Analyzing Religions: Buddhism and Mormon - Research Paper Example

The paper "Analyzing Religions: Buddhism and Mormon" is a wonderful example of a research paper on religion and theology. Religion is the dogmatic belief in the existence of a supreme being or certain outlined teachings. In many countries, every citizen has the right to freedom. This means that no restriction whatsoever is made on the best type of religion or the religion that people should subscribe to. In this paper, Buddhism and Mormon will be discussed from all angles to establish their relations and if how similar they are.

Also, this paper seeks to trace the history of the two religions as it establishes the details of initial leaders of the movements and trace the spread of the two religions. It’s again important to follow the findings of this paper because of its authentic research methods in trying to touch on unfolded religious mysteries which may in one way or the other affect the functionality of the two religions. Whether there exists any relationship between the belief systems and practices is what this paper is going to bring to the limelight.

Buddhism subscribes to Siddhartha Gautama who is commonly known as Buddha which means the awakened one where it encompasses a wide range of traditions, beliefs, and practices initially outlined by Buddha (Erricker, 2005) Mormon, on the other hand, is related to Mormonism which is the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity founded by Joseph Smith in New York during the 1820s. HISTORY OF THE RELIGIONS From the above arguments, Buddhism is said to have been founded between the 6th and 4th centuries BC by the enlightened teacher, Gautama.

Gautama is said to have lived and taught in the eastern part of the Indian continent around 6th - 4th BC where he is recognized by other Buddhists as an awakened teacher who edged out suffering from sentient beings by the elimination of ignorance and craving. Through his teachings which were considered as realistic, the ultimate goal of Buddhism was the attainment of the sublime state of Nirvana and it is within the process of imparting this and other pieces of information to the people that Buddhism found its way to official formation.

Mormon was initiated in the 1820s by Joseph Smith in New York. However, after Smith’s death in 1844, the Mormons through Brigham Young what would become the Utah State as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Joseph Smith like the Buddha initiated ways through which his followers would reach Zion. Surprisingly, in his narration of how this religion was formed, Smith said that an angel directed him to a buried book written on golden plates and was called the Book of Mormons named after Mormon who was an ancient prophet-historian (Smith, 2009).

The unity of the Mormons has now been compromised as some are independent and others are non-practicing of the religion’s beliefs. From the start of events, Mormons have tried to establish what is referred to as Zion which is a Utopian society for the righteous. RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES, BELIEF SYSTEMS, AND PRACTICES Buddhism confines itself within the practice of the three jewels which are the Buddha, the Dharma (teachings) and the Sangha (community). One very consistent belief held by the Buddhists is the lack of a Creator deity.

Other practices may include following the ethical precepts and support of the monastic community. The main concepts which are followed by this religion are Karma, Samsara and the Rebirth. Isolation in Utah had led the Mormons to create a culture of their own where Mormons converts are expected to go through where they undergo lifestyle changes, repent their sins, and adopt some foreign standards relating to conduct. They use the scriptures (The Book of Mormon), daily prayers, fasting, attending Sunday services and refraining from work on Sundays when possible.

THE ROLE OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS Religious leaders almost play the same role in the two religions. They are revered icons who earn and demand respect from their devotees and new converts and are regularly appreciated for their achievements. The devotees, on the other hand, are urged to hold on to thy teachings and remain strong without getting swayed by external forces. THE RELIGIONS PERCEPTION ON SOCIAL NORMS Buddhism’s concept of liberation which is called Nirvana is the goal of the Buddhist path closely related to overcoming ignorance which is a big headache to the society.

Mormonism discourages working on Sundays as it limits the amount of time that one should accord to God. CO-EXISTENCE OF THE RELIGIONS IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD By the late middle ages, Buddhism, for example, had become extinct in India but now is gaining popularity because the religion has accommodated the use of new technology which is a game-changer. They are also receiving funds from Governments for the creation of new structures and shrines. Mormonism is also not staggering in the dark. The Mormon Tabernacle Church in 1929, for instance, began broadcasting a weekly performance on the local radio.

In as much as conflicts must be present, the world we are in today is an informed world where each person does know of their rights and freedoms.