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Digital dogma: the world's religions in your palm (continued)

The primary Christian religious reference is the Bible. Palm computer versions of the King James and other bibles are available at the links below, while smaller documents listing the various books and chapters of the Bible are also available. Some essential Catholic prayers are available in a small Doc e-text (just in case they haven't been memorized yet). Martin Luther's 95 Theses of 1517 represent important fundamental concepts for Lutherans and many other Protestant religions. The Articles of Faith is an important document to followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Finally, there are several Palm-related websites providing structured Christian content and discussion.

Confucianism (The Analects of Confucius, The Doctrine of the Mean, and The Great Learning)
Born in 551 B.C. as Kung, when western missionaries later heard people speak of his revered name, Kung Fu-tse meaning "Kung, The Master", they anglicized the pronunciation to Confucius. The child of an aristocratic family who had lost their wealth and position, Confucius established himself as a teacher. Ironically, while Confucius would ultimately become known as one of the greatest teachers in history, his true aspiration was that of politician. Unfortunately, politics was not as ready to embrace him. Some speculate that his political failings were caused by contemporary rulers who viewed it as less than politically savvy to grant a position of power to someone who embraced candor and integrity with the fervor demonstrated by Confucius.

Confucius regarded himself as a conduit, not the creator, of social values and wisdom. Although Confucianism does not claim revelatory scriptures, the Five Classics and the Four Books are regarded as the foundation of Confucian conduct and wisdom. Growth of Confucianism as a religion progressed for centuries until the movement was slowed in 1503 when images of Confucius were ordered removed from the temples and replaced with simple wooden tablets inscribed with his teachings. From then on he was spoken of simply as "Master Kung, the perfect teacher of antiquity." In 1906 there was an attempt to revive the Confucian cult but with the birth of the People's Republic of China, all religious observances were officially abandoned.

Hinduism (The Bhagavad Gita)
The Bhagavad Gita, which translated into English means "the Song of the Lord", is a sacred scripture that captures the conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Predating the rise of Christianity and originally written in Sanskrit, The Bhagavad Gita is a portion of a larger work, Mahabhaarata, by the sage Vyasa. At the outset of the conflict, Arjuna is faced with a moral quandary at the prospect of shedding the blood of his cousins in battle. In his dilemma, he seeks the counsel of his friend and chariot driver, Lord Krishna. It is Krishna's counsel retold that forms the Bhagavad Gita.

As Aldous Huxley once wrote, "The Gita is one of the clearest and most comprehensive summaries of the Perennial Philosophy ever to have been done. Hence it's enduring value, not only for Indians, but for all mankind. The Bhagavad Gita is perhaps the most systematic spiritual statement of the Perennial Philosophy.''




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