Which Religions Besides Christianity Incorporate the Notion of Salvation?

[meltzerboy]

Apart from Christianity (Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodox), are there any other religions which incorporate the notion of salvation, that is, the belief that we need to be redeemed for our sins? By the way, Judaism, which does not believe in original sin, has no concept of salvation. It believes we all can reach Heaven by leading a moral life, but it’s not a matter of being saved or redeemed from the sins we have committed, although we atone for them to become better people. There is punishment for truly evil people, however, in the form of separation from G-d. I’m interested in the beliefs about this matter of salvation in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Mormonism, Quakerism, and other religions. If the idea of salvation does not exist in your religion, what form of punishment, if any, is there?

 

[Ahimsa]

Apart from Christianity (Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodox), are there any other religions which incorporate the notion of salvation, that is, the belief that we need to be redeemed for our sins? By the way, Judaism, which does not believe in original sin, has no concept of salvation. It believes we all can reach Heaven by leading a moral life, but it’s not a matter of being saved or redeemed from the sins we have committed, although we atone for them to become better people. There is punishment for truly evil people, however, in the form of separation from G-d. I’m interested in the beliefs about this matter of salvation in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Mormonism, Quakerism, and other religions. If the idea of salvation does not exist in your religion, what form of punishment, if any, is there?

I was going to ask you “What is salvation?” Then you answered it by saying that salvation is being “redeemed for ours sins”. What does it mean to be “redeemed” and what is a “sin”?

 

[Sufjon]

Apart from Christianity (Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodox), are there any other religions which incorporate the notion of salvation, that is, the belief that we need to be redeemed for our sins? By the way, Judaism, which does not believe in original sin, has no concept of salvation. It believes we all can reach Heaven by leading a moral life, but it’s not a matter of being saved or redeemed from the sins we have committed, although we atone for them to become better people. There is punishment for truly evil people, however, in the form of separation from G-d. I’m interested in the beliefs about this matter of salvation in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Mormonism, Quakerism, and other religions. If the idea of salvation does not exist in your religion, what form of punishment, if any, is there?

Hi Meltzerboy: Once again (as has so often been the case), Judaism and Hinduism sound a lot a like.

Your friend,
Sufjon

 

[AmericanMuslim]

I’m interested in the beliefs about this matter of salvation in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Mormonism, Quakerism, and other religions. If the idea of salvation does not exist in your religion, what form of punishment, if any, is there?

It really depends what you mean by salvation. If you mean in an “original sin” context than, no, that does not exist in Islam because we do not have a concept of original sin.

However, we definitely have a concept of sin and punishment for sin, which is very much like the traditional Jewish or Christian views of heaven and hell (in fact, they are called exactly that

In fact, I would say the Islamic view of the progression of man is very much like Judaism’s view as you describe it.

 

[GaryTaylor]

It really depends what you mean by salvation. If you mean in an “original sin” context than, no, that does not exist in Islam because we do not have a concept of original sin.

However, we definitely have a concept of sin and punishment for sin, which is very much like the traditional Jewish or Christian views of heaven and hell (in fact, they are called exactly that

In fact, I would say the Islamic view of the progression of man is very much like Judaism’s view as you describe it.

So if there is no Original Sin, All innocents are free of sin till what 5-6-7 yeras old? Is that the theory? Heaven would be Salvation no? Ultimately the reward for a sin free life?

Whats the punishment for SIn, and who has the authority to punish?

Peace

 

[GaryTaylor]

I was going to ask you “What is salvation?” Then you answered it by saying that salvation is being “redeemed for ours sins”. What does it mean to be “redeemed” and what is a “sin”?

I supppose in context of this thread in well may be many different act/thoughts. The OT/NT spell it out pretty much as Gods Commandments which nothing is taken away from by Jesus but added to with Love your Enemy as you would Love your Neighbor the beatitudes etc.

Salvation is the idea to do the will of God by listening to Him, and live in a State of Grace.

 

[AmericanMuslim]

So if there is no Original Sin, All innocents are free of sin till what 5-6-7 yeras old? Is that the theory? Heaven would be Salvation no? Ultimately the reward for a sin free life?

