World Religion Engagement Paper

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School

Liberty University *

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Course

525

Subject

Religion

Date

Apr 3, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

8

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World Religion Engagement Paper: Interview Assignment Submitted to Dr. David Campbell In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the completion of APOL 525 Pluralism and World Religions By Tyler Rutherford February 18, 2024
Table of Contents Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………2 Buddhism…………………………………………………………………………………….2 Interview……………………………………………………………………………………..3 Witnessing to a Buddhist……………………………………………………………………4 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………5 Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………….7
Introduction In the assignment which asked us to observe a religious service, I was able to observe a service at a mosque. In this paper I will not be discussing Islam but will be discussing Buddhism. I recently had the opportunity to have a discussion with a professing Buddhist and this assignment provided me the opportunity to interact in a non-confrontational way while gleaning insight into Buddhism. This interview was done in person with this individual who is a follower of Buddhism. Buddhism The origin of Buddhism goes back nearly 2000 years. It is viewed as one of the world’s major religions, however, the person I interviewed proposed that Buddhism was not a religion but a way of life. Regardless, Buddhism takes its roots in India with Siddhartha Gautama. From its birth, the next thousand years saw it spread across Asia and beyond. Adherents of Buddhism believe that the life of humans is a cycle of suffering and rebirth, but if one achieves a state of enlightenment, it is possible to escape this cycle forever. 1 Siddhartha is the first person reported to have reached enlightenment or nirvana. He is known as Buddha. Buddhists do not believe in the Christian God. They do understand that there are deities in the world that one might encounter on their path to nirvana. Siddhartha was a prince in India in the 5 th Century. He determined that life was nothing more than suffering. This was based on his views of dying and poverty. Because of this, he reportedly gave up his royalty and riches and spent his days meditating and traveling. He ultimately seemed to find satisfaction in what Buddhists refer to as “The Middle Way.” 1 Brown, T. (May 20, 2022). Buddhism . National Geographic Society.
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