Comparing Religion
Introduction
Judaism, Christianity and Islam are most notably known as the Abrahamic religion considering their focus on the belief of God and similarly going back to their roots of Abraham as the father of all religions. The common aspect in these three religions is that they are connected. For example Judaism is said to be start and longest lasting globally. The believers of Judaism are of the belief that they arose from Jacob who is a descendant of Abraham. Christianity and Islam are known to have connections with Judaism as they parted away from it. This essay looks to assess the contrast and commonalities between the three religions on several religious aspects like after life and God among others (Arvind 1999). This essay will be based on the rubric by Young.
Discussion
Presently, Islam and Christianity are attributed to be among the largest religions globally with the biggest following all over the world. It is approximated that Christianity is followed by 2 billion believers then Islam with 1.3 billion followers. With the Christians found majorly in Europe and America, the Muslims are found majorly in Middle East, Asia and Northern Africa. The believers associated with Judaism are majorly Jews who are of the belief that Judaism arose from the close connection between God and the Israelites where Moses rescued them from bondage in Egypt (Neusner, & Graham, 2002). The start of Judaism goes back in time to the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses in the Sinai Mountain.
The contrasting aspect between Judaism and the other major religions is that Judaism has a strong conviction to their law, to the height that it is seen as the only way that one may be able to acquire eternal life. While still holding the fact that the other religions arose from Judaism, it should be known that they are a continuation of Judaism, presently all the religions follow their varied laws considering that they have commonalities. The followers of Judaism are of the thought that all the other religious beliefs are still sons and daughters of God and are same in the presence of God. Judaists do not look down upon other religions and are of the belief that one ought to turn to Judaism through one’s effort by choice and conduct and not through salvation which happens in Christianity. Judaism allows one to join it based on their desire with no regard to the origin.
A major contrast between Christianity, Islam and Judaism is the belief of only a single God. Judaism and Islam are of the belief that God is only one and it is hard to part away from God. Variedly, Christianity is of the belief that God is on multiple forms; god the father, God the son and god the Holy Spirit. According to Judaists and Islamists they are of the thought that dividing God into three parts and insisting that they are connected in a way is not right. Christians hold to themselves that the Holy trinity which involves god due to the belief that Jesus is the son of God and is hence similar to God and the Holy Spirit was offered to human beings when God’s son went to heaven.
On the other hand, the Islam religion is of the thought that Jesus is among the prophets set by God, he is similar to Muhammad who is said to not be divine or a deity. As based on Islam Jesus is not God’s son and similar to Christianity, they have the same belief that he was conceived by Mary.
There similarly exists variation in the global aspect of Jesus in the three religions; Christians are of the belief that Jesus is a child of god brought to the world so as to save human beings from the bad attributes of that the world is acquainted to. Jesus is a human view of God to human beings in flesh. It was God’s desire that his only child perished for mankind to acquire salvation. Christians for this see Jesus as a savior and Messiah. In sharp variation, Judaism global affiliation about Jesus is contrast in how it is believed; they foremost do not acknowledge Jesus as being the messiah who saved the human race from critical devastation. As opposed to Christians who are of the thought that Jesus came into the world as the messiah, the Jews who are affiliated to Judaism are of the thought that the messiah has not come and they are awaiting his arrival. Based on the doctrine of the Judaism religion, the messiah will come as a human being and bring about peace in the world. It is hence that Jesus is not the son of God; he therefore did not save souls from devastation and definitely not arise from the dead as believed by Christians. The Jews belief that it is only the supreme God who has the ability to save souls and pave way for sinners by humbly asking for forgiveness for the bad deeds one has done. This is done through prayers and issuance of sacrifices.
The Islamic global attribution of Jesus is that he was sent by God as a messenger to bring God’s sons and daughters from their life of suffering. Muslims belief that Jesus was the one who brought in the gospel to the human kin; this is common to the Christian belief. The Islam religion additionally holds the belief that Jesus undertook miracles with the ability from God. However, different from the Christians global attribution that Jesus was crucified, died and buried so as to save man from sin, Muslims belief that he died a natural death. Same to the Christians, the global attribution by the Muslims is of the belief that Jesus, a Muslim, will be back as the Messiah with the nearing of the judgment day so as to make sure that justice and peace is maintained and that the fabricated messiahs in the world would be done away with.
From the scriptures which are based on free will and sin, the religions have a wide range of opinions, a good example is that Judaism, and similar to Muslims it does not have the same notion of the start of sin which was done by Adam and Eve in Eden. The concept that a person is soiled with sin since conception and may only be saved by salvation through Jesus is not agreeable. Human beings are not conceived naturally noble or with fault, it is the choice of man to hence decide whether to be noble or wicked, and man hence has to the autonomy to select the life trend which he or she desires to live to. As for the Christian religion, the only way to be purified of one’s sins is by salvation by allowing Jesus as the final savior.
On the aspect of death, heaven and hell, the global view of the Christian, Judaism and Islam religions contrast. The believers of Judaism are keen in living a moral life with keen concern in parting the earth an enhanced and well placed than what we found. The scriptures of Judaism communicate to us that human beings are not to dwell on the matters of death and the afterlife until the right moment arises. There is though the ancient issue of pace termed to as Gehenna, which is known to be where souls are rebuked, however the rebuke is not everlasting as God is compassionate and will consequently save the souls. On the other side, souls which are not sinful would be finally gotten in paradise, a place where they will get a better understanding of the notion about God. Other followers of this Jewish religion similarly are of the opinion that there is no different heaven or hell and the happening of the two is found through a person’s sense of them.
The Jewish belief about the existence of heaven or hell is vividly definite. In variation however that is the Christians are of the thought that there is heaven and hell, moreover, the souls which are sinful will go to hell where they will burn in an everlasting fire. As for the souls that have been decently straight trusting and living according to the scriptures of god will be contented while in Heaven, it is there that they will live a satisfied life of joy, amity and pleasure. As to the Christians, the exceptional way for a person to stay in heaven is by staying a virtuous life on earth as based on scriptures and the experiences of Christ.
There is a correlation between Christianity and Islam religion holistic view on the aspect of the afterlife, heaven and hell. These two religions hold strong belief in the existence of life after one has passed away. The Muslims hold the thought that the day of judgment each and every human being will be intended to go to heaven and Hell. In reference to the holy scriptures of the Muslims, the Quran, it is in the last day that the whole earth will be destroyed and the ones that passed away will rise. As for the sinners, they will be sent to hell. Heaven will be for those who follow the Holy Scriptures.
Conclusions
The Islam, Christianity and Judaism are found in almost every part of the world. Though they are of varied views they hold similarity that there is an ultimate creator who ought to be respected. They all live according to Holy Scripture.
Reference
Arvind Sharma, K. K. (1999). Feminism and World Religions. New York: SUNY Press.
Neusner, J. & Graham, W. (2002). Three faiths, one God: the formative faith and practice of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. BRILL.
