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Questions about Buddhism
answered by:
Dr. Carola Roloff, Hamburg
(Guest professor for Buddhism at the Academy for World Religions Hamburg)
Are there places of worship in Buddhism, like churches etc.?
For Buddhists, there are various sacred sites, buildings and places of pilgrimage. Buildings mainly include temples, pagodas and stupas, as well as Buddhist monasteries. Relics are kept in temples, pagodas and especially stupas. Buddhist sites are considered very auspicious and are traditionally circumambulated at least three times (around to the right) while saying prayers or mantras. Large stupas and pagodas can be entered. There, as in temples, you will also find an altar with offerings and a Buddha statue. Many monasteries where monks or nuns live also have guest houses for visitors.
Do Buddhists also have places of worship or do they only have temples where anyone can go?
See question above.
Generally, in Germany as in Asia, larger temples and pagodas are open to the public, as are places of worship and mosques. Non-Buddhists also visit them. However, it may be that an event or devotion is taking place that requires registration or timely arrival. You may have to check the programme and, in the case of smaller institutions that are not permanently staffed, ask in advance when visits are possible.
My question is: What about rebirth in Buddhism? Can you be reborn as anything? Even as a stone?
Buddhism is often characterised as a religion that knows no heavens and no hells. In fact, however, Buddhism knows a multitude of heavens; the most famous is the Tushita Heaven, from which the Buddha Sakyamuni descended to earth and where the future Buddha Maitreya awaits his deployment.
As long as one is caught in samsara, the wheel of rebirth, birth is possible in six forms of existence: as a god (not to be confused with the God the Creator or Allah), human, Asura (demigod), animal, hungry ghost or hell-dweller.
Buddhism distinguishes between animate and inanimate beings. Animate beings are those that have a mind and feel happiness and suffering. One of the three main traditions of Buddhism, East Asian Buddhism, is strongly influenced by Taoist nature mysticism. Here, plants are also counted as sentient beings.
In Mahayana, the idea is added that, similarly to speaking of God's creation, everything that exists is permeated by Buddha nature. For example, one aspiration prayer states:
"May I be a protector to the defenceless, a guide to travellers, a boat to those who wish to reach the other shore, a dam, a bridge, a lamp to those who need a lamp, a bed to those who need a bed, a servant to all living beings who need a servant." (BCA 3.17)
In this sense, a Buddha could also manifest as a bridge or stone if necessary, but that would not be a "rebirth" as a stone.
Are Buddhists allowed to eat anything, including cows or pigs, or are there any religious rules?
In principle, Buddhists are allowed to eat anything, but many observe special fasting rules for a day, a month, a certain time or even their whole life. Because most take the protection of animals very seriously, many Buddhists eat only vegetarian or vegan food. However, there are also nomadic Buddhist peoples, such as the Tibetans, who are generally not vegetarians. Theravada Buddhists and Japanese Buddhists are also often not vegetarians. Today, however, this is changing worldwide, especially among young people. Vietnamese, Chinese or Taiwanese monks and nuns have always been strict vegans.
Is the Dalai Lama the boss of the Buddhists?
The Dalai Lama is the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism. Until 1959, he was also the political leader of Tibet. He is one of the most famous Buddhists in the world and is revered by Buddhists all over the world, even if he is not their "boss". The head of Buddhism in Thailand, for example, is the Sangharaja. So there are spiritual heads in all Buddhist traditions, with few exceptions they are men. The Dalai Lama, however, has said that he could be born a woman in his next birth.
As a Buddhist, do you actually have to meditate every day?
No. There is no obligation to meditate, unless you live as a monk or nun in a monastery where daily meditation is part of the regular routine. However, many Buddhists take monks and nuns as their role model and meditate every day, usually in the morning after getting up and in the evening before going to bed.
Questions about Christianity
Why do we celebrate Easter?
On Good Friday, Jesus Christ was crucified. After three days he rose again from the dead. This resurrection is celebrated on Easter Sunday.
What is celebrated on Pentecost?
Pentecost is the feast of the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us that Jesus' disciples prayed together and then the Holy Spirit appeared to them. From that moment on, they could speak all the languages of the world and tell everyone about Jesus and their faith. So Pentecost is also the feast of the birth of the Church, because it was through the miracle at Pentecost that Christianity could be spread.
How many archangels are there really?
There are seven archangels.
Do Christians believe in something like reincarnation?
A true rebirth after death, as for example in Hinduism, does not exist in Christianity. In Christianity, however, baptism and the associated decision for God represents a kind of rebirth. However, many Christians believe that after death the soul ascends to heaven.
What's the difference between Protestant and Catholic?
There are some differences between Protestant and Catholic. Only a few of them are mentioned here. The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church; in the Protestant Church there is no such head. Catholics also have ordained priests, but their office may only be carried out by men. They are not allowed to marry or have children. In the Protestant Church, women may also become pastors and there is no celibacy. There are also differences in communion, which is why Catholics and Protestants cannot celebrate communion together. In the Protestant Church there are only the two sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper, in the Catholic Church there are a total of seven sacraments.
Do others also celebrate Easter or is it just us here (because of religion)?
Easter is celebrated by Christians all over the world with different customs. But it is a Christian feast that does not exist in other religions.