Whats the punishment for SIn, and who has the authority to punish?

Yes, that is correct. We believe that children too young to know the difference between right and wrong are not judged.

No one lives a completely sin-free life, but we believe in many opportunities for repentence and forgiveness. For example, conversion to Islam, successfully completing the Ramadan month-long fast cycle, or making Hajj (pilgrimmage to Mecca) wipes the slate clean. Likewise, prayer and sincere repentence means forgiveness.

The punishment for sin is hell and only God has the power to mete it out. We do not have the concept of priestly loosening/binding as in Catholicism.

The view of Hell is somewhat different, though. It’s best described as a blend of the Christian (or at least Catholic) view of purgatory and hell. The idea of an eternal hell with no escape is not settled thought in Islam. There is substantial consideration that many will be in hell temporarily, then later forgiven and ascend to heaven. There is also a substantial school of belief that all will eventually escape hell. The forgiving nature of God is one of the most core beliefs in Islam (we reflect on it 17 times a day in our prayers), which underlies this idea.

As with Christianity, views differ, but I think I’ve captured the broadest beliefs here.

 

[meltzerboy]

Yes, that is correct. We believe that children too young to know the difference between right and wrong are not judged.

No one lives a completely sin-free life, but we believe in many opportunities for repentence and forgiveness. For example, conversion to Islam, successfully completing the Ramadan month-long fast cycle, or making Hajj (pilgrimmage to Mecca) wipes the slate clean. Likewise, prayer and sincere repentence means forgiveness.

The punishment for sin is hell and only God has the power to mete it out. We do not have the concept of priestly loosening/binding as in Catholicism.

The view of Hell is somewhat different, though. It’s best described as a blend of the Christian (or at least Catholic) view of purgatory and hell. The idea of an eternal hell with no escape is not settled thought in Islam. There is substantial consideration that many will be in hell temporarily, then later forgiven and ascend to heaven. There is also a substantial school of belief that all will eventually escape hell. The forgiving nature of God is one of the most core beliefs in Islam (we reflect on it 17 times a day in our prayers), which underlies this idea.

As with Christianity, views differ, but I think I’ve captured the broadest beliefs here.

In other words, according to Islam, is it correct that one doesn’t have to be “sin-free” when one dies to enter Heaven? Can G-d forgive even without repentance, based perhaps on one’s previous efforts, such as making the pilgrimage to Mecca or completing the fast during Ramadan? And how important are good deeds toward one’s fellow man compared to prayer, the Hajj, and the fast?

Thanks for the information. The concept of a temporary Hell is particularly interesting.

 

[meltzerboy]

I supppose in context of this thread in well may be many different act/thoughts. The OT/NT spell it out pretty much as Gods Commandments which nothing is taken away from by Jesus but added to with Love your Enemy as you would Love your Neighbor the beatitudes etc.

Salvation is the idea to do the will of God by listening to Him, and live in a State of Grace.

“Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth” is from “Proverbs” in the Hebrew Bible, which Jesus re-iterated.

 

[meltzerboy]

It really depends what you mean by salvation. If you mean in an “original sin” context than, no, that does not exist in Islam because we do not have a concept of original sin.

However, we definitely have a concept of sin and punishment for sin, which is very much like the traditional Jewish or Christian views of heaven and hell (in fact, they are called exactly that

In fact, I would say the Islamic view of the progression of man is very much like Judaism’s view as you describe it.

Neither does Judaism believe in the fallen nature of Man and original sin; rather, it believes Man is born with the potential for good. The notion of Hell in Judaism is not an existence of physical torture, but rather a separation from G-d (which may be a kind of torture). And Satan plays a different role in Judaism than he does in Christianity. Satan is an angel from G-d sent to earth to tempt mankind, but hoping that Man, through his free will, can resist his temptation. Satan is also the Angel of Death who executes the sentence passed by G-d after Man dies and reviews his life. Satan is NOT a devil or demon. What is Islam’s perspective concerning Satan?

 

[John_Paul_Jones]

“Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth” is from “Proverbs” in the Hebrew Bible, which Jesus re-iterated.

