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The Bhagavad Gita is a sacred Hindu text from ancient India, embedded within the epic Mahabharata and traditionally set on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. It takes the form of a dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna, focusing on duty (dharma), righteousness, and devotion. The text reflects a society structured by roles and responsibilities, where moral action and social order were highly valued. It teaches that individuals should fulfill their duties without attachment to outcomes, which likely shaped daily behavior by encouraging discipline, loyalty, and commitment to one’s role in society. This contrasts with the Tao Te Ching, which emphasizes harmony with nature and non-action. While the Bhagavad Gitapromotes active engagement in life’s responsibilities, the Tao Te Ching encourages a more passive, adaptive approach.

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My first source 'Religion and Myth' by James Macdonald, about voodoo, tried to bring attention to the good and bad of Voodoo, with chapters like “Crime of witchcraft” and “Dangers of seeing divine persons.” Religion and Myth convey the message with laws and rules about voodoo. During the creation of voodoo, enslaved West Africans were going through horrible conditions, and they blended their spiritual practices with Catholicism. When voodoo was brought to America, it was used by African Americans to stand strong with resilience, it was a source of support and community to bring people together, and, similar to buddhism it was used to foster peace to each person who believed in it.

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In this specific text, the author was talking about how the world was made according to the Cherokee Tribe, located in Tahlequah Oklahoma. This text reveals that the Cherokee Tribe believes that the earth is just a floating island in a massive ocean. They believe that the earth hangs from the sky. The author also explains that once the earth is too old, everyone will die and the earth will sink back into the ocean. Through this text, the Cherokee Tribe believes the earth is sacred and should be respected. Through these ancient texts, it laid out structures for the Cherokee Tribe to live by. The gained a heavy sense of respecting nature, they started religious practices, including fasting for deeper spirituality. They were given an explanation of natural features, there is a sense of social order, and were warned about keeping the balance. This is different from the other source because this text talks about how the earth was made.

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Beowulf

Is a Germanic, mythology and folklore, like King Arthur from England it follows the legend of a fictious or mythological figure on their journey and demonstrates life ideal that is taught through the events of the story. In Beowulf it holds the themes of courage, valor, and honor. These are demonstrated through the deeds in Beowulf’s life. His slaying of the monster Grendel, his slaying of the Grendel’s mother, and death at the hands of a dragon, while sacrificing himself to help another achieve glory. Proving that even the best of humanity is mortal, but that our actions will make a person immortal.

Both stories or pieces I researched are about achieving immortality, while one is about the actual steps towards it, the other is about the concept of immortality, and how it can be achieved in this world. To me Beowulf feels more impactful, it reflects that as long as person has courage, valor, and honor, they will always be remembered and be passed on as legends and never truly die. Beowulf teaches a different type of immortality the one way a person can never truly die, aka if they are remembered.

Beowulf is rooted in Frisia which is modern day Germany and the Netherlands.

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Lingbao Mountain, Midu County, Dali, China

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Lingbao Mountain, Midu County, Dali, China

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Lingbao Mountain, Midu County, Dali, China

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The Tao Te Ching is a foundational Daoist text traditionally attributed to Laozi, written in ancient China during the Zhou Dynasty. It is a collection of short, poetic passages that focus on the concept of the Tao, or “the Way,” which represents the natural order of the universe. The text reveals a society that valued harmony, balance, and alignment with nature, especially during a time of political instability. Rather than promoting strict laws or rigid structure, it encourages simplicity, humility, and non-action (wu wei). These beliefs likely influenced daily life by guiding people to avoid conflict, live modestly, and adapt to circumstances rather than force control. This contrasts with the Bhagavad Gita, which emphasizes active duty and responsibility. While the Tao Te Ching promotes passive harmony, the Bhagavad Gita encourages purposeful action.

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The Kitáb-i-Aqdas is the central holy book of the Bahá’í Faith, written by Bahá’u’lláh. It is their holy book in which they teach religious laws, including prayer, fasting, family life, and social organization. It is considered the “Most Holy Book,” and it explains the purpose of life.  This book reveals how a society should be focused on unity, order, and moral behavior through religion. Politically and socially, it shows that to be a society, there should be laws to keep a civilization. Culturally, it leads people to listen to their authority to gain divine respect. The beliefs in this book show several routines like praying, fasting, and being of good conduct with everyone. It influences behavior as it encourages people to follow the law, be disciplined, and be honest. Followers are expected to live their lives as the holy book expresses. Compared to the Kitáb-i-Íqán, this text is more like a rule book, while the other one explains more of that spiritual realm. Both are still integrated in faith; however, one is more on what you should do, in contrast to the other being reasons to believe.

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The Bhagavad Gita is a conversation between Prince Arjuna and the god Krishna that takes place on a battlefield. It teaches the value of dharma, or duty, as well as selflessness and devotion. The text reveals that ancient Indian society prioritized social roles, moral responsibility, and spiritual discipline, particularly within a caste system. By emphasizing the importance of fulfilling one’s duty without worrying about the results, the Gita encouraged people to act responsibly, regardless of the personal benefits they might gain. This approach likely helped keep society stable and orderly. While both the Bhagavad Gita and the Qur’an stress moral action guided by divine authority, the Gita puts more focus on individual duty within a social hierarchy.

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My source ‘Zen for Americans’ by Soyn Shaku, while Zen for Americans is basically the journey the author made in the United States, sharing his faith, and comparing Buddhism from his home country to America. Zen for Americans is mostly Storytelling and rituals with chapters like “The Story of Deer Park”. For me, the Zen for America is more impactful. I think the author did a really great job at explaining what Buddhism is, but also how to even potentially understand it for maybe a future interest in the religion. During the start of Buddhism, there was a very rigid caste system, and so much social suffering, which made people seek out new spiritual paths. With Buddhism, there was a daily life impact with peace, compassion, and mindfulness. A similarity with Voodoo was that at the start of both of them both societies, they were going through hardships which made them find truth in religions.

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This piece of Irish Folklore tells the story of how the Tuatha De Dannan became the dominant force in Ireland, setting up King Bres as their first monarch. This lore reveals some of the history behind the myths and races in Irish cannon. It explains the northern islander's interest in the study of witchcraft and druidic arts which were used by the "godly" Tuatha De Dannan. What this lore shows in impact, is how the sorcerers came to dominate the area. This folklore is more mythical and magical than the other peace of folklore in England, "King Leir and His Three Daughters" which is more about love and family.

