...Title: Difference and Similarities between Christianity and Four (4) World Religion, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Muslims and Hinduism. Introduction: In the world today there are many religions of different beliefs with vast numbers of followers. However, some of these religions turn to have similarities and differences which defer them from each another. The following report briefly talks about the differences and similarities between Christianity and other four (4) major world religions and they are Buddhism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism and Muslims. Zoroastrianism and Christianity Zoroastrianism was founded by a man named Zoroaster who was born around 1200 BC (www.Answers.com). During that time the Jewish people were held captive by Babylonians and most of their beliefs .i.e. Christianity and Judaism have Zoroastrian influence in them because they (Jewish) were exposed to that (Zoroastrian). But we will discuss about the similarities and the differences between Christianity and Zoroastrian. Similarities Zoroastrian worship one God to whom they believe the world was made and also the Christians too believe in one God, they (Zoroastrians) also believe that a Saviour will be born of a virgin who will defeat the devil and establish his kingdom when he returns just like Christians believe in Jesus Christ (www.metareligion.com) . Furthermore, both religions preaches about the existence of hell and heaven, both believed that hell is a place rewarded for righteous doing and hell is...
Words: 2305 - Pages: 10
...Contemporary Issues in Western Religions Islam Struggles within Christianity and Judaism Islam’s nature of sacred reality is monotheistic just as Christianity and Judaism, and is very similar in their religious formation. The theoretical foundations of each belief are historically similar and all saying the same message, that there is only one true God. The Islamic religious structure believes in the same God as Judaism and Christianity, the God of Abraham, but Islam knows him as Allah. There are some differences in the way Islam refer to Allah as God and Christianity and Judaism prefer to say God but theoretically they are referring to the same one true God. The origin of Islamic way of living is to seek to serve Allah only, through the instructions given by Allah to the prophet and first Muslim Muhammad. The history of the Islamic religion is connected to Judaism and Christianity in the same way because they also believe the way of the righteous is to submit to God and instruction on God’s will has been given through prophecy. Only Christianity submission is through the redemption of Jesus Christ by the New Testament and Judaism submission to God is to follow the Laws of the Old Testament. They all began in the Middle East where Islam’s prophet Muhammad was the prophecy of Abraham’s first son Ishmael by Hagar his servant and Judaism and Christianity’s prophecy developed in the Middle East by Abraham’s youngest son Isaac from Sarah Abraham’s wife. Even though each prophecy...
Words: 2351 - Pages: 10
...countries and cultures, including the United States, Great Britain, the Middle East, India and Pakistan, and Asia. How Islam is understood in each country's culture and how is it contrasted with Christianity and Judaism? How do these understandings impact the ways that Muslims and non-Muslims interact and communicate with one another. Body 1. Practices of Islam in the United States • Islam influences on the American Life • Muslin Resiliency in America • Acceptance of Islam by America 2. Practices of Islam in Great Britain • Muslim alliance in Great Britain • Integration in Great Britain 3. Practices of Islam in India and Pakistan • Muslim sects • Muslim Sovereignty 4. Practices of Islam in the Asia • Muslim roots and culture • Muslim and Non-Muslim Practices 5. Muslims and non-Muslims similarities • Similarity between Christianity, Judaism and Islam • Similar prophets of Judaism, Christianity and Islam (Kleven, T. J. 2013). • Quran, Torah and New Testament similarities (Kleven, T. J. 2013). 6. Conclusion References Abou-Zaid, A. S., & Leonce, T. (2014). Religious Pluralism, yet a Homogenous Stance on Interest Rate: The Case of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Contemporary Economics, 8(2), 219-228. Kattan, A. E. (2014). Christianity in a Culture Marked by Islam: Facts and Visions....
Words: 296 - Pages: 2
...One of the largest religions in the world is Islam, with more than one and a half billion followers nationwide which is rapidly growing today. Islam and Christianity appear to be very different, but core beliefs behind them are very similar. Most of Islam’s population came from the Middle East, but there are still large amount of Muslims throughout the United States (Nation Master, 2010). Islam has grown significantly in the past twenty years within the United States. They both, belief in one God and that both religions result from the direct descendent of Abraham, a quality that is also shared with Judaism. The doctrinal beliefs of each religion are each different. Islam is the most important figure in the world, and a name that is recognized by most around the world is the prophet Muhammad. Muhammad was born in approximately 570 C.E. in the town of Mecca. At the time of his birth the area of Mecca was populated by many people who practiced polytheism, and a minority of the population was devoted to Christianity and Judaism. Instead of pursuing any of these practices, instead Muhammad would find himself meditating in a cave on the outskirts of town quite frequently, and it is there where Muslims believe their religion was founded. One night while meditating it is said that an archangel visited Muhammad and declared him as one of God’s prophets. Over his lifetime he had many more visions and through the help of his wife and cousins the words he received were written down, and...
