...classified by its own individuality and traditions, however similarities are present between the three leading them to reach a single focal point within the subject of religion. For example, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are a derivation of “Abrahamic Traditions” as each religion holds a significant connection to the patriarchal ancestor, Abraham (Molloy 2013). Furthermore, each of the three religions are defined as monotheistic (Molloy 2013) as their beliefs reside under the guidance of one God who is viewed as omniscient and omnipotent (Molloy 2013) leading to similarities that bring each religion...
Words: 539 - Pages: 3
...The study of the religions of the world can help us as adelete…do not use personal pronouns in research papers…considered too informal of a tone…. society and asdelete individuals become more understanding, thoughtful, and tolerant of others. The major Abrahamic religions of the world today consist of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and are structured similarly, but differ in many ways, and all have their own issues with extremists that might be more tolerant if they were to understand how close these religions are to one another. The study of the structural similarities is important in understanding each of these groups. The approach of studying Christianity, Judaism, and Islam can be similar in many ways. Firstcomma one wedelete personal pronouns… must understand where the religious beliefs come from. White (n.d.), “The religious texts and traditions are born within these groups unite and mold the communities that share them into a whole civilization and evolve into worlds of common thought and composition” (Extremism). All Abrahamic religions believe in a single god with a divine plan. Followers believe that life is predetermined by god and that god has a fixed plan for each individual. Supporters of these faiths all have a sacred area where praise, ritual and material expression is practiced, whether it be the Christian’s church, the Jew’s synagogue, or the Islamism’s mosque. These people all have a strong belief in ethics, community, central myths, and sacredness. They...
Words: 822 - Pages: 4
...RELIGION IN AMERICA WEEK 5: FINAL PAPER INTRODUCTION Within this article I will discuss the effects of religion in America based on an etic (outsider’s) perspective, and I will identify the different religions present in America as well as the backgrounds of these groups. The effects of religion in America range from religiously influenced political decisions, to social ethics and dilemmas, and even racial discrimination. PART I There are many different religious groups in America, the most prominent being Christianity- which was the first religion to spread like wildfire soon after colonization. Christianity is defined as an “Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as presented in the New Testament and sacred tradition” (1) and makes up approximately 78% of the religious preference of United States citizens according to the 2007 study conducted by the Pew Forum. (2) Other religious groups in America are Jews (1.7%), Buddhists (0.7%) and Muslims (0.6%) and 16.1% of Americans declared themselves to have no religion. (3) Christianity is comprised of three main branches, Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and protestant. Roman Catholicism was first developed in Western Europe and is lead by the pope. Their beliefs are “the doctrines of Transubstantiation and Purgatory, and distinctive practices include devotion to the saints and Mary and use of the rosary (Christian Denominations).” The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus...
Words: 372 - Pages: 2
...the general population. The word martyr stems from a Greek word and means “witness”. It was a word that was used in legal matters but soon the meaning was extended to individuals who “by their death witnessed their belief in their respective faiths”. Being a martyr has many different meanings and does not always mean killing yourself in the name of god but rather it is a peaceful journey the individual takes by himself. Judaism, Christianity and Islam all have their own versions of martyrs and martyrdom. These three religions often share many similar characteristics and they do have similar ideas of martyrdom but they also do have stout differences. This paper will ponder what martyrdom means to each religion and the differences between martyrs among the Abrahamic religions. Out of the three Abrahamic religions, martyrs are least prominent amongst the Jews. In the Jewish religion a martyr is associated with “Kiddush Hashem”. As said by Huseyin Cicek “Everyone who lives according to Kiddush Hashem is witnessing, and is a witness of, the one and true God. Every religious Jew has to live according to Kiddush Hashem, if he or she seeks salvation, because life is a gift from God. The only way of honoring God is Kiddush Hashem”. Cicek states that every religious Jew has to live according to the Kiddush Hashem, if this is so then every Jew that practices their religion is a Martyr. According to Rabbinic Judaism voluntary death is not permitted but fighting the enemies...
