The image is only a sample of religious texts, most agreeing although each claiming to be the original form of religion.
The Tao, 400BC studied in Chinese culture basic rules of living in harmony with nature written as the path or flow of life.
“Confucius says” a popular saying usually in joke form, but the book (one of many) “The Analects” written 475-221BC repeats the golden rule, kindness, sincerity, harmony righteousness in personal and governmental morality.
The old and new testaments, the Old Testament being the Christian biblical canon, primarily based on the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible. It has 46, 49, or 39 books depending on which religion – Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant. This raises a curious question, why are there so many divisions for supposedly one rule, that there is one god, but… The Old Testament basic tenet is salvation, redemption, divine judgment, obedience, and disobedience, faith and lack of, strong emphasis…ritual purity which god demands. This includes evil, sexual morality, etc.
Do you agree with my view? The testaments do not simply say, treat others…but demand their version of rules and what is evil and punishment from a god they devise as a white old man in a golden chair? I will not compare this image to the current leader of my country, who considers himself a – I will not, hmmm…
In the Quran we again see the basic principles of justice, kindness to parents, honesty, ethical living, etc. Added is the absolute oneness of god, Tawheed. The ethics are similar to the first two books I present here but with the addition of the principle – submission to divine will.
I end here with the last text you see in the image, Hindu Texts, which includes historical literature related to Hinduism. Some texts are written in Sanskrit around 500BC and some were verbally passed on. Some basic tenets of Hinduism is that every living creature has a soul. This soul reincarnates into a new body depending on its life experience which reflects their karma, good or evil.
I have tried to offer a few words on my own views of organized religion and hope I have not misconstrued facts I may be biased on. I also hope I have raised a few questions on your own beliefs, but I am not criticizing your personal principles. My belief is in the basic golden rule which I think is the basis for most religions, even if some persons stretch this to ignoble ideas and actions.
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MTB: Poems of Questions (No Answers)
The Bag Lady 