Class: Global Studies, Hunter Collage High School, NYC
Grade recieved: A-
Teacher Comments: Good ideas, nicely expresse. I like your discussion with your friend best. Ad more details in your analysis. 12/21/98

In a disscusion with a friend of mine, we spoke of the differences between the dominant western religion of Christianity and Eastern religions. The Eastern beliefs of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism having no gods, and have not been completely reconized as religions or even as positive influences.

My friend, who believed in Christianity, as well as many others, see these as pessimistic and morbid. How negative can these beliefs be, I ask her, if you consider the demands and realities of the Christian God.

To worship any other god is to sin, for it is said that God is a jealous god. I ask her then, why would He forbid you if He is all there is? Why would this be alright if you insist on God's perfection, yet state that God is jealous? Is this implying that jealousy is good? She answered that she did not know, and that God must know, because he is all knowing, and that she, herself is not perfect. Still yet, man is made in the image of God.

My friend stated that since she believes her religion, all it's teachings are the only and absolute truth, so to her, they are facts. Therefore all others are completely wrong. I believe that all the religions of the world are only mislead presentations of the same ideas. And as time passed by, the natural human need to change facts and stories, evolved into clouded versions of the truth. Almost as in a game of 'Telephone.'

The belief of reincarnation in Buddhism is the notion of being born many times over. The goal is to continue in its cycle until enlightenment is reached, can be called morbid. I can understand that. It seems very sad, scarey even, to have to be born restless amount of times; to seek out something that may not come; all without the guidence of a greater source of power, God. One thing that this seems to allow is freedom, and many chances to make mistakes and learn from them. Christianity offers but one chance to prove yourself worthy, or to spend eternity in Hell, though God says He loves you; though Christ says he forgives all and is the savior.

Reincarnation is also a well thought outattempt to try to explain life. But then again, doesn't all religion AND science? It appears that human nature is to want to know everything. But we also want a great power to believe in; something that requires faith; something to keep us all in order. Government, perhaps, or may be family. We want role for each of us to play.

Confucianism promotes this lifetime. It wants to enhance the quality of life, to be polite and proper. It addresses society and man, and not nature and man. It teaches that if all rules are followed, all will be well.

This resembles a threat. Live like you are told, or suffer the consequences. It emerges very similarly to the Heaven/Hell situation in my opinion.

The importance of natural forces in Taoism can be called the opposite of Confusianism. It has an "anti-social" belief of a corrupt society.

However, it assumes no violence in nature, it presumes stillness in people and it encourages honesty. It says that the best ruler is one who rules by example and takes no credit. Confucianism stresses the way you act when there is no one to observe and judge you. Christianity preaches charity and honesty. I can observe a definite pattern.

Yin and Yang sentiment is relevant to all three eastern doctrines. Yin is the representation of the male figure, hot, ascending, and the sun. Yang is symbolic of the female figure, cool, descending, and the moon. Two abstract fish symbolize the emblem of Yin and Yang in a head-to-tail cycle. One is black and the other white, with a dot of the opposite color in the center. There is balance and equality: for which Buddhism lectures the Middle Way-moderation in all things, to attain salvation; balance is emphasis for the perfect society of Confucianism; Taoism's notion of natures characteristic balancing act.

Every system disscussed here share, borrow and influence each other, weither or not they admit to it. The majority of current Buddhists submit to the Buddhist Mahayana ideal. Thought of liberation for all beings and the notions of gods were originally from Hinduism. I conclude that all religions have the same primary ideas, but the embellishment added by man has kept them out of perspective for so long, leading to misunderstandings and arguments. Certainly, there have been many like the one I had with my friend. I think that we must some day look beyond these and find our way to whatever we believe we will go to. I believe there is something out there, and one day we will all find out what exactly that is.