I heard an old saying “He who makes a reference saves the world.” I think it was Dennis Prager (if I’m not mistaken) who mentioned it on his radio, he said it was an old Jewish saying. When I heard it and it immediately made me think of Jesus, He was always referencing Psalms.

 

[meltzerboy]

I supppose in context of this thread in well may be many different act/thoughts. The OT/NT spell it out pretty much as Gods Commandments which nothing is taken away from by Jesus but added to with Love your Enemy as you would Love your Neighbor the beatitudes etc.

Salvation is the idea to do the will of God by listening to Him, and live in a State of Grace.

So the Christian notion of salvation is temporal as well as eternal, that is, it also applies to Man’s redeemed earthly existence?

 

[Richard_Kastner]

I supppose in context of this thread in well may be many different act/thoughts. The OT/NT spell it out pretty much as Gods Commandments which nothing is taken away from by Jesus but added to with Love your Enemy as you would Love your Neighbor the beatitudes etc.

Salvation is the idea to do the will of God by listening to Him, and live in a State of Grace.

So you view salvation pretty much the same way that meltzerboy has explained it and that is that it is something that is owed to us for leading moral lives. I’m curious. How do you define grace?

 

[FabiusMaximus]

Yes, that is correct. We believe that children too young to know the difference between right and wrong are not judged.

No one lives a completely sin-free life, but we believe in many opportunities for repentence and forgiveness. For example, conversion to Islam, successfully completing the Ramadan month-long fast cycle, or making Hajj (pilgrimmage to Mecca) wipes the slate clean. Likewise, prayer and sincere repentence means forgiveness.

The punishment for sin is hell and only God has the power to mete it out. We do not have the concept of priestly loosening/binding as in Catholicism.

The view of Hell is somewhat different, though. It’s best described as a blend of the Christian (or at least Catholic) view of purgatory and hell. The idea of an eternal hell with no escape is not settled thought in Islam. There is substantial consideration that many will be in hell temporarily, then later forgiven and ascend to heaven. There is also a substantial school of belief that all will eventually escape hell. The forgiving nature of God is one of the most core beliefs in Islam (we reflect on it 17 times a day in our prayers), which underlies this idea.

As with Christianity, views differ, but I think I’ve captured the broadest beliefs here.

Wow, that’s fascinating. I never knew some in Islam believed in a temporary nature of hell. Thanks for sharing.

 

[fhansen]

Apart from Christianity (Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodox), are there any other religions which incorporate the notion of salvation, that is, the belief that we need to be redeemed for our sins? By the way, Judaism, which does not believe in original sin, has no concept of salvation. It believes we all can reach Heaven by leading a moral life, but it’s not a matter of being saved or redeemed from the sins we have committed, although we atone for them to become better people. There is punishment for truly evil people, however, in the form of separation from G-d. I’m interested in the beliefs about this matter of salvation in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Mormonism, Quakerism, and other religions. If the idea of salvation does not exist in your religion, what form of punishment, if any, is there?

If I might offer a Catholic thought. The need for salvation has to do with the question, ‘if God created everything good, why/how is there sin/evil at all?’ Salvation has to do with realigning creation with the will of God, whatever part of creation is outside His will, that is.

 

[meltzerboy]

If I might offer a Catholic thought. The need for salvation has to do with the question, ‘if God created everything good, why/how is there sin/evil at all?’ Salvation has to do with realigning creation with the will of God, whatever part of creation is outside His will, that is.

This is reminiscent of the Jewish idea that G-d created the Universe partially incomplete and it is Man’s purpose to complete it by means of compassion, kindness, and moral behavior toward others.

 

[BYUChemAlum]

Apart from Christianity (Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodox), are there any other religions which incorporate the notion of salvation, that is, the belief that we need to be redeemed for our sins? By the way, Judaism, which does not believe in original sin, has no concept of salvation. It believes we all can reach Heaven by leading a moral life, but it’s not a matter of being saved or redeemed from the sins we have committed, although we atone for them to become better people. There is punishment for truly evil people, however, in the form of separation from G-d. I’m interested in the beliefs about this matter of salvation in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Mormonism, Quakerism, and other religions. If the idea of salvation does not exist in your religion, what form of punishment, if any, is there?