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"The Wisdom of the Talmud" demonstrates the relationship between the Talmud, which is the primary source of Jewish law and theology, and the Bible. The author is seeking to introduce what the Talmud is in Jewish religion, giving context of its history across five centuries dating back to the Babylonian Empire through to the persecution of the literature. It covers topics such as social ethics and personal morality in the context of the Talmud. It explores the culture of the Talmud that traces back to its origins and its importance in the history of Judaism. It containing the laws of Judaism makes it the basis for all political, social, and cultural practices within the Jewish religion that continue to be used today and in the daily lives of those practicing Judaism. Judaism is a monotheistic religion that believes in one God and His commandments while Buddhism is non-theistic and focuses on introspective thinking and personal philosophies. https://sacred-texts.com/jud/wott/wott02.htm

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Taoism

Tao Te Ching is a foundational, philosophical 4th-century BC Chinese text that was traditionally attributed to the sage Laozi. It consists of 81 short chapter works of philosophy and poetry that highlight and outline "Dao" (natural way of the universe) and "Te" (power). This text teaches people how to live in harmony with the Tao or the natural way of the universe. It emphasizes simplicity, balance, and avoiding extremes in life. It also reveals that in Taoist society they value peace, humility, and a strong connection to nature rather than controlling/strict rules. Their belief is "Wu Wei," which likely influences daily behavior by encouraging people to avoid conflict and live calmly. They do not focus on outcomes, and individuals are guided to act naturally and with much patience. Compared to Buddhism, Taoism feels more focused on accepting life as it is, rather than trying to actively change or escape.

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The Hindu works presented in this collection are written in several forms like hymns, philosophy, and ethics that were developed in ancient India. Some key concepts that may be identified as part of Hinduism are included in the works, which are mainly related to dharma, or duties, karma, and devotion to Hindu gods. The texts help show how the Hindu society associated with religion very closely. They had religious beliefs that defined various aspects of their social organization and included responsibilities that were assigned according to kinship, caste, and tradition. The beliefs dictated the way people lived and told them to perform their duties and rituals they have been assigned to. They also had to lead a righteous life to make sure they had a good future or salvation. The Buddhist text compared to the Hindu Text has more with freeing oneself form suffering. Hindu teaches performing your social and religious duties over anything else.

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This text explains several animal and miscellaneous tales. Most of these stories are trying to teach the readers lessons. These stories explain the origins of habits, markings, or sounds of animals. Many of these stories shape Australian culture because it is home to so many different types of animals. It shows how different animals communicate and live. It also aims to teach humans lessons based off the animals. These stories explains why nature is the way it is. It offers moral lessons about behavior, guidance on family, and storytelling that allows traditions to be passed down for generations. Much like the other text, it teaches humans to respect the nature and the earth.

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Egypt has a wide variety of Gods, from Gods that control the sun, the sky, and even the afterlife. Compared to other religions, Egypt's gods are worshiped in fear that they will bring forth their wrath on Egypt. Because of this, many worship the Gods in many ways and behave in certain ways so that they are accepted into the afterlife once they pass away. In Egyptian culture, things like being buried with your possessions came from the fact that Osiris, the God of the afterlife, and resurrection came back to life, thus creating the afterlife. When people die, they take their things with them so that they can transition into the afterlife comfortably.

Compared to Buddhism, where they are cremated rather than buried with their things. They do not take their stuff with them to the afterlife since they are being reborn.

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Egyptian Book of The Dead

In the Book of the Dead the purpose of this text was primarily religious but also gives a brief hint into the society’s relationship with the land. Ancient Egyptian “mythology” or religion was primarily based on reaching the afterlife, and The Book of the Dead is a text guiding a soul through the afterlife of sorts. It is a book of spells and incantations, essentially it is more of how we would deem an interactive story, as it follows a individual’s navigation of the Duat (Egyptian Afterlife) these spells and others are part of the person’s path toward their final judgment, which is done at the hands of the jackal headed Anubis as he weighs the person’s heart against the feather of truth, which would determine if a person qualified for immortality. This occurred if the person’s heart weighed less than the feather and if it was heavier than the feather, the goddess Ammitt permanently destroying the soul of the deceased.

This piece from Ancient Egyptian religion and mythology, shows the ritualistic customs of Egyptian burial, religious life, and ultimately the final achievement or failure to achieve immortality.

Like Beowulf, the purpose of the writing is to illustrate a means of achieving immortality. While Beowuld falls more under myth, and folklore than anything, the Egyptian book of the dead follows a more literal way of achieving immortality.

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The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead is a book that gives instructions to people on how to navigate the afterlife and make their way to a good afterlife. It is basically a “how to” on death and the afterlife with advice and spells to ensure that you can successfully navigate your journey in the afterlife. This book reveals that Egyptian society was greatly focused on the afterlife and making sure that people were successful in it and did not end up spending eternity in a bad place. The customs and beliefs that were laid out in the Book of the Dead really forced people to try their best to live ethical lives here on Earth so that they could have a good afterlife. Going off of that, both the Jewish Tanakh and the Egyptian Book of the Dead tell the readers and followers to live good lives, one for a single God and the other for multiple gods and the reward of a great afterlife. They both have details about the afterlife in them, just different descriptions of it.

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One of the primary sources I chose was from the King James Version from Judaism which is the English version of the Hebrew bible. One of the quotes that I chose was from Leviticus Chapter 2 which says " And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD." Which shows that in their culture you should bring peace offerings to the altar when you want the Lord to help you. The way how thus belief impacted daily life and behavior is because if things got hard in life they could bring a offering to the altar, have the priest burn it so then the fire is the offering. I would say this is different from what the Egyptians believed since they did not really believe in a god.

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Talmud

The Talmud is a sacred text within the religion of Judaism. It is a compilation of the writings of many Jewish scholars and was compiled between the third and sixth centuries. The purpose of the talmud was to codify and interpret the law that is laid out in the Torah. It reveals the jewish peoples thirst for uniformity in the law and for leaders to guide the broader Jewish people on why and how the law should be carried out and its purpose. From the perspective of a Jew, the Talmud serves as a bridge between the word of God and the practical application of God's word; therefore, it impacts every aspect of a practicing jews life from sunup to sundown. The Talmud and the Quran are vastly different and play completely different roles within their respective religions. The Quran was written long after the Talmud by one author and claims to be the direct and infallible word of God. Whereas the Talmud is significantly older and is a man made document with many authors, with the purpose of interpreting God's word.

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The Tanakh is the official Hebrew Bible and is also the main book in Judaism. The pages of the Tanakh actually consist of the Torah (which are the first five books that Moses wrote) and then also 19 other books, including the prophets (Nevi’im) and basic writings (Ketuvim). This religious text goes into detail about God and His covenant with the people of Israel. There are a lot of laws outlined in this book that tell people who follow Judaism how to live, but there are also stories about creation and history. In the book, there are a lot of laws specifically about society and the culture; these laws tell the followers how to live and sacrifice to God. The belief in God and His laws greatly impacts the daily life of the Israelites because there are so many customs that this book tells them to follow, like following the Sabbath and dietary restrictions. The main difference in this source, the Tanakh, and the other source, the Egyptian Book of the Dead, is that the Tanakh is a book about one God and His people while the Book of the Dead goes into detail about how people were meant to navigate the afterlife. Both sources have customs in them and history stories, but they just come from a very different place.

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The tradition is trying to reinforce the writing, performing, and participating in these rituals as a personal experience, while also changing the person or persons to be flexible, as well as changing attitudes and other things. It is covayed through ritualistic ideas and practices.

It reveals about society was that The Vampire Ritual Book was originally commissioned for use within the Sanguinarium.

It impacted everyday life through the "personal rituals are so important – they allow me to do a rite just for me, with the words that work for me, and with the actions and the feel to things that work for me” (Chapter 5).

