See notes below

Hinduism and Christianity

Comparison of Hinduism and Christianity

While salvation is something that is offered primarily through the Christian God -- Hinduism seeks a different ideal: liberation from the life cycle -- freedom from samsara: in other words, moksha. Depending upon one's good or bad karma, moksha is either at hand or still at some spiritual distance. This paper will compare and contrast the defining principles of Hinduism with those of Christianity.

In Hinduism, the origin of life is considered to have taken place at the birth of the universe. Just as evolution teaches that life evolved over the ages, Hinduism teaches that life is continually reborn. The goal of life in Hinduism is to be free of the life cycle and ultimately merge with God. As Jack Sikora (2002) states, "Moksha is not equivalent to the Western term/concept of 'salvation;' however, out of convenience many writers…will employ the term 'salvation' to indicate moksha, Nirvana, or some other ultimate spiritual goal" (p. 3). The idea, here, is significant.

Identity in Hinduism is determined by one's dharma. Dharma is like the duty that a Hindu was obligated to undergo -- and it is related to one's karma. One's karma, therefore, in the great cycle of life, could be affected by deeds or misdeeds in this life as well as in one of former times. If, for example, one was of a low caste -- this was the unfortunate result of bad karma -- perhaps the effect of misdeeds of the person in his other life.

The meaning and purpose of Hinduism is to learn to Control one's self and do good which, over time, results in a better karma: thus, through a series of "many incarnations one can master and overcome one's evil tendencies and control one's karma" (Sikora, p. 12). By controlling the karma, one gains liberty of the cycle -- the samsara -- and achieves moksha -- liberation from the life cycle and union with the divinity. This is also the essence of Hinduism's morality.

Hinduism does not acknowledge the "common good." The relation between Brahmin priest and the gods is meant merely to facilitate individuals: the idea of community is nil. If one is suffering -- it is the result of karma; it is his job to bring himself to a better state: no one else can do it for him.

The idea of destiny in the Hindu religion is thus related to the religion's purpose, which is to come finally to union with God. Karma and the unending cycle -- samsara -- hold great sway with the Hindus. The entire religion may be viewed from this aspect.

The question and origin of Christian on the other hand comes from the history of Jesus Christ himself, who life story is preserved in the narrative of the New Testament, and predicted in the narrative of the Old Testament. Followers of Christ, who preaches charity above all things (according to the Pauline gospel), strive to live their lives in accordance with the message of salvation, redemption and charity that Christ taught through his life.

By becoming "like Christ" as St. Paul says to do, followers of Christianity can effect for themselves a new identity. Their religion is meant to transform them into better men and women by identifying with their God. Thus, the meaning and purpose of Christianity is, like in Hinduism, ultimately to come to union with God -- but in Christianity, that union comes through Christ. The goal is Heaven and it is a transcendent spiritual pursuit: it is for the soul to strive upward toward perfection, while struggling with its faults and foibles -- not for the finite to circumnavigate "the race" as the Pauline scriptures describe it for a quicker and less painful finish (1 Co 9:24-27).