CultureCultureaccomplishments and success of civilizations are closely linked to their religious outlook and the role of religion in their governments and society. Throughout history rulers have used the influence of religions to control their populations and provide the justification for their power. A society with a greater degree of separation between religion and government promotes a superior level of liberty and creativity amongst its people. By the time of the decline of the Roman Empire in the west, however, the world had come full circle to a return to theocratic dictatorship.
In the ancient civilization of the Sumerians, religion was an important part of both the lives of the citizens and the administration of government. People felt very distant from their rulers and this feeling was reflected in their religion. The great gods of the day were unconcerned with human welfare. They were in control of the forces of nature and were the source of authority for the rulers. Both inspired fear and veneration in the populace and the people created lesser gods as guardian intercessors to assuage the insecurity of their world. Although the Sumerians developed systems of writing and mathematics, the use of these arts was restricted to an elite upper class while the majority of the people were enslaved by ignorance and fear. This structure of subservience to a higher power was established in their religion and played out in their government.
The Greeks, and especially the Sumerians, have maintained a strong sense of democracy in modern times.[4] They are well versed in the ways in which government is imposed on the citizens and take it to greater and greater heights, from political authority to legal power, and often impose such changes by force. When an important social issue is brought in to the public eye, they often use all kinds of legal means to stop the news from revealing the truth for years, but always keep them to themselves.[5]
In some cultures an important aspect of democracy is having a representative of the whole society to be the public face of the society.[6] This includes the representatives of different political parties and movements. It is believed that members of a local political group cannot be elected in such a way that they are no longer accountable to any individual. As a result, there is no accountability for the rule or conduct of state government, a system that has been largely discredited.[7]
In the United States and, more recently, China, the rule of law is a key theme of political thought in many cultures and is used as an expression of universal principle. For people to be trusted with the full power to decide who will rule over their community, and to prevent tyranny should one need more than one elected official for a political majority, democracy is important.
It is widely believed, as well as in other developed cultures, that the United States is the country in which democratic rule and individual empowerment are rooted, and in which human rights are of paramount importance. However, the U.S. and China, and especially the Chinese Communist Party, are not based on any kind of democracy and practice.[8]
Democracy as a rule appears to be a popular belief in many countries throughout the world.[9] It is thought that this belief can be traced back to Buddhism and its founding tradition, known as the ‘Great Awakening’. The two most important tenets of Islam and Christianity are the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, which was based primarily on the Lotus Tractate of Avalokitesvara which gives the Buddhist teachings important teachings on morality.[10]
The Lotus Sutra is the main source of wisdom, and is divided into four main chapters:
1. The first chapter offers a clear and concise guide to moral law and ethics. The second chapter contains concise and general suggestions for human rights. The third chapter states that the Buddha is a noble individual who can be trusted. The fourth chapter also presents the doctrine of the Ten Temptations which are the guiding principles of Buddhist practice today. The Fifth and sixth chapters are devoted to Buddhism and the teachings of Buddhism’s founder, Mahayana Sutta[11].
2. The fifth chapter is also written primarily on the principles that govern conduct, morals, and morality on the physical and mental level, and discusses the life and death cycle and human rights.[12] The sixth chapter is devoted to the teachings of Mahayana Buddha. The seventh chapter is devoted to the teachings of Buddha on wisdom as he has said that “without doubt all beings could be made to live according to the wisdom given thereto.”[13]
3. The seventh section of the Lotus Sutra is concerned with morality, and focuses on what follows from the law of conduct and on how and why one should feel, behave, and act morally and economically. Following the ten vows of the Buddha it is said that these teachings can
The Greeks, and especially the Sumerians, have maintained a strong sense of democracy in modern times.[4] They are well versed in the ways in which government is imposed on the citizens and take it to greater and greater heights, from political authority to legal power, and often impose such changes by force. When an important social issue is brought in to the public eye, they often use all kinds of legal means to stop the news from revealing the truth for years, but always keep them to themselves.[5]
In some cultures an important aspect of democracy is having a representative of the whole society to be the public face of the society.[6] This includes the representatives of different political parties and movements. It is believed that members of a local political group cannot be elected in such a way that they are no longer accountable to any individual. As a result, there is no accountability for the rule or conduct of state government, a system that has been largely discredited.[7]
In the United States and, more recently, China, the rule of law is a key theme of political thought in many cultures and is used as an expression of universal principle. For people to be trusted with the full power to decide who will rule over their community, and to prevent tyranny should one need more than one elected official for a political majority, democracy is important.
It is widely believed, as well as in other developed cultures, that the United States is the country in which democratic rule and individual empowerment are rooted, and in which human rights are of paramount importance. However, the U.S. and China, and especially the Chinese Communist Party, are not based on any kind of democracy and practice.[8]
Democracy as a rule appears to be a popular belief in many countries throughout the world.[9] It is thought that this belief can be traced back to Buddhism and its founding tradition, known as the ‘Great Awakening’. The two most important tenets of Islam and Christianity are the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, which was based primarily on the Lotus Tractate of Avalokitesvara which gives the Buddhist teachings important teachings on morality.[10]
The Lotus Sutra is the main source of wisdom, and is divided into four main chapters:
1. The first chapter offers a clear and concise guide to moral law and ethics. The second chapter contains concise and general suggestions for human rights. The third chapter states that the Buddha is a noble individual who can be trusted. The fourth chapter also presents the doctrine of the Ten Temptations which are the guiding principles of Buddhist practice today. The Fifth and sixth chapters are devoted to Buddhism and the teachings of Buddhism’s founder, Mahayana Sutta[11].
2. The fifth chapter is also written primarily on the principles that govern conduct, morals, and morality on the physical and mental level, and discusses the life and death cycle and human rights.[12] The sixth chapter is devoted to the teachings of Mahayana Buddha. The seventh chapter is devoted to the teachings of Buddha on wisdom as he has said that “without doubt all beings could be made to live according to the wisdom given thereto.”[13]
3. The seventh section of the Lotus Sutra is concerned with morality, and focuses on what follows from the law of conduct and on how and why one should feel, behave, and act morally and economically. Following the ten vows of the Buddha it is said that these teachings can
The government of ancient Egypt was similarly autocratic. The pharaohs were both god and king. Religion taught the people to trust that their king would rule accordingly. In return for the building and maintenance of great temples the gods preserved the absolute power of the pharaoh and ensured the duration of the state. These temples were created and built by the will of the elite through the labor of the people. Again we see the absolute defeat of the people to the undeniable, god-like authority of the ruler.
The rise of the Greeks was a revolutionary step away from this system. Although Greek society was also greatly influenced by their polytheistic religion, they took an intellectual approach to the study of the man-nature relationship. Instead of accepting or inventing mystical explanations for the