... Islam and Christianity: Comparison and Contrast Religion is a large part of culture all around the world. Religion has effected governments, laws, and generations upon generations and has even been instrumental in the founding of some countries across the world. Among the world’s most prominent religions are Islam and Christianity. Both of these religions have influenced the world in a different way. Despite their differences, Islam and Christianity have many similarities in their core beliefs and convictions. Islamic and Christian people believe in one God that is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. They also both believe in God-sent prophets such as: Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Joseph, John, Jesus, and etc. The Ten Commandments and moral teachings are important to both the religion’s core beliefs and they have strong conviction that all people should live by the standards provided in the commandments and teachings (“Islam vs. Christianity”). Right and wrong are absolutes and cannot be wavered in between yet both religions claim to have “gray areas” that require personal conviction. Muslims and Christians believe that the Old and New Testament are Holy Scriptures inspired by God. Both Islam and Christianity believe in a fallen, evil angel called Satan. According to the religions, Satan should not be followed and people should avoid his temptations and spirits. Muslims and Christians believe in a life after death that is eternal and...
Words: 625 - Pages: 3
...Contemporary Issues in Western Religions Religious beliefs have been the center of many conflicts across the entire world since the beginning of time. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism the major monotheist religious traditions have been at the heart of many of those religious conflicts. Historical connections and theological similarities are prevalent between the three. In parallel to the similarities exists the contemporary struggles affecting these western religious traditions. From the internal struggles within Christianity such as abortion, to its struggles with Islam and Muslim extremists, finally to the contempt against Christianity from actions of the Holocaust, each tradition faces contemporary struggles within their own right. Gaining a better understanding and insight into the historical, theological, and contemporary struggles between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism will enhance appreciation for each belief. Historical Connections and Theological Similarities: One main pillar of similar theology between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism is the belief in one god. However, each has different perspectives in relation to God. For example, Christians believe in [pic]the Trinity[pic] of [pic]God; God the Father, the Son (Jesus[pic] Christ), [pic]and the Holy Spirit[pic] ("Judaism, Islam, Christianity-Comparison", 2002-2011). Also Christians consider Jesus [pic]the son of God, born to the Virgin Mary, and[pic] had [pic]come to earth to offer redemption for...
Words: 2531 - Pages: 11
...Opposite Ends of the Belief Bench One subject darkly clouded with confusion is religion, and the idea that they are all the same. Mahatma Gandhi, an important Hindu teacher states, “The soul of religion is one, but it is encased in a multitude of forms.” Two of the most popular religions in the United States, Christianity and Islam, are facing this problem. I grew up Christian so the subject of religion is very important to me. After 9/11 the American public was on high alert for terrorists, and they still are today. Just recently a US Ambassador to Libya was killed along with two Navy Seals by an Islamic terrorist group. Some people may ask why do they attack, what motivates them it is what they believe. When your Sacred text, the Koran in this case, has verses that say, “And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]”, it is seen clearly why there are terrorist attacks ( Koran 2:191-193). Americans live in a culture where acceptance is the goal. Everything is acceptable because everyone has their own opinion. No one can refute that opinion because the refusal itself could be seen as offensive and the offender will likely get sued. As a result, most people keep their thoughts to themselves, creating the opposite of the desired environment. Instead of freedom of speech we have freedom to speak as long as you do not mind being chewed up by the media...
Words: 2792 - Pages: 12
...Investigate a Social Issue Jacquelyn Wintersteen Don Anderson Introduction to Sociology December 9, 2012 Religion plays a large role in society across the globe, whether it’s being recognized by believers or non-believers. The main religions that have been viewed around the world for most of our developments are Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. There have been new religions forming, such as Mormonism, which have been aiding in the reshaping of our societies and tolerance. For a good part of human existence, religion has been a factor of life, shaping the mind of the Homo sapiens. Hinduism is viewed as the world’s oldest religion, dating back to 2nd century BCE. Hinduism had gone through great change over the centuries, beginning with the change of the Aryan Gods, originally including Indra, Soma, and Agni, with Vishnu and Shiva as minor deities that become the main deities by 300BCE. Mahatma Gandhi has become the ‘face’ of Hinduism since the 1950’s, when he attempted to abolish the caste system within the religion. Hinduism has segregated its followers into ‘castes’, which include the Brahmins, the ritual priests, Kshatriyas, the warriors, Vaishyas, the merchants, and lastly the Shudras, the manual laborers (Kinnard, 2012). The caste system is separated much like the class system of earlier eras where Church was at the top, followed by Nobles, merchants, and the lower class of laborers. Buddhism was created out of dissatisfaction for Hinduism in 5th...
