Overall, there exist many religions worldwide, and the religion that one belongs to, shapes their beliefs and views concerning aspects in life. Hinduism and Christianity are amongst these religions with some controversial beliefs. However, it should be noted that both religions believe in a supreme being, who gives and takes away life. For example, Hindus believe in a Supreme god called Brahman, but Brahman can be represented by other small gods (Choudry et al., 2018).
Hinduism is amongst the most ancient religions in the world, and research reveals that the religion has millions of followers. In the afterlife, Hindus believe in a cyclical nature of life, whereby, after one dies, they resurrect in new bodies through reincarnation (Igbo & Ayika, 2021). They believe that Karma decides the body that one partakes, and this is dependent on one’s actions while alive (Igbo & Ayika, 2021). Eventually, they believe that when one achieves Moksha, they get liberated from the cycle, and they go to live with Brahman (Choudry et al., 2018). On the other hand, Christianity is one of the most popular religions, accommodating billions of believers worldwide. Christians also believe in life after death, as it is evident in the resurrection of Christ (Choudry et al., 2018).
They believe that after death, one’s soul is resurrected (Choudry et al., 2018). They also believe that once dead, one’s actions on earth will determine whether they go to hell or heaven, as opposed to the belief of reincarnation in Hinduism. Christians believe that if a person dies when they have accepted Christ in their lives, they will experience eternal life in heaven, whereas sinners will go to hell and burn in eternal fire.
References
Choudry, M., Latif, A., & Warburton, K. G. (2018). An overview of the spiritual importances of end-of-life care among the five major faiths of the United Kingdom. Clinical Medicine, 18(1), 23.
Igbo, P., & Ayika, P. (2021). THE DOCTRINE OF AFTERLIFE IN ANCIENT RELIGIONS VIS-À-VIS THE IGBO NOTION OF REINCARNATION. SIST JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HUMANITIES, 1(1).
REPLY 2
The concept of salvation is present in almost all religions in its distinct way. The primary purpose of all religions is to provide salvation to their followers. The existence of many different religions indicates a great variety of opinions about what constitutes salvation and the means of achieving it. The term salvation can be meaningfully used in connection with so many religions; however, it distinguishes a notion common to men and women of a wide range of cultural traditions.
In Hinduism, salvation is achieved through the liberation of the Atmans’, the individual’s soul, from the cycle of death and rebirth, identified as Samsara, by attaining the highest spiritual state. This state is known as Moksha. Hinduism’s ultimate goal is Moksha, where even hell and heaven are temporary (Basharat, 2018). It is a final release from one’s worldly conception of self. Moksha is achieved when the individual Atman unites with the ground of all being through the practice of Yoga. The three paths or yogas to spiritual fulfillment are jnana (knowledge, insight, wisdom), karma (action), and bhakti (ecstatic devotion) (Partridge, 2018). Some Hindus consider each of the three paths requires exclusive concentration and is sufficient for liberation.
On the other hand, according to Christianity, salvation is God’s grace. It is the gift of freedom from our sins that Jesus made possible by taking the punishment for our sins on the cross. Although Jesus already died for humanity’s salvation, every individual needs to achieve salvation through their actions. Christianity teaches that there will be a day of judgment when everyone will stand before God and have to answer all that we have said and done. Therefore, Christians achieve salvation by performing good works that please God and uplift humanity. The gospel reiterates the essence of good works in the salvation of a person. According to the Bible, God will judge people according to their works’ nature and decide whether to reward eternal life or eternal condemnation (Radmacher, 2000).
Overall, both religions are looking to achieve salvation or Moksha through good work or karma. In essence, every action that a person does determines whether one moves towards Moksha or away from it. Therefore, Hindus achieve the liberation of their souls through karma. Similarly, Christians’ actions determine their salvation in the final judgment. From this perspective, both Hindus and Christians can attain liberation of their souls by performing good works. Conversely, Moksha and salvation have some differences. While a Hindu attains the soul’s liberation after undergoing a series of reincarnations, which entail physical and spiritual processes, a Christian attains liberation after undergoing a spiritual rebirth by believing in Jesus Christ, who provides salvation to all humanity.
References
Basharat, T. (2018). HINDUISM AND CONCEPT OF SALVATION. University of the Punjab, Lahore.
Partridge, C. (2018). A short introduction to world religions. Fortress Press.
Radmacher, E. (2000). Salvation. Thomas Nelson Press.
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