The other source of The Esoteric and Occult; Philosophy of natural magic by Henry Agripa is similar. They both focus on helping your inner self with rituals.

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The Introduction of the Quran: The Quran is the holy book of Islam and as their holy book it is to be a spiritual map for the followers of Islam, it is believed to be the word of God revealed to prophet Muhammed. The Introduction talks about the Muslim people when the word was given to Muhammed. It tells a lot about society at the time and the culture of a people that did not have the word and how aimless and selfish the people were. All of that aimlessness changed when they received their holy book, a map of how to live given to the chosen people by their god. This relates to my other chosen text the legend of Osiris as they are both origin stories, this one of a people and the other of a god. (The image is where historians believe the birthplace of Muhammed to be)

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The source that I picked was Antiquities of the Jews - Book XI. The verses I picked out were about when Alexander the Great marched on Jerusalem, but instead of attacking the city and sacking it. He spared it. Even though the Samaritans traveling with him insisted that it be razed and looted. Alexander had a vision in Macedonia of the High Priest of Israel. In the vision, the Priest told Alexander that he would conquer the known world. Alexander then saluted the Priest when he met him. The Priest and the nobility walked out of the city to meet him unarmed. Alexander then walked all the way to the Holy Temple, where he made a sacrifice to the God of Israel. Then the High Priest read the prophecy of Daniel that mentioned Alexander. This reveals that the city was at extreme risk of being put to the sword and sacked. The High Priest and the nobility of the city gambled with their very lives and the lives of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Their bet paid off, though. The beliefs of the High Priest were that with the help of God, He would help in saving the city. My other source is about Buddha's enlightenment under the Buddha tree. Both have divine elements in their stories.

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The Ancient Egyptian passage reflects a society deeply focused on the afterlife and the preservation of the human body. It reveals a belief that a person’s physical form and senses had to be restored in order to function in the next world. Ritual offerings of food and drink suggest that the dead were thought to continue needing sustenance, much like the living. These customs shaped daily life by placing strong importance on funerary practices, preparation for death, and respect for the body. Priests and family members played active roles in maintaining these traditions, and individuals likely lived with the expectation that their actions would influence their journey after death.This is similar to how Paganism prepares but instead of it being the afterlife it is for in the moment spirituality/personal empowerment.

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The Quran is the most sacred scriptures of Islam. Muslims believe that it is the word of God that was revealed to the prophet Muhammed. It stresses monotheism, morality, social justice, and postmortem accountability. It also includes various laws and pieces of advice on how to live. The Quran illustrates the seventh century Arabian society through the display of tribal divisions, overall social inequality, trade, and family rules. The Quran shows how culture was being reshaped in that era by this new religious system that finally challenged neglect of the less fortunate. The teachings of the Quran influenced daily life by instructing when and how often to pray throughout the day, when to fast, what roles are in a family, and the ethics of charity. Compared with the Buddhist Psalms, the Quran is more focused on divine law and organization of a society, rather than the Buddhist teachings of inner peace, suffering, and reflection.

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The legend of Osiris: This legend was the legend of ancient Egypt, it was not found in one text or passed down through a family, but everywhere in ancient Egypt the legend was heard and told and written about. This was because Osiris was the god who had conquered death and the one that Egyptians were to pray to for eternal life. This text shows how the Egyptians lived and how important these gods were to the people because this story was told to everyone in ancient Egypt even the pharaohs prayed to Osiris. Osiris was implemented and prayed to at each funeral and on the tombs a plea would be written to him. This legend was given to the people and that is how they redeemed eternal life, like in the Quran which outlines how to live eternally in heaven for the Muslim people. (The image is of the god Osiris)

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The Buddhist Suttas is a bunch of teachings that help to explain some of the suffering and how to overcome it through the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. The texts help to emphasize one’s own personal spiritual developments, mindfulness, and detachment from desires. The teachings reflect a society that is focused on inner transformation instead of social hierarchy. The teachings shaped everyday behavior by encouraging everyone to meditate, practice ethical living, and reducing attachment to material objects. Monastic life and discipline were very important parts to this society. In comparison to the Hindu texts, Buddhism is less focused on social duties and rituals and is more focused on individuals’ path to enlightenment and freedom from suffering.

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Chapter 11 of Charles Godfrey Leland’s Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling (1891) analyses the nature of Gypsy witchcraft and its significance in Gypsy culture, highlighting the common uses and the “development” of supernatural abilities. In Romani spiritual culture, the women are the ones who are especially gifted with magical qualities such as fortune-telling, charms, and general sorcery, but they consider it innate within men as well. Leland illustrates the way that the magic used and its ability to take hold relies on the subconscious of the receiver for them to succumb to a command or thought process. This shows the way that Romani witchcraft highly relied on manipulation and trickery, along with the belief that the peoples performing the spells, charms, or tricks were in communion with the Devil. Customs like these show a deep psychological knowledge held by the Romani witches and showcases their willingness to manipulate people either performatively or truthfully. These practices created a social stigma against the Romani ethnic group that has continued into modern times but lessened due to the passage of time and disassociation of the ethnic group to those practicing witchcraft (Leland, 1891). Similarly to Scottish folklore and superstition, the Romani people believed strongly in prophecy and the presence of an active spiritual world, invisible to us but nevertheless meddling.

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The “gospel” of Thomas is an ancient text of sayings and teachings that are attributed to Jesus Christ likely written around the early 2nd century. The “gospel” of Thomas along with the other gnostic books at that time reveal that the Christian culture hadn’t yet been fully set and an agreed upon system yet. There was still debate on who Jesus was, what his nature was, and how to be saved. It also showed the influence of Greek philosophy around that time. And because of that Greek philosophical influence this custom impacted daily life because the moral of the text is about this inner knowledge (gnosis) for salvation, rather than the death and resurrection of Jesus. What’s similar about the Islamic Hadiths is that these two sources are just both a collection sayings. They don’t have a narrator.

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The Qur’an, is the central religious text of Islam, believed to be the word of God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It provides guidance on faith, law, and personal conduct, emphasizing submission to one God (Allah) and justice in society. This reflects a society in the Arabian Peninsula that valued unity, moral accountability, and community structure under religious law. The Qur’an influenced daily life through practices like prayer, charity, and fasting. These shaped both personal habits and social systems. Compared to the Bhagavad Gita, the Qur’an places greater emphasis on collective obedience to divine law, while both texts stress living a righteous life guided by higher principles.

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Fetichism, which was a religion based in West Africa, is a religion based on traditional beliefs in supernatural powers. They believe that there is a God that exists but is one that no individual makes appeals to unless it is an extreme emergency. Rather, they put most of their trust and turn to prayer, sacrifice, and other forms of ceremonies. They do not believe in heaven or hell, but largely a form of reproduction, with no form of any kind of sin. This affects their society politically by government being served in a consensus with tribal leaders being the head of government, helping people determine the severity of a crime and what their punishment should be. It affects their daily lives by having a consistent kind of lifestyle where men led the society, boys were being taught how to be men and initiated into being leaders of society, girls being educated, and women taking care of the home. Almost daily someone in the village is hunting, warring, trading, lovemaking, fishing, planting, or journeying. The difference between Fetichism and Buddhism is the idea of striving to live in a peaceful state of mind free from suffering. Buddhism believes that there is an eightfold path that a person must achieve during their lifetime in order to achieve Nirvana, while Fetichism believes that goodness has no reward, but badness makes the largest gains, with only fear of human injury.

