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Question 1
Buddhism is said to be an offshoot of Hinduism because its founder, Siddhartha Gautama, was formerly a Hindu. Also, the two religions share several similarities, such as the belief of Karma, reincarnation, and that honor and devotion in life lead to enlightenment and salvation. Some of the teachings in Buddhism originate from Hinduism, such as the topic of Karma, where the activities and results are believed to revolve in a cycle. Karma forms a central part of the teachings of Buddhism. The lesson encourages believers to live honorable lives and treat other people justly. Just like Hinduism, Buddhism also originated in India, with the lord of Buddhism originating from the Hindu family. Therefore the two regions have ancient connections, making them similar. Hence Buddhism is thought to be a development of Hinduism because they share a common background and beliefs.
Question 4
Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are the world’s largest religions that originated from the Middle East. The three religions are described as monotheists because they talk about believing in one God. Besides, they are interlinked with Christianity evolving from the Jewish traditions and Islam developing from Judaism and Christianity. Firstly among the three religions, Judaism is described as the oldest in society. Jews describe Abraham as the first Jew to have an agreement with God. Also, Christians and Muslims view Abraham to be the first prophet. Most Christians lived in the Middle East, depicting the region as the origin of Christianity. Early Christian communities used to be persecuted by society before the Roman Empire became holy. Islam also had its roots in the Middle East before spreading to the rest of the world. It arose in the seventh century before settling in Mecca. Mecca is a region viewed by Muslims around the world as a holy city. Therefore the three major religions in the world have a shared origin in the Middle East.
Question 5
While the three religions have various significant differences, the believers think that they are interrelated due to their shared origins. Firstly, the religions trace their roots to the narrations of Abraham. Believers of the three religions use the story of Abraham’s life to spread the gospel. Thus, some of the scripture of the faiths are interrelated, making them similar. Also, the main difference arises from the issue of Jesus and on whether he was the son of God or a prophet. Despite Christianity being founded on the teachings of Jesus, who was a Jew, they do not follow Jewish law. They only follow the universal law of “loving your neighbor as you love yourself.” Also, while most Muslims converted to Islam in the seventh century, Islam is still viewed as a theological and political threat by many. Moreover, Muslims believe that their religion was derived from Christianity and Judaism. They, therefore, acknowledge that religions have a shared origin. They argue that Christians and Jews misunderstood the teachings of God because, according to them, Islam is final.