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Dharmic and Abrahamic overlap Venn diagram
- Thread starter Vinayaka
- Start date
epronovost
Well-Known Member
It depends on what value you attribute to each paradigm. Else I would say 95% overlap.
100 on each paradigm was my thought ... so you're going 5 - 95 - 5?
27% which coincidentally is the number of degrees necessary for maximum flow in a branching vein.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
As in 0 being no overlap and 100 being complete?
I'd honestly say maybe 20-only because although the theology and perspective doesn't overlap, it's human nature to find some solace in one's life, behavior, and thinking pattern whether it be in our religions, moral systems, and/or values. (Aka. we're all human)
One thing I find that overlaps is the human need to achieve something fulfilling in one's present or future state of being (heart, mind, so have you) to live a full life (lbw). A sense of needing to fill hole or however termed.
I don't see a problem with overlaps in a sense that we are all human and no one is special or unique in regards to their religion or practice. Comparing and contrasting eastern and western thought is fine "and" it has its place. As long as either side doesn't take offense or demonize the other person's views and theology and accept that we shared some need for "our individual human philosophies," I feel there isn't a problem.
It helps to be open and not take offense to commonalities. We can see commonalities in eastern and western thought without assuming comparisons needs to be founded on a one party system. No one is the victim.
This is genuinely speaking rather than just from conversations on RF.
I'd honestly say maybe 20-only because although the theology and perspective doesn't overlap, it's human nature to find some solace in one's life, behavior, and thinking pattern whether it be in our religions, moral systems, and/or values. (Aka. we're all human)
One thing I find that overlaps is the human need to achieve something fulfilling in one's present or future state of being (heart, mind, so have you) to live a full life (lbw). A sense of needing to fill hole or however termed.
I don't see a problem with overlaps in a sense that we are all human and no one is special or unique in regards to their religion or practice. Comparing and contrasting eastern and western thought is fine "and" it has its place. As long as either side doesn't take offense or demonize the other person's views and theology and accept that we shared some need for "our individual human philosophies," I feel there isn't a problem.
It helps to be open and not take offense to commonalities. We can see commonalities in eastern and western thought without assuming comparisons needs to be founded on a one party system. No one is the victim.
This is genuinely speaking rather than just from conversations on RF.
Do you see any overlap with atheism, or is it totally separated from both?
Well this is great to see another Dharmic-Abrahamic comparison thread!
I don't think one can really quantify in any meaningful way what the overlap is and prefer to qualitative as opposed a quantitative approach. The numbers will most be projections of ourselves rather than anything objective but that is the exercise so you given so I will play.
How about 25 - 75% ?
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
I'm confused. Do you mean Hindu and Abrahamic are 100 percept circle and the middle can be, for example, 10% making each side 90% type a thing?
epronovost
Well-Known Member
Atheism doesn't have any set of tenet, dogma or paradigm so the question is not even wrong. If you want to compare it to let say secular humanism with rationnal skepticism, I would say about 20% mostly on point of basic ethics like the golden rule.
The problem I have is that it's more complex than that.
in Kabbalah, there are concepts of reincarnation for one thing. So do I include that in my overlap even though mainstream Christianity does not believe that?
For the dharmic side, do I pay attention to advaita for which I can find parallel concepts again in Kabbalah?
Do I consider Islamic sufism which has distinct parallels with Hinduism?
in Kabbalah, there are concepts of reincarnation for one thing. So do I include that in my overlap even though mainstream Christianity does not believe that?
For the dharmic side, do I pay attention to advaita for which I can find parallel concepts again in Kabbalah?
Do I consider Islamic sufism which has distinct parallels with Hinduism?
Yes, in your example, the commonality would be 10%. Look at the example in post 5. So it looks like that, and that part in the middle is common to both. The total number of within each circle is 100.
25% - 30%?
Although I admit that that might just be a little optimistic. I grew up a Sai Baba and was taught syncretism from a young age. Really it was an interesting experience finding this forum and seeing Dharmics be wary of Abrahamics. Though I have come to appreciate why.
One of the problems with this type of comparison, and I suspect there are many, is that we are essentially comparing oranges and apples. While Hinduism is rightly considered a religion along the other the major Abrahamic religions such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism there are significant differences from the outset.
1/ The Abrahamic Faiths have clear Founders whereas the origins of Hinduism are largely obscured through the mists of time.
2/ The term Hinduism came about as an umbrella term for a collection of beliefs and practices on the Indian subcontinent that were distinct from their Abrahamic colonisers (Islam and Christian). Therefore Hinduism represents multiple faith traditions in contrast to the Abrahamic Faiths. Therefore there is huge diversity within Hinduism with contrasting and contradictory beliefs. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, just a consequence of fusing multiple faith traditions together under the one umbrella term whose name came about largely to distinguish it from their Abrahamic cousins.
3/ The term Hinduism is arguably just as much about culture, ethnicity and nation identity as it is about religion. Once again that is the consequence of having such a broad umbrella term like 'Hinduism'.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't try to compare Hinduism with the Abrahamic Faiths. We do, however, need to be mindful of the bewildering complexity and diversity of Hinduism that confronts any novice student of religion.
1/ The Abrahamic Faiths have clear Founders whereas the origins of Hinduism are largely obscured through the mists of time.
2/ The term Hinduism came about as an umbrella term for a collection of beliefs and practices on the Indian subcontinent that were distinct from their Abrahamic colonisers (Islam and Christian). Therefore Hinduism represents multiple faith traditions in contrast to the Abrahamic Faiths. Therefore there is huge diversity within Hinduism with contrasting and contradictory beliefs. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, just a consequence of fusing multiple faith traditions together under the one umbrella term whose name came about largely to distinguish it from their Abrahamic cousins.
3/ The term Hinduism is arguably just as much about culture, ethnicity and nation identity as it is about religion. Once again that is the consequence of having such a broad umbrella term like 'Hinduism'.
That doesn't mean we shouldn't try to compare Hinduism with the Abrahamic Faiths. We do, however, need to be mindful of the bewildering complexity and diversity of Hinduism that confronts any novice student of religion.
Martin
Spam, wonderful spam (bloody vikings!)
Indeed. "Hinduism" refers to a large collection of diverse traditions, sitting inside an even larger set of diverse traditions labelled "Dharmic". There are many different schools, and sub-schools. Many different teachers.
"Abrahamic" also refers to a collection of traditions, and those traditions each contain different sects.
So it's never clear what is being compared with what. Personally I think it's a pointless exercise anyway.
If we're talking about the faiths themselves, the number would probably be quite low, with Sikhs likely having the largest portion of the overlap.
If we're talking about followers of these faiths, the overlap would likely be greater as this would incorporate sycretics.
It would be an interesting exercise though, creating a Venn diagram with not only the Abrahamic and Dharmic views, but Pagan and Non-theistic as well. I would have to think through how we could accomplish this on a forum format.
Martin
Spam, wonderful spam (bloody vikings!)
A Pagan friend once told me that Hinduism is a Pagan tradition, which might complicate things a bit.
A Pagan friend once told me that Hinduism is a Pagan tradition, which might complicate things a bit.
Technically, it is, but with a lower case 'p,' if one uses the dictionary definition: "heathen: a follower of a polytheistic religion."
Definition of PAGAN
But unfortunately, many conflate the term 'pagan' with 'Pagan,' as in Neo-pagan religion such as Druidry, Wicca, Heathenry, Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, etc.