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The Neopagan passage reflects a belief system centered on personal spiritual practice, nature, and ritual protection. It shows a society or tradition that values intentional actions, symbolic tools, and the creation of sacred space. The act of drawing a circle and consecrating elements suggests a desire to control spiritual energy and prevent harm. These customs likely influenced behavior by encouraging mindfulness, personal responsibility in rituals, and a connection to spiritual forces in everyday life. Practitioners actively participate in their beliefs rather than relying on large institutional systems. This is relatively to Ancient Egyptian practices because both locations heavily valued these practices and to them wrongly would to mean to desecrate sacred things.

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The Islamic Hadiths are a collection of Islamic traditions, laws, and teachings from their prophet Muhammad. The Hadiths are only second to the Quran which is the holy book of Islam when it comes to importance and authority in the religion. What the Hadiths reveal about the society is that Islam and the Quran may have needed to be clarified when it comes to certain doctrines or practices. So there might have been some confusion at that time. Politically the Hadiths could’ve been a baseline for this new religions law as well. The Hadiths and the Quran impacted daily lives heavily. Islam is a way of life. There’s certain practices and moral system that you must follow in order to be a good Muslim, so it impacts everything that they do. a difference between the Hadiths and the gospel of Thomas is the purpose and the function of the texts. The Hadiths were used to build Islamic law whereas the gospel of Thomas was used to focus on personal enlightenment.

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Buddhism: BUDDHA, THE GOSPEL By Paul Carus

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The Gospel of Buddha compiled from ancient texts is directed to a western audience. The texts primarily focus on compassion, mindfulness and the elimination of self-centeredness in order to achieve the central goal of liberation from suffering. This text reflects the culture of kindness and equality in Nepal. This text shows the shift in their value of compassion over power. Their beleifs impact their daily life as they focus on understanding suffering and how to avoid it, allowing them to view death with a lense of hope as they look forward to enlightenment and peace.

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"Learning without thought is labor lost; thought
 without learning is perilous." - The Master (Confucius, 1893)

This source contains quotes and lessons from Confucius and his disciples after his death. In this time, the kingdoms have been in a post-war chaos. However, the Confucian belief of living a steady, constantly learning life allowed the people to live with a more consistent and understood outlook. In comparison to Islamic beliefs, Confucianism takes a more humanist and non-theistic approach towards living life. It expresses that one should both learn and apply the wisdom gained from learning, rather than focusing on following a specific, ultimate deity.

Confucius. (1893). Confucian Analects (J. Legge, Trans.). https://sacred-texts.com/cfu/conf1.htm

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Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India- Buddhism 

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Sarnath, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India- Buddhism 

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Buddhism

The Sermon at Benares from the Gospel of Buddha explains the concept of suffering and introduces the Four Noble Truths, which describe why suffering exists and how it can be overcome. It is Gautam Buddha's first teaching, delivered in Varanasi, where he goes to explain that death and sorrow are inevitable parts of life. The story of Kisa Gotami, who had a dead child, was brought to rest when she accepted that death was universal. This shows that the Buddhist society was based on understanding human suffering and finding a path to enlightenment. The teaching is that "birth is attended to, encouraging self-discipline, mindfulness, and more behavior. Most followers were expected to control their desires and follow the eightfold path, which affected their everyday lives. The Eightfold Path was right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Compared to Taoism, Buddhism takes a more active approach by teaching that suffering can be understood and eventually overcome, rather than full and simple acceptance.

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The Avesta is the holy book for Zoroastrianism that teaches a works-based salvation by obedience Ahura Mazda's the three excellent things: "good thoughts, good words, and good deeds" and the three abominable things, "bad thoughts, bad words, and bad deeds" (Fargard XVIII, para. 17). Followers participate daily prayers, rituals, and moral commitment, as well as charitable works and community service. Compared to Gnosticism, Zoroastrianism holds a heavy emphasis on ethical instruction, whereas gnostics believe it is secondary to the metaphysical goal of escaping the body and the material world.

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The Burden of Isis is a story about The Laments of Isis and Nephthys which a collection of ancient Egyptian hymns and chants. This specific chapter focuses on the mourning rituals that Isis and her sister Nephthys performed to resurrect their brother/husband Osiris, after he was murdered. This story shows that they believed that they could resurrect people and bring them back. This shows that they valued magical healing and what the promise of afterlife resurrection was. Also, the value of maternal devotion and Isis was very upset about her loss. This belief impacted everyone's life as this set the stage for what was to be done if someone went on to the afterlife and if they wanted to bring them back or something, they could do so. The Egyptians triumphed life over death, loyalty, and that resurrection is necessary. Isis then became a god, and she began to get worshiped. There are some similarities between Ancient Egypt- Burden of Isis and Buddhism – Amitabha, as they both have a savior and seek salvation guidance through death and the thought of afterlife. They also have some differences in the way they see after life, or the way judgement happens.

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King Leir and his three daughters is the story of a king who tests his daughter's love for him. His oldest two make great declarations, while his youngest daughter expresses her wish simply to do her custom duties as his daughter, so he sends her away to France. Eventually, he is forsaken by his two eldest daughters, and goes in search of his youngest, who goes to him and comforts him. This tale reveals what the English culture esteemed in regard to a child's duty to their parent. The proper way to show honor and loyalty. Many cultures believe in similar notions of duty, so this is not original, but it was the status quo for a time to show absolute honor to one's parents, one that western society sadly lacks today, as many act like King Leir's oldest daughters rather than the youngest. The other source, "The Second Battle of Mag Tuired" is more of a mythical legend, whereas "King Leir and his Three Daughters" is trying to express a moral. The legend is also trying to explain history.

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Amitabha is “Buddha of Infinite Ligh and Life” which is a central figure in Mahayana and Pure Land Buddhism, creating the Western Pure Land of Sukhavati. This was formerly the monk Dharmakara that vowed to save all the sentient beings, and offer rebirth in his paradise, that is free from suffering; doing so by chanting his name. This shows the societal shift that occurred; they are a hope driven spirituality that helps address the human need for security, compassion, and salvation. It impacted East Asian society that democratizing salvation with an easy path by simply chanting, causing spiritual liberation to be accessible to everyone. There are some similaritiesbetween Ancient Egypt- Burden of Isis and Buddhism – Amitabha, as they both have a savior and seek salvation guidance through death and the thought of afterlife. They also have some differences in the way they see after life, or the way judgement happens.

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The Analects, written in ancient China during the late Zhou dynasty, Confucius makes it clear that leadership is less about control and more about character. He argues that when rulers lead with virtue, people don't just obey, but they begin to understand why certain behaviors matter. This then reflects a society where order depends on individuals knowing their place, especially within the family. The emphasis on filial piety suggests that respect for parents was seen as the starting point for all social relationships. In daily life, it would mean people need to act with discipline, even when no one is watching. When compared to Buddhism, Confucius seems more focused on keeping society stable rather than on helping individuals detach from their inner struggles.