Words: 1579 - Pages: 7
...Jesus vs. Mohammad “Compare and Contrast” Introduction The information contained in this document is to depict two highly religious idols, and how they influence many during their ages. Jesus was the center and founder of Christianity, while Mohammed was a great prophet of Islam. Christianity and Islam are the largest religions in the world. They account for over 2 billion of the world’s population. Christianity and Islam also share many things in common, but they differ in other aspects. Although, Jesus and Mohammed lived righteously by the principles that were created by them, they affected humanity like an echo in the past and present. This research is to compare and contrast the key elements of Jesus and Mohammed historically, respectively, and how their legacy is still being carried out in the world today (Wikipedia, 2008). (1) Trace the lives of Jesus and Mohammed historically The Life of Jesus Christ (**6** BC - **29-33** AD) Historians do not exactly know the birth date of Jesus Christ. It has been said his birth took place on or around December 25th 6 BC in the city of Jerusalem. This day is traditionally celebrated by Christians as the birthday of Jesus. Jesus was born unto a father Joseph, and a mother “The Virgin Mary. Other than shortly after his birth, little is known of the life of Jesus other than what is recorded in the “Four Gospels”. These events were written some fifty to eighty years after the death of Jesus. These Gospels are derived of an...
Words: 1454 - Pages: 6
...several common themes. Examine the basic tenets of the following two religious traditions: 1. Judeo/Christian and Islam, and then describe the significance of the similarities that you find. Jews and Muslims both worship the same God. Both Judaism and Islam faithfully believe in the existence of one and only one God. Many Americans understand that Jews and Christians worship the same God; however, they may be unaware that Muslims also worship that very same God. The Quran discusses Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Jesus, and other biblical figures; the Islamic scripture itself makes it abundantly clear that the God of Muhammad, and the God of Jesus, and the God of Israel are of the same God. Since the Muslim God is also the Judeo-Christian God, Allah is in fact identical with and not different from the Hebrew God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Indeed, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are together regarded as “Abrahamic” religions, insofar as all three of them share common roots, which are traditionally traced back to the ancient Hebrew patriarch Abraham. (As founded by Muhammad in the 7th century AD, Islam was born in Arabia, and both Jews and Arabs are likewise classed as “Semitic” peoples; each group is traditionally regarded as descended from Shem, a son of Noah.) Jews and Muslims both reject specifically Christian beliefs about Jesus. Christianity is likewise an Abrahamic monotheism, believing in the same single supreme God as its two Semitic cousins. However, the...
Words: 1214 - Pages: 5
...Religion is a topic that has been universally debated tracing back to the beginning of time. Religion shapes our lives and the way we live our lives as well as the way people behave. There are too many religions to study and discuss in a single paper; therefore, this paper will take a closer look at Christianity as it is the most common religion in the world covering 33% of the world’s population (Fisher, 2005). Why do so many people believe the words of the Holy Bible and claim the Christian faith? Is Christianity the truth? To truly understand Christianity, we must dive deep into the Biblical teachings and share the primary foundation of their beliefs. “Christianity is a faith based on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus” (Fisher, 2005, pg. 284). In the beginning of this story we must start with Jesus’ mother, the Virgin Mary was visited by an angel, whom told her that she would conceive a baby and he would be the Messiah. She should name him Immanuel, which means God with us. An angel visited Joseph as well, who told him that Mary was blessed by the Holy Spirit and would have a son, who would save the people from their sins. Mary and Joseph obeyed God, the baby was born in a stable, laid in a manager and they called him Jesus, meaning God with us (Matthew 1:18-25, New International Version). At the age of 30, Jesus started his mission and selected a group of 12 disciples to help him share his message. He went place to place and preached about God’s love...
