Kris Jordan

The monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam resemble each other when compared with the teachings of Buddhism. The three monotheistic religions contain similar propositions and share many prophets but contrast each other in practices and the central prophetic figure. Buddhism, on the other hand, shies away from the concepts of monotheism by focusing on the importance of self.

My difficulty finding resonance with Christianity as well as Judaism and Islam, I believe, is rooted in the assertions of who prophets were and who prophets weren’t. Jewish followers do not see Jesus as a prophet. Christians and Muslims do. Christians do not consider Muhammad a prophet. Muslims do. By disputing who delivers the word of God, the true word of God is also disputed which gives rise to other fundamental differences. There are subsequently many practices which also uniquely characterize each religion, such as Islam’s Five Pillars, but essentially the dispute lies at the question of ,“Who did God really really send to deliver his word?” My difficulty with these religions lies in my question of, “How do I know and how can I rely on the collective decision of the people who originally declared each prophet a prophet?” The nature of these two questions, which I have yet to see an unbiased answer for, also highlights the absurdity of each religion’s absoluteness.

Buddhism, disparate of the others in the importance of self does not have a prophet. Rather, Siddhartha Guatama (Buddha) is a model figure for how to live. Stress is placed not on the past and afterlife, but rather on the perfection of human existence. Its axioms create a self-powered cycle of thinking, saying, doing, understanding, and thinking again. More simplistic in design, I find appeal in Buddhism because it emphasizes so little on the belief in historical peoples and figures of imagination.

Why have the greatest religious hatreds been felt between three religions who disagree over the authenticity of some prophets but all agree on the actuality of others? I do not know. One would think the biggest problems would arise between the monotheistic and Buddhist or Hindu. There is hope, however, in the one theme shared by every religion. A theme of love and compassion for others. I have hope that, with time, the focus on an absoluteness of an unprovable past and unprovable future will loosen up and shift to a heartfelt focus on a provable power, the power of love.