Words: 1700 - Pages: 7
...Closer look into Judaism and Christianity GE117: Composition I Why talk about religion? Religion is important and plays a major role in everyone’s life and is sometimes the basis of an individual’s moral values. My last job put me under the influence of an older Jewish gentleman and we became fast friends. We would often take lunch together and I would usually question, out of pure curiosity, some of his mannerisms that I found interesting. Through him I was introduced to what are known as the Jewish articles of faith. They seem to be a sort of basis to the religion or key attributes that all Jews share. These principals have some similarities to the concepts I was taught and that they are not as different as we believe. The majority of my Christian upbringing comprised mostly of reciting the books of the Bible by memory, learning to give a proper devotion, and how to pray. Through continuous reading and studying of the Bible we also learned of Jesus and how only through him we can receive the grace of GOD the Almighty and the gift of eternal life. Judaism does not include this. Jews believe in GOD as a unitary being unlike the Christian view of GOD being composed of three separate, but in all essence the same being: GOD the Father, GOD the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. Most everyone I know believes in this doctrine and I think it is the most accepted doctrine circulating in the Christian community. Throughout history there have been meeting to determine what...
Words: 767 - Pages: 4
...Foundations Questions Micaela Diaz-Period 5 1. What is the definition of religion and what do we use in our lives to try to understand it? The definition of religion can be an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and worldviews that relate to humanity to understand the supernatural and spirituality. Religion can also be defined as the human notions regarding the sacred, numinous, spiritual and divine. We use many things to try and understand religion such as scriptures, sacred texts, religious traditions or customs and various other practices. 2. When examining scriptural writings, what kinds of forms do they come in, and what were they generally used for? Scriptural writings came in several forms such as texts and books like the Bible or the Quran, scrolls such as the Dead Sea Scrolls or the Torah. They also came in wall writings such as the Egyptian pictographic Hieroglyphs and many other forms of scrolls, books, papers, or pictures. They are generally used for the worship of a deity or deities, to recount or retell the events of a specific religion or religious foundation, or they tell of deity or deities pertaining to that religion. Scriptural writings can also be used for understanding the articles of faith, moralities, and ethics of that religion, or rules that one must abide by and follow. Scriptural writings can also be written in a way where the reader learns lessons through the sacred text, through stories or prophecies or anything of the...
Words: 1328 - Pages: 6
...Elements of both man and woman were in a single body before a rib was taken from that body for a woman, Eve, to be constructed from it. This is from a canonical text that many United States citizens claim to revere. All the Abrahamic religions include a story of The Great Flood. As “Belmont”, the interviewee for this project, pointed out, in Judeo-Christian tradition, a rainbow symbolizes a divine promise against the destruction of the world, and of humanity. That promise against the destruction of humanity has been taken and re-imaged to fit the needs of queer community worldwide. Students need to be introduced to these alternative pedagogies in public schools because their places of worship, if they have one, most likely will not deliver subversive political commentary in the manner that rouses its parishioners to take action. Public education is the only public institution where queer theory mixed with liberation theology could be delivered en masse in a curriculum with the same authority a sermon carries. What would it mean...
Words: 1234 - Pages: 5
...Running Head: HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND FAITH DIVERSITY HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND FAITH DIVERSITY Grand Canyon University HLT310V July 08, 2012 Abstract Americans live in the land of free where decisions primarily are ours to make from what pair of shoes to wear, what we ingest, what kind of car we drive to who we vote into the oval office. The same holds true for one’s religious and/or spiritual beliefs. Whether by choice or by upbringing in one’s family and culture, not everyone shares the same philosophy towards a higher power or modern medicine. Healing is a process toward wholeness or wellness and encompasses physical, mental, emotional, and tribal attributes (Zarren, n.d.). Not only does it focus on the disease or illness, but additionally embodies a holistic approach to care. What may not be important to the physician, nurse, or support staff is important to the patient; for it is the patient and their families that we serve. Spirituality is personal and important to everyone. Defined as, “a complex and multidimensional part of the human experience-our inner belief system. It helps individuals search for the meaning and purpose of life, and it helps them experience hope, love, inner peace, comfort, and support.” (Ashcraft, Anthony, & Mancuso, 2010). With this in mind, healthcare providers and institutions need to be cognizant of various faiths and spiritual practices to allow for healing of an individual stricken with disease or illness. In looking at Native...
