Comparative religion Morality and different religions

Comparative religion Morality and different religions

Christianity (Roman Catholics and Protestants) The word Catholic simply means embracing all. All Christians are Catholic, but those who recognise The Pope as their leader are known as Roman Catholics because the Pope is the Bishop of Rome. Christians are taught that there are 10 main guiding principles to live a moral and Christian life. As with all religions or philosophies providing guidance to a moral life, these principles are often used in a flexible way, other than that which is intended. This list of ten commandments is explained below. 1. You shall have no other gods before Me. 2. You shall not make idols. 3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. 4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 5. Honour your father and your mother. 6. You shall not murder. 7. You shall not commit adultery. 8. You shall not steal. 9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour. 10. You shall not covet. In plain English: 1. There s only one God and that s GOD. 2. You must not make dolls to worship instead of God. 3. You must give the name of God significance and importance. 4. Remember the holy day of rest, to concentrate on God and His works. 5. Show great respect and honour to your father and mother. 6. You shall not murder. 7. If you are married, you must not have a sexual relationship with another person. 8. You must not steal. 9. You must not lie to make people think badly of anyone else. 10. You must not wish that you have what other people have. - 2 -

Just as other religions have a moral code, so does Islam. A follower of Islam is called a Muslim. God-consciousness Being aware of God (Allah) is the highest quality of a Muslim: The most honourable among you in the sight of God is the one who is most God-conscious. Humility, modesty, control of passions and desires, truthfulness, integrity, patience, steadfastness, and fulfilling one s promises are moral values which are emphasised in the Holy book of Islam, The Holy Qur an. Islam commands God-conscious men, devoted to their ideals, possessed of piety, abstinence and discipline and uncompromising with falsehood, it induces feelings of moral responsibility and fosters a capacity for self-control. Islam generates kindness, generosity, mercy, sympathy, peace, disinterested goodwill, scrupulous fairness and truthfulness towards all creation in all situations. Social responsibilities Social responsibilities in Islam are based on kindness and consideration of others. The first obligation is to our immediate family - parents, husband or wife and children, then to other relatives, neighbours, friends and acquaintances, orphans and widows, the needy of the community, our fellow Muslims, all our fellow human beings and animals. Parents Respect and care for parents is important in Islamic teaching and is a very important part of a Muslim s expression of faith. Other relatives And render to the relatives their due rights, as (also) to those in need, and to the traveller; and do not squander (waste) your wealth in the manner of a spendthrift. Neighbours The Prophet Mohammed says in the Holy Qur an: He is not a believer who eats his fill when his neighbour beside him is hungry ; and this includes non-muslims as well. According to the Qur an, a Muslim has to use his moral responsibility not only to his parents, relatives and neighbours but to the whole of mankind, animals and trees and plants. For example, hunting of birds and animals for fun is not permitted. Similarly, cutting trees and plants which yield fruit is forbidden unless there is a very great need for it. - 3 -

Hinduism teaches that humans are moral beings who have the responsibility of applying their understanding of their religion to their daily lives. Hindus believe that the supreme reality, Brahman, exists in all things, including the bodies of all individuals. Hindu morality tells us of the importance of understanding and realising this divine presence. Specific Dharma The central principle of Hindu morality is the idea of dharma, which teaches that each person has his own duties and responsibilities in life. Being in different stations of life ( high so or low-so ) means fulfilling the dharma of your position. For example, morality for a child is different from that of an adult and both should fulfil their respective roles. This places a moral emphasis on harmony where all individuals conform to their roles in society. Universal Dharma Although Hinduism teaches that morality is unique to an individual, this does not mean there is no universal dharma that applies to all people. This dharma chiefly consists of service to personal Hindu deities. Moral Hindus worship Hindu deities and perform the necessary religious services, such as prayer. Other virtues, such as honesty and generosity, are also aspects of universal Hindu morality. Karma Hindu morality preaches the importance of action in daily life, and karma is the chief agent of this morality. If an individual acts morally, by helping others, worshiping deities and acting selflessly, they receive positive karma; but when individuals fail to live up to that standard and perform acts motivated by greed or hatred, they receive negative karma. Hindus believe that when good things happen to them, it's a result of positive karma, while bad things happen because of negative karma. The Hindu belief in reincarnation means that karma also extends across lifetimes, and a negative event may be the result of bad karma from a person s previous life. Applications The Hindu religion teaches a number of ethical applications for Hindu morality. For example, Hindu dharma emphasises ahimsa, or non-violence, as any kind of violent act disrupts the moral order. For this reason, when considering the ethics of an act like abortion, Hindus believe in the course that results in the least amount of violence, and generally oppose abortion except in situations where the procedure would save the life of the mother. However, since there is no central Hindu authority or universally recognised text, individual interpretations of Hindu morality sometimes differ. For example, in India, the preference for male children leads some families to practice sex selective abortion. - 4 -

Jainism Jainism also has a set of principles which guide followers through their lives. 1. Ahimsa (non-violence) 2. Anekantvada (multiplicity of views) 3. Aparigraha (non-possessiveness) 4. Non-stealing 5. Brahmacharya The first and the third are quite simple to understand but the second one needs explaining. Difference of viewpoints (how we think about things), often adds to our knowledge and we should decide on our view after hearing different ideas and opinions. If we don t do this, then our conclusions could be biased or incorrect. It proves tolerance for the views of others. The fifth principle, Brahmacharya, depends on which context it s used in. In one context it means the age of between birth and twenty-five, and in a more central context it is about being faithful to a husband or wife, or being celibate when you are unmarried. - 5 -

Humanitarianism The principle of humanitarianism means that all humans shall be treated humanely and equally in all circumstances, by saving lives and stopping suffering, while ensuring respect for the individual. It is the fundamental principle of humanitarian response. Humanitarian Imperative The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief (RC/NGO Code) introduces the concept of the humanitarian imperative, which expands the principle of humanity to include the right to receive and to give humanitarian help. Impartiality Provision of humanitarian help must be impartial and not based on nationality, race, religion, or political point of view. It must be based on need alone. Independence Humanitarian agencies must create and put into action their own policies independently of government policies or actions. A more humanitarian way of life would give us principles similar to those suggested by the Benjamin Franklin. He made this list when he was about 20 years old, and he set out to be morally perfect. He may not have achieved perfection, but he knew his own faults, which is equally important to humanitarianism. Here s a simplified version of the language he used. 1. Temperance. Don t eat until you are more than full; don t drink to get drunk. 2. Silence. Say things which benefit others; avoid nonsense conversation. 3. Order. Be orderly in your life, have routine. 4. Resolution. Be committed to your decisions; perform your commitments. 5. Frugality. Waste nothing. 6. Industry. Always do useful things; stop all unnecessary actions. 7. Sincerity. Don t be deceitful; think and speak innocently. 8. Justice. Do not unfairly blame others do your duty to make sure others get justice. 9. Moderation. Do not do things excessively, but carefully to what you feel is enough. 10. Cleanliness. Be clean in body, clothes and living space. 11. Tranquillity. Don t get angry at small things, or at accidents. 12. Humility. Value others at least as much as yourself. - 6 -