Title: Comparing Religions
1Comparing Religions
- Judaism
- Christianity
- Islam
- Hinduism
- Buddhism
2Comparing Religions - Whats in a Symbol?
Whats in a Symbol?
3The Mogen David
The Mogen David, or Star of David, is the central
symbol of Judaism. The star is the sign of the
house of David, the family that produced the
kings of Biblical Israel.
4The Cross
The Cross
The cross is the central symbol of Christianity.
Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross
and three days later rose from the dead. The
cross is a symbol of victory over death,
promising eternal life.
5The Crescent Moon
The crescent moon is a common symbol of Islam.
Muslims believe that when Muhammad received his
first revelation, the moon was in its last
stage, appearing as a waning crescent.
6The Aum
In Hinduism the AUM (OM) is a symbol of the
Supreme God. Hindus believe that it was the first
sound produced at the creation of the universe,
the Big Bang. The sacred syllable AUM is the name
of God. It is uttered at the beginning and the
end of most Hindu prayers.
7Dharmachakra or "wheel of law"
- The wheel is one of the most important symbols of
Buddhism. The eight spokes of the wheel symbolize
the Noble Eightfold Path set out by the Buddha in
his teachings. The wheel also represents the
endless cycle of samsara, or rebirth, which can
only be escaped by means of the Buddha's
teachings.