Words: 2562 - Pages: 11
...Islam and Christianity are two of the largest and fastest growing religions that have impacted the livelihood of billions of people around the world. Their philosophies and teaching has established a bridge of cooperation and dialogue that has been recognized in both government and society. Both of these religions were discovered in the Middle-Eastern and they are considered as the Abrahamic religion. Even thought both religion share common ground of being monotheistic religion of believing the existence of one God, yet their tradition and mythology is what sets them apart. Islam is a religion that teaches in order for one to gain peace of mind with the universe and humanity he/she must submit to God and follow his rules. On the other hand,...
Words: 2196 - Pages: 9
...The Lottery Symbolism, Imagery & Allegory Sometimes, there’s more to Lit than meets the eye. The Lottery The lottery is like an 800-pound gorilla of symbols in this story. It's in the title, for Pete's sake. Where do we even begin? Well, let's start with the lottery as a way of upsetting reader expectations. After all, communities across America practice different annual traditions – Easter egg hunts (with origins in early fertility rituals), Christmas tree decorating (check out those patron trees of the Germanic tribes), or July 4th fireworks (well, that one just celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence ...). Anyway, our point is that we're all comfortable with yearly rituals – and it's often not widely known how these celebrations began. See how tradition obscures the history of public ritual? Anyway, back to the lottery. So, we associate lotteries with good things (winning cash prizes!) and annual celebrations also seem pleasant. We talk about this in "What's Up With the Title?" so we'll just say here that, like the blooming, cheerful village itself, there's nothing in the lottery that immediately suggests anything is wrong with this set-up. The lottery is, in fact, operating as an allegory of village life itself: at first, it seems harmless, but then we start to wonder what's going on with all the subdued smiles and piles of stones. So, if the lottery is an allegory of the community, its rules and proceedings must in some way correspond to real-life...
Words: 2958 - Pages: 12
...THE LOTTERY - SUMMARY In A Nutshell "The Lottery" caused major controversy when it was first published in the June 26, 1948 issue of The New Yorker. Shirley Jackson's implicit critique of the brutality underlying the rituals and values of America's small towns outraged magazine readers, many of whom cancelled their subscriptions (see the Encyclopedia Britannica for more on the tale's publication history). As a side note – Jackson based "The Lottery" on her life in North Bennington, Vermont (source). Some of us here at Shmoop happen to be from that fine state, and we'd like to assure all potential tourists that despite what you may read in "The Lottery," you don't have to worry about sudden stoning in the Green Mountain State. Anyway, back to the matter at hand. The anonymous, generic village in which "The Lottery" is set, in addition to the vicious twist the story gives to a common American ritual, enhance the contemporary reader's uneasy sense that the group violence in the story could be taking place anywhere and everywhere, right now. Jackson's skillful warping of a popular pastime has become an American classic, establishing her position as one of the great American horror writers. Why Should I Care? So, if you've ever been hanging out with a group of friends and done something truly stupid, you may have heard the refrain, "If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump, too?" Your answer is probably "no," but Shirley Jackson disagrees. She thinks you – and...
