and employment. There is, however, misunderstanding with people living within communities where Hinduism is practiced viewing Hindu religious practice in the wrong way (Bauman & Saunders, 2009). An example where the cow is revered as the source of food and should not be killed, however, non-Hindus interpret this to mean that Hindus worship the cow which is not true.
View of God and Evil
Hindus believe that selfish actions are evil and are not acceptable to the Supreme Being. Consequently, they consider selfless actions as good and pleasing to God. According to Hinduism, salvation to them means merging of the earthly soul with a universal soul that happens when a person is freed from the life and death. On how they view afterlife, Hinduism does not pay keen attention to what actually will happen after death. Nevertheless, they believe that the soul of an individual may eternally live forever in a place (Newbigin, (2008).
Examples of Hinduism Practices
Some of the notable Hindu practices and rituals are puja which is meant to mean worship and recitations. It engages the sense of the devotees and the gods. It is performed elaborately in temples where it is led by priests or in a family setting. Puja is performed with an intention of asking Bahman for blessings before undertaking various activities and work. Other practices are rites of passage in families like during marriages (Bauman & Saunders, 2009). Occasionally, Hindus also go for pilgrimages and annual festivities.
References
Chrysostom, S. J. (2010). Fathers of the Church: On the Incomprehensible Nature of God (Vol. 72). CUA Press
Newbigin, L. (2008). The Household of God: Lectures on the Nature of Church. Wipf and Stock Publishers
Bauman, C., & Saunders, J. B. (2009). Out of India: Immigrant Hindus and South Asian Hinduism in the USA. Religion Compass, 3(1), 116-135.
