Month: July 2013

R4E130726 – Hinduism and Buddhism (World Religions Study Lesson) by Douglas Jacoby

You can download the full audiobook recording on qobuz or amazon or itunes.

Hinduism & Buddhism

Hinduism

1. c.1500 BC
2. [No founder]
3. Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita
4. India (about 80% Hindu), Bangladesh, Nepal… Indian communities worldwide.
5. Basic teachings — refer to podcast.
6. Relation to Christianity — refer to podcast.
7. Evangelistic ideas — see below.

Buddhism

1. c.500 BC
2. Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha)
3. Tripitaka and tens of thousands of pages of other writings in Sanskrit and Pali
4. East Asia

Further:

• Some Popular Hindu gods and goddesses (there are 1000s, if not millions, as some Hindus claim)
  • Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva (the “trinity” of Hinduism, creator, sustainer, destroyer)
  • Ganesha (elephant god)
  • Krishna, Rama (very popular)
  • Lakhshmi, Deva, Kali (goddesses)
• The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism
  • All is suffering.
  • Suffering comes from desire.
  • Desire comes from a (false) belief in self.
  • To escape this illusion, we must follow the eight-fold path.

Outreach tips for Hindus & Buddhists:

• Show interest in other person’s background by learning something about his faith. If he or she is from another country, find out what the dominant religion or religions are in that country.
• Hindus and Buddhists have little trouble believing in the supernatural world. They have many gods and goddesses, and copious miracle stories. The Danger is not that they will reject Christ outright or deny his resurrection, but that they incorporate him into their faith as just one more god or guru.
• We need to strive for understanding their faith, with graciousness and respect.
• Don’t soft-peddle the exclusive claims of Christ. In Christianity there is one life, and this determines our judgment—not multiple cycles of birth-death-rebirth. This means that all of us need to live a moral life now.
• If you are unfamiliar with the doctrine of reincarnation, be sure to listen to the premium podcast on that topic.
• One is not reborn as human (or other living being); rebirth takes place in this life. And that’s good news!

JUDAISM

1. c.1290 BC (the archaeological evidence suggests an exodus in 1290 BC, rather than 1446 BC, though Bible believers line up behind both dates)
2. Moses (the lawgiver)
3. Torah, plus Prophets and Writings, constitute the Hebrew Bible (c.1300-300 BC). Followed by the oral traditions codified in the Mishnah (c.200 AD) and further expansion in Palestinian and (esp.) Babylonian Talmud (400 AD+)
4. Israel, the United States, France, and many other locations in the diaspora

Outreach tips for Jews:

1. Remember and emphasize that Jesus was a Jew, as were the apostles. 75% of the NT was written by Jews.
2. The OT is more than 75% of Bible, and it was the Bible of the first generation of Christians.
3. Teach about the Messiah (Lion and Lamb), whose central message was the Kingdom of God.
4. Understand the pressure of culture (family honor, the stigma of conversion, the painful history of pogroms, crusades, and the holocaust.
5. Friendship: break in, just as with Hindus or Muslims or any community with a high degree of solidarity.
6. Educate yourself (the basics of Judaism and current events, including the sensitive situation in the Middle East. Listen to the podcasts in the category Politics. Also search the
7. Caution: while we have much to learn from Messianic groups, we ought to take care not to confuse the covenants or try to resurrect the Law. How “Jewish” Christians must be was a huge issue in NT times (see Galatians, Romans, Colossians…).
8. Know both testaments! As with everyone, faith comes from hearing the word. Don’t think you’ll bowl people over with your superior arguments. It’s love that conquers, and truth that wins.