Hinduism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Hinduism - Essay Example e answer to this question can be found in the book â€Å"God is Dead: Secularization in the West†, 2002, wherein Steve Bruce defines religion as â€Å"beliefs, actions and institutions predicated on the existence of entities with power of agency (that is gods) or impersonal powers or processes possessed of moral purpose (the Hindu notion of Karma), which can set the conditions of, or intervene in human affairs†. Thus Karma is an essential component of Steve Bruce’s definition of religion and moral purpose that unites all Hindus. For Hindus the central belief is the never ending cycle of birth and death that an individual has to go through in his earthly existence, till salvation through unification with the Almighty is attained. In these different phases of an existence an individual is likely to commit both good and bad deeds. Karma is the total effect of these good and bad actions, which is the determining factor of the destiny of the individual (Chaudhuri, C. N., 1979). Hinduism is an open religious philosophy that gives its followers to tolerate any other religious beliefs. There are many who believe that Hinduism is more a way of life than a religion. In short this implies that it is the cultural and societal influences of Hinduism that are more important than the rigid religious beliefs. This aspect of Hinduism becomes extremely valid for the sub-continent of India, where Hinduism originated. The region is one of the most densely populated regions of the world. This population is made up of diverse religions in varying proportions with Hindus being the dominant religious grouping by far. Hinduism has provided to beneficial factors for the region. In the first place it as extremely tolerant religion on the basis of its nature, and thus religious minorities by far have not been subjected to domination by the Hindus. On the contrary in India the minority religious groups are recipients of special benefits from the administration just because they a re a