heaven in the world's religions. Most believe that hard work and
wisdom will lead to ultimate fulfillment, whether that is unity with
god (Hinduism, Buddhism, and Baha'i) or freedom and independence
(Scientology, Jainism). Others, like Unitarianism and Wicca, teach the
afterlife is whatever you want it to be, and salvation is a non-issue
because the sin nature doesn't exist. A few believe either the
afterlife doesn't exist or it's too unknowable to consider.
Derivatives of the worship of the Christian-Judeo God generally hold
that faith in God and/or Jesus and the accomplishment of various
deeds, including baptism or door-to-door evangelism, will ensure the
worshiper will go to heaven. Only Christianity teaches that salvation
is a free gift of God through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9), and
no amount of work or effort is necessary or possible to get to heaven.
Atheism: Most atheists believe there is no heaven—no afterlife at all.
Upon death, people simply cease to exist. Others attempt to define the
afterlife using quantum mechanics and other scientific methods.
Baha'i: Like many other religions, Baha'i doesn't teach that man was
born with a sin nature or that man needs saving from evil. Man simply
needs saving from his erroneous beliefs of how the world works and how
he is to interact with the world. God sent messengers to explain to
people how to come to this knowledge: Abraham, Krishna, Zoroaster,
Moses, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, and Baha'u'llah. These prophets
progressively revealed the nature of God to the world. Upon death, a
person's soul continues its spiritual journey, perhaps through the
states known as heaven and hell, until it comes to a final resting
point, united with god.
Buddhism: Buddhism also believes that heaven, or "Nirvana," is to be
rejoined in spirit with god. Reaching Nirvana, a transcendental,
blissful, spiritual state, requires following the Eightfold Path. This
includes understanding the universe, and acting, speaking, and living
in the right manner and with the right intentions. Mastering these and
the other of the eight paths will return a worshipper's spirit to god.
Chinese Religion: Chinese Religion is not an organized church, but an
amalgamation of different religions and beliefs including Taoism and
Buddhism. Upon death, worshipers are judged. The good are sent either
to a Buddhist paradise or a Tao dwelling place. The bad are sent to
hell for a period of time and then reincarnated.
Christianity: Christianity is the only religion that teaches man can
do nothing to earn or pay his way into heaven. Man, a slave to the sin
nature he was born with, must completely rely on the grace of God in
applying Jesus Christ's sacrifice to the sins of the believer. People
are saved by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ. Upon
death, the spirits of Christians go to heaven, while the spirits of
unbelievers go to a temporary holding place called hell. At the final
judgment, unbelievers are separated from God for eternity in the lake
of fire.
Confucianism: Confucianism concentrates on appropriate behavior in
life, not a future heaven. The afterlife is unknowable, so all effort
should be made to make this life the best it can be, to honor
ancestors, and to respect elders.
Eastern Orthodox: Orthodoxy is a Christian-Judeo derivative that
reinterprets key Scripture verses in such a way that works become
essential to reach heaven. Orthodoxy teaches that faith in Jesus is
necessary for salvation, but where Christianity teaches that becoming
more Christlike is the result of Christ's influence in a believer's
life, Orthodoxy teaches that it is a part of the salvation process. If
that process (called theosis) is not performed appropriately, a
worshiper can lose his/her salvation. After death, the devout live in
an intermediate state where this theosis can be completed. Those who
have belief but did not accomplish sufficient progress in theosis are
sent to a temporary "direful condition" and will go to hell unless the
living devout pray and complete acts of mercy on their behalf. After
final judgment, the devout are sent to heaven and the others to hell.
Heaven and hell are not locations, but reactions to being in the
presence of God, as there is nowhere that He is not present. For
Christ-followers, God's presence is paradise, but for the unsaved,
being with God is eternal torment.
Hinduism: Hinduism is similar to Buddhism in some ways. Salvation (or
moksha) is reached when the worshiper is freed from the cycle of
reincarnation, and his spirit becomes one with god. One becomes free
by ridding oneself of bad karma—the effect of evil action or evil
intent. This can be done in three different ways: through selfless
devotion to and service of a particular god, through understanding the
nature of the universe, or by mastering the actions needed to fully
appease the gods.
In Hinduism, with over a million different gods, there are differences
of opinion regarding the nature of salvation. The Advaita school
teaches salvation occurs when one can strip away the false self and
make the soul indistinguishable from that of god. The dualist insists
that one's soul always retains its own identity even as it is joined
with god.
Islam: Islam is a take-off on the Christian/Judeo God. Muslims believe
salvation comes to those who obey Allah sufficiently that good deeds
outweigh the bad. Muslims hope that repeating what Muhammad did and
said will be enough to get to heaven, but they also recite extra
prayers, fast, go on pilgrimages, and perform good works in hope of
tipping the scales. Martyrdom in service to Allah is the only work
guaranteed to send a worshiper to paradise.
Jainism: Jainism came to be in India about the same time as Hinduism
and is very similar. One must hold the right belief, have the right
knowledge, and act in the right manner. Only then can a soul be
cleansed of karma. But in Jainism, there is no creator. There is no
higher god to reach or lend aid. Salvation is man as master of his own
destiny, liberated and perfect, filled with infinite perception,
knowledge, bliss, and power.
