Religions do not a sacred book.

This question is very difficult to answer without first defining it, for the purpose of this essay I will define religion as a philosophy which affects lifestyle, because it gives a purpose to life. Buddhism is sometimes described instead as a philosophy which affects lifestyle, because it provides a purpose to life. Buddhism is often described as a philosophy because the existence or non-existence of a God is not central to their beliefs, unlike most …

…live your life. They are also one of the ways that God communicates with mankind. The scriptures provide clarity, unity and a consistent doctrine amongst believers. I don't believe that the truth changes so the scriptures should not be changed either. Someone could be a Christian without ever having read the Bible, if they accepted its message. Scriptures are very essential to many religions, but not necessarily to all, particularly to religions such as Buddhism.