Christianity: claims to be the only right religion
Hinduism: views all religions as valid paths back to God
Christianity: claims that God only incarnated on the Earth once (one incarnation: Jesus)
Hinduism: claims that God continually incarnates onto the Earth (many incarnations: Krishna, Rama, Buddha, and so many others)
Christianity: defination of sin is anything that seperates a person from God
Hinduism: defination of sin is knowingly doing anything that harms another.
Christianity: Ten Commandments
1. You shall have no other gods before me
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol
3. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of your God
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
5. Honor your father and mother
6. You shall not murder
7. You shall not commit adultery
8. You shall not steal
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house or wife
Hinduism: Ten Commitments
1. Ahimsa - do no harm
2. Satya - do not lie
3. Asteya - do not steal
4. Brahmacharya - do not overindulge
5. Aparigraha - do not be greedy
6. Saucha - be clean
7. Santosha - be content
8. Tapas - be self-disciplined
9. Svadhyaya - study
10. Ishvara Pranidhana - give to God
Christianity: one sacred book with a closed canon
Hinduism: many sacred books with an open canon
Christianity: the Creator and Creation are seperate. God creates the universe from unknown materials and sets it in motion but remains apart from the universe.
Hinduism: the Creator and Creation are the same. God creates the universe from Itself and is both the manifested universe as well as still unmanifested beyond the universe
Christianity: God is male
Hinduism: God is both male and female as well as neither.
Christianity: God's name is YHWH and in human form is Jesus
Hinduism: God is all names and beyond all names. Call God by whatever name : Jesus, Allah, Zeus, Shiva, or even Bob. God knows your intentions to address God regardless of the name.
Christianity: Images are not used at all or are strictly limited, but are never used in worship.
Hinduism: uses images (much like early Christianity used stained glass windows) to remind the viewer of spiritual teachings or aspects of God and use them to help focus the devotees mind during meditation or worship.
Christianity: the problem with humanity is that they have rebelled against God (sinned against God) and that only through Jesus can the relationship be restored
Hinduism: the problem with humanity is ignorance of their true Self and thinking that they exist seperate/outside of God. The solution is to reawaken to our true nature. To see God in ourselves and everything and everyone and thus treat (respect, honor, etc) ourselves, everything, and everyone the same way we treat God.
Christianity: God is Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent...i.e. all-powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere....but is limited to Christians, Christianity, and Jesus.
Hinduism: God is Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent...i.e. all-poweferul, all-knowing, and everywhere. God is not limited to one religion because God is in all religions, not limted to one religious group because God can use any religion to help a person back to God, and God is not limited to one incarnation or one name because God knows our intentions when we pray.
Christianity: If one is not a Christian they go to Hell...a place without God...where they will suffer for eternity
Hinduism: If one is not a Hindu that is okay. There is no place that is without God. A person may have an afterlife experience of suffering due to ones own conscious creation of the afterlife location or by their own karma (if they die unconsciously), but this state is temporary and the body will incarnate again.
Christianity: do not believe in reincarnation
Hinduism: believe in reincarnation
Christianity: ultimate goal is to get to Heaven.
Hinduism: ultimate goal is to get to God.
Christianity: you can do enough bad things to be seperated from God and only through redemption from Jesus can you be brought back to God
Hinduism: you are never out of God's ability to draw you back to God (God is all-powerful)
Christianity: the Bible is inspired by God (heard by people from God)
Hinduism: the Vedas are the experience of God (people experienced...came into the presence of God directly)
Similarities
The two religions are reknowned for the number of saints each has produced and along with Jainism and Buddhism are well known for their ascetic life (monks and nuns). Both worship one God...they just do it in different ways. Both believe that God can incarnate into the world, they just differ on how, when, who, and how many. Both stress ethical living, peace, concern for others in society, and having God as one's focal-point......they just do it from different angles. So that's just some of the similarities between the two religions.