World Religions

I completed my course on World Religions today. I truly learned so much. 

1. Did you know that Hinduism was non-theistic for the first centuries of its existence? The Vedic Tradition essentially a non-theistic religion/practice/outlook/way of life. It had no organization, no doctrine, no hierarchy, no concept of God. The second era of Hinduism introduced the Brahman priests, but Hinduism was still atheistic (amazing, right!?). Then finally deities were introduced (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, plus their wives and cohorts, etc.). I just find it amazing that these deities are non-essential to Hinduism. (It makes me like it better.) 
2. Did you know that when Buddhism spread through China and Japan, the people retained their local religions, and added Buddhism as another element in their religious life? That means that Buddhism is well-suited to be a viewpoint and way of life that is an additive to one's faith, but not a substitute for it. While Buddhism can be a religion in the proper sense, it does not violate it to "adjust" it so that it is compatible with one's faith. (By contrast, I cannot imagine "dialing back" Christianity so that it would be compatible with Buddhism. . . it would no longer be Christianity). 
3. Generally speaking, Islam does not tolerate music in religious rituals. But the Sufis branched off, pursuing a mystical and musical way of life. Then from the Turkish Sufis came Whirling Dervishes, that spin and dance in order to imitate the spinning stars and planets, as a form of worship of God who created the universe.