Comparison of Catholic and Hindu Religious Services Essay Example

Comparison of Catholic and Hindu Religious Services Essay Example Comparison of Catholic and Hindu Religious Services Paper Comparison of Catholic and Hindu Religious Services Paper Their Sanctums Modern religions are separated by thousands of years of cultural diffusion and theological diversity. Each region of the planet has Its own popularized religious practices that therefore define the region and, more Importantly, the people that live there. However, what exactly separates two groups religious followers, for example, Catholics and Hindus? Is the difference the place they worship? Is the deference the way they worship? Theological beliefs do separate, however they are not usually noticeable on the outside looking in. What do us as people notice first that gives us the distinct sense that this religious assembly is nothing like that one? We see the building, the architecture, and we watch what they do. We watch how they participate. What actions they perform. What most distinctly separates two religious sectors as diverse as Catholic and Hindu are the architectures and religious practices that we see most often. Inside a Catholic Cathedral of a decent size, you may first notice that it has many sows of forward facing pews with a central isle leading to the front of the church. However, inside a Hindu temple, the worshipping Is concentrated in one central sanctum with standing room only. The walls at the temple are marble white with some colorful decorations of flowers on large marble columns. In the cathedral you may find a similarly plain color palette. Stone was originally used in most catholic cathedrals by the stone masons that built them in Europe, leading to most being stone grey, also with many columns. The only break from the blank color scheme is taint glass windows filtering light down onto the rows of pews and the banners hanging from the walls, displaying religious or seasonal pictures. Also, the largest difference you may find are the large amount of sculptures present In a Hindu Temple. This Is not so In a cathedral, or at least not to the same scale. This is because the Hindu religion, though it recognizes a single powerful entity, what most Catholics might refer to God, they also recognize that there are many deities that represent the different parts the entity. They worship each of these deities equally. Catholics have sculptures of Saints; however they only truly worship the one god, only giving thanks and praying for strength from Saints. This leads to there being fewer sculptures In a cathedral. However, you may see much art work of Saints if you travel extensively enough though a cathedral. Inside the worship service of a Cathedral, Men and women, dressed in mostly formal attire, suits and dresses, sit together in pews waiting for the Priest to begin the service. However, in a Hindu temple, men and women are separated and are reseed in what most westerners might think were dresses. Also, in a Hindu temple, It Is required Tanat tender De no snores worn Insane. Men called Brahmins lead t service, though most of the worshipping is done entirely by the individual patron. Comparatively, in a Cathedral, the patrons follow the strict direction of the Priest. Each individual in a Hindu temple is responsible for reciting their own Mantras. They may then give offerings. They then kneel or lay flat on their stomachs and pray. Then, they walk clockwise and stop at each side of the Sanctum and pray to each deity. In a Catholic Cathedral, Each patron listens to the Priest read scripture and then accepts communion. Communion, which is the practice of cleansing the body by eating of Chrisms body and blood, has been a central practice of Christian faiths since Chrisms death. They then kneel and give confession. The reason both of these religions, and most religions around the world, kneel is that it is a sign of submission; in this case submission to the will of God. The Lords Prayer is said and there is singing of a Canticle, reading of a psalm, then two scripture lessons each followed by hymn. The apostles Creed is read by the Priest and the patrons together. There is a collection of offering, not unlike that of the Hindu offerings. Each Church only survives as long as it has patrons who will practice the faith and offer their money to the cause. One last prayer and the people exit the church until next Mass. We arent accustomed to listening to and determining the differences in theology between two religious groups. When we are on the outside, all we see is where and how these people practice their faiths. When you stand a Catholic and a Hindu man next to each other you do not immediately notice their ideological separation, but rather what theyre wearing. This is not to say that religion is only skin, or clothing deep. Thousands of years have sculpted each religion to have its own unique beliefs and practices. However, when you compare them at first glance; when you see both groups worshipping what they believe in; it could appear that the only differences difference is the building and what the people are wearing when they kneel and pray.