Compare and Contrast Essay Example for Free

Compare and Contrast Essay Religion is a great topic to develop and more when you compare and contrast them. Everyone has different views based on their belief. In this essay Im going to compare two basic religions that are still use in today’s society after so many years of development. These religions are buddhism and christianity. Considered to be the two great distinctive religions of the world, both Buddhism Christianity today covers a large section of the world population with numerous similarities and differences. There are huge differences on this religions that outstand all the others. The existence of a personal creator and Lord is denied by Buddhism. However, Christianity believes in a personal creator and each may have a relationship with the creator, Jesus. Buddhism believes the world operates under natural law and power and Christians believe that there is a divine order to the world. Some in Buddhism deify the Buddha and worship other gods as well. Christianity is clear that a personal God exists but He is to be the only object of worship. Buddist believe that through a blowing out of yourself, freeing you from desire, will you break the cycle of reincarnation. Christianity says that a relationship with God through belief in the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ on the cross is what allows people to go to heaven. This only comes when someone completely trusts in what God has done for us in the person of Jesus Christ. There is no such thing in Buddhism as sin against a supreme being. In Christianity sin is ultimately against God and affects man and this world. According to Buddhist belief, the human life is not consider to have much worth, having only temporary existence. Life is understood in such a way in getting rid of all desire (good and bad) and not placing any value on this life on earth and not to believe there is any eternal soul to a person. In Christianity people are of infinite worth, made in the image of God, and will exist eternally. The human body is a hindrance to the Buddhist while to the Christian it is an instrument for glorifying God as well as God will restore the body of those who commit their lives to him so that they can be in his presence forever. Also there are some things in which Buddhism and Christianity are really similar. Lord Buddha based His ethics on the golden rule, which was for the welfare of the human beings. Christianity, Jesus Christ also preached His ethics as per the golden rule, which was for the welfare of His people and easily approachable. Buddha, the founder of Buddhism rejected extreme asceticism and gave an emphasis on self-liberation through knowledge. On the other hand Jesus Christ also rejected extreme asceticism. The worship in Buddhism includes monasticism, ringing of bells, bowing, use of incense and rosary, erection of towers or stupas, prayers and meditation. Similarly, the Christians also follow almost same form of worship Monasticism, Confession, the cult of images, ringing of bells, use of rosary and incense and the erection of towers. The Buddhist doctrine gives an emphasis on love for the entire mankind and every other beings as well, no matter whether the being is a friend or an enemy!. The Christian doctrine is also based on the principle of Love the neighbour like into yourself, which means that love should be showered upon not only your friends, but the entire beings. In conclusion buddhism and christianity like any other religion have their similarities and their own differences.