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The Hadith are a collection of accounts from people who were closely associated with Muhammad, the founder of Islam. They purport to lend credence to his divine calling by Allah (God) and elaborates on the teachings of the Qur’an.

The contents of the Hadith reflect the society of the first-century Middle East; the fact that they are made up of numerous accounts could indicate that, like today, people were skeptical of largely uncorroborated claims and thus needed multiple attestation for the statements contained within to be convincing. The Hadith also point to the reverence with which people in that time and region regarded God, as they staked their authority on a supposedly divine revelation from God through the angel Gabriel.

The accounts and teachings in the Hadith had a massive impact throughout the Middle East. Alongside the Qur’an, they served as the foundation for sharia law, which is the legal system present in many Muslim nations even to this day. Beyond the law, the teachings of the Hadith also influenced daily life by inspiring common practice for etiquette.

The Hadith are different from the ancient texts of Buddhism in that they appeal much more strongly to the authority of both God and man. They are also much different in their style, being explicitly relayed by a large number of people whereas the authorship of the ancient Buddhist texts is significantly more vague.

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The Treatise on Jainism book is used as a way of life based on three major sections: non-violence (ahimsa), non-attachment (aparigraha), and non-absolutism (anekantavada). The book highlights laws in which people should be honest and not steal; similar to Christianity, the rules could be tied to how the culture behaves now.
It creates a society that values moral responsibility and respect for authority. Culturally, it prioritizes one's peace and being disciplined. Socially, conflict isn't seen as good, so it emphasizes that if people are living together, then there should be cooperation among them. These beliefs promote vegetarianism, minimal consumption, and careful decision-making to avoid harming animals, as all are supposed to work together. The law is to be respectful to others, be honest, and reduce greed. In daily life, it helps society stay civilized and honest, treating others well and having compassion for each other.
Compared to the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, this text is more spiritual in context, although it still has some laws involved; the other is more like a law book, they both still integrate faith and are used as a foundation of their beliefs.

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Buddhism – Dhammapada

The Dhammapada, translated by F. Max Müller, is a collection of teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama that emphasize moral discipline, nonviolence, and self-discipline. It reflects a South Asian society which is centered on reducing suffering and achieving spiritual enlightenment rather than emphasizing political authority or organized state power. Culturally, it highlights values such as compassion, mindfulness, and personal responsibility for one’s actions. These beliefs shaped daily life by encouraging individuals to avoid harm to others, control desires, and reflect carefully on behavior to improve karma and future outcomes. Compared to the Qur'an the Dhammapada is less rule-based and more focuses on individual moral reflection (Müller, 1881).

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Buddhist Psalms shows Buddhist teachings through reflection-themed poetry. In these teachings, it is shown that Buddhism mostly reflects on suffering, self-discipline, and true enlightenment. Buddhist Psalms urges a detachment from the desires of the world, compassion, and inner peace as the only path to wisdom. Buddhist Psalms displays how the culture had become shaped by religious devotion, meditation, and reflecting on daily actions and their effect on spiritual progress. Culturally, it suggests that life should be more focused on self-control, humility, freedom from the physical world. These beliefs would have shaped daily life by encouraging often reflection, moral conduct, and less focus on wealth and power rather than knowledge. Compared with the Quran, Buddhist Psalms is much more self-meditative instead of prayer. The Quran places much more value in the ideas of divine command.

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Islam's primary text, the Quran, is viewed as the word of God as revealed to Prophet Muhammad. It offers advice on every aspect of life, including worships, morals, and the law. This source described a civilization with a strong religious foundation and social and political structures that are connected with Islamic values. The Quran's emphasis on justice, giving back, and civic duty influences day-to-day practices such as social interactions, dietary regulations, and prayer schedules. These religious obligations shaped people's lives and gave them a powerful sense of purpose and unity. The Quran has a greater impact on legal and social systems than other sacred scriptures, demonstrating a close connection between religion and day-to-day government. While the Bhadavad Gita emphasizes personal responsibility and spiritual development within a broader philosophical structure, the Quran focuses on directing both personal faith and social regulations, significantly impacting community life.

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The concept of self-realization is one of the main practices of the Buddhist religion. This source uses a dialogue between a person and someone who is referred to as the "Blessed One", who can be inferred to be a monk. This person is seeking wisdom from the teacher on how to achieve self-realization. This demonstrates the hierarchical order found in the Buddhist religion, where there are prophetic teachers from whom "ordinary" people can seek spiritual wisdom from. The teacher introduces the practice of "dhyana" which is a form of meditation and uninterrupted concentration that is necessary to find true reality. This is suggested to be done consistently by the teacher, which illustrates the impact of this on daily life of someone practicing the Buddhist religion. There is a parallel to Judaism of prophetic teachers and disciples; for example, priests in Judaism and monks in Buddhism. https://sacred-texts.com/bud/bb/bb14.htm

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Indus Valley, Eidgah Road, Gandamguda, Telangana, India

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Indus Valley, Eidgah Road, Gandamguda, Telangana, India

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Indus Valley, Eidgah Road, Gandamguda, Telangana, India

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My second source is the practice of Hinduism. While Hinduism and Buddhism are from the same country, in a way they both teach two different things, while applying the same things. For example, Buddhism talks more about finding inner peace which is why it is more persuasive to people. When learning about Hinduism, it is about self-discipline and moral control, especially over desires. This helps to show the importance of duty and order in a society while trying to get people to act ethical, while also showing how rules and laws help to show people how Hinduism is about things needed to be done a certain way, while following the rules and laws.

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The disciples of Confucius sought to produce an ethical and well-cultivated society, restore social harmony and promote leadership grounded in virtue through their master’s (confucius') various teachings. These texts reveal societeis longing for ethical/virtuous leadership and social haromony. This beleif system has impacted their daily behavior as they strive to focus on virtues of humility, self discipline, family devotion, and neighborly harmony. Confucianism differs with buddhism as it focuses on social and political philosophy and familial duty rather than personal enlightenment or escape from suffering.

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The teaching of magic is passed down through generations, teaching what a person or persons should or should not do in certain circumstances. For example, “they say, if a smooth, shining piece of steel be smeared over with the juice of mug-wort, and made to fume, it will make invoked spirits to be seen in it. So, also, there are some suffumigations, or unctions, which make men speak in their sleep, to walk, and to do those things which are done by men that are awake.” So there are many ways that these teachings are useful in life and help convey these messages through symbolism in the ingredients or objects used.

Natural magic impact society through social cohesion, conflict and power struggles, and many other ways. This brought explanations and closure to people with misfortune.

The belief/custom impacted daily life or behavior thought historical context. The history of witchcraft and magic is deeply intertwined with religion and societal structures. It has been a source of fear and persecution, but it has also been embraced as a legitimate spiritual practice in some cultures.

As stated as before both sources are very similar, however one, as in this one had more of an impact on society.

