Why it is that Eastern Religions are more spiritual and philosophical...?

Question

Where as western religions are more about laws and conformity?

Was religion always like this in western cultures?

I do mean 'East' like in Asia, not east of the USA. There is a big world outside of America, you know?.

Answer 1

By Western, I believe you meant Judeo Christian and Abrahamic religions. That I believe has to do with how their religious texts were written and past on in history along the Roman Empire as well as different Royalties in power.

As for the East, I take it that you mean the far East such as Buddhism and Hinduism -- not Middle East -- they have laws and conformity too, just that they have never gotten really far with politics or people in power and so their laws were never mixed up in civil laws of society -- at lease not as much as in the European Western culture.

Religion was not like this before the spiritual pagans were chased and almost wiped out by the Roman legions. As for being philosophical, the Greeks with Zeus and Athena came to my mind. We also should not forget about the Native Americans nor of their spiritual ways but they too were virtually wiped out by war and diseases of the White Men.

Eastern religious stories always have princes going into religion and end up giving up their royal family and rule, while the Western world shows you Kings trying to relate to the Pope to gain support and power and conquering the immediate world. Could we therefore say power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely? Eg. GWB

Answer 2

It gets into really basic cultural differences. For example, Western religions--even ones that aren't considered viable by most anymore, like Norse and Egyptian religions--have a linear view of time, as shown by stories about creation and an impending end of the world. Since everything ends, you must do things right *now*. No second chances.

The Eastern view of time is cyclical--no beginning, no end--and most major Eastern religions believe in reincarnation. If you don't get it right this time, you can try again. It's all second chances. The pressure is much lower.

Answer 3

I agree. Eastern religions are about peace and serenity. I do not believe that I ever heard of a Buddhist killing people because he does not agree with their religion or their sexual orientation. Aren't most eastern philosophies older than western religions? The west was expanding so fast and there was competition for the money and the followers. They had to come up with fear to bring them in and keep them. Thus receiving the power and the money that a few craved.

Answer 4

I do not know the reason for this. Easterners from time immemorial concentrated on issues which are spiritual related to (psyche and mind) whys and wherefores of man,how he came about,what is the purpose and where does he ultimately go.? Westerners on the other hand devoted their time to solve practical problems on how to make life easier to live. I am not saying that each of these did not delve in to other sciences. They did. We are talking about focus. As a result of all this,West produced great scientists, warriors, industrial revolution. In the East it was more of the treatises on phylosophy besides arts,poetry,astronomy and such other subjects,and not much work in respect of weapons of war, discoveries and so on.

Answer 5

Because the Eastern people and their cultures are less materialistic. Religion is a cultural and political doctrine that reflects the peoples who created it. The objective, i.e culturally uncoditioned Truth about God, the Universe, and everynperson's place in it, is Rational Spirituality.

Answer 6

Define eastern. If you are referring to oriental religions such as Buddhism or Shaolin monks then yes, they are more philosophical and spiritual than Western religion because, in my opinion, of simple factors such as age (thousands of years for oriental religion) and environment ( Wild west for north America). If you are referring to Eastern religions such as the Muslim faith than you are mistaken. It is my opinion that middle eastern religions are far less spiritual than their western or Asian counterparts and are focused on inconsequential details of "holy writtings" and " sacred lessons" than the big picture of Love and peace that ALL religions should seek. Western religion is different in its structure...but hopefully not in it's goals.

Answer 7

i'd say a huge section is because they concentration on the right here, the now, and the ideal, at the same time as different religions have a tendency to obsess over stuff that somewhat has no bearing to someone. jap religions also educate the thanks to achieve a more beneficial enlightenment as against "only trust this kind!", and are not absolute conception paths like different religions (you'd be taoist, buddhist, and 10 others at one time)

Answer 8

Most western civilizations, such as Rome, Egypt, and Greece, focused on world domination. The Eastern countries, such as India, Tibet, and Japan, were pretty much self-contained and tried to improve the quality of human life...

Answer 9

It is because they are of the old world while western civilization was separated and created from an industrialize motive.. We in the western world aren’t allow to be in tune with our spirituality due to our government that infringes on this right.. Religion not being in the school is one good example of this.

Answer 10

No, religion was not like this in the Old European system.
Archeological evidence -- dating back thousands of years -- indicates that the Old European system was goddess-centered and matriarchal and probably peaceful. Pre-Indo-European.