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differences and similarities betwen islam and christianity
differences and similarities betwen islam and christianity
similarities between catholicism and islam
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“I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit”- Khalil Gibran (Think Exist). Islam and Catholicism are just two of the many religions that inhabit the world. While the two are similar in some aspects, it is the differences that clearly set them apart. “Muslim extremists” is one stereotype that clearly sets the two religions apart; rarely do you ever hear someone call a catholic an “extremist”.
Since the founding of these religions, tensions have escalated between them regarding their “ownership” or “rights to” what was once the “Holy Land”. “Holy Wars”, or “Jihad” according to Muslims, have been fought over who should control these lands. Since both groups began within this “Holy Land”, they continue to fight for their “homeland” or “birthplace” of their religion. Instead of merely agreeing or settling the feud, the groups decide to fight continually. When the World Trade Center towers were unexpectedly terrorized on September 11, 2001, tensions grew exponentially. The relationship between these religions will continue to be one of hostility until they can agree to resolve disputes between each other.
Islam was founded in 622 CE on the Arabian Peninsula following the death of Muhammad (Stopke). The beliefs of the Islamic religion include: oneness of God, belief in (the book, the prophets, angels, a Day of Judgment, reward & punishment in the hereafter), and that God is omniscient (Stopke). The original language of Islam was Arabic, and still is a major part of the religion today. There are approximately 1.3 billion believers in the religion of Islam worldwide. Islam believes in the Koran, the literal Word of God, ha...
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...the religion, rarely are Catholics ever classified as “a radical” or “an extremist”. These religions will continue generating hatred for one another if they do not settle arguments over the “Holy Land” and live peaceably according to their holy texts. The stereotypes associated with these religions are based upon actions and words of followers.
Works Cited
ReligionFacts. Comparison Chart: Christianity and Islam. 2004-2010. 31 August 2011. .
Stopke, Steven. Islam Lecture Alex Lohmann. 12 October 2010.
The Roman Catholic Church and Islam. n.d. 31 August 2011. .
Think Exist. ThinkExist.com Quotations. 1999-2011. Web page. 31 August 2011. .
...The Pope creates many sides to his argument, conveying the need not only to redeem but also to repay their debts to God for making them the chosen race. He provokes the temper of many by speaking of the horrific crimes the Muslims are apparently committing, using distinctly graphic images to engage his followers.
Throughout the years, religions have come together to bring about a new age of interfaith and interconnectedness. There are countless of examples where people have adopted two or more religions as there own, seeing and respecting the relationships and similarities between the two. In hand with this, people are now beginning to understand other religions and respect their practices. There is sort of a hybrid coming about of religions, where communities will pray with each other in a sort of collaboration of respects. However, this change in religion did not come about easily, it took much strife to bring about an interconnectedness that everyone is now a part of. Now that this interconnected and respect occurs in some areas, this can open up
One of the needs for a civilization is to have a structured religion. Due to this there have been countless religions that have formed and also fallen throughout history. When religions are compared similarities can almost always be found, but they also have very drastic differences throughout their beliefs. The Hindu, Christian, and Islam religions all have many things of their beliefs that one can consider a similarity, but the differences overpower the similarities.
The Middle East served as the birthplace for many religions and cultures such as Islam and Christianity. This historical region has had substantial impact on the course of history. However, Christianity and Islam have their differences in expansion and their similarities in religious beliefs between the two religions.
Aslan, R. (2010). Beyond Fundamentalism: Confronting Religious Extremism in the Age of Globalization. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks.