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My second source is the Egyptian Book of the Dead and it shows what kinds of practices they would do when people passed. This was because The Ancient Egyptian passage says the restoration and preservation of the body after death, reinforcing the belief in an afterlife where the deceased must be made whole. with the book saying " I give to him his eyes, that he may be satisfied. Offering of food and drink." Since preservation meant a lot to the Egyptians by giving the person "eyes" allowed them to help navigate through the after life, and by giving food and drink it allowed them to be healthy for their journey. This is different than Judaism since they believed that their was an after life with one that's greater then all people, while for the Egyptians they didn't know what was next after life.

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Quran

The Quran is a sacred text within the religion of Islam. It claims to be a series of revelations straight from God deliverd to the prophet Muhamed and was written in the seventh century. The Quran, according to Islam, serves as the ultimate authority on how a person should live their life. It outlines 5 pillars that all muslims must practice with the overall theme being to submit to God. The Qur'an's impact on the muslim world cannot be overstated, it’s teachings are enshrined in law in many countries and impact the daily lives of billions of people. It determines almost every aspect of a practicing Muslim's life. While both texts are similar in that they both repeatedly call for or permit violence, they are different in that the Quran claims to be the direct word of God uncorrupted by man.

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Buddhism is a religion that originated in India, yet made its way to Asia and is still prevalent in Asia in the modern world today. Buddhism believes that there is an afterlife called Nirvana. A place one goes to once they die and achieve buddhahood. Because of this, those who convert or follow Buddhism have to follow strict ways of life, or they will fail to achieve Nirvana. The way they have to live abstains them from killing, sexual acts, drinking, stealing, and lying. If they don't follow these ways of life, they will not be granted Nirvana.

Compared to Egyptian religion, where one has to worship their Gods to be let into the afterlife and not enact their wrath. Buddhists are cremated, while people in Egypt are buried with their belongings, believing they are to transition to the afterlife with them.

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Buddhism, a religion that was started in India, majorly in Southeast Asia, is a religion based on finding the extinction of suffering. There are four noble truths that a person must know. That is suffering, the origin of suffering, the extinction of suffering, and the path that leads to the extinction of suffering. After these are identified, a person utilizes the fourth noble truth with the eightfold path, which outlines the practical steps to end suffering. Buddhism guides societies associated with it ethical conduct, mental discipline, and wisdom to live a life free from suffering and achieve liberation, which is nirvana. This affects everyday life by bringing isolation, where those associated with this religion have as little human contact as possible, which to them is the best way to free themselves from suffering along with achieving the eightfold path. The difference between Buddhism and Fetichism is the idea of striving to live in a peaceful state of mind free from suffering. Buddhism believes that there is an eightfold path that a person must achieve during their lifetime to achieve Nirvana, while Fetichism believes that goodness has no reward, but badness makes the largest gains, with only fear of human injury.

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The source that I picked is called The Gospel of Buddha. The greatest part of the Gospel of Buddha is when he sits under the Buddha tree and achieves Nirvana, also known as enlightenment. "The four noble truths which point out the path that leads to Nirvana or the extinction of self." "The fourth noble truth is the eightfold path that leads to the cessation of sorrow." The Buddha states that all the pleasures of the world are in vain and lead to pain and suffering. In order to achieve Nirvana, you have to overcome Tanha and Upadana, which means craving and clinging to attachment. In order to achieve enlightenment, you must let go of the attachment to pleasure. This reveals a society where a man searched for a long time to find the meaning of life, and how to escape the pain and sufferings of his world. These beliefs led him to live out many types of life experiences, such as going from a prince to becoming homeless. Both lifestyles that the Buddha said are in vain. Both had no value. Compared to the other source, both are about trying to save your soul from suffering, physically from an army, and spiritually from the burdens of the world. Both claim divine intervention.

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Judaism

The article acknowledges the Talmud's importance as a significant compilation of Jewish laws, customs, discussions, and wisdom while introducing an online English translation of the text. Even though the Talmud is complicated and legalistic, studying it is gratifying and intellectually stimulating. The version under discussion is Rodkinson's ten-volume translation, which mostly concentrates on festivals and jurisprudence and spans around one-third of the whole Talmud.

Although the editor defends Rodkinson's work as an accurate and well-documented abridgment, it has been criticized by both traditionalists (who reject translation) and critics of Judaism. Now that the translation is completely accessible online, misconceptions may be avoided.

First of all, it shows a society that places a strong emphasis on everyday life, religion, and the law. The thorough explanations of Sabbath laws, holidays, and customs imply that religious law influenced everything from work and family routines to cooking and travel.

Second, it represents a culture that prized critical thinking and intellectual discourse. The Talmud documents discussions, disputes, and many points of view in addition to being a set of rules. This implies a society in which inquiry, logic, and interpretation were valued rather than repressed.

Third, the text emphasizes serious ethical and justice problems. The comprehensive coverage of criminal law and civil law, including property, damages, labor, and fraud, demonstrates an attempt to create a just and efficient legal system. talmud.htm

The Talmud reflects an ancient society where religious law governed nearly every aspect of daily life through detailed rules and debates, while the 1885 Reform platform reinterprets Judaism as a modern, evolving religion that emphasizes ethics over strict ritual observance. In contrast to the Talmud’s focus on preserving tradition and legal precision, the Reform text highlights adaptation to contemporary values, universalism, and alignment with reason and modern society.

1885.htm

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The Rosary of the Buddha, rooted in ancient India during the early spread of Buddhism, shifts attention away from society and towards the individual mind. It teaches that suffering does not come from the outside world, but from desire and attachment within us. This reflects a cultural focus on self-awareness, where understanding one's thoughts becomes more important than following societal expectations. In everyday life, these ideas would likely encourage people to slow down, live more simply, and avoid becoming too attached to material things or outcomes. Instead of trying to control the world, the goal becomes controlling oneself. In contrast to Confucius, who emphasizes structure and responsibility, Buddhism highlights inner peace and personal freedom.

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This passage summarizes Abbé Barruel’s third volume on the Bavarian Illuminati, portraying them as a secret, revolutionary group that allegedly influenced events like the French Revolution by spreading radical, anti-religious ideas through European networks such as Masonic lodges.

Although Barruel was a conservative and biased writer, his work is considered valuable as a primary source because it draws on documents and firsthand accounts; today, his claims remain debated, with some viewing the Illuminati as early influencers of modern political movements, while others see such ideas as exaggerated or conspiratorial.

This passage reveals a society deeply shaped by fear of hidden influence and political upheaval. The idea that a secret group like the Bavarian Illuminati could orchestrate events such as the French Revolution shows how people tried to make sense of rapid, destabilizing change by attributing it to coordinated, unseen forces rather than broader social causes.

It also reflects strong ideological divisions, especially between conservative thinkers like Augustin Barruel and emerging modern ideas like liberty and equality. What later became widely accepted democratic values were, at the time, seen by some as dangerous threats to order, religion, and tradition.

Finally, the passage highlights a recurring pattern in society: during times of uncertainty, people often turn to conspiracy explanations to interpret complex events. This suggests an ongoing tension between rational historical analysis and suspicion of hidden agendas, a dynamic that continues to appear in different forms even today. https://sacred-texts.com/sro/mhj/index.htm

While Abbé Barruel’s account of the Bavarian Illuminati reflects a society driven by fear of hidden conspiracies and resistance to political change, the writings of Leonardo da Vinci reveal a culture increasingly focused on observation, reason, and scientific inquiry.

