by Nate
Out of all the work about Abrahