Religious perspectives of anger

Catholicism Anger in Catholicism is counted as one of the seven deadly sins. While Medieval Christianity vigorously denounced anger as one of the seven cardinal, or deadly sins, some Christian writers at times regarded the anger caused by injustice as having some value.[11][12] Saint Basil viewed anger as a "reprehensible temporary madness."[11] Joseph F. Delany in the Catholic Encyclopedia (1914) defines anger as "the desire of vengeance" and states that a reasonable vengeance and passion is ethical and praiseworthy. Vengeance is sinful when it exceeds its limits in which case it becomes opposed to justice and charity. For example, "vengeance upon one who has not deserved it, or to a greater extent than it has been deserved, or in conflict with the dispositions of law, or from an improper motive" are all sinful. An unduly vehement vengeance is considered a venial sin unless it seriously goes counter to the love of God or of one's neighbor.[67] Hinduism
In Hinduism, anger is equated with sorrow as a form of unrequited desire. The objects of anger are perceived as a hindrance to the gratification of the desires of the angry person.[68] Alternatively if one thinks one is superior, the result is grief. Anger is considered to be packed with more evil power than desire.[69] In the Bhagavad Gita Krishna regards greed, anger, and lust as signs of ignorance and leads to perpetual bondage. As for the agitations of the bickering mind, they are divided into two divisions. The first is called avirodha-prti, or unrestricted attachment, and the other is called virodhayukta-krodha, anger arising from frustration. Adherence to the philosophy of the Myvds, belief in the fruitive results of the karma-vds, and belief in plans based on materialistic desires are called avirodha-prti. (Reference needed) Jns, karms and materialistic planmakers generally attract the attention of conditioned souls, but when the materialists cannot fulfill their plans and when their devices are frustrated, they become angry. Frustration of material desires produces anger.[70] Brahma Kumaris, a spiritual organization in India have a sensible school of thoughts to deal with Anger. Sister Shivani of 'Awakening with Brahma Kumaris' (www.bkwsu.com) explains that anger created by a negative emotion (irritation, frustration, insult, hatred or rage) could be forbidden by gradually forming a belief system that you are a peaceful soul and that nothing can disturb your peace until you consent. Every individual is responsible for the situation surrounding him/her. The individual is always aware whenever anger is being triggered. Try to stop it there and then with motivated belief system. Initially, if you can't, acknowledge its presence and accept it, enunciate over it and withdraw involvement. At the end, realize that you experienced anger and could not prevail over it. Next time you will have more control and will overcome it.

Buddhism
Anger in Buddhism is defined here as: "being unable to bear the object, or the intention to cause harm to the object." Anger is seen as aversion with a stronger exaggeration, and is listed as one of the five hindrances. Buddhist monks, such as Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetans in exile,

sometimes get angry.[71] However, there is a difference; most often a spiritual person is aware of the emotion and the way it can be handled. Thus, in response to the question: "Is any anger acceptable in Buddhism?' the Dalai Lama answered: "Buddhism in general teaches that anger is a destructive emotion and although anger might have some positive effects in terms of survival or moral outrage, I do not accept that anger of any kind as a virtuous emotion nor aggression as constructive behavior. The Gautama Buddha has taught that there are three basic kleshas at the root of samsara (bondage, illusion) and the vicious cycle of rebirth. These are greed, hatred, and delusion also translatable as attachment, anger, and ignorance. They bring us confusion and misery rather than peace, happiness, and fulfillment. It is in our own self-interest to purify and transform them."[71] Buddhist scholar and author Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has also explained Buddha's teaching on the spiritual imperative to identify anger and overcome it by transforming difficulties: When things go wrong in our life and we encounter difficult situations, we tend to regard the situation itself as our problem, but in reality whatever problems we experience come from the side of the mind. If we responded to difficult situations with a positive or peaceful mind they would not be problems for us. Eventually, we might even regard them as challenges or opportunities for growth and development. Problems arise only if we respond to difficulties with a negative state of mind. Therefore if we want to be free from problems, we must transform our mind.[72] The Buddha himself on anger: An angry person is ugly & sleeps poorly. Gaining a profit, he turns it into a loss, having done damage with word & deed. A person overwhelmed with anger destroys his wealth. Maddened with anger, he destroys his status. Relatives, friends, & colleagues avoid him. Anger brings loss. Anger inflames the mind. He doesn't realize that his danger is born from within. An angry person doesn't know his own benefit. An angry person doesn't see the Dharma. A man conquered by anger is in a mass of darkness. He takes pleasure in bad deeds as if they were good, but later, when his anger is gone, he suffers as if burned with fire. He is spoiled, blotted out, like fire enveloped in smoke. When anger spreads, when a man becomes angry, he has no shame, no fear of evil, is not respectful in speech. For a person overcome with anger, nothing gives light.[73]

Islam [edit]
Anger (Arabic:, ghadab) in Islam is considered to be instigated by Satan (Shaitan).[74] Factors stated to lead to anger include selfishness, arrogance and excessive ambition.[75] Islamic teachings also state that anger hinders the faith (iman) of a person.[76] The Quran attributes anger to prophets and believers as well as Muhammad's enemies. It mentions the anger of Moses (Musa) against his people for worshiping a golden calf and at the moment when Moses strikes an Egyptian for fighting against an Israelite.[77] The anger of Jonah (Yunus) is also mentioned in the Quran, which led to his departure from the people of Nineveh and his eventual realization of his error and his

repentance.[78] The removal of anger from the hearts of believers by God (Arabic: Allh) after the fighting against Muhammad's enemies is over.[79][80] In general, suppression of anger (Arabic: , kazm) is deemed a praiseworthy quality in the hadis.[80][81][82] Ibn Abdil Barr, the Andalusian Maliki jurist explains that controlling anger is the door way for restraining other blameworthy traits ego and envy, since these two are less powerful than anger. The hadis state various ways to diminish, prevent and control anger. One of these methods is to perform a ritual ablution, a different narration states that the angry person should lie down and other narrations instructs the angry person to invoke God and seek refuge from the Devil, by reciting I take refuge with Allah from the accursed Devil.[75]

Judaism [edit]
In Judaism, anger is a negative trait. In the Book of Genesis, Jacob condemned the anger that had arisen in his sons Simon and Levi: "Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel."[83] Restraining oneself from anger is seen as noble and desirable, as Ethics of the Fathers states: "Ben Zoma said: Who is strong? He who subdues his evil inclination, as it is stated, "He who is slow to anger is better than a strong man, and he who masters his passions is better than one who conquers a city" (Proverbs 16:32)."[84] Maimonides rules that one who becomes angry is as though that person had worshipped idols.[85] Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi explains that the parallel between anger and idol worship is that by becoming angry, one shows a disregard of Divine Providence whatever had caused the anger was ultimately ordained from Above and that through coming to anger one thereby denies the hand of God in one's life.[86] In its section dealing with ethical traits a person should adopt, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch states: "Anger is also a very evil trait and it should be avoided at all costs. You should train yourself not to become angry even if you have a good reason to be angry."[87]