In contrast to Barruel’s suspicion of revolutionary ideas behind events like the French Revolution, Da Vinci’s work represents a shift toward explaining the world through evidence and rational analysis rather than attributing change to secret forces.

https://sacred-texts.com/aor/dv/index.htm

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Scottish highland culture, specifically until the late 1800’s, was richly laden with superstition, tales of fairies and other creatures with ill intent, and especially prophecy. Alexander Mackenzie writes in the Prophecies of the Brahan Seer (1899) about the unfulfilled prophecies of Scottish folklore. Prophecies were constantly being created and fulfilled, but certain tales still had pieces missing and are often debated today. Scottish society has always held very superstitious beliefs, influencing daily life by adding either a few steps to simple tasks or phrases or even creating entirely new practices (Mackenzie, 1899). A huge part of Scottish culture and prophecy is the standing stones found in various locations around the country that were regarding as “fairy stones” or occasionally a type of portal. A key difference between Scottish highland prophecies and Romani fortune telling is that the prophecies would come from one person, foretelling what would occur at any later date, whereas the Romani sorcerers were only able to detect what had already occurred or what was currently taking place.

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A conversation between Prince Arjuna and the god Krishna is shown in the Bhagavad Gita, who is a famous Hindu literature that emphasizes responsibility, morality, and the essence of life. It shows a civilization in which moral behavior and spiritual knowledge are essential to one's social and personal identity. The articles emphasis on carrying out obligations without regard to result had an impact on people's day-to-day lives by motivating them to behave with selflessness, discipline, and commitment. This idea promoted harmony and responsibility within the family, caste, and community by influencing societal roles and individual behavior. The Bhagavad Gita places more emphasis on ethical responsibility and personal spiritual development than the Quran does. In contrast, the Quran combines religious law with social governance, demonstrating different ways in which belied directs life and society.

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This source is titled A Story of Buddhist Theology, it illustrates the story of Amitabha which provides historical context for the reign of King Kanishka. Emphasis is placed on Buddha, alongside the four noble truths. Those consisting of liberation from suffering and a path towards salvation through moral truths. Which places a strong narrative on the importance of good deeds and a pure heart to reach enlightenment. This reveals insights into the society of ancient India during the height of Buddhism belief.  Which demonstrates the idea of non-violence and a more peaceful perspective through their religious beliefs which translates within the community and everyday acts. Examples of this belief system showing up within daily life and behavior is through promoting the ideals of mindfulness, compassion and karma, which is seen in kindness towards strangers, helping others and overall cultivating a peaceful existence for the people around them. This is similar to my other source as they both touch on a designated noble truths which assist in enlightenment.

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“In the name of God, Most Gracious,
Most Merciful.” (The Holy Quran, 1934)

This source is the primary and key text for Islam, which was started by the prophet Muhammad in 610 C.E. In Islam, the primary belief is that following their God will lead to a bountiful life, and those that reject the message will face eternal damnation. It’s expressed through laws and stories of those living in and out of Islam. It reveals that in the time the Quran was written, society had treated the weak and vulnerable as expendable and didn't deserve the rights of others. However, this belief of following God's teachings, loving others, including the vulnerable, allowed the people of Mecca and Arabia to live a more established and peaceful life. In comparison to Confucianism, where it focuses on living a life of self-made peace, peace comes from following God.

The Holy Quran (Y. Ali, Trans.). (1934). https://sacred-texts.com/isl/yaq/index.htm

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This source titled The Alchemy of Happiness demonstrates the truth to eternal happiness through a religious Islamic view. Its main emphasis is through self-awareness, knowledge of God, understanding the world and knowing the afterlife which if all explored will provide spiritual fulfillment. This work reveals the culture as one which must turn away from material goods and fixations, and instead turn towards God and good deed. Where reaching for contentment through the purification of the soul and pursuit of divine truth is the ultimate means of finding a meaningful life. This view impacts daily life through promoting the importance of self-awareness, moral action and spiritual enlightenment and provides the ability for an individual to reflect on their life’s and consider their actions towards themselves and others. This source differs from the other as this idea of reaching happiness is through delving deeper into the understandings of the religion, facing God, while the other provides emphasis on reaching that same enlightenment through physical works through compassion and kindness towards others specifically.

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Islam – Qur’an

The Qur’an, revealed to Muhammad, is the central religious text of Islam that provide guidance on morality law, and social organization. It reflects a Middle Eastern society where religion and governance were closely connected, shaping both personal conduct and public life. The text is centered on obedience to God, and responsibility toward others, reinforcing a structured moral and legal system. These teachings impacted daily life through practices such as prayer, fasting, charity, and ethical decision-making guided by divine instruction. The message conveyed through direct commandments, narratives, and warnings, giving it strong authority and clarity for followers. Compared to the Dhammapada, the Qur’an is more prescriptive and rule-based, emphasizing communal order and obedience over personal philosophical reflection (Ali 1934).

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The Gospel of Buddha is a modern translation of the ancient texts concerning the life of the Buddha and his pursuit of the escape from earthly suffering.

The ancient texts demonstrate a strong awareness of the suffering that permeates the world, which may reflect a broad understanding of it by people in the region owing to hardship from illness and war. The fact that they are also presented in a relatively biographical account of the Buddha’s life could also point to a desire for relatability on the part of the southeast Asian population.

The teachings of the Buddha have served as a major influence on culture and politics throughout Asia, with concepts like karma and detachment from earthly things serving as the basis for a generally nonviolent, peaceful attitude.

The ancient texts of Buddhism are different from the Hadith in that they do not invoke the authority of a higher power as explicitly; instead they present the Buddha as a man who was allowed to attain an exceptional degree of awareness and subsequently escaping suffering, which serves as an example of an attainable ideal that followers should strive to achieve.

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The Analects were a collection of sayings from Confucius, collected by his disciples and recorded after his death. These writings consist of Confucius’ teachings on ethics, politics, and morality. The Analects reveal a society rooted virtues that foster harmonious relationships and social order. The Analects emphasize a number of teachings of moral life, such as: fostering community, respect for social hierarchy, heavy emphasis on family, respect for elders, obedience, high value in education, practical politics, leadership by virtue, modesty and humility. Confucius’ writings provided a moral framework for both individuals and rulers through the importance of social harmony, the well-being of the community, and ethical behavior. Similar to the other source, section 7 of the Quran, both texts emphasize obedience. However, the Quran mentions strict obedience to God while the Analects mention obedience to higher authority in a political or hierarchical sense, not divine.

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The Builders (1923) serves as an introduction to masonic history. It provides insight into its philosophy and how it emerged in the 18th century. It is a "fraternal group" that has had members from warring sides and historically has not revealed its practices and customs. The author, Joseph Fort Newton (Newton) compares masonry to ancient Egypt in that Egypt is where "monumental architecture began" (Newton, 1923). Masonry began as an underground association for building trade workers, hence the obsession with architecture. Newton says that architecture is one of two arts that have altered the face of the earth along with agriculture. Masonry is different to a belief system such as Taoism since it does not adhere to Taoism's practice of action through inaction.

