Hinduism and Christianity are religions which are among the five major religions in the
\nworld. They are practiced and have presence in almost every region in the world. Hinduism is
\nmajorly practiced in India and originates from there as well. Christianity on the other hand
\ntraces its origin to the Middle East (Province of Judea) contrary to Hinduism; Christianity is<\/p>\n
\npracticed in almost all the continents with the west and the Middle East commanding a major
\nfollowing. Further, the two religions are considered to spread faster and receive entry into new
\nregions than other major religions. This essay seeks to explore these two religions by looking at
\nfour factors of concern, i.e. religion and nationalism, life of the founder, value of the material
\nworld, view of afterlife. The four components will be looked into so as to bring out the
\nsimilarities as well as differences that exist between these two regions.
\nHinduism is considered the world oldest religion, there is no exact year on the records as
\nto when it started but it is believed to be more than 400million years old. Hinduism started in
\nIndia with a group people called Aryans. When Aryans Conquered India the mixture of Aryans\u2019
\nreligion and that of the locals resulted in Hinduism. Hindus are majorly polytheists; they worship
\nseveral gods, though some claim to be monotheists, worshipping of other deities in line with
\ntheir main deity is not forbidden (Dhavamony, 2002). Christianity on the other hand started in
\nthe 1 st century in the Middle East presently Israel. The founder of Christianity is Jesus Christ who
\nlived for around thirty years before dying and resurrecting in the third day before going to
\nheaven. It is becoming clear that whereas Hinduism was started by a group of people, Aryans,
\nChristianity was started by one being Jesus Christ.
\nLife of the founder
\nChristianity was founded in 1 st century and it was founded by Jesus Christ who is the son
\nof Trinity, Father, Son, and The Holy Ghost. Hinduism of the other hand has no specific founder;
\nit came about as a result of the invasion of Aryans. Aryans are therefore believed to be the
\noriginators of the Hinduism idea. People of India did not embrace a single god; instead they have
\nseveral gods under their religion, which include; Brahma who is the creator of the world, Vishnu,
\nthe world\u2019s creator, and Siva the world\u2019s destroyer. Hindus Worship and celebrate different
\ndeities on different occasions and seasons. Aryans, which is the critical group that influenced the
\nformation of Hindu according to record about them, exhibited life of seclusion and violence
\n(Dhavamony, 2002). They are recorded to have conquered different kingdoms and chiefdoms on
\ntheir way to central India where the start and the spread of Hindu began at. It believed that in
\nevery community they conquered they thought them to worship their deities. In all the victories
\nthey won, they gave credit to their deities, more specifically, Sativa, who is god the destroyer.
\nContrary to Hinduism experiences and forceful conversion of followers, Christianity is
\nnever forced to people. The founder of Christianity is Jesus Christ who was born and lived in the
\nMiddle East, presently Israel, in the 1 st century. Jesus Christ was born through the conception of
\nthe Holy Spirit. Jesus grew up just like any other child but he had divineness in the way he
\nhandled things, a good example given in the bible is when he was barely eight yet he knew the
\nscriptures. Jesus was crucified and died at the age of thirty, his death lasted for three days before
\nhe resurrected and was he went to heaven. Before he died, Jesus did a lot of miracles including
\nhealing the sick, casting out demons, calming the storm among many other miracles. Christian\u2019s
\nholy book, The Bible, records that Jesus is yet to come for the second time and for this second
\ntime, he is not coming to save but he is coming to judge the world. Christians can be forgiven
\nevery wrongdoing when they confess their sins and proclaim Jesus. Contrary to Christians,
\nHindus believe that their deities cannot forgive a wrong, sin, committed by a human being,
\nHindus holy book, The Vedas, records that a wrong, sin, committed by a human being will be
\nupon them and will come as a judgment in the next life (Dhavamony, 2002).
\nReligion and Nationalism
\nOn the aspect of nationalism, Hinduism has a strong following within the members of the
\nIndian origin. Christianity on the other hand, apart from the religion having its origin in the
\nmiddle east, it has no specific ethnic group or race who claim ownership but it is being practiced
\nall over the world. According to 2013\u2019s report on population of religious groups and their
\nconcentrations, Hindu religion commands a following of about 900million people; Christianity is
\nbeing practiced by more than 2.5 billion people all over the world. The concentration of
\nChristians is spread all over the world across all the continents. Concentration of Hinduism,
\ncontrary to Christianity, has its 95% of its followers in two continents, India, 80% and China,
\nTibet, Taiwan and other Asian countries, 15%. The remaining 5% of the Hindus are spread all
\nover the world (Dhavamony, 2002). Hinduism is practiced majorly by Indians and it is the
\nnational religion of India. Christianity is practiced by almost all races, ethnic groups and tribes.
