... as a deeper understanding of modern Buddhism. Although I will stick with traditional ideas raised by Buddhism, one detail in the story of Siddartha Guatama must be addressed in order for it to be relevant to the main question being asked: What obstacles would Siddartha Guatama face had he been born in modern day North America. Primarily, it must be recognized that rather than being born into the Hindu religion (which in itself is mystical), Siddartha would have most likely been born into a Christian family. This in itself presents the first obstacle, that being that Christianity is a strictly monotheistic and non-mystical faith. Hence from the outset, although ...

... recieved enlitghtenment. He now understood the cause of suffering. From then on he was known as the Buddha which started the religion, Buddhism. Hindu's beliefs are recorded in sacred texts. The most important being the Vedas and the Upanishads. The Vedas contains eternal thruths that were reveiled to the wise men. The Upanishads helped to explain the ideas that occured in the Vedas. This is somewhat similar to Buddhism being that the Buddah taught others what he learned as he sat under the tree. He called those ideas the four noble truths. The first truth was that suffering was universal. The second was that suffering is caused by desire. The third is that the o ...

... am close to. My parents are quietly disappointed, and some friends have acted self-righteous about their unwavering faiths, while as far as I can see, they preach Christianity, but don't come close to practicing it. Strangers I have met at work ahve invited me to join them in their worship. I get pamphlets on my car, and messages on my answering machine. It seems taht everyone is trying to "save" me. From myself? From eternal damnations? I have a lingering suspicion that I am supposed to bleive in "something", so I try to reach deep within me for some spiritual faith. The futile attempt for absolute truth leaves me feeling frustrated. What the search has le ...

... is called Clermont. Over this Pope Urban II presided, with the Roman bishops and cardinals. This council was a famous one on account of the concourse of both French and German bishops, and of princes as well. Having arranged the matters relating to the Church, the lord pope went forth into a certain spacious plain, for no building was large enough to hold all the people. The pope then, with sweet and persuasive eloquence, addressed those present in words something like the following saying: "Oh, race of Franks, race from across the mountains, race beloved and chosen by God, as is clear from many of your works, set apart from all other nations by the situation o ...

... to the Rich) & (Parable of The Camel and the Eye of a Needle). It is doubtful that these things happened at the same time; however, they are GREY in The Five Gospels anyway ... and probably didn't happen as Mark describes. This brings us to Mark's writing style. Mark seems to "tack-on" sentences to Jesus' teachings to make them more "Christian." This really changes the meaning more than any other tactic! Who knows what Mark may have edited-out to accomplish what he wanted to impress upon his readers? In this, he tries to interpret the meaning of Jesus' actions ... and does this in a misleading way! For example: Mark 2:19, Jesus regarding Fasting. ...

... the meaning behind the passage; 3) relate the verses to similar passages expressed elsewhere by Paul; 4) and lastly to touch upon some of the controversy associated with the verses. 1 Corinthians was written around 54 C.E. and was addressed to the congregation which was made up primarily of gentiles and was located in Corinth. At the time, Corinth was a highly urbanized and religiously diverse city which made it very conducive to the early Christian movement. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians was written as a response to a letter he had received (which did not survive) from the Corinthians in which Paul was asked to settle various disputes that were ...

... Joseph, or cast him away in some far-off land, so that we may have no rivals in our father's love, and after that be honorable men" (Koran 1380). Reuben, one of Joseph's brothers, overheard this, and he delivered him out of their hands; he said, "Let us not kill him" (Genesis 37:21). Joseph is not killed by his brothers, but sold into Egypt. The Bible states Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver while the Koran does not tell of a specific amount. After Joseph was sold into Egypt, both accounts tell of how, his brothers had his clothes stained with an animal's blood and told their father that Joseph was devoured by a wild beast. After Joseph was sold int ...

... Kippers, annually, are the key periods of individual family renewal. These holidays accomplish their goals primarily by lifting the individual out of a routine that controls, too often, deadens daily life." The Sabbat is their weekly ceremony, held Friday evenings, to celebrate the end of a work week. Rosh Hashanah - Yom Kipper is the core that of being on trial for ones life. During that trial one moves from life through death to renewed life. Also discussed in this paper is Hanukkah, the festival of lights. Hanukkah stands for the temple that burned to the ground. The Jewish people only had an oil lamp to provide light for six nights and seven days. Ther ...

... or Sister. The church is a very Holy place and it is taken very serious. There is a lot of praying before mass. Many people pray the Rosary Prayer that is well known among Catholics and many Non-Catholics. There are a wide variety of positions in the Catholic church. You have the Pope and the Bishop and the Priest and many more. Many positions can be taken by parishners. You need only be a faithful Catholic in the church. For example, and alter boy or server can be a young person in the church. THeir job is to assist the priest throughout mass. The hold the prayer book and help prepare the table with the uecherist. You have eucheristic ministers whom help wit ...

... and Calvin held that not mere abuses of the Roman Catholic Church needed correcting, but that the Catholic Church itself was wrong in principle. Luther’’s cause for reformation of 16th century European religion came from his unnatural paranoia that he was damned. He had problems convincing himself that his spirit was pure and that he would go to heaven; internal distress raged within him about the awful omnipotence of God, his own insignificant existence in comparison, and his apprehensiveness of the devil. His personal problems would not yield to the existing manners of assuring oneself that he/she was headed for heaven such as sacraments, alms, prayer attendanc ...