Words: 2446 - Pages: 10
...CHRISTIANITY vs. HINDUISM At a time when our great nation is bombarded with a seemingly endless war, unthinkable crimes towards children and ever-increasing unemployment rates it is natural for one to seek religion for answers as well as faith. There are many different religions other than Christianity and Hinduism to include Taoism, Judaism, Confucius, Buddhism and Islam. Regardless of which aspect one chooses to indulge, the premise is the same: to provide comfort and peace in ones everyday life. Two of the religions have many similarities as well as stark contrasts; both will be explored. The parallels will be examined first. Both Christianity and Hinduism share a commonality in the concept of heaven and an afterlife. Spiritual perfection is found in Christianity’s Heaven and Hinduism’s moksha. Cleansing of the soul is also mentioned in both Hinduism and Christianity, with a profound focus on water. Christianity speaks of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to comprise God, while Hinduism has three primary Gods which many believe act as on in Brahman. Christianity places a strong emphasis on such values as peace, respect, honesty, character, reliability, compassion and faith. Hinduism, too, holds honesty, compassion and selflessness as strong virtues within its teachings, as Dharma (religion) is the duty of every human being that must be fulfilled. Both Hinduism and Christianity share an acceptance of other religions, with the land of Hinduism, India, having...
Words: 618 - Pages: 3
...Islam vs. Christianity There are varieties of religions in the world. Islam and Christianity has over one billion followers and counting. They both have unique characteristics and quite a few different aspects. This point-by-point research will compare and contrast the founders of the monotheistic religions; Muhammad and Jesus. Both founders show us the way to one God, but each man has different methods of leading people to this understanding. Jesus and Muhammad considered Abraham their ancestor. Jesus was the descendant of Isaac, the son of Abraham and his wife Sarah. Jesus was born to a Jewish virgin in about 4 BCE. The Bible says that Jesus had siblings, was familiar with the Scriptures, and attended synagogue. The Bible doesn’t touch up on his teenage years and young adulthood, but according to The Lost Years of Jesus, he too, worked in the camel caravan where he learned and shared mystical insights within the diverse cultures of India, China, Tibet, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Persia (Iran/Iraq) where he is still known today by the name of Issa. There is no record or indication that Jesus was ever married. Muhammad came from his ancestor Ishmael. Ishmael was the son of Abraham born to him through his wife Sarah’s handmaiden, Hagar, who acted as a surrogate wife. Muhammad was born in Mecca in approximately 570 CE into the Hashim clam of the Kuraish Federation. He was orphaned at the age of six years. His uncle, a tribal chief, adopted and raised him to work in...
Words: 1093 - Pages: 5
...has the most faith? This essay will examine comparisons between the Baptist religion and other religions such as Catholic, Protestant, and Lutheran. These religions are some of the most important religions in the world today. Some of the other religions that can be compared to the Baptist religion are Buddhism, Muslim, and Sangria. The differences are far and wide, but there are some similarities between religions. The first religions that will be compared are Baptist and Catholic. There are many differences between the Baptist church and the Catholic Church, but most are not seen at first. Most of the differences between Baptist and Catholic churches have to do with theological differences, or the study of God of each church (Catholic vs. Baptist, 2012). The main difference between the two churches is the Communion of each church. The Roman Catholics takes communion at every mass while Baptists take communion on special holidays such as Easter and Christmas. The next difference between Baptists and Roman Catholics is the level of decoration within the main sanctuary. The Roman Catholic Church is decorated with painting, icons, and statues of saints while the Baptist church very rarely has decorations. The length of the church services are very different because Baptist church services usually last anywhere from one to one and a half hours while Roman Catholic Church services last from 30 to 45 minutes. The Roman Catholic Church has the...
Words: 1626 - Pages: 7
...To start with, religious beliefs greatly affect the violent acts against innocent Christians in the Middle East. The Christian Community is persecuted mainly because of their beliefs. In Christianity, it is believed that “man has inherited "original sin" from Adam. Mankind then is inherently evil and is in need of forgiveness of sin. By given the knowledge of right and wrong Christians choose their actions” (Christianity). Basically, every time someone sins, that person has to go to God for repentance. Their faith is based on the holy trinity. “God is eternally supreme as the creator and preserver of the world. The trinity exists as three beings in one godhead: The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Christianity). God is the creator of life, therefore you must submit to Him. Jesus Christ is the son of God and one must believe in Him in order to be saved. The beliefs of this religion cause disagreement and persecution between Christianity and Islam. To continue, the Islamic law has different believes and ideas. In their religion, “man has equal ability to do good or evil. Allah (God) has given mankind free will” (Christianity). So both good and evil can be done. Also in the Islamic religion, Jews and Christians are respected as “people of the book” but Islam is the only way (Christianity). Even though Muslims respect Jews and Christians, they don’t believe that they are correct. Islamic faith is based on...