Words: 1996 - Pages: 8
...Kyle Baldani Religious Studies Islam and Christianity: A Comparison October 4, 2010 Islam is one of the largest religions in the world, with more than one and a half billion followers worldwide it is the most rapidly growing religion today. While on the surface Islam and Christianity appear to be very different, the history of the two religions and the core beliefs behind them are very similar. Most of Islam’s population comes from the Middle East, but there are still large amount of Muslims all over the world including Africa, China, and the United States (NationMaster, np). Depending on the region in which they live some customs may vary. Within the United States Islam has grown significantly in the past twenty years, largely due to the high percentage of immigrants coming over from the Middle East. Fundamentally speaking there are a few major correlations between Islam and Christianity. Two of the biggest similarities are the monotheistic bases of the religion, or belief in one God and the belief that both religions result from the direct descendent of Abraham, a quality also shared with Judaism. While there may be many similarities in the area of which the two sects were founded, they still differ in many ways most of which come from the doctrinal beliefs at the heart of each religion. The most important figure in the world of Islam, and a name that is recognized by most around the world is the prophet Muhammad. Muhammad was born in approximately 570 C.E. in the town...
Words: 2351 - Pages: 10
...ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY Christianity and Islam share much common ground, but when it comes to god they have different beliefs.Both trace their roots to Abraham. Both believe in prophecy, God's messengers(apostles), revelation, scripture, the resurrection of dead, and the centrality of religious community. This last element is especially important. Both Christianity and Islam have a communitarian dimension: what the church is to Christianity the"umma" is to Islam. Despite these significant similarities, however, these two world religions have a number of significant differences as well.I would like to comment on these -- not to engage in any kind of polemic (since I consider polemic a sign of religious immaturity)but to foster better understanding. A true dialogue between religions can be built only on nuanced understanding and not caricature. I will discuss these differences under four general headings: I -- The Understanding of God ============================= Muslims and Christians believe there is only one God / Allah. The basic testimony of Islam is called the 'shahada', the first clause of which states that "la ilaha illa Allah" -- "There is no god but God." This is certainly a statement that Christians would affirm. But how Christians and Muslims conceptualize God in their respective theologies is actually quite different. The emphasis in the Islamic theology of God can be summarized by one word: 'tawhid'...
Words: 4662 - Pages: 19
... World Religions Islam is one the largest and fastest growing religions in the world, second only to Christianity. The Islamic faith believes that there is only one God, who is named Allah. The Qur’an is the holy scriptures of Islam, believed by Muslims to be the words of God revealed to the great prophet Muhammad for the purpose of educating Muslims on how to live spiritually, mentally, and physically pure lives. An interview on the religion of Islam was conducted with Lonna al’ Moctar, a thirty-nine-year-old administrative assistant at The Muslim Community Center of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. The Muslim Community Center of Louisville is the newest mosque in Louisville and is the “boldest architectural expression of Islam to date in Louisville” (Smith, 2010, para. 2). The Muslim Community Center of Louisville is a mosque “intended as a place of interaction for all faiths” to learn about Islam, and is also home to an adjacent school, the Islamic School of Louisville, for pre-school, elementary, and middle school students (Smith, 2010, para. 7). Not unlike the construction of other mosques across the nation, The Muslim Community Center of Louisville had its share of opposition; however, its neighbors never complained about the construction of the mosque itself. Shortly after approval of the building plans, mosque leaders did have to revise...
