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Article #333: the Balance in the World of Religions

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The Balance in the world of religions could be argued that, while an aggressive
Each religion including that of Islam needed to be opposed, a peaceful
Christianity, Buddhism and Islam had its Islam was impotent and only fit for
particular impact on the very essence of cultural improvement.
the word, shaping its culture, politics, On the other hand, the role of force in
science, social life according to the Islam could be down-played. From the
main prerogatives of the religions middle of the seventeenth century there
mentioned. Moreover, religions had, I had been those who decried it as a vulgar
would say, the most important influence opinion that Muhammad spread the faith by
on history. It is due the conflict the sword. [Tailor.T, 1868].
between Christianity and Islam the To cover Islam from the perspective of
progress of Western society turned out to cultural, artistic, political and social
be so extensive and deep. It is due to perspective I would like to propose you
Buddhism people try to bring profound the following brief analysis of Islam.
changes to their lives making an effort Cultural tradition: religious enthusiasm,
to free themselves from negative argument concerning the relative truth of
influence of the society they live in. Islam
Buddhism Artistic traditions: dominance of
As the religion of more than 90 per cent religious contest in all kinds of
of Thailand's population, Buddhism became artistic traditions
one of the three pillars of the national Political system: justified use of
ideology, alongside the monarchy and the force, mission of spreading the faith,
nation. Since the very beginnings of imperial confidence in the virtue of
Buddhism in Thailand in the thirteenth Islamic culture, radical political and
century, it has always been closely social implications, the image of Islam
linked with the state, and specifically as a religion of force, the political
with the king in the form of the decrepitude and moral and social evils
dhammaraja (Dharma ruler or just ruler). Social system: secular and religious
Buddhists stress the personal choice of patronage, the moral degradation of
the individual or family when it comes to women, slavery, the physical and mental
religion. No religion is superior to debilities of men, envy, violence and
another: the goal of all religions is cruelty, the disquiet and misery of
identical--to lead a moral life--and private life, the continual agitations,
converting others to Buddhism is not commotions, and revolutions of public
given much prominence. life.
Buddhism in the age of Asoka had made According to Smith Islam and scientific
universal claims to the allegiance of and political progress are incompatible.
man. Eventually, allegiance or commitment Thus, Islam was often seen as the source
would become the major feature of other of all the evils which, in the western
religions such as Christianity and Islam imagination at least, had afflicted
Christianity unjustified use of force. Islamic societies. It was Islam,
The Christians are convinced that theirs extravagant but not progressive, that had
is the way of ultimate truth. For relieved the eastern mind from the
Protestants even more than for Catholics, discipline of improving itself, and had
Christianity is seen as superior to all left it in its preferred state of untamed
other religions. wildness. Islam and scientific and
Christianity has become the religion of political progress are incompatible, as
dogmas. However, divided by heresy and Christianity and scientific and political
factionalism, and permeated by impiety, progress are not incompatible". [Smith
inequity, iniquity and idolatry B., 1995]
Christianity was near to lose its Consequently, Islamic religion can be
humanistic nature. Still, the image characterized by
Christianity as a vibrant, active, 1.Blind devotion to Muhammad
progressive was a good contrast to a 2.The presence of Islamic fatalism.
passive inert Islam. This was one of the 3.religious intolerance
factors that enabled religious and 4.political despotism
political hegemony of Western culture. Despotism.
These were common definitions of The perceived relationship between Islam
differences between these two religions. and despotism has always been the
Edward Freeman, for example, defined the landmark of many disputes. However, I
west as progressive, legal, monogamous would again refer to Bosworth Smith, who
and Christian, and the East as arbitrary, considered that it to be wrong to judge
stationary, polygamous and Mahometan. To Islam in terms of despotism as well as
William Muir, Islam may have been Christianity in terms of Anabaptists,
suitable to the Arabia of the time of Pillar Saints, or Shakers. Consequently,
Muhammad, but quite unsuited to other a strong tendency to evaluate Islam as
times and places: "it binds society hand the source of all evil is a mistake.
and foot", he declared. [Smith B, 1995]. It is quite visible that there are
So, my evaluation of Christianity as a significant differences in the cultures
religion would look as follows. of different religious societies.
Cultural tradition: no religious However, my reading the book by Herb
enthusiasm, argument concerning the Ziegler Traditions & Encounters: A Global
relative truth Christianity Perspective on the Past has helped me to
Artistic traditions: partial religious shape my perception of history as
contest in all kinds of artistic connection of "complex societies"[Ziegler
traditions, the prevalence of secular H.,2005] that eventually is an inevitable
traditions over religious ones process for coexistence of different
Political system: Legal basis worlds and ways of life. However, the
Social system: secular and religious most controversial issue in this aspect
patronage, the moral value of women, is religion.
slavery, , violence and cruelty, 6
revolutions of public life. Conclusion.
Islam as religion of enthusiasm The world religions (Buddhism,
In the later part of the eighteenth and Christianity, Islam) created the history
into the nineteenth century, religious and shaped it in the way of continuous
enthusiasm no longer carried the radical contest the outcome of which is the
political and social implications it had society we are having now as it has been
held during Commonwealth and Restoration stated in my paper. My research also
times. It was more often viewed as proved that each religion is unique in
potentially self-deceptive than socially its own way, and is build upon long-term
disruptive. As Nathan Alcock put it in traditions. In fact, all religions has
1796: "Enthusiasm may cause a man to both positive and negative sides.
deceive himself, and take his own fancies Eventually, neither of religions could be
and conceptions for divine suggestions. defined as right or wrong. That is why
This probably was the case with Mahomet everyone must be aware f other
and the success of his enterprises [sic] civilization's presence and its cultural,
might still further persuade him that his social and political values.
cause was the cause of God." [Thomas Consequently, the rivalry between this
Alcock T.,, 1796] West and that East--between the West and
In the Victorian period, the cultural Islam--is natural rivalry of two
hegemony of west over east allowed for different systems each of which has
modifications to the image of Islam as a strong demand for world dominance.
religion of force. On the one hand it






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