Difference between Eastern and Western Religion
Table of Contents
Key Difference: Eastern religions are the religions that originate in the Eastern areas like China, Southeast Asia, India and Japan. Western religions are the religions that originate in the Western areas like Americas and throughout Europe.
There are two areas in which the world is divided when speaking about religions, Eastern and Western. There are few similarities between Eastern religion and Western religion. Both are different types of religion that have different customs which are followed in different parts of the world. Eastern religions are practiced in India, Southeast Asia, Japan, and China. Western religions are found in the Americas and throughout Europe. Eastern religion follows more the eastern traditional culture, whereas, Western religion follows more the western culture.
Eastern religions are the religions that originate in the Eastern areas like China, Southeast Asia, India and Japan. The Eastern religions which are closely linked with India are Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism and Hinduism. Followers of the Eastern religions are quite numerous and they are found all around the world. There are also many other religions in East Asia such as Shinto, Taoism, Confucianism, and another form of Buddhism. Among which, the Indian religion and Taoists religion are the two different families which are separated from each other. There are number of sects and smaller groups that follow specific versions of main religions, much like the sects of Christianity in the West. Typically, people of the Eastern religions are more religious. Sometimes, more than one god is worshipped by people.
Western religions are very different from Eastern religions. Western religions are the religions that originate in the Western areas like Americas and throughout Europe. The Eastern religions include Christianity, Catholicism, Puritanism, Protestantism, Judaism, and Evangelicalism. People of the Western religions are also religious, but there only one God is worshipped. In the late 4th century, the Western culture itself was significantly developed through the appearance of Christianity as it was introduced in the Roman Empire. They are not so driven by the meticulous ideals or principles.
The similarities between the Eastern and Western religions are that they often both believe in some type of afterlife. Some Eastern religions believe in re-carnation after death and most Western religions believe in heaven after death.
Comparison between Eastern Religion and Western Religion:
Eastern Religion | Western Religion | |
Practiced in | China, Southeast Asia, India and Japan | Americas and throughout Europe |
Religions include | Taoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Confucianism | Christianity, Catholicism, Protestantism, Puritanism, Judaism, and Evangelicalism |
God | Usually worship more than one God | Usually worship only one God |
Belief | Polytheistic | Monotheistic |
Human nature | Human nature is basically ignorant | Human nature is basically sinful |
God is | Gods have great and unlimited power; they worship more than one God and believe in every God. | God is omnipotent; the trinity of God- the father, the son and the holy spirit; There is only one God and that he has revealed himself as the Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit |
Good life | It consists of following Dharma | It consists of obeying the law of God |
Believe in | Re-carnation after death | Heaven after death |
On Divine nature | There is no particular God | Father is the only God |
Born | Generally believe that the human body is not inherently bad | Generally believe that when they are born their body is seen as a major source of sin |
Religious approach | Rational | Holistic and cultural |
Roots in | Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism | Athens, Rome and Judeo-Christianity |
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