Words: 2456 - Pages: 10
...discussed are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The primary focus religion that will be discussed is Christianity, the second religion will be Judaism, and the third religion will be Islam. In this paper the historical connections between these three religions will be explored. Questions will be answered such as; what makes these three religions similar? How are they connected? The theological similarities and differences between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam will also be thoughtfully brought up. The contemporary struggles within Christianity today will be explored. It will also be discussed what contemporary struggles Christianity has with Judaism and the contemporary struggles between Christianity and Islam. In this paper it is the expressed hope that the reader will be able to learn about these three religions and gain knowledge. The paper is to help the reader learn something new about Christianity, Judaism, and Islam and with curiosity want to explore these individual religions further. With this hope in mind this paper will start with the historical connections between these religions. When you take a look at the different religions being discussed in this paper you first have to look at how each one is defined. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary Christianity is defined as being a religion derived from Jesus Christ, based on the bible as sacred scripture, and professed by Eastern, Roman Catholic, and Protestant bodies. (Christianity, 2011) Judaism...
Words: 1060 - Pages: 5
...Islam vs. Christianity The two largest religions in the world are Islam and Christianity. For most Americans, Islam is the religion of the Middle East; however, Islam is practiced all over the world by all races of people. The morning of September 11, 2001 was a very tragic moment for all Americans and unfortunately it caused most of us to view Islam as the religion of terrorists. As I started to prepare for this paper, Islam vs. Christianity, I wanted to focus on the religion and not the actions of some of the followers of the religion. But as I went deeper into the religious teachings, I could see how the religion itself could produce violent followers. Ahead, I will mirror some of the basic practices and principles of both religions to help us gain a better understanding of Islamic practices. Both Islam and Christianity believe in moral living and being good to others, but have different views on God and his interpretations. Both believe that there is a God; however, Christians believe in the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and Muslims believe that God (Allah) is the one and only. Both believe that Jesus Christ existed, but Muslims believe that Jesus was merely a prophet who received a revelation from Allah and not the Lord and Savior that Christians proclaim him to be. The Christian holy Book, The Holy Bible, contains the Old Testament which chronicles the lives of those who lived before Jesus and is also sacred to Islam, and the New Testament which is unique to...
Words: 1349 - Pages: 6
...understanding of their beliefs. For the purpose of this essay, I will focus on the world views of Islam and compare it to Christianity. Part I Islam is a traditional monotheistic religion that urbanized in the Middle East, Common Era was 622 A.D. According to the Arabic faith, Islam means “Submission” to the will of God . Followers of Islam are known as Muslims. They believe Islam was founded on the teachings of the last Holy Prophet Muhammad. Abraham, Moses and Jesus (to name a few) were also a series of prophets of Allah. Muslims believe “Allah” is the only God. He is the creator and sustainer of the world, Muhammad was his messenger. In Islam, Allah created mankind separate from animals. Animals are not abused nor killed. Muslims endeavor’s to live an Islamic lifestyle. They sustain their identity by believing Islam is the only way of life. They fully submitted to the will of Allah by being good and doing what’s right has human beings. Muslims seek knowledge and guidance from the sacred scriptures of Qur’an. Muslims hypothetical assumed the Bible became a misrepresentation of God. The Holy Prophet Muhammad repeated the words of God through the Angel Gabriel. Muhammad and his followers collected the messages and recorded them in the Holy book Qur’an which means “recitations”. The book was written in many different languages. However, Muslims believe Qur’an was uncorrupted and the true version written in Arabic. According to Islam, human beings purpose here...
Words: 1040 - Pages: 5
...Purpose Statement The purpose of this paper is to educate our readers about the two largest religions in the world: Christianity and Islam. Religion has served in many societies as a mean of structure or social control, with rules that govern how people interact socially. We will be looking at the origin, similarities, differences, beliefs and festivals of each religion. Invariably, our aim is to ascertain through research data and interviews why Christianity is the world’s most popular religion, but more so why it is deemed most superior. Statement of Qualification. Our group strongly believes in the fundamental teachings of Christianity, having been exposed to its teachings from early childhood. We are respecters of all religions hence our research topic, to bring about a greater level of understanding of both, while identifying the beliefs and values these two great religion is built on. Based on our own individual experiences and personal realization of nature and how things are interconnected, we conclude that there is definitely a higher power that oversees everyone and everything, and it’s faith in this higher power that brought birth to Christianity. Review of Literature Religion is a controversial topic that has been debated with great enthusiasm by sociologists, theologians, and even students; some argue that the belief in religion is for closed minded individuals. One sociologist aimed to defend the fact that religion...
