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80 Fun Differences Between Religions

Eighty-something differences and similarities between religions

Religious doctrines are hardly ever tick-box friendly. There are many ifs and buts, and different schools.

Here, we ticked ✓ when a religion's scriptures agree.

List of religions in table

Wayism - (W); Theravada - (Ther); Mahayana - (Mah); Pure Land - (PL); Hinduism - (Hin);
Christianity - (Chr); Daoism - (Dao); Islam - (Isl); Judaism - (Jud); New Age (NAge)

List of holy languages

arabic - (a); hebrew - (h); mandarin - (m); pali - (p)

Differences and SimularitiesWTherMahPLHinChrDaoIslJudNAge
God(s) as creator(s) of the universes x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
God(s) as judges, meeting out punishment x x x x x ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ x
God(s) reward people with boons when they are worshipped and praised x x x x ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ x
Gods have a need to be worshipped and praised x x x x ✓ ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Creator God has human-like emotions: anger, wrath, jealousy, etc. x x x x ✓ ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Creator God is on record for ordering believers to murder non-believers x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
God is on record for telling believers to mistreat non-believers x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Creator has a name and a personality x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Creator is a spiritual being x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Creator can be described, known and approached by humans x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Creator cannot be known by humans but universal creative energies can be sensed ✓ x x x ✓ x ✓ x x x
Soul beings and spiritual beings are distinctly different types of beings ✓ ? ? ? ✓ x ✓ x x ?
Spiritual beings are often addressed as gods, devas, devata, apsara, and angels. ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
As Iesous taught, human souls will be reborn as spiritual beings, metamorphosed (as caterpillars change into butterflies) upon enlightenment. ✓ x x x x ✓ x x x x
Belief in Law of Karma ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ x ✓ x x ✓
Law of Karma exacts punishment and reward x ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ x ✓ x x ✓
"Good karma" is brownie points that can be paid to buy "good karma". x ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ x ✓ x x ✓
The Law of Karma is neither good nor bad. It merely creates learning plans for individuals to learn the wisdom to become enlightened. ✓ x x x x x x x x x
Dharma is the Rule of the organization x ✓ ✓ ✓ x x x x x x
Dharma is the duty that follows wisdom ✓ x x x ✓ x x x x x
All people are equal x x x x x ✓ x x x x
All are equal but some will be tortured in hell for a while x ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ x
All are equal but some will be tortured in hell for ever x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Belief in reincarnation (samsara) ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ x ✓ x x x
We have only one life, and one shot at perfection no matter how long we live x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Men and women have equal chances of enlightenment and salvation ✓ x ✓ ✓ x ✓ ✓ x ✓ ✓
Women can go to heaven ✓ x ✓ ✓ x ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ x
Women can be spiritual teachers of men ✓ x x ✓ x ✓? x x x ✓
Women must cover their shame x ✓ ✓ x x ✓ x ✓ x x
Menstruating women are not allowed in shrines and attendance of gods x ✓ ✓ x x x x ✓ x x
Men are set above women in hierarchy x ✓ x x ✓ ✓ x ✓ x x
Congress with a woman can suck Universal Life force from a man x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x x
Contact with a female can "defile" a man x ✓ ✓ x ✓ x x ✓ ✓ x
Semen retention saves a man from being drained by a woman of universal life force x ✓ ✓ x ✓ x ✓ x x x
Spiritual teachers who have congress with women are regarded as fallen and dirty x ✓ ✓ x ✓ ✓ x x x x
Belief that Siddhartha Gautama Buddha is "The Buddha" x ✓ x x x x x x x ✓
Belief that Siddhartha Gautama was a man who became "a Buddha" ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ x x x x ✓
Belief that Iesous is a Buddha who chose to exist as a Bodhisattva to help us rather than be in heaven" ✓ x ✓ ✓ ✓ x x x x ✓
Belief that "a Buddha" is a spiritual being and we all have that potential ✓ x ✓ ✓ ✓ x x x x ✓
