Some similar facts that all religions preach in unison
> Rivers, ponds, lakes, and streams - they all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do - they all contain truths. Muhammad Ali
That’s a powerful quote, isn’t it? Indeed, it is – it sums up the very fact of the basis of each religion – truth about this world, truth about every being, the truth about everything that happens.
Even if you are an atheist or a devotee of your religion’s lord, every religion teaches us some kind of wisdom that has been passed down from ages immemorial.
Sacred texts found from all over the world have shown us one thing – religions don’t preach mumbo-jumbo – they have substance with some universally applicable teachings that have stood the test of time.
In this article, we aim to decipher the similarities between each major world religion and how they preach the same thing in a different manner.
Before we begin, let’s enlist the similar tenets of every religion
- Each religion talks about its community and how that community through the way of spirituality (one true god) founds its way of life.
- Each religion teaches you to treat one another with the utmost respect, even in times of apathy and danger.
- Each religion beckons you to find your purpose in life – something without which your life is either futile or meaningless.
Here are the similarities within each major religion’s teachings we have found
THE GOLDEN RULE OF EQUALITY
The ‘universal truth’ teaches us that we should treat others in such a manner as we would want to be treated by them. All religions say this because equality is a basic necessity for humanity to survive. If we discriminate, we perish.
Judaism – The Talmud says – ‘What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary.’
Hinduism – The Mahabharata has a line, ‘This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you.’
Islam – A Sunnah in The Holy Quran says – ‘No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.’
Christianity – A Bible verse says, ‘Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord.’
Buddhism – The Samyutta Nikaya says, ‘When watching after yourself, you watch after others. When watching after others, you watch after yourself.’
BELIEVING IN THE ONE TRUE GOD
Though religious scriptures have been penned down by man himself – each scripture declares with profound respect that no one is above God. All religions believe that the father of all souls is one – the one true God!
Shiva, Allah, Jehovah are one holy deity seen differently by different eyes hence they have different yet similar-sounding names.
God is the only true way to remove us of our sins (ego, lust, attachment, anger, and greed) to help us unite with God himself in heaven where there is one country, one language, one kingdom, one dynasty and one ruler – God. If you don’t believe in God, or the one supreme being, you will one day, when you get to meet your maker.
Judaism – The Talmud says, ‘Just as the soul fills the body, so God fills the world. Just as the soul bears the body, so God endures the world. Just as the soul sees but is not seen, so God sees but is not seen.’
Hinduism – The Bhagavad Gita says that ‘God is the light and Maya(sin) is the darkness. Just as darkness does not have the power to engulf light, similarly Maya can never overcome God.”
Islam – The Holy Quran says, ‘God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. Light upon light! God guides to His Light whom He wills. God strikes parables for people. God has full knowledge of all things.’
Christianity – The Holy Bible says, ‘This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him, there is no darkness at all.’
Buddhism – The Mahaparinibbana Sutta says, ‘If they are neither traceable in the Discourses nor verifiable by the Discipline, one must conclude thus: ‘Certainly, this is not the Blessed One’s utterance’
SEARCHING FOR THE TRUE MEANING OF ONE’S EXISTENCE
Yes, religions preach about the past, present and the future (the afterlife), but the most important fact that religions request us to seek is our true purpose in life. Without a purpose, our life is wasted and futile. Once we set our minds to our chosen purpose in life, our life becomes meaningful, productive, focussed and happy.
Judaism – Rabbi Noah Weinberg says, ‘If you don't know what you're living for, you haven't yet lived.’
Hinduism – The Bhagavad Gita says, ‘You are what you believe in. You become that which you believe you can become.’
Islam – The Holy Quran says, ‘Don’t lose hope nor be sad, be firm and steadfast on the path of deen.’
Christianity – The Holy Bible says, ‘I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.’
Buddhism – The Dhammapada says, ‘Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good.’
As you can see, all major religions of the world preach very similar teachings – equality, the necessity of the belief in God and finding a purpose in life.
Without these three basic teachings sermonized across every religion, the world order would never have been made, and humanity would never have progressed beyond its animalistic instincts. You must realize that there is one thing that separates us from animals – that is spirituality – this spirituality is the gift of God to us.
We hope you liked this article and found it useful! Share the word of God with your friends to get blessings from God himself!