Words: 5311 - Pages: 22
... Religion/134 October 11, 2012 Stephanie Cripps Contemporary Issues in Western Religions This paper will reflect research on contemporary issues in Western Religions. The main objective is to elaborate on Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. The other key focus is to uncover the struggles within its historical and modern times. Islam is an interesting subject because it has plenty history surrounding Islamic cultures, and the contrast between Judaism, and Christianity. Nevertheless, revealing how time has change from than to now also captivate some attention. Exploring the foundation surrounding Islam such as Abraham, and the other forefathers is rewarding when searching the history of these three religions. Historical connections Islam and Judaism share connections starting very early in history with the patriarch Abraham. Abraham had two sons, Ishmael, and Isaac, who eventually went on to lead two different groups of people. Ishmael led the Arabs who later became known as the Muslims and Isaac led the Israelites who later became Jews. These two different groups of religions grew and traditions known today in modern religion. Each religion shares a monotheistic belief and has similar belief in prophets. The Tanakh tells the story of Exodus that God chose Moses to lead the Jews out of slavery into freedom (Molly, 2010). Muslims also...
Words: 2215 - Pages: 9
...Taoism Taoism (or Daoism) refers to a variety of related philosophical and religious traditions that have influenced Eastern Asia for more than two millennia, and have had a notable influence on the western world particularly since the 19th century.The word 道, Tao (or Dao, depending on the romanization scheme), roughly translates as, "path" or "way" (of life), although in Chinese folk religion and philosophy it carries more abstract meanings. Taoist propriety and ethics emphasize the Three Jewels of the Tao: compassion, moderation, and humility, while Taoist thought generally focuses on nature, the relationship between humanity and the cosmos (天人相应), health and longevity, and wu wei (action through inaction), which is thought to produce harmony with the Universe. Reverence for ancestor spirits and immortals is also common in popular Taoism. Organized Taoism distinguishes its ritual activity from that of the folk religion, which some professional Taoists (Daoshi) view as debased. Chinese alchemy (including Neidan), astrology, cuisine, Zen Buddhism,several Chinese martial arts, Chinese traditional medicine, feng shui, immortality, and many styles of qigong breath training disciplines have been intertwined with Taoism throughout history. Spelling and pronunciation In English, the words Daoism and Taoism are the subject of an ongoing controversy over the preferred romanization. The root Chinese word 道 "way, path" is romanized tao in the older Wade–Giles system and dào in the modern...
Words: 4425 - Pages: 18
...believe that Jesus is the son of God. They refer to Jesus as Christ or the Messiah. There are many denominations within Christianity. Some of these include Catholicism, Orthodox, Protestant and Restorationists. The Roman Catholic Church is headed by the pope. Catholics believe that there is one holy catholic and apostolic church founded by Jesus. The Protestants are people that separated from the Catholic Church in the 16th century. They often refer to themselves as being born again and when asked what religion they follow, they answer that they are Christian. All these denominations fall under the Christianity umbrella. Women have been most heavily impacted in the Christian religion with regards to marriage and ministry. Christian traditions specifically assign different roles to women in certain aspects of church life. For example, in Catholic Churches men serve as priests and women serve as nuns. Women are allowed to serve in highly honored...
Words: 3413 - Pages: 14
...CLASS ASSIGNMENT For PAPER 2, SECTION 2: WESTERN METAPHYSICS On WILLIAM OF OCKHAM SUBMITTED BY: HARISH S PEDPAROLU MA PART 1 WEEKDAY BATCH ABSTRACT This write-up seeks to take stock of the philosophy of William of Occam , in the context of his position in the history of medieval philosophy and with reference to not just his ‘razor ‘ but also of his views on ethics, politics and epistemology as well. It begins with an account of medieval philosophy and its chronology followed by a brief survey of the problems central to medieval musings. The problem of universals and particulars is then brought in and is discussed with reference to the raging conflict between the realists, on one hand , and the nominalists on the other . The views of Thomas Aquinas and John Duns Scotus ,in reaction to whom , much of the philosophy of William of Occam took shape , are related . What follows is an account of Occam’s razor, its being rooted in Occam’s position on the problem of universals and the distinction he draws between the knowledge capable of being reasoned and the understanding based solely on faith. His ethical and political views are touched and a few comments are made about the impact and relevance of his views in the Middle Ages. The beginnings of what has come to be classified as the ‘Medieval period ‘ in the historical discourse...
Words: 3058 - Pages: 13