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The Pistis Sophia is an important part of the Gnostic corpus that is comprised of a collection of non-canonical writings from early Christian and pre-Christian religious groups that emphasized secret or hidden knowledge for salvation. Gnostics felt very disconnected from the material world and viewed as a prison (darkness) that believers needed to escape from as expressed in the Pistis Sophia, "Save me out of the matter of this darkness, that I may not be submerged therein, that I may be saved from the emanations of god Self-willed which press me sore, and from their evil doings" (Pistis Sophia, 1921, ch. 32). This grim belief of the material world encouraged detachment from it by following restrictions on diet and luxury. One can find similarities between this and Zoroastrianism in dedicated daily prayers and emphasis on repentance, while holding contrasting views of the fundamental nature of the world with Zoroastrians believing in the essential goodness of the world.

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Part 7 of the Quran, also known as Al-A’raf, addresses themes of prophecy, divine guidance, and the consequences of belief and disbelief in God. This writing contains both moral and spiritual guidance, the importance of believing in and obeying God, reflection on stories of past nations as guidance, and the consequence of not staying faithful to your belief in God. The writing reveals significant insights into society. It highlights the consequences of sin and holding individuals accountable for their actions, further emphasizing the importance of following the Holy Quran. It also reflects on some history of the prophets, pointing out why obedience is needed. This impacted daily life by teaching that no one is superior to divine evaluation and helped cultivate obedience to the religion. This is very different to Confucius’ Analects, which focus on hierarchical obedience rather than divine obedience. Additionally, the Analects do not recount any history and did not explicitly discuss consequences like the Quran does.

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The teaching of magic is passed down through generations, teaching what a person or persons should or should not do in certain circumstances. For example, “they say, if a smooth, shining piece of steel be smeared over with the juice of mug-wort, and made to fume, it will make invoked spirits to be seen in it. So, also, there are some suffumigations, or unctions, which make men speak in their sleep, to walk, and to do those things which are done by men that are awake.” So there are many ways that these teachings are useful in life and help convey these messages through symbolism in the ingredients or objects used.

It had reveals conflict and power struggles to interplay power dynamics.

The belief and customs impacted daily life through maintaining social norms and providing explanations for people that have misfortune.

The history of witchcraft and magic is deeply intertwined with religion and societal structures. It has been a source of fear and persecution, but it has also been embraced as a legitimate spiritual practice in some cultures.

These sources are very similar, however one focuses more on the impact it had on society while the other just explained the rituals that were used.

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History of the Devil

“But how shall we reach this knowledge of the superpersonal God? Our answer is, with the help of science. Let us pursue in religion the same path that science travels, and the narrowness of sectarianism will develop into a broad cosmical religion which shall be as wide and truly catholic as is science itself” (Carus, 1900, p.3).

Entitled History of the Devil, this piece of literature does not purport to worship Satan, but the author instead provides a comprehensive secular understanding of the history of good and evil in the world, as well as the presence and activity of the devil in the world. The author appeals to cosmic dualism, which is a Christian heresy that posits two fundamental, opposing, and coexisting supreme powers or deities. The book explores the history of the notion and belief in evil spirits that “led naturally to the acceptance of a single supreme evil deity, conceived as embodying all that is bad, destructive, and immoral.”

Carus’s History offers a nonfiction historical narrative exploration of the subjects that concern the existence of evil throughout the ages. His approach is more like a systematic case study, and it can be read in isolation, unlike the Talmud. It also rejects religion and religious dogma, insisting that such sectarians are narrow sighted and presumptuous in their beliefs. Further, and most importantly, Dualism believes that the power of evil and darkness is equal in potency and gravity to that of goodness and light, while Jewish theology holds that there is but one uncreated Creator called God under Whom all creation is subjugated, and that this God is Goodness itself.

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Jewish Talmud

The literature of the Talmud represents approximately a thousand years of Jewish thought. Its foundations were laid by the work of Ezra during the middle of the fourth century B.C.E., in the community of the returned exiles from Babylonia, who inaugurated the second Jewish commonwealth in Palestine. Its period of greatest productivity came in the centuries that followed the disastrous Jewish war against Rome in 70 C.E. The Talmud is not independent literature however. It proceeds instead as a supplement to the Bible. The Bible remained the fundamental source of belief and practice in Judaism, but the Talmud was its authoritative exposition and implementation” (Bokser, 1951, p. ix).

This supplementary Talmudic resource is intended to be an introduction to the Jewish Talmud, which comes in two variants: the Babylonian and the Jerusalem Talmuds. Each Talmud is a compilation of commentaries on the Jewish Scriptures authored by various rabbinical scholars over the past centuries of Judaism, starting after the Second Temple was destroyed by Rome. The Talmud conveys its message in the form of commentaries and recorded discourses which are compiled into a single document and used for Biblical interpretation and exegesis, as well as law and order within the Jewish faith.

The Jewish Talmud differs from the paradigm of Dualism in that it is a centered around one core objective standard of truth. Jewish law is divided into the Written Torah (Pentateuch) and the Oral Torah (unwritten tradition), both believed to be given at Sinai. The Written Law provides foundational, often general commands, while the Oral Law (recorded in the Talmud) gives the detailed, binding interpretation for implementation. The Talmudic Jews subject themselves to its authority as divine revelation, which would be called “sectarianism” by the Dualist (Carus, 1900, p. 3).

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The Quran is the holy book of Islam; it was given to the Islamic prophet Muhammed in the 600’s which he proclaimed was the divine word of God given to him by the angel Gabriel. Islam is a very structured religion where rules must be adhered which meshed will with the structured lives of Arab people during this time. When Islam rose to power in the region it made significant impacts throughout the middle east. Its ridged system of laws impacted the daily lives of people in the region through its prohibition of consuming alcohol, requiring three daily prayers are just some examples. When compared to Judaism, Islam have similarities with the ridged rules and structure, yet certain things vary widely such as the ban of alcohol which is widely used in many Jewish ceremonies.

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The Tao Te Ching is a sacred text originating in China. It is "a collection of poetry and sayings from around the third and fourth centuries B.C.E." (National Geographic). The author is traditionally believed to be Lao Tzu, however there is some debate among historians. Taoism is thought of as the way of the universe. It teaches that all living creatures ought to live in a state of harmony. The Tao Te Ching offers guidelines for behavior as well as spiritual ways to live. Taoism has greatly influenced the landscape of China and their way of life. Taoism is different from something like Freemasonry as it is an open religion and philosophy while Freemasonry operates in a closed society where members must achieve many steps before joining.

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The Tanakh is the Hebrew bible which contains their sacred text which was given to them by God and dictates how they are supposed to live their lives. Judaism is thousands of years old has been the guiding doctrine of Jews the entire time. These beliefs have shaped the lives of Jewish people in every settlement and city they have had from Abraham to now. Judaism has very ridged rules which dictates their diets and daily lives. The most sacred of which being the sabbath which is their day of rest. When compared to Islam they are both have very similar with their ridged rules and requirements that must be adhered to. Yet they differ widely in their teachings and beliefs.