World

Religions
Are they really all the same?
By Cody Moulton

Introduction
The study of world religions shows us all how human we all are in nature. People act and
behave differently in different parts of the world and they do so for different reasons, whether it
is for tradition, culture, necessity, religion, or politics. It is interesting to note, however, that with
religions throughout the world we can find many common principles that most people would
agree to live by to be happy in life. It seems that the biggest differences between us are not the
principles of our most fundamental beliefs, but how we express those principles and what our
religion expects of us. Specifically, we will look at 3 of the largest religions in the world:
Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. We will be able to see how similar each is in principle, but
how different they are in practice.

Who Do They Worship?

First let's identify some basic beliefs. The first question to ask is who does one worship
and why? Hindus do not worship one God, but many different gods representing different things.
These are real beings that live in a much higher reality than we do on the earth, thus their ways
are above ours. There are a few greater gods that they typically would focus their worship on, but
this does not make them exclusive worshipers of those gods; they pay devotions often to multiple
gods. Vishnu, Shiva, and Shakti constitute the 3 gods that the majority of the religion worships
(Fisher, pg. 84). Many times these gods represent all of deity to the Hindus and hold the position
and power of creator, destroyer and preserver.

By appeasing certain gods, Hindus strive to gain the good favor and blessings from them.
They provide offerings of different sorts (fruits, items, incense) to connect with their Gods
through idols and statues, through which it is believed that the Gods can see and connect with
people. The overall reality that is believed to exist by all Hindus is referred to as Brahman. It is
neither male nor female and cannot be comprehended in our illusionary mortal state. It has
always existed and created this world and life for us to live in. It is in all things and everywhere
at all times
Christians worship God the Father of us all and Jesus Christ, who often are assumed to be
the same being in most Christian denominations. Christ is believed to be the form of God as a
man come to the earth to save mortals from their sins and wrongdoings. Jesus taught the gospel
and gave commandments through prophets before he came to the earth and also while he was
here between 4 BCE and 33 CE. He was eventually crucified for his teachings and beliefs, and,
because he was believed to have lived a perfect life, he was able to pay the price of all sins for
everyone who would accept his him. Then would the people be able to live with God again after
they pass away. Christians believe that God will provide help and guidance in their lives, that
they may be cleansed of their sins so that they are not condemned to hell, and able to live their
lives in a joyous and fulfilling way. God is omnipresent through what is referred to as his Spirit.
Muslims worship Allah, who is believed to be the One and only God (Fisher, pg. 387).
They do not believe he came to the earth in the form of a man in any way, but that he has
administered his teachings to the world through prophets, one of who Jesus is recognized as
(though not as the Son of God). The main prophet of Islam is Muhammad who brought the word
of Allah forth in a set of scriptures called the Quran. Allah represents the creator of the people
and the world. He has been consistent in his dealings with the world. He teaches doctrines

through many different prophets and through other religions as well. Muslims pray to Allah at
least 5 structured times each day out of a need for guidance, devotion, and spiritual connection.
Contrary to popular belief, Muslims do not worship Muhammad, though they do revere
him as God's chosen prophet who delivered the word through the Qur'an. This is very important
to distinguish for Muslims as Allah has commanded that he is the only God and none other
should be worshiped, not even in idols. Through their worship of Allah and devotion to the
teachings in the Qur'an, they are guaranteed a place in the afterlife living with Allah once again
in a paradise like state.
We can see that Hindus, Christians, and Muslims all worship a higher power who is often
difficult to understand from a mortal perspective. All three religions believe that their God,
however they may refer to him, is capable of being in everything and aware of everything; God's
divine presence is found in all places in one way or another. Each is recognized as a creator and
provider. It is important for each religion to connect with their God in some way. Christians and
Muslims pray frequently to establish a personal or formal conversation and ask questions.
Hindus pray through their offerings and their idols. They feel connected to their God/Gods as
they focus the mind through different practices such as yoga and mantra, sounds raised to
connect with the ultimate reality. All of these religions rely on their God for peace and guidance
in their life.

How Do They Worship and Why?

Hindus gather often around altars each week to pay their devotions to their gods. There
are meeting places that have multiple statues or images that can focus the Hindu's worship. The

process of worship often consists of washing the idol in water and milk, dressing it very nicely,
and laying many different food and item offerings at its feet all while perform mantras to help
focus the mind (class observation, Temple of Sri Ganesha, February 6th 2016). There is also the
very important practice of yoga that Hindus perform to achieve balance and unity with their true
self (Fisher, pg. 79). The mantras mentioned from earlier also serve the purpose of connecting
with their true selves and the ultimate reality.
Christians attend church at differing times of the week, depending on the denomination.
Some are very informal gatherings and some much more formal. Most believe that there is a day
designated each week as the Sabbath where they should focus their worship of Jesus, typically
Sunday. There is much prayer and teaching from the Holy Bible in these meetings, led by a
pastor who teaches from their scriptures (observation, Taylorsville Rock Church, April 15th
2016). Many offer a communion, or some form of sacrament, that involves the eating of bread
and drinking or wine or water to remind them that Jesus Christ has died for their sins
(observation, LDS Church, April 17th 2016). These practices unify the saints and help Christians
understand Jesus on a much more personal level, so that they may more fully dedicate their lives
to him.
Muslims meet in a Mosque on Fridays in the early afternoon. Each mosque has a wall
facing towards Mecca, a holy place in the Middle East for Muslims. Every time they pray, in
fact, they face towards Mecca. It is symbolic of turning their hearts to God and his prophet
Muhammad. They stand close together in order to stay connected and keep the evil out of their
community (class observation, Khadeeja Mosque, April 15th 2016). Unity is very important in
helping Muslims feel connected to Allah. Each of their 5 structured prayers every day are