Latter-day Saints, as Christians (though non-Trinitarian of course), accept the notion of salvation, and accept the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins. We believe that repentance, forgiveness, and salvation are all made possible by the atonement of Jesus Christ, which saves us from our sins and makes eternal life possible. Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection saves all of us unconditionally from physical death; we will all be resurrected. However, only when one chooses to follow the example of Jesus Christ and follow His commandments will that person be able to live eternally in the presence of God and become like Him.

Hope that helps with the Mormon POV!

 

[AmericanMuslim]

In other words, according to Islam, is it correct that one doesn’t have to be “sin-free” when one dies to enter Heaven? Can G-d forgive even without repentance, based perhaps on one’s previous efforts, such as making the pilgrimage to Mecca or completing the fast during Ramadan? And how important are good deeds toward one’s fellow man compared to prayer, the Hajj, and the fast?

Thanks for the information. The concept of a temporary Hell is particularly interesting.

I am not a scholar, but I would say yes, it is not necessary to be perfectly sin-free upon death to merit heaven. Whether that means you would then spend some time in hell first (a la purgatory), perhaps.

There is a old poetic, metaphoric teaching about the “sword bridge” to paradise. On the day of judgement, all must cross over a bridge made of swords. Some will fly over it, some will sprint over it, some will walk slowly over it, some will crawl over it, and some will fall off it into the pit below. I don’t think that’s meant to be taken literally but you can see the essential meaning.

God can do anything So yes, God could forgive under any circumstances He chooses to.

There is tremendous emphasis on love and kindness towards one’s fellow man. Indeed, the Quran has a surprisingly diverse number of admonitions against those who practice in name only or who elevate the rituals/practices of the faith above kindness to others, which is far more important. It’s similar in tone to Jesus’s admonition in the Gospels against the Pharisees.

It’s worth pointing out that the four main practices of the faith (praying five times a day, hajj, fasting, giving alms) are all “according to ability”. However, loving your fellow man and being kind are always required because one can always do those things.

This is a great thread and very interesting to read the responses of many different faiths.

 

[AmericanMuslim]

Neither does Judaism believe in the fallen nature of Man and original sin; rather, it believes Man is born with the potential for good. The notion of Hell in Judaism is not an existence of physical torture, but rather a separation from G-d (which may be a kind of torture). And Satan plays a different role in Judaism than he does in Christianity. Satan is an angel from G-d sent to earth to tempt mankind, but hoping that Man, through his free will, can resist his temptation. Satan is also the Angel of Death who executes the sentence passed by G-d after Man dies and reviews his life. Satan is NOT a devil or demon. What is Islam’s perspective concerning Satan?

That is very interesting - I had never heard the Judaic perspective on Satan.

Islam is a bit different. We call Shaytan (same Semitic root word as Satan) “the whisperer”. That is the extent of his powers - he can “whisper” suggestions and temptations. He is the master tempter. However, that is the limit of his abilities. He is a Jinn, which is similar to an Angel, except that Angels are always good and do not have free will, while Jinns do have free will.

I guess Judaism views Satan as someone who would rather not tempt, but has to? Kind of like a universal ethics officer running an eternal sting operation, and preferring not to catch anyone. Interesting!

We do not consider Shaytan to be the angel of death. That is angel Azrael and he is not viewed as evil (no angel is evil). Rather, his divinely assigned duty is to record and erase (metaphorically) the roll of those who are born and die. At the end of time, Azrael will be the last to die.

 

[AmericanMuslim]

So if I understand correctly, Mormons believe that all will be resurrected due to Jesus’s death and resurrection. However, only those who are good people, follow the commandments, etc. will live in the presence of God - in other words, go to heaven?

And what happens to those who do not? Hell?

In other words, is it the case that because of Jesus, all will be resurrected and have eternal life, but the nature of that eternal life may be heaven or hell, depending on the person?

And what of those who died before Jesus was born?

Not to bombard you with questions - genuinely curious.