Explore beliefs and shared ideas

Four billion peoplewere taught compassionby different books.

Explore what religions and philosophies share. See where they differ. Read the sources behind each comparison.

BuddhismChristianityIslamJudaismHinduismSikhismJainismTaoismConfucianismZoroastrianismBahá'íShintoIndigenous traditionsSecular humanismStoicismand many more. This is not a full list.

Side by side

Choose an idea. Compare four traditions.

Read passages side by side. Each one includes a source so you can look it up.

Which traditions teach mercy toward strangers?

Where they
differ

These passages call for mercy or care for others. Their reasons differ. They refer to suffering, God, or how people should treat each other.

Compare selected traditions

The atlas

See how ideas connect.

One idea can lead to another. Charity can raise questions about justice, humility and care for strangers. The map shows some of these links.

6
traditions mapped
16
cited passages
0
editorial verdicts
CompassionCharityJusticeForgivenessHumility

shared ground

“Treat others as you would be treated.”

How we compare beliefs

We use four rules to guide our work.

01

Start with sources

We cite sources so you can check them. We aim to explain translation choices and disagreements.

02

Show the differences

Shared ideas do not make beliefs the same. We explain the differences too.

03

Treat each tradition fairly

We describe each tradition on its own terms. We do not rank beliefs.

04

Explain the context

Who wrote a passage? When was it written, and who was it for? These details help explain its meaning.

What comes next

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