\nChristianity is a national religion of Vatican with the main Christian Catholic group
\ncommanding the lion\u2019s share of support. In the US most of the Christians belong to the
\nmainstream protestant churches which have some differences of principle with the Roman
\nCatholics which is the national religion of Vatican. The split between the Protestants and the
\nRoman Catholic came about in 15 th century during the times of Martin Luther (Jones, 1898). The
\ncause of the difference has been identified as due to the issues church leadership and procession
\nof worship. Mainstream Protestants believe that they do not have to confess their sins to fellow
\nman (priest) but they ought to confess their sins to Jesus Himself who according to them has a
\ndirect intervention. Hinduism being practiced majorly by people of Indian dissent, it has some
\nstrong has listed some acts as abomination, one of the act is the eating of meat and more
\nspecifically pork. This makes most of the Indians who practice the religion vegetarian by default
\nsince their religion forbids meat eating.
\nValue\/view of the Material world
\nChristians view material world as a blessing from God, according to Christians, When
\nGod created Heaven and Earth He gave man dominion over everything on the surface of the
\nearth, with instructions that he should subdue and make them multiply. It is therefore a strong
\nbelieve to the Christians that everything that is material wise is meant for man\u2019s use. The Holy
\nBible, which is the holy book of Christians, however, cautions Christians against creed and
\nexcessive love for material things. God is to be put above all the material things that man has
\nunder his possession, love for material things above God is termed as a sin according to the
\nChristians holy book The Bible (Worldviews Comparison, 2008).
\nHindus on the other hand to a greater degree agree that material things are given by their
\ngod, who created heaven and earth, referred to as god Brahma. They also believe that for them to
\nlive a good life they must have Karma which is dedication to doing good. According to Hindus
\nholy book Vedas, the source of sufferings and evil in the world is due to man\u2019s quest to satisfy
\ntheir desire for material things (Dhavamony, 2002). They therefore strongly advocate against
\nexcessive strive for material gains so that they cannot partake of the scourge facing others in the
\nworld. According to Hindus material things are given by Brahma. It is therefore the duty of every
\nHindu to ask Brahma for material blessing. Additionally Hindus practice Karma, which is an
\nexercise of depriving oneself the good things and preserving themselves to doing good things to
\nother people apart from taking part in the celebrations of their gods\u2019 holidays.
\nView of the Afterlife
\nChristians believe in life after death so are Hindus on reincarnation. The difference lies in
\nwhat one becomes or goes after death or upon resurrection. According to Christians, there is
\nresurrection of the death and then it is followed by judgment upon which the righteous are taken
\nto heaven while those who died while sinners together with those who are still alive in the time
\nof the resurrection will face eternal condemnation together with the devil, Satan. Hindus believe
\non reincarnation, that one goes through a circle of birth and death (Dhavamony, 2002). Their
\nholy book, Vedas, states that when a man does good deeds while alive upon reaching Karma,
\nhighest level of goodness, he will be reborn a more better being than the one he was before, to
\nthem life never ends. A person who dies after doing a lot of bad and evil in and does not reach
\nKarma, such a person will be reborn in a being of despised animals such a dog or a pig.
\nTo Hindus, some animals that exist in form of despised animals were human who did not
\nattain Karma in the previous life therefore earning them a form of punishment of being born in
\nthat nature. Contrary to Christians, Hindus do not have faith in heaven and hell. Christian
\nbelieve in the presence of heaven and hell, heaven is signifies God\u2019s presence and it is therefore
\na place of righteousness, holiness, and a place of eternal glory (Dhavamony, 2002). Hell on the
\nother hand according to Christians it is a place of mourning, sheer punishment, and eternal
\ncondemnation. Scholars of theological comparative studies have come out strongly to link
\nChristians eternal condemnation to the Hindus punishment meted those who do not meet or
\nperform Karma while they are still alive in the state of human being.
\nThe argument however lacks support from Hindu Gurus and Christian Clergy who
\nsupport the positions within their holy books. Christians believe that after judgment their bodies
\nwill be transformed and they will be given a body that will never die. This form of a being will
\nbe given to both those who will be raptured, taken to heaven, and those who will be eternally
\ncondemned. Those who will be condemned according to Christians will be thrown into the
\neternal fire where they will feel pain eternally. Hindus do not believe in the presence of Satan,
\ninstead when infirmities face human beings, it is due to displeasure of god, Sativa, who is
\nreferred to as god the destroyer of life, this god has a right to take human life at her own
\npleasure.
\nHindus believe that when Sativa is not happy she can only be pleased when she kills the
\nnumber of human beings that will make her happy, sativa can send a fellow human being to
\nexecute fellow human beings as per the Hindus (Dhavamony, 2002). Contrary to the haphazard
\nview and treatment of life by the Hindus, Christians hold life as sacred. Bible terms the taking
\naway of another person\u2019s life a sin and it is only God who can punish such a person. Christians
\nview all sins, wrongs, as similar before the eyes of God, Hindus view wrongdoing differently.
\nAccording to Hindus, when one does lesser wrong, the punishment will be lesser and vice versa.\n<\/div>\n
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