Over the last 269 days I have often quoted the Bible to you as the basis of my reasoning. While it is an essential part of Christianity there are also many other books that presume a proper philosophical way of life. What I would like to do today is give you an overview of other “sacred” manuscripts treasured by religions in the world so my thoughts can be placed into context. Without some sort of context then my use of the Bible would be senseless. The ideas and beliefs of these ideologies try to provide a sense of being and how these societies understand the world surrounding them. While some ascribe a path to the eternal, the majority are philosophical.

1. The Vedas –  are four ancient Indian texts, dating from about 1500 BC to 1200 BC. They are the oldest form of Sanskrit literature as well as the oldest writings of Hinduism. Their mantras are comprised of hymns and prose which are explained by the Brahmanas commentaries, none of which are consistent or similar in structure between their various schools. While the Vedas are traditionally believed to be divinely revealed, they consist primarily of rituals accompanied by myths and legends, some containing philosophy on how to live your life.
2. The Egyptian Book of the Dead – is a compilation of ancient Egyptian funerary texts (1550 BC to 50 BC.) The 192 known magic spells were meant to guard a deceased person on their journey to the underworld (afterlife) and help them avoid the pitfalls and deceptions during the journey. Presently there is NO practical application of these beliefs despite its continued publication.
3. The Upanishads – date, in India, to between 800 BC and 100 BC. They are philosophical texts forming the basis for Hinduism. While there are 200 texts only 13 of them are considered primary teachings. They are designed as truths to illustrate the nature of ultimate reality and the very character and form of human salvation (moksha). They have the following defining characteristics: a) acceptance of a personal god as Ultimate Reality, b) performance of a certain ritual to worship him, c) invocation of his help to attain salvation and d) understanding salvation as uniting with god or attaining a perfect and eternal relationship with him. Though unique from the Vedas, Hindus regard the Upanishads as an extension of the Vedas.
4. Tao Te Ching – is a Chinese text dated to the 6th century BC by the sage Laozi. It has 81 brief chapters and is the foundational text of Taoism which greatly influenced the schools of Legalism, Confucianism, and Chinese Buddhism. It covers sage advice for the rulers to practical lessons for ordinary people but does not identify itself as divinely inspired nor offer eternal direction.
5. The Torah – The first five books of the Old Testament are held sacred by the Jewish people. While Christians maintain that the books were written by Moses at Mount Sanai and during the wanderings of desert, most Jewish historians accept the belief that there were more than one author and that it was written during the 6th century (BC) and finalized in the 2nd century (BC.) While possibly accurate, we know that the Septuagint was translated into Greek in the 3rd century (BC) and other Jewish elucidations on the Torah (Mishnah, Tosefta, Gemara and both the Jerusalem and Babylonian versions of the Talmud) were published during the same time frame. Those facts alone make it hard for me to accept the dating, etc. There is a firm belief in the afterlife (without much dogma), but Judaism is focused on life here and now. Beliefs range from a place similar to Heaven, Gehenom (Purgatory) or a total cessation of existence at death for the wicked.
6. The Bhagavad Gita – dates from the 5th to 2nd century BC. It is a call for selfless action (influencing Mohandas Gandhi.) The text is a variation of the Upanishads in many aspects including its format and philosophy. However, Bhagavad Gita integrates dualism and theism, whereas the Upanishads are monotheistic.
7. Buddist Sutras – were given by Gautama Budda. They were written between the 2nd century BC and the 2nd century AD. The most vital Sutra is the Lotus Sutra which contains a sermon by Buddha to his followers, teaching that there is no God but the Four Noble Truths and Eight-fold Noble path as the key to enlightenment. The word sutra itself means a thread or line that holds ends together (English words “sew” and “suture”), as they were initially written on palm leaves and sewn together with thread. They are philosophical and do not detail an eternal existence.
8. The Quran – Is the religious text of Islam and the only religion of the common era. It uses the Torah’s account and historical roots of the Hebrew people. Its 114 chapters were recited until 20 years after the death of their prophet Muhammad’s death in 632 AD. According to their tradition Muhammed received these words from the Angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years. So it, like other religious writings use the basis of their beliefs on historical oration which was then written down. They believe that God will resurrect the dead after the destruction of the universe and judge each person based on their good and evil deeds. Any group that does not believe in the prophet (Muhammad) will be punished by God.

So, there you have it. Multiple concepts of how to live your life and/or what you should believe. Some by ritual, some philosophical and some by faith. Tomorrow we will look at the Bible comparatively and see what we come up with.

Love Dad