Jehovah's Witnesses: The teachings of the Watchtower Society lead us
to categorize the Jehovah's Witnesses as a cult of Christianity that
misinterprets the book of Revelation. Similar to Mormons, Jehovah's
Witnesses teach different levels of heaven. The anointed are 144,000
who receive salvation by the blood of Christ and will rule with Him in
paradise. They are the bride of Christ. For all others, Jesus'
sacrifice only freed them from Adam's curse of original sin, and
"faith" is merely the opportunity to earn their way to heaven. They
must learn about Kingdom history, keep the laws of Jehovah, and be
loyal to "God's government"—the 144,000 leaders, 9,000 of whom are
currently on the earth. They must also spread the news about the
Kingdom, including door-to-door proselytizing. Upon death, they will
be resurrected during the millennial kingdom where they must continue
a devout life. Only afterwards are they given the opportunity to
formally accept Christ and live for eternity under the rule of the
144,000.
Judaism: Jews believe that, as individuals and as a nation, they can
be reconciled to God. Through sin (individually or collectively) they
can lose their salvation, but they can also earn it back through
repentance, good deeds, and a life of devotion.
Mormonism: Mormons believe their religion to be a derivative of
Judeo/Christianity, but their reliance on extra-grace works belies
this. They also have a different view of heaven. To reach the second
heaven under "general salvation," one must accept Christ (either in
this life or the next) and be baptized or be baptized by proxy through
a living relative. To reach the highest heaven, one must believe in
God and Jesus, repent of sins, be baptized in the church, be a member
of the LDS church, receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands,
obey the Mormon "Word of Wisdom" and all God's commandments, and
complete certain temple rituals including marriage. This "individual
salvation" leads to the worshiper and his/her spouse becoming gods and
giving birth to spirit children who return to Earth as the souls of
the living.
Roman Catholicism: Roman Catholics originally believed only those in
the Roman Catholic Church could be saved. Joining the church was a
long process of classes, rituals, and baptism. People who had already
been baptized but were not members of the Roman Catholic Church had
different requirements and may even already be considered Christians.
Baptism is "normatively" required for salvation, but this can include
"baptism of blood" (i.e.: martyrdom) or "baptism of desire" (wanting
to be baptized really badly). From the catechism: "Those who die for
the faith, those who are catechumens, and all those who, without
knowing of the Church but acting under the inspiration of grace, seek
God sincerely and strive to fulfill his will, are saved even if they
have not been baptized." Despite the changes through the years,
baptism (or the desire for baptism) is still required for salvation.
According to Catholicism, upon death, the souls of those who rejected
Christ are sent to hell. The souls of those who accepted Christ and
performed sufficient acts to be purified of sin go to heaven. Those
who died in faith but did not complete the steps to be purified are
sent to purgatory where they undergo temporary, painful punishment
until their souls are cleansed. Purification by torment may be
lessened by suffering during life and the offerings and prayers of
others on the sinner's behalf. Once purification is complete, the soul
may go to heaven.
Scientology: Scientology is similar to Eastern religions in that
salvation is achieved through knowledge of self and the universe. The
"thetan" (Scientology's answer to the soul) travels through several
different lifetimes, attempting to expel painful and traumatic images
that cause a person to act fearfully and irrationally. Once a
Scientologist is "cleared" of these harmful images and becomes an
"operating thetan," he/she is able to control thought, life, matter,
energy, space, and time.
Shinto: The afterlife in Shinto was originally a dire, Hades-like
realm. Matters of the afterlife have now been transferred to Buddhism.
This salvation is dependent on penance and avoiding impurity or
pollution of the soul. Then one's soul can join those of its
ancestors.
Sikhism: Sikhism was created in reaction to the conflict between
Hinduism and Islam, and carries on many of Hinduism's
influences—although Sikhs are monotheistic. "Evil" is merely human
selfishness. Salvation is attained by living an honest life and
meditating on god. If good works are performed sufficiently, the
worshipper is released from the cycle of reincarnation and becomes one
with god.
Taoism: Like several other Eastern religions (Shinto, Chinese folk
religions, Sikhism), Taoism adopted many of its afterlife principles
from Buddhism. Initially, Taoists didn't concern themselves with
worries of the afterlife and, instead, concentrated on creating a
utopian society. Salvation was reached by aligning with the cosmos and
receiving aid from supernatural immortals who resided on mountains,
islands, and other places on Earth. The result was immortality.
Eventually, Taoists abandoned the quest for immortality and took on
the afterlife teachings of Buddhism.
Unitarian-Universalism: Unitarians are allowed to and encouraged to
believe anything they like about the afterlife and how to get there.
Although, in general, they believe people should seek enlightenment in
this life and not worry too much about the afterlife.
Wicca: Wiccans believe many different things about the afterlife, but
most seem to agree that there is no need for salvation. People either
live in harmony with the Goddess by caring for her physical
manifestation—the earth—or they don't, and their bad karma is returned
to them three-fold. Some believe souls are reincarnated until they
learn all their life lessons and become one with the Goddess. Some are
so committed to following one's individual path that they believe
individuals determine what will happen when they die; if worshippers
think they're going to be reincarnated or sent to hell or joined with
the goddess, they will be. Others refuse to contemplate the afterlife
at all. Either way, they don't believe in sin or anything they need
saving from.
Zoroastrianism: Zoroastrianism may be the first religion that stated
that the afterlife was dependent upon one's actions in life. There is
no reincarnation, just a simple judgment four days after death. After
a sufficient amount of time in hell, however, even the condemned can
go to heaven. To be judged righteous, one can use knowledge or
devotion, but the most effective way is through action.
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http://pstgabrielpeter.blogspot.nl/2016/01/going-to-heaven-how-can-i-guarantee-my.html?m=1
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