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Understanding Hinduism

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Understanding Hinduism

Hinduism is a complex religion. Even its origin is not as specific as others religions like Christianity and Islam. Instead, Hinduism evolved from a host of other religions rather than being founded. And so, you will find many similarities to Hinduism and those religions from which it has evolved. Likewise, you will see similarities in the many religions that have been influenced by Hinduism as well.
Take Christianity, for example. One could argue that much of Christianity originated in India. On the other hand, one could find many just as many differences between Hinduism and Christianity as well. For instance, Hinduism is a polytheistic religion that believes that a supreme being exists in multiple forms including both male and female. Though Christianity believes in a supreme being, the Christian faith is rooted in monotheism. Also, unlike Christianity, “Hindus believe that humans were not created by God, but are an extension of God as are all other things both animate and inanimate.” (Sam, 2010) In addition, rather than thinking of willful wrong-doers as sinners, Hindus believe that those that do wrong are merely living out their karma. With that thought, before we can fully understand Hinduism, we have to take a look at all the stages at the core of the belief.
Karma is one important stage in the Hinduism faith. As mentioned above, karma is not a choice as believed by the Hindu faith. It is the process by which Hindus feel the effects of not only their actions, but the actions of their forefathers as well. It is actually believed that karma fully controls the actions of their lives. In doing so, karma has become the moral law of Hinduism. “What one does or fails to do effects their destiny and the eventual process of reincarnation.” (Fisher, 2005)
That process of reincarnation is called samsara in the western world. Samsara

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