Words: 2707 - Pages: 11
...Scientology vs. Islam For my term paper, I chose to compare two religions that most Americans are not familiar with the principles of: Islam and scientology. I will look into the differences that these religions present and examine different parts of their them. Over the course of this paper I’ll look at seven aspects of these religions, which include their origins and histories, size, their view on the purpose of life and the roles that humans play, their beliefs of on the afterlife, specific practices they take part in, and the texts from which their religion can be applied from. First of all, the origins and histories of these two religions differ greatly. Islam is considered to be the youngest of the seven great world religions, dating back to its creation in seventh-century Saudi Arabia. The prophet Muhammad introduced Islam in 610 AD after experiencing an “angelic visitation.” Muslims believe that Qu’ran, which is the holy book of Islam, were the preexistent and perfect words from Allah. Muhammad dictated the Qu’ran. Muhammad is loosely credited with the origin of Islam, although many Muslims believe that Islam existed way before Muhammad was even alive. And although Muhammad dictated the Qu’ran, the Qu’ran states that Muhammad was not the originator. The Qu’ran instead states that God wrote the Qu’ran, who in turn had the angel Gabriel dictate it to the prophet Muhammad (“Origin”). In contrast, the church of Scientology was formed just 55 years ago, in 1954. The...
Words: 1806 - Pages: 8
... | Pages | |Abstract | | |Introduction | | |Demons Research | | |Demons In Islam | | |Jinn’s (Demon) Abilities | | |Adam VS Iblees | | |Demons In Christianity | | |What Does Christianity Say about good and evil | | |Demons In Art | | |Demons In Films & TV | | |Characterization and Personality ...
Words: 2617 - Pages: 11
...caffeine - found in cola drinks and coffee, cannabis and amphetamines. They increase the transmission of signals from one nerve cell to the next. This increases alertness, heart rate and breathing rate. However, in the longer term, they can produce 'highs' and then extreme 'lows' or even depression. They can be addictive because the body needs a constant top-up to maintain the effect Heroine Painkillers or analgesics include paracetamol, aspirin, heroin and morphine. They block nerve impulses from the painful part of the body, or block nerve impulses travelling to the part of the brain responsible for perceiving pain. Paracetamol is an effective painkiller but an overdose is very dangerous. An overdose damages the liver and can cause death Heroin is manufactured from morphine and is even more dangerously addictive. But it is useful to treat severe pain in terminally ill patients, and it causes fewer unpleasant side...
Words: 1233 - Pages: 5
...Assignment notes Christianity vs. Judaism: The major differencesHere, in great brevity, is a summary of some of the major differences between Judaism and Christianity. | Principle | | Christianity | | Judaism | Nature of God | | Trinity | | Unity | Nature of Messiah | | Divine, Sin Sacrifice | | Only human, Righteous King | Atonement | | Blood Required | | Prayer and Repentance | Sin | | Everyone stained by Adam and Eve ("original sin") | | All begin with clean slate | Righteousness | | No one | | Within our power to choose | Satan | | Fallen angel | | Agent of God | Torah | | Written only | | Written and Oral | Commandments | | Not eternal or valuable | | Eternal and of ultimate value | Exclusivity | | Only Christians go to heaven | | All righteous have a place in the world to come. | Land of Israel | | Irrelevant | | Crucial | Jews | | Replaced by the church; or irrelevant | | God’s chosen people | Judaism is one of the world’s oldest religions, dating back up to 2000 years BC from the time when God first called Abraham to leave his home and follow Him. At that time, God made a covenant (or agreement) with Abraham in which He promised to make Abraham the father of a great nation and that one day his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan if Abraham followed him. God’s plan was gradually revealed through the Old Testament and built on with further promises to Moses, David and the prophets...
Words: 5210 - Pages: 21