Belief that Jesus' second coming was postponed. Paul, Peter and James were mistaken in promising the immanent return of the Lord, as He had promised x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Belief in the coming of Avalokiteshvara, the spiritual being, the Lord Savior of the World in c.75AD ✓ x ✓ ✓ ✓ x ✓ x x x
Belief that the 2nd coming of Jesus was fulfilled as promised in c.75AD ✓ x x x x x x x x x
The human mind takes charge of the soul, or the mind is the soul x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ ✓
Without the human mind, the soul does not exist x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ? ✓
Human souls are entities. We are human souls who sometimes incarnate into human bodies with organic brains. ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ x ✓ x x ✓
The dead human body is resurrected or made anew by God after the Day of judgement, and the soul lives on in that resurected state. x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
There are gender differences in heaven. x x x x x x x ✓ x x
Females can gain, heaven, ahratship, Buddha status, or immortality ✓ x ✓ ✓ x ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Women are not equal to men in heaven x ✓ x x x x x ✓ x x
You have to be a monk to go to heaven x ✓ ? x x x x x x x
Only men can be monks x ✓ ? x x x x x x x
Laypeople can serve monks to gain merits to exchange for a future birth in which they too can become monks x ✓ ✓ x ✓ x x x x x
All people are equal x x x x x ✓ ✓ x x x
All people are not equal. Some are in lower grades of school, they have a long way to go learning the Wisdom of loving-kindness, humility, simplicity and compassion. Others are about to graduate. ✓ x x ✓ ✓ x x x x x
Humility is required for enlightenment ✓ x x ✓ ✓ x ✓ x x x
Knowledge is required for enlightenment x ✓ x x x x x x x x
Simplicity is required for enlightenment ✓ x x x x x x x x x
Compassion is required for enlightenment ✓ x ✓ x x x x x x ✓
Fear of God is all that is required for enlightenment x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Faith in Jesus is all that is required for enlightenment x x x x x ✓ x x x x
All sentient beings, all beings with senses are our siblings and neighbors and must be treated with loving-kindness whether or not they agree with our beliefs and follow our lifestyle ✓ x ✓ ✓ ✓ x x x x ✓
Humans are set above all other beings, by God, for our pleasure and use. x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
We have a duty to convert others to our beliefs x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
God will annihilate all non-believers after the "Day of Judgement". x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
We are the "elect" of God and all non-believers are subject to us. x ? x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Repeating prayers and mantras will bring about salvation and or enlightenment x ✓ ✓ ✓ x x x ✓ x x
Living a full and authentic life in all aspects is a requirement for enlightenment ✓ x x x x x x x x x
Living the sedentary recluse lifestyle is a requirement for enlightenment x ✓ x x x x x x x x
Sensuality and sensuousness are requirements for enlightenment ✓ x x x x x x x x x
We are spiritual beings who merely forgot that fact and the sooner we remember, the sooner we go to heaven x x x x x x x x x ✓
We are heroes, and superstars, the best people we can be, gods and goddesses x x x x x x x x x ✓
Positive thinking alone will bring about enlightenment x x x x x x x x x ✓
Our Community is our sangha, our resource, a group of believers x ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ x
Our Community is all sentient beings with whom we share space on earth ✓ x   x x x x x x ✓
We are not allowed to stand by idly in the face of injustice, we are called to change the world for the benefit of all humankind ✓ x x x ✓ x x x x x
The human mind is the soul x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ ✓
Chakras are soul minds ✓ x x x ✓ x x x x x
Pushing Kundalini up the chakras can result in enlightenment x x x x ✓ x x x x ✓
Yoga stretching exercises and meditation can lead to enlightenment x x x x x x x x x ✓
Opening of the "third eye" can be done by a ritual or magic mantra x x x x ✓? x x x x ✓
Karman Meditation is the best soul maintenance system ✓ x x x ✓ x ✓ x x ✓
One holy language x p x x x x m a h x
Our doctrines and Scriptures are from God x x x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Our Scriptures are infallible x ✓ x x x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
Our doctrines are near infallible and sacrosanct x ✓ ✓ ✓ x ✓ x ✓ ✓ x
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