Words: 1350 - Pages: 6
...Christians view Islam as the latest of the world's great religions. However, worldwide Muslims (sometimes written "Moslems") understand their universal religion as the "final religion" and the "primal religion." As "final," Islam is God's final revelation of prophetic religion, in fulfillment of all that had preceded. Moses was given the Law; David was given the Psalms; Jesus was given the Gospel. Judaism offers God's message of justice, and Christianity proclaims the love of God. To Mohammed (570-632 A.D.; spelled in a variety of ways) the God of Abraham and Jesus revealed the Qur'an (Arabic for "recital," sometimes written Koran). The Qur'an, written in Arabic, is the Sacred Scripture of Islam, the perfection of all previous divine revelations, and is to be understood literally as the direct words of God. In this sense of scriptural literalism, all Muslims may be called "fundamentalists." However, when referring to the aggressive behaviors of a few, "militants" and "extremists" are better categories. Muslims believe in all prophets of the Bible. The Qur'an itself mentions the Torah and the Gospel as scriptures revealed by God to Moses and Jesus. However, the Qur'an indicates that over time, changes were made to the actual biblical texts, because of commentary blended with the original text, as well as losses to the texts through transmission and other causes. For these reasons, Muslims cannot rely absolutely on the Torah and Gospels as sources of revelation, unless they confirm...
Words: 1369 - Pages: 6
...The Decline of Christianity in Europe Over time all things in life deteriorate unfortunately that’s how life goes. That car you bought years ago is beginning to show signs of age. We can mask or disguise things to make them look better than what they are but at the core its dying. Our bodies could be affected by illnesses but who can actually see it? It is a nearly impossible to name every factor playing into the decline of Christianity in Europe. As scripture suggests judgment should begin in the house of God. The Church in Europe has to its credit centuries of violence and oppression of other cultures and its own supporters, which consistently glare out striking the perceptions of the Church’s history of compassion and charity. The Church has also gripped tightly to its tradition as the root of its once great social and political power. This territory that was at one time the hotbed of Christian growth has become a land, which has become more and more liberalized. The liberal views are in direct conflict with the authoritative back and white nature of the Church, Christian morality and Christianity because they are slanted with no absolutes. It seems to that the New European Union is distancing itself from the memories of the checkered history of Christianity on the European land. The Churches in Europe have been in a sweeping down swing over the last 100 years. Not ever country in Europe is having an immense collapse, some are having success while others...
Words: 1545 - Pages: 7
...chose was Christianity in Religion. Christianity can be found on every continent on the globe. It is one of the most popular religions, and has many different beliefs associates with it such as: Roman Catholicism, Baptist, Methodist, and Lutherans among a few. This religion also has many opponents across the world also such as Atheist, Buddhists, and the main one that comes to mind and that this report will focus on as its cultural difference is Islam, also known as the Muslim faith. A person’s culture can and most often will determine a person’s religious beliefs. Culture is defined as “the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also: the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life} shared by people in a place or time.” (Merriam Webster Dictionary, 2012) CULTURAL ISSUE WITHIN RELIGION The cultural issue that is dealt with religion and Christianity is that depending on where you are at in the world you can run into opposition. This is a great conflict within the Middle East right now. Each of these religions believes that their religion is the only TRUE religion, and depending on what religion you belong to depends on how far you will take your beliefs. In the Middle East those with the Muslim faith will go as far as to kill themselves and to them become a martyr for their beliefs. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior and the Son of God, whereas Muslims believe...
Words: 833 - Pages: 4
...Christianity, Islam and Judaism Student’s Name University Affiliation CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS AND JEWS Comparison of Views on Jesus as the Messiah Matters of faith or religions are one of the major issues that form trends globally. The main religions well practiced today include Christianity, Judaism religion and Islam. Roughly, four billion people globally identify themselves within either of the religions. The three religions share so many similarities and differences depending on the topic and what their Holy book instructs them. The Christians will follow what the Bible says, and the Muslims strictly obey the Quran. On the other hand, the Judaism religion takes their teachings from their holy book The Hebrew Tabakh. These religions have often been subjects of engender disagreements. The disagreements have often kept communities apart, created divisiveness, ended friendships and sometimes lead to violence. If one analyzed the religions of the world, you would realize that so many aspects are same which include central beliefs, doctrines and morality. All of them trace their origin from Abraham. The Muslims, Christians and the Jews believe that God is responsible for designing and creating the whole Universe and anything that is in it. This belief in one God makes all the religions Monotheistic. Although there are fundamental commonalities that are evident in the three principal religions, the greatest difference that exist between Christianity and both...
Words: 2135 - Pages: 9
