Theological Ethics and Dharma

Belief-oriented religions, when they formulate themselves in an exclusive manner, project their own particular theological ethics which may be apart from, or even contrary to any universal ethics. They hold that if a person does not believe in a particular formulation of God, in one specific representative of him, in one book which contains his word, or other such particular dogmas, that the person will suffer or go to hell, whatever else the individual may do - however good, kind, compassionate, generous, or selfless he or she may otherwise be. This is what could be called "theological ethics," the judgement of people not by their behavior but by their beliefs, which makes not having certain beliefs on par with doing harmful actions.

Raised as an orthodox Catholic, for example, I was taught that to not to accept the unique divinity of Christ was a mortal sin, along with things like theft or murder. Theological ethics may be confused with universal ethics, as if not following the articles of belief of a particular religion was a universal failing or a moral depravity. Sanatana Dharma does not accept any particular theological morality. It says that we raise ourselves by good actions and lower ourselves by actions which are bad. It does not matter what we believe in but how we live. Hinduism says that a person who leads a good life, even if he or she has never come into contact with any scripture and has no religious beliefs at all, will come to a good end.

On the other hand, a person who leads a bad or harmful life will come to a bad end, even if he believes in what he thinks is the true religion.It is not irreligious activity that we need to be afraid of - the breaking the codes of belief, ritual or prayer of a particular church - but adharmic (non-dharmic) activity, which is living out of harmony with the Universal Truth and contrary to the nature of things. In this regard confining ourselves to one belief as opposed to others is contrary to Dharma, is out of harmony with the universe, which includes all beings, and like the sun shines on all alike.

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