Looking for information on hinduism:

Question

1) Considering that Hiduism lacks a united belief system, what makes up the hindu religion?
2)What are the cultural and societal influences that have made hinduism vital to the region in which it originated?
3) Explain the desire for liberation from earthly existence.

Thank you for using the Jiskha Homework Help Forum. Hopefully some of the following sites will help you:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism

2. http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm

3. http://www.hindunet.org/

4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/

5. http://hinduism.about.com/

That first one is a question I had to tackle in my world religions class in college. What I did was looked at how the religion developed. It is as much a reflection of the entire culture it grew up in as it is a belief structure. Probably more so.

To give you an idea of how to think of it and how it is different from the Western Culture, there is a great story the person who came to talk about Hinduism told us. I don't remember it exactly, so if it's a famous story and I am messing it up, I apologize. But you'll get the idea.

A Hindu always gave his guests a watermelon to take home with them. Finally, someone spoke up and said, "A watermelon is so big and hard to carry around. Why don't you give something like an apple?" So the next time the person came over, he received an apple. And a watermelon.

The idea is that when the Hindu religion is encountered with a new idea, it doesn't outright reject it and say it's contrary to their beliefs. They adapt it into their belief system somehow.

I hope that helps make it easier to answer some of your questions.
Matt

Good response.

compare the Judaismreligion and Buddhism