performed at the same times, unifying the community of worshipers in their offerings. They, too,
feel connected to Allah as they perform these practices together.
In each of these situations the worshiper is trying to connect on a personal level with their
God. Hindus believe that their God's can see them through the eyes of their statues, and that they
are more capable of making a personal connection with them when using some kind of image.
Christians pray to God to feel his holy spirit, comforting them and letting them know that God is
aware of them and that Jesus Christ has died for them. Muslims face Mecca to symbolically
focus them on God and his scripture and people. Allah is able to speak to their heart and mind
through feelings or teachings. Each of these practices involves a physical action that helps the
worshiper feel connected to some kind of reality of their God. Though the steps to achieving this
connectivity are very different in these religions, they all involve putting up something to the
heavens in order to connect with and feel known by their God.

What is their ultimate goal?

Now lets look at perhaps the biggest picture: what is the end game for each religion? The
ultimate goal for Hindus is to escape the cycle of samsara, which is a constant cycle of birth and
reincarnation if they have not achieved a true connection with the ultimate reality in their life.
When Hindus die after having achieved the level of living that is expected of them, they are
received to the ultimate reality of Brahman. This is referred to as moksha and is not achieved by
doing good deeds and becoming a good person. Rather, a Hindu may achieve moksha through
fully realizing the ultimate and absolute reality. The state of moksha is a state of peace and true
liberation from the pains and misery of life. It is a place of peace (Fisher, pg. 77).

Christians ultimately want to make it to heaven when they die, a place of peace and
happiness where they can live with God forever. In order to make it there, they must be cleansed
of all of their sins. They can become clean through accepting and following Jesus Christ as their
savior, who died to save everyone from their sins. If they want to be saved, they must follow the
commandments and teachings of Christ found in the Holy Bible. Christians are expected to
sacrifice their lives in some way in order to be redeemed by Christ (Fisher, pg. 346). The
alternative to being cleansed by Christ and saved is to be condemned to hell, which is a place of
loneliness and torment. There will be a final judgment to determine where one will end up going
after their mortal life.
Muslims also believe that there will be a final judgment that determines their resting
place. However, they do not believe that there was a savior of any sort who came to the earth and
died for everyones sins that they may be saved. Rather, they believe that only Allah, who is God,
can forgive sin and save them. They are saved by following the teachings of the Quran and other
good deed promoting texts, rejecting evil, and following the example of Muhammad, Allahs
chosen prophet. They are expected to repent of any evil that they have done in order to be
forgiven. The afterlife will be a reflection of our actions in this life. For the faithful, it will be a
Garden of Bliss full of peace, castles, fruits, and many other desirable things, each differing in
closeness with God (Fisher, pg. 391). For sinners it will be a hellish place full of torment and
separation from the worldly things they focused so much on.
It is plain to see that, eventually, everyone wants to achieve a final place of peace and rest
from worldly pains and miseries. It is common in almost every mind on the planet that life has
many beautiful redeeming moments, but that there are many times of misery and pain. Hindus,
Christians, and Muslims all simply want peace in their lives in the hereafter. How they go about

to achieve that final peace and resting place differs greatly. But the sole desire is the same across
the board. This behavior to achieve an afterlife of peace does not stop there for each religion,
however. Each believes that by following their codes, creeds and practices that they can find
peace in their current life here on the earth. The commandments help Christians feel Gods
loving approval. Muslims know that faith in Allah and unity with each other will bring them
happiness. Hindu practices that focus the mind beyond this illusionary state help them feel a
piece of what the ultimate reality truly is.

Conclusion
Depending on how you look at it, you could say that all (or most) religions are the same.
We all desire to achieve a final state of peace and believe that there are certain rules and codes to
keep that will get us there, whatever that may be. It is the human condition to want such a thing.
The practices and beliefs of how to get there are what separate religions from each other. If we
assume that the purpose of all religions is to transform people into someone who can now, or in
the afterlife, feel peace and happiness, then it is easy to see that the ultimate goal of every
religion is the same. By acknowledging this, we can all see the human nature in each other and
respect that desire, drawing us closer together as a human race.

Works Cited
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2.
3.
4.

Fisher, Mary Pat. Living Religions. Boston: Pearson, 2014. Print.

Class Observation, Temple of Sri Ganesha, February 6th 2016
Class Observation, Khadeeja Mosque, April 15th 2016
Observation, Taylorsville Rock Church, April 15th 2016
5. Observation, LDS Church, April 17th 2016