What is religion? Is Hinduism a religion in the sense Judaism, Christianity and Islam is understood.?

Answer 1

Religion is ones faith where you follow a set of traditions and disciplines passed on to you by your ancestors. In this sense all these are religions including the Hinduism. But Judaism is based on what Juda the son of Jacob said; Christianity is based on what Christ told to his first 13 disciples and Islam is the faith based on what Muhammad told and written in Quran for having been told by Muhammad.

But in Hinduism it is not any single individual on whose statements the religion is based, rather it is Harischandra, Rama and Krishna, Sudama, Janaka, Viswamitra, Vashistha etc. etc. up to great personalities like Gautama Buddha, Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Sirdi Sai Baba, Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda and Sri Aurobindo etc. etc. like numerous personalities who lived their lives in accordance with the time honored eternal principles of a changing society that constitutes the very basis of Hinduism. The basic tenets of living for a Hindu is Truth, Love and non-violence. Hence, it is called a way of life with out beginning and therefore with out an end. It is also an eclectic culture that accepts the best from all over the world including the scientific inventions and archaeological findings, unlike other dogmas. It considers the whole mankind as a family.

Answer 2

None of these groups were intended to form religions like they are today. Hinduism is not a religion, but it is a culture. A culture that consists of:

Bhagawat Geetha and Vedas - Spiritual life and solutions
Kamashastra - Sex
Ayur Veda - Health
Ramayana - Kingdom and Ruler's ethicks.
etc. etc.

But unfortunately they also have shaped into todays paganism.

Christianity is a way of life - not a religion. If you read 4 gospels (Mathew - Mark - Luke and John) you will have clear picture of the life of Christ. Just follow that.

Judaism (as I understand from the Old Testament of Bible) was the directives for a group of people in the primitive ages. Like the advises to Children. Don't kill. Don't steal and so on.

Islam just copied most of Judaism and claims to be the undefiled doctrine.

Answer 3

It comes down to your definition of religion. In a world religions course I took once, it (religion) was defined as "the feeling of awe experienced in the presence of the divine." As a construction which professes to inspire that feeling in practice, I would say Hinduism can be understood in the same way. It's polytheistic rather than monotheistic, but that's not a part of the definition, so that doesn't matter. Also, the end goal in Hindusim, that is to be one with Brahman isn't that dissimilar from the concept of an afterlife with God. Shift in consciousness maybe, but still part of a "soul" theory.

Answer 4

Well it's not monotheistic if that's what you mean, but that's not a qualification for being a religion.

Nor, despite what the previous answerer wrote, is believing in Jesus and all that other xtian baggage.

But yeah, Hinduism is a religion. It has gods, worshipping, morality enforcement, goofy beliefs, and all the rest that define a religion.

Answer 5

(James) 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.
And how can this be?
(John 3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life................Believe in him means to do. What did he want you to do? Know him and his ways. Love him with all your heart, mind and spirit. Accept his son as your savior and King/Lord. Believe he rose from the dead. Be sorroful of your wrong and do them no more. Repentive (change your mind about your lifestyle) Be bapitsed and recieve the Holy spirit. Do as he asks you to do. If you open your heart to him you can hear him deep in your mind. Wright from wrong. He will never tell you to do wrong. To know this is to study his word.
God already ansewered this one.
As to Hinduisum? Stone and wooden gods and man as perfect on his own.

Answer 6

Yes.