The Distortion of the Founders’ Legacies in Major Religions

Abstract This paper explores how the original teachings and intentions of the founders of the world’s major religions—such as Jesus Christ, the Prophet Muhammad, Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha), and Confucius—have been altered or distorted over time by their followers. These distortions, often driven by political, cultural, and institutional forces, have reshaped pure spiritual messages into systems of dogma, authority, and division. By tracing historical examples and examining the sociopolitical contexts in which these religions evolved, this study argues that the universal principles of compassion, balance, and moral discipline originally intended by the founders have frequently been overshadowed by human ambition and misunderstanding.