Journal 2: Some Valued Moral Systems

The Three Most Important Ideas:

I find that the key idea in the section is the similarity between Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, and Confucianism in respect to their principle moral guidelines.  Each religion or philosophy emphasizes living morally. Buddhism teaches through the Eightfold Path: right views, right thoughts, right speech, right conduct, right livlihood, right effort, right mindulness, and right concentration guide people's actions.  The comprable teaching in Confucianism are the four key virtues: Jen, Chun Tzu, Li, and Te.   These emphasize selflessness, goodness, benevolence, and virtues.  Islam and Judaism have Holy Books that define their Faith and their lives.  Islam has the Qur'an and Judaism has the Torah.

1.  Buddhism's Four Noble Truths center around the idea of suffering.  The first outlines that suffering is an essential part of humanity and that it is unavoidable.  The second states that the origin of suffering is attachement to anything we put a degree of trust in.  The Third goes on to say suffering will be relieved when Nirvana is acheived.  Finally, this is possible by living out the Eightfold Path. 2.  The Golden Rule in Confucianism describes a superb moral code that all peoples should take into consideration.  It essentially resembles the Christian proverb, "treat others as you would like to be treated."  It is a great saying because it allows people to better look at their own actions and how they treat others. 3. The central teachings of Islam are the Five Pilliars of Faith.  They are the profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and pilgrimage.  The profession of faith states that Allah is God and Muhammad is a prophet.  Prayer has to be done five times a day in the direction of Mecca.  For Almsgiving, an annual yearly, monetary contribution must be made to aid the poor.  Fasting from dawn to dusk shows Muslim's devotion and it also reminds them of the poor.  Finally, Muslims are called to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives if they are physically capable.

-An image that reminds me of morality, and Islam in particualar, is this calligraphic rendering of the word Allah.  Pictures representing Allah, God, are forbidden, but the meaning is the same regardless of the medium.  Although our Faiths are different in many aspects the message of how to live moral lives isn't different.

Picture Link

-A question that comes to mind after studying this section  is, why are there so many different religions that teach basically the same things?  Can't religion be universal?

-I have learned that I should better accept world religions and realize that they really aren't too different from my own.  I need to respect and acknowledge there validity.