Hindu religion and culture are very complex topics. The Hindu religion combines rich ethnic beliefs and standards. We will take a closer look and try to understand the Hindu religion and culture. The Hindu religion is the oldest religion of the five major religions, namely Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism (Major World Religions, 2006). The Hindu religion began to develop approximately 4,000 years ago in India, but there was no single founder or belief system (Major World Religions, 2006). There are many different and varied gods in the Hindu religion. One of the most important beliefs is the theory of karma, according to which all beings, human or animal, have karma that determines which soul is for which body and the birth attribute of each soul. The ideal of the Hindu religion is that the soul rises to the most sacred level through reincarnation. Reincarnation occurs when "one is reborn again and again into countless bodies - perhaps as an animal or some other life form - but the self remains the same. Birth as a human being is a precious and rare opportunity for the soul to advance towards its ultimate goal." goal of liberation from rebirth and merging with the Absolute Reality" (Fisher, 2005). In other words, if a person leads a good life, performs good deeds and has good faith, then he will obtain good karma and his soul will move upwards as a higher being. With good karma his soul will have better chances in the life to come, but if he or she has done bad things in his or her life, then his or her soul will move downwards to a lower position. in life, perhaps an animal or a dirty instinct.Hinduism is mostly found in India but continues to grow throughout the world Hindus are very peaceful and passive... middle of paper... cultures due to this experience. There are many ideologies in Hinduism that would help other human beings grow as people or help our society to be more peaceful, regardless of the religion they come from. Be more forgiving, more open and less violent as Hindus are it couldn't hurt anyone, but instead build more character and make life easier for everyone else in our society. Works CitedFisher, M. P. (2005). Living Religions (6th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.Hartman, R. (Speaker). (2006). Interview with T. Khanna. (cassette recording). Main religions of the world. (2006). The main religions of the world. Retrieved April 2, 2006, from Om Sakthi's website: http://www.omsakthi.org/religions.htmlReligion Facts. (2006). Symbols in Hindu art and rituals. Retrieved April 2, 2006, from the Religion Facts website: http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/symbols.htm