Unlike Christians, Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad spread their religion throughout the world. Islam began in the year 610, when the prophet Muhammad started receiving messages from Allah, through the Angel Gabriel. He started spreading the word to others and that is how the Islamic faith began. The Prophet Muhammad was born in 570 AD in Saudi Arabia, Mecca. Both of his parents passed away by the time he was 6 years old and he was raised by his uncle. Muhammad’s first job was a camel driver and later he started managing caravans for many merchants. In doing so, he was employed by a woman named Khadija. They soon got married and it was said that she made his life easier because Allah was through her. When Muhammad was in his 30’s, he would go to Mount Hira to be alone and pray.One day on the mountain while in solitude an angel came to him saying he was chosen to spread the word of Allah. At first, Muhammad said he was not the right one to do this mission however, the angel persisted. He went home to tell his wife and through his wife he found the courage to follow what the angel told him. Khadija was his first follower. In the first three years, he only converted 40 people in Mecca. It was only a small amount of people but it caused a lot of chaos in Mecca. Many of his followers were sentenced to death and Muhammad was next. As persecution was rising, Muhammad found out that he had followers in a city
Christianity has been in America since the Colonial Era (1600’s - 1700’s), and for over three centuries has dominated and deeply engrained itself into American Society . Islam, however, has only been introduced recently, and this has caused Islamic Believers (or Muslims) residing in America to be misinterpreted. After the September 11 bombings in 2001, there was a huge hatred for Muslims as they were interpreted as a religion that promotes destruction in the name of ‘Jihad’, or as it is often mistranslated as ‘Holy war’ . Although, the meaning of ‘Jihad’ is much wider than just ‘Holy war’, it is an internal struggle, within each Muslim, “…to be a good Muslim as well as advance the cause of Islam.” The Western understanding of ‘jihad’ however has been twisted to become related to terrorism. Whereas, Christians claim to promote the qualities of hard-work, honesty and moderation, and are therefore highly thought of in American Society, not only because of their supposed all encompassing teachings, but also because of their dominance as a religion in the Western World.
..., anyone that decides to pursue Him as their Savior is a Christian. It is through Jesus Christ that a person is born again spiritually and made alive through Him.
Islam and Christianity seem to have very little in common; however, the two actually show strong likeness, principally in the central areas. Both Muslims and Christians are monotheists, believing in one God. While both believe in the same God, He is called by two completely different names. He is referred to as "Allah" by Muslims and "God" by Christians. Although Islam and Christianity are two different religions, their similarities in beliefs and prayers make them comparable in many aspects.
Throughout history it is evident that many religions have been tried, tested, and, for some, radically changed. Many religions have gone through periods of time in which the way they were run or enforced underwent changes in practice and leadership. In many cases disagreements and differing outlooks among members of certain religions were to blame for these changes. Christianity and Islam are two examples of religions that have experienced changes over the course of their existence. While these religions seem to have little in common at first glance, both have strikingly similar pasts that consist of radical splits due to disagreements among members of the Christian and Islamic churches, resulting in new branches within each religion.
Christianity and Islam continue to be the two fastest growing religions in the world. Men and women, both Christian and Muslim, are now asking the question, must these two religions collide? Is there no common ground between them? Many Muslims are taught that Christianity seeks to eliminate Islam; that Christians have no knowledge or understanding of their faith; that Christians condemn Islam, and hold the teachings of Islamic Fundamentalism responsible for many if not all the terrorist activities throughout the world.
Rippin A. 1990, Muslims, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices Volume 1: The Formative Period, Routledge, London and New York.
Renard, John. Islam and Christianity: theological themes in comparative perspective. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2011. Print.
Islam and Christianity have a vast amount of similarities as well as differences. Islam searches for guidance from the Qur’an and Christianity depends on faith in Jesus. Islamic faith believes in the God, Allah. Above anything else, all religious Muslims obey Allah and his commandments to obtain peace. On other hand, Christianity puts faith in Jesus who is the son of God. A major concept that separates both of the religions is the fact that the God of each faith has different qualities. This means Islam and Christianity don’t worship the same God. Islam and Christianity are two separate belief systems in which two separate Gods exist.
At the first glance, Islam and Christianity appear to have nothing in common, however; as you go beyond the surface, they appear to have many similarities such as their beliefs of God, their beliefs of life after death, their holy scriptures, and their prayers. These religions, although are two entirely different beliefs, share a similar origin. Like many other religions, they both claim to be the one and only true way to God. In order to truly see and understand their similarities, one must date back to the rise and birth of Christianity and Islam. Throughout the course of this essay, I will compare the many facets that show the alikeness between these two growing religions.