Can women become priests as well?
No, women are not allowed to become priests. There are no female pastors among the Catholics, but there are in the Protestant Church.
Questions about Islam
answered by Prof. Dr. Ghassan El Masri
(Research fellow in the field of “Interreligious Discourses – Islam” at the Bavarian Research Centre for Interreligious Discourses at the University of Erlangen)
Is Allah actually the same as God only in a different religion?
If by God we mean the Creator of the heavens and the earth, their Lord from their origin to the end of their destiny, the Creator of Adam's body and the source of his soul, then yes, we are talking about the same Almighty. Of course there are differences, and these have been discussed, debated and negotiated throughout Islamic history.
What do Muslims think about Christians, or about Jews and other believers?
According to the Qur'an, Christians and Jews as a community are a people blessed and distinguished by a divine scripture. However, history and irresponsible human authority, corrupting as they are, have corrupted the scripture so that parts of the community have lost their right path. Individuals, however (and perhaps later communities not encountered by the Prophet!?), may still be pious and righteous and deserving of Paradise. Who are these? We do not know, God alone knows, and he will judge us all, Muslims, Christians, Jews (and perhaps even Martians), on the Day of Judgement (v. 22:69). Since we do not know the fate of the people and what God's decision will be, Muslims must accept all people in this world firstly as children of Adam and secondly as a people distinguished by God's Scripture.
What do Muslims actually think about God?
Many things, his ninety-nine names summarise them – almost –, but the most essential is: "There is nothing like him" (v. 42:11).
What is Islam's position on terrorism?
Islam itself does not permit terrorism. More than that, Islam abhors terror against innocent people and all injustice, and it is the duty of the Muslim to fight and resist it. A Muslim who accepts that innocent people are terrorised betrays the Prophet's command to the believer to "fight injustice with his hand, and if he is unable to do so, then with words, and if he is unable to do so, then in his heart... but that is the weakest faith" Prophetic Hadith).
Are Muslim men still allowed to marry several women? Even here in Germany? Is that allowed? That can't be, can it?
Muslim men are legally allowed to have more than one partner. However, the conditions that must be met for it to be a 'fair' partnership are so difficult that it becomes technically impossible to achieve (Q4:3, 130).
In Germany, polygamy is not legally permitted. However, marriages contracted abroad must be recognised by the German authorities.
Are there sins that Allah does not forgive?
There is one sin that God does not forgive, and one can even say theologically cannot forgive: the worship of another god (4:48, 116)
What's with the headscarves on Muslim women? Is it really necessary? Hasn't it been outdated for a long time?
From verse 33:59 we can deduce that the Prophet's wives must cover their heads. Other women are supposed to cover their neck (and cleavage), it says so in verse 24:31, the Qur'an says nothing about covering one's head, however the tradition is clear on this matter, a headscarf is the duty of a pious woman, how big or how small the scarf or veil is is not specified and has varied from one time/place to another. True Muslims, if I may use that term, know that it is about a decent appearance and not eroticising oneself in public, it is not a piece of cloth. Not to forget: Men are obliged to cover themselves at least from the navel to the knee.
Questions about Hinduism
Answered in consultation with Prof. Dr. Heike Oberlin
(Executive Director of the Department of Indology, University of Tübingen)
I've wanted to know for a long time why Indian women always have such a dot on their foreheads? Is it something religious?
In the past, the red dot (called bindi) was a sign that a woman was married. Today, however, unmarried women and children also wear it as jewellery.
It comes from a blessing sign called tilaka. Both men and women are blessed with it and it represents the third eye, where a lot of energy flows.
How many gods do they actually have?
It is impossible to say exactly how many gods there are. However, one passage in a collection of Hindu religious texts mentions over 3000.
The Indians are in such strange castes. Can you change them?
Every Indian is born into a certain social group. Depending on the social group, one belongs to one of the four castes. Outside the four castes, there are also the "untouchables", who call themselves Dalits. You cannot change the caste you are born into. Nevertheless, there are also Dalits who have made it to high offices in the state.
Questions about Judaism
answered by Prof. Dr. Jascha Nemtsov, Berlin
(Academic Director of Studies of the Cantor Training at the Abraham Geiger Theological College Berlin | Professor of Musicology at the Department for the History of Jewish Music at the University for
Music Franz Liszt Weimar)
Is Judaism a religion or a people?
It is both.
Jewish men are circumcised. Why?
Circumcision (Brit Mila) seals the entry of a newborn male into the Jewish people's covenant with God.
Is it allowed to kiss in the synagogue?
As long as no service is taking place and there is no wild and passionate kissing, it is fine.
What do the Jews actually need these prayer belts that they carry around with them?
The prayer strap (tefillin) is worn by observant Jews during morning prayers on weekdays. They are leather straps with small boxes attached and are mainly worn by men. A small box is fastened on the hand and on the forehead during prayer. These contain parchment on which special Torah passages are written.
Questions about Bahaism
Bahai? What is that supposed to be? Nobody knows that.
The Bahai are a religious community who, like Christians, believe in one God. Their goal is for different peoples to live together peacefully.
What do Bahai actually believe in?
The Bahai believe that there is only one God, whom people call differently, for example God, Lord or Allah. They believe in the unity of God, the unity of religion and a unity of people.