It is important to note that the key beliefs in Christianity include a number of key points. Firstly, there is only one God, and he is the only creator of the universe, which he created in seven days. Secondly, God is beyond time and space, which means he existed prior to the world’s creation. Thirdly, the universe is designed, maintained, and sustained by God through his infinite wisdom. Fourthly, God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good, and goodness and blessings originate solely from him alone.
Fifthly, humanity was created by God in his own image. Sixthly, the afterlife exists, and there is heaven and hell. In the case of practices, worship is the most important one, which can include liturgical, non-liturgical, informal, and private forms (BBC, 2021). The former is provided by a church service, and non-liturgical worship is informal, such as sermons. Informal forms take place during gatherings and meetings of Christians, whereas private worship is usually common at homes, such as stating grace before each meal. The core purpose is to love God, forgive others, and repent for one’s sins. Therefore, Christianity teaches forgiveness, love, respect, avoidance of sins, and a sense of morality.
However, key beliefs in Buddhism revolve around nirvana and Four Noble Truths. Nirvana is a state of enlightenment, which every person should strive to achieve. The first truth is focused on the concept of suffering, which is present in everyone’s life. The second truth claims that suffering is caused by desire. The third truth shows that suffering can be eliminated by achieving enlightenment. The fourth truth reveals that the pathway to the elimination of suffering. In addition, Buddhists believe in reincarnation or rebirth, and the latter is affected by karma (National Geographic, 2021). Key practices involve rituals, retreats, meditation, festivals, and ceremonies. Buddhism teaches that one should be mindful of his or her karma due to the principles of reincarnation. One should also avoid self-denial or self-indulgence.
A person does not view religion by the definition of believing in a God because religions are built on the ideas revolving around beliefs, practices, and teachings, which may or may not involve a God. In other words, Buddhism is one of the oldest religions, which is non-theistic in its nature, which is why God is not a necessary component for someone to view religion. However, it should be noted that the concept of a supernatural being in religion is highly common, which makes Buddhism an exception. For example, Hinduism has a multitude of gods, and a similar case can be observed among Greek or Norse gods. Therefore, a God is not mandatory to define a religion, but the prevalence of such an entity among religions cannot be overlooked.
A person’s actions and decisions are not enough to be considered a religion unless they involve worship and belief on the basis of some form of moral and ethical code. For example, an individual might be inherently good by acting or doing solely beneficial acts. However, such a person’s actions and decisions are still not considered as a religion since there is no element of worship or belief. Therefore, religions are distinct in their nature due to the latter elements, which is why having a supernatural entity is common. The main reason is that worship and belief need to be directed at a certain target, and God serves such purposes for worshipers.
References
BBC. (2021). Practices in Christianity. BBC. Web.
National Geographic. (2021). Buddhism. National Geographic Society. Web.