Some contend that humans require religion to be moral, to instill in them a sense of right and evil, and to motivate them to act morally. It penalizes bad behavior and establishes a standard for good behavior. Others might contend that morality and happiness can be attained without religion. Cooperation and advancing the common good are the cornerstones of morality. There are various kinds of character, such as compassion, devotion, fairness, fearlessness, regard, justice, and property rights, because there are many different kinds of cooperation. Good and terrible human behavior are products of both nature and nurture. How we are raised, the people we interact with, and our culture all impact how we behave. And, while it is typically assumed that “the moral requirements of religion and secular moral requirements are essentially the same” (Wainwright 11), religion and morality are not always related to one another. Religion is far more recent than morality. Long before we became religious, we were moral beings. And other religions might not even be honest.
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all emphasize their unique covenants with God, established through Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, respectively. While acknowledging God’s revelation to and covenant with the Jews, Christianity has generally considered itself as replacing Judaism with the arrival of Jesus. To appease everyone and ensure good fortune, many Buddhists and non-Buddhists hold similar beliefs, worship the same deities, and honor deities from other religions and their ancestral spirits. Christianity urges its adherents to take action to enhance their well-being, just like Buddhism does. Buddhism has a significant devotional component, just like Christianity. Faith in the Buddha is what makes this. Buddhism is apart from other religions in three ways: it does not require belief in a specific God, and it teaches the idea that there is no such thing as a soul or self, which implies that there is no permanent or enduring quality to living things. Scriptures, rituals, holy days, and gathering locations are part of every faith. Each religion instructs its adherents on how to treat other people in the world.
Works Cited
Wainwright, William J. Religion and morality. Routledge, 2017.