In fifteen pages Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism are examined in a consideration of their similarities and differences. Thirteen sources are cited in the bibliography.
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Buddhism clearly illustrating this dichotomy. The two religions share many of the same fundamental beliefs with regard to the world as a whole, encompassing family, religion, male domination, modernity
and mysticism, yet there are also significant differences within those subgroups that place Judaism and Buddhism at opposite ends of the spectrum. At the heart of both Judaism and
Buddhism is the doctrine of peace and kindness toward all living beings. While Judaism believes strongly in the presence of God (Schechter, 2002), Buddhism does not place their belief
in any one entity; rather, Buddhists believe there is no divine creator, that the universe is self-existent without benefit of beginning or end. Their notion is that there exists
a cyclical recurrence of change that is demonstrated through continual destruction and resurgence. "What comes into being must suffer destruction and what faces annihilation must come back again" (Shaikh,
2002). Contrarily, Jews place God at the forefront of their religion, going so far as to believe that the God of Israel will
come to be the "God of the whole world" (Schechter, 2002). So steadfast and unshaken in confidence are they in their conviction that their God will ultimately rule the
world, that the Jews have established the doctrines of faith and hope as the "two most prominent characteristics of Judaism" (Schechter, 2002). Buddhism
decrees outright respect for every living being no matter whether that being is human, animal or otherwise. To Buddhists, all life has meaning and worth, and is deserving of
the utmost respect. While the Jews possess a reverence for all of Gods creatures, as well, it is nothing in comparison to the extent of Buddhism. Buddhists abhor