Atonement in religions

wil

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Summarize all attonment interpretations of each major world religion

The concept of atonement for sin varies across different religions. Here is a brief summary of how some major world religions interpret atonement:

Christianity: In Christian theology, atonement for sin is achieved through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus is seen as the perfect sacrifice, who paid the price for humanity's sins, and through his death and resurrection, believers can be reconciled with God and receive forgiveness of sins.

Islam: In Islam, forgiveness for sins is obtained through sincere repentance and seeking forgiveness from Allah. Muslims believe that Allah is merciful and forgiving, and that He forgives those who turn to Him in repentance. The idea of a divine sacrifice to atone for the sins of humanity is not present in Islamic theology.

Judaism: In Jewish tradition, individuals are responsible for their own actions and must seek forgiveness and atonement directly from God. The primary means of achieving forgiveness and atonement is through repentance, prayer, and good deeds. Sacrifices are viewed as a way to express gratitude to God and bring individuals closer to God, but they are not seen as a means of atonement for sin.

Hinduism: In Hinduism, the concept of atonement is linked to the law of karma. Karma refers to the idea that every action has consequences, and the consequences of one's actions will determine their future experiences. Individuals are responsible for their own karma and must bear the consequences of their actions. However, Hinduism also emphasizes the importance of devotion to God and spiritual practices as a means of achieving liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Buddhism: In Buddhism, the concept of atonement is linked to the idea of karma as well. However, the focus is on taking responsibility for one's own actions and working to overcome negative karma through mindfulness, meditation, and ethical be
 
I would add for Christianity that there is the part for the believer to play to receive that atonement. We must acknowledge our sin and repent of it which is a lifelong practice. Acknowledging that we are sinners and that God is a Holy and righteous God that cannot abide with sin. Acknowledging that Jesus is our righteousness and what He suffered and accomplished on the cross.

Thank you Wil for this comparative study.
 
It's stretching things a bit to shoehorn the concepts of sin and atonement onto "karma" as found in Hinduism and Buddhism.

In Buddhism, karma is really just the act, which is followed by a consequence. There is no way to "nullify" or atone for an act one later regrets having done.

Sin, and redemption or atonement, are concepts based on an ethical law, and the judgement and penalty resulting from breaking it.

The law of Karma is not an ethical law, and it is impossible to break it (just as it is impossible to break the law of gravity). There is no judgement, no resulting debt or sin, and no redeeming or atonement of any debt or sin.

Karma is much closer to Jesus' teaching about knowing a tree by its fruit, than to his teachings about sin and redemption.
 
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It's stretching things a bit to shoehorn the concepts of sin and atonement onto "karma" as found in Hinduism and Buddhism.

In Buddhism, karma is really just the act, which is followed by a consequence. There is no way to "nullify" or atone for an act one later regrets having done.

Sin, and redemption or atonement, are concepts based on an ethical law, and the judgement and penalty resulting from breaking it.

The law of Karma is not an ethical law, and it is impossible to break it (just as it is impossible to break the law of gravity). There is no judgement, no resulting debt or sin, and no redeeming or atonement of any debt or sin.

Karma is much closer to Jesus' teaching about knowing a tree by its fruit, than to his teachings about sin and redemption.
I have a very dear friend who is Hindi and she ascribes her beliefs to karma as well.. that their karma is carried into the next life and so on.
 
I have a very dear friend who is Hindi and she ascribes her beliefs to karma as well.. that their karma is carried into the next life and so on.

In a very crude analogy, Christianity has this, too, with the question whether faith or works (= karma) have more of an impact on life in the world to come.

How karma and (re)birth mesh has been a favorite arguing point for Buddhist philosophers for millennia. Entire schisms along these lines occurred in Buddhism multiple times.

I don't know whether this is as fraught with complexity in Hinduism, though.
 
Sacrifices are viewed as a way to express gratitude to God and bring individuals closer to God, but they are not seen as a means of atonement for sin.

I completely disagree with the above. Sacrifice as atonement is a basic teaching in the Old Testament...

Exodus 29:36
"And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it."
 
I believe that sacrifice is giving everything over to God. It is the surrendering to God of what is most valuable to us in the material world. It is putting everything into God's hands. It was the sacrifice of a valuable animal, or in the case of Abraham -- even his own most beloved son.

Sacrifice was never about the blood, or the death.* It was about giving everything to God, to trust God to take over completely. That is faith -- In all religions it is about the choice between God and the world?

*Christ came to fix that, amongst other things -- to renew the spirit of the law
IMO

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As a general rule, the concepts of "atonement" and "sin" don't exist in any Pagan religion that I'm aware of. Most believe that what you do, good or ill, tends to come back to you. Some even formulate this, so that, for example, Wiccans say that it comes back to you threefold, while many, but by no means all, Heathens say that it's ninefold.
 
Most believe that what you do, good or ill, tends to come back to you.
Do you believe in continual reincarnation back into this world?

To me these 'nature' religions such as Wicca and Paganism are limited to the timespace dimension of nature, like those in Plato's cave looking only at the shadows on the wall of the cave, not seeing the true and greater reality of Spirit that casts the shadows.

"Light is the shadow of God"

Just my own thoughts ...
 
Do you believe in continual reincarnation back into this world?

To me these 'nature' religions such as Wicca and Paganism are limited to the timespace dimension of nature, like those in Plato's cave looking only at the shadows on the wall of the cave, not seeing the true and greater reality of Spirit that casts the shadows.

"Light is the shadow of God"

Just my own thoughts ...
Nature is the Goddess, animated by the lifeforce, or Spirit of the World. I don't see the distinction you're trying to make.

As for my own beliefs regarding reincarnation, I don't think it's a given, or eternal, and nor do I accept any notion of karma. Those who dedicate themselves to the service of the Goddess ascend to their own watch-star.
 
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Nature is the Goddess, animated by the lifeforce, or Spirit of the World. I don't see the distinction you're trying to make.

As for my own beliefs regarding reincarnation, I don't think it's a given, or eternal, and nor do I accept any notion of karma. Those who dedicate themselves to the service of the Goddess ascend to their own watch-star.
I believe that the dimension of nature contains all that exists in time and space, and is bounded by time and space. I believe that the timespace room (dimension) of nature is just one of many, perhaps infinite, other dimensions contained within a greater house of Spirit that 'weaves' the dimension of nature to which we are limited by our material bodies and senses, until we pass beyond, into timeless Spirit.

Spirit is represented by the vertical yin-yang polarity, unchanging and eternal, which shifts in nature to the horizontal polarity of fire and water, which we perceive as the world -- always changing and going to death.
 
Those who dedicate themselves to the service of the Goddess ascend to their own watch-star.
I have no doubt about your dedication. It is intense

I believe God meets us where we are. God meets the seeker soul any time, any place, any faith, imo
 
I believe that the dimension of nature contains all that exists in time and space, and is bounded by time and space. I believe that the timespace room (dimension) of nature is just one of many, perhaps infinite, other dimensions contained within a greater house of Spirit that 'weaves' the dimension of nature to which we are limited by our material bodies and senses, until we pass beyond, into timeless Spirit.

Spirit is represented by the vertical yin-yang polarity, unchanging and eternal, which shifts in nature to the horizontal polarity of fire and water, which we perceive as the world -- always changing and going to death.
Spirit, the lifeforce, is a part of nature, I would say, but the lifeforce came first.
 
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I have no doubt about your dedication. It is intense

I believe God meets us where we are. God meets the seeker soul any time, any place, any faith, imo
Perhaps so, but some feel a calling to dedicate their lives to service.
 
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At-ONE-ment
To offer everything to God, and let God take over completely is the true meaning of sacrifice?
A bit like love, really ... the opening of self to the other ...

If we look at Genesis, in the Garden, we walked with God, God walked with us ... there was nothing between us ... then something happened, then we hid ...

God says: I'm here, whenever you're ready.
We say: If you really love me, you'll come and find me!
... And Jesus weeps.
 
So this is an ai experiment of sorts.

Idk what the ai researched to come to its comclusions....but it appears the information available ans acceptable to anyone (i) or anything (ai) determines the conclusion...

Doh!
 
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