The heart of christianity is love thy neighbor. What is the heart of the other major religions?

What do you mean - the heart of?

I think he means the most basic, major message.

I'd say he's right with Christianity, the underlying message is essentially love.

I have no idea what the others would be. I would assume most are along the lines of "being good".

The central theme of Christianity is not "love". It's love thy neighbor - and love God. Just plain old "love" could mean anything from screw thy neighbor to love thy chocolate ice cream.

I think he means the most basic, major message.

I'd say he's right with Christianity, the underlying message is essentially love.

I have no idea what the others would be. I would assume most are along the lines of "being good".

I think that fundamentally religions are less about the message, but more about the experience, i.e., not dogma, but the religious experience.
So, I'd say, that at the heart of every religion is the experience of the divine.

The central theme of Christianity is not "love". It's love thy neighbor - and love God. Just plain old "love" could mean anything from screw thy neighbor to love thy chocolate ice cream.

So what, we can't cherry-pick our loves? I think the Bibles DOES tell me to love thy peanut-butter cup chocolate and fudge ice cream.

Avatar, what do you mean exactly by 'fundamental religions'? If I take that by the way I understand I'd have to disagree. Fundamental Christianity is 100% about the message. It hangs on every literal word in the Bible.

No, I'm not talking about christianity or any one religion, but them all. And I didn't say fundamental, but fundamentally, what is beyond the dogma and is the power base of any religion.

All religions and cults are united by their members having and striving for religious experience, which in most cases is achieved through ritual, but there are other religious practices as well.

Ooh, I understand. I read that line too quickly!

In that case, I agree.

My question was ambigous. I wasn't asking about a unifying theme of all major religions. I was asking about each particular major religion, and what it's theme was.

Myunnitarianism:

"Greed is good. Or even god! Either way, we're jiggy with it."

~ Reverend Geoff Spanyar Athobetwithim, Myuunitarian Godhead

obey

The central theme of Christianity is not "love". It's love thy neighbor - and love God. Just plain old "love" could mean anything from screw thy neighbor to love thy chocolate ice cream.

then the heart of religion seems to be "god"

BG 18.65: Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.

BG 18.66: Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

So, I'd say, that at the heart of every religion is the experience of the divine.
Far out... I like it


I will agree that the vein of most major religions seems to be Love and devotion to God.

Humm, love... Can't really agree. The only religion which makes a big fuss out of love is Christianity.
About devotion, not in the elemental religions, i.e., where gods are more elemental than personal.

Humm, love... Can't really agree. The only religion which makes a big fuss out of love is Christianity.
About devotion, not in the elemental religions, i.e., where gods are more elemental than personal.

hm, interesting. I am not very familiar with many world religions, was just going on perception. To clarify, though, I was saying Love AND devotion to God (as in Love of God and devotion to God) -- not just Love in general (love thy neighbor, etc). Christianity obviously makes a "big fuss" about loving God, but do other world religions not? Curious, what do you define as the elemental religions?

then the heart of religion seems to be "god"

Isn't this like saying, the heart of cooking seems to be food? Shouldn't there be a defining characteristic of people's relationship with God? Just as in cooking, the food has to be there, but it's how you use the food that defines the meal.

Christianity obviously makes a "big fuss" about loving God, but do other world religions not?
Not really.

Curious, what do you define as the elemental religions?
Like I said, where gods are elemental, not personal. Like Hinduism, traditional Chinese religions, the many pagan/nature religions, ancient Egyptian mythology, etc.

Isn't this like saying, the heart of cooking seems to be food? Shouldn't there be a defining characteristic of people's relationship with God? Just as in cooking, the food has to be there, but it's how you use the food that defines the meal.

No actually its like saying, the heart of cooking is hunger.

The heart of christianity is love thy neighbor. What is the heart of the other major religions?

you mean "burn 'em on a stake when they don't agree with you"

or when they are gay.

Isn't this like saying, the heart of cooking seems to be food? Shouldn't there be a defining characteristic of people's relationship with God? Just as in cooking, the food has to be there, but it's how you use the food that defines the meal.
what would a meal be without food?
what would religion be without god?

you mean "burn 'em on a stake when they don't agree with you"

or when they are gay.

That had nothing to do with Christianity - it had everything to do with humans.
Christianity was an excuse in a grab for power, wealth and influence.

Basic teaching of Buddhism:

Help others, if you don´t help them, at least don´t make them suffer. Meditate for self-knowledge.

Hinduism:

Hindu texts detail four sequential aims – dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. Dharma recommends righteous and regulated living, so that one is able one to acquire wealth, artha. With prosperity one can then enjoy kama, sensual pleasure. When one realises the futility of temporary gratification, one eventually seeks moksha (liberation). Some traditions, particularly of the bhakti school, accept moksha, but point out the selfishness in even desiring liberation. They mention a fifth goal called prema (love of God) or nitya-lila (eternal loving service). Meditate for self-knowledge.

Jainism:

Gods that are tainted with attachment and passion;
having women and weapons by their side, favour some and disfavour some;
such Gods should not be worshipped by those who desire emancipation.

There is nothing mightier in the world than karma; karma tramples down all powers, as an elephant a clump of lotuses.

Siddhahood is the ultimate goal of all souls. There are infinite souls who have become Siddhas and infinite more who will attain this state of liberation.

Meditate for self-knowledge.

That had nothing to do with Christianity - it had everything to do with humans.
Christianity was an excuse in a grab for power, wealth and influence.

They claimed to do it in the name of Christianity, so obviously it had to do with Christianity.

They claimed to do it in the name of Christianity, so obviously it had to do with Christianity.
And John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan because he was obsessed with Jodie Foster - does that mean it's Jodie Foster's fault?
Is it Jesus' fault that some morong firebombed an abortion clinic in his name?
Is it Buddha's fault that the Japanese subways were bombed with sarin gas?

The heart of all the major religions is man's attempt to make sense of the, apparently, very real experiences gone through during the consumption of halucinogenic substances.

It is the origin of the Egyptian ibis-headed, jackal-headed etc. gods. The pharoahs mummies have been found to contain traces of various substances. It would seem that, in Egypt, the leaders were responsible for making those interpretations.

Moses was a member of that family. (Those languages had no vowels, hence M's's, Ram's's, Thothm's's etc.) He took the 'tradition' to Isreal.

John Allegro, he of Dead Sea Scrolls fame, decided that Christianity was based on this; hence his book 'The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross'.

Mohammed retired to a cave to 'Commune with God', a tradition going back at least 34,000 years, hence the old cave paintings around the world, particularly in Europe.

Interestingly it also gives rise to the modern phenomenon of 'Alien Abduction' theories.

There's a most impressive book called 'Supernatural', by Graham Hancock, which explains it all; and much more.

There's a most impressive book called 'Supernatural', by Graham Hancock, which explains it all; and much more.

I think perhaps he was under the influence of halucinogenic substances when he wrote that.

While I will admit that there is an entire book of the Vedas dedicated to Soma (which may or may not be a halucinogenic mushroom)...
There may be some reason to beleive that the ancient Egyptians partook as well...
However:
Buddhism?
Christianity?
Taoism?
Confucianism?
Judaism?
Christianity?

You need to offer up a lot of evidence to back those claims up.

Control.

Buddhism?
Christianity?
Taoism?
Confucianism?
Judaism?
Christianity?

You need to offer up a lot of evidence to back those claims up.

There is a lot of evidence. Its always shouted down. Take Christianity. There is John Allegro's book. The chorus of disapproval from people who had never read it was deafening. Never let the facts get in the way of a good belief!

OK, not facts necessarily, but a good argument worthy of concideration.

There is a lot of evidence.

OK, not facts necessarily, but a good argument worthy of concideration.

For example...

What makes it so convincing?
Give me some evidence.
Convince me the book is worth reading and not a load of crackpot shit from a shroom head.

Take the Egyptians. Traces of cocaine have been found in the mummies. Howls of disapproval from all over the place because it contradicts far too many pre-conceived ideas.

Convince me the book is worth reading and not a load of crackpot shit from a shroom head.


Gosh! A howl of disapproval. John Allegro was the only non-Catholic engaged to help in the translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls because of his outstanding reputation in the field.

Gosh! A howl of disapproval. John Allegro was the only non-Catholic engaged to help in the translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls because of his outstanding reputation in the field.

Do you plan on offering up any evidence for your claims, or are you content with simply stating that there was a book written?
It makes for a very dull discussion.

don't eat from the tree of knowledge, it is forbidden!!

don't eat from the tree of knowledge, it is forbidden!!

What religion ever said that?
Please quote it specifically.

Money.

And John Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan because he was obsessed with Jodie Foster - does that mean it's Jodie Foster's fault?
Is it Jesus' fault that some morong firebombed an abortion clinic in his name?
Is it Buddha's fault that the Japanese subways were bombed with sarin gas?

Religion is a subjective thing, open to interpretation. Thus, just because you don't consider something "Christian" doesn't mean that it can't be Christian.

This thread has become erratic. If anyone wants to discover, what is the heart of the major religions, I suggest you turn to more reasonable and authoritative sources of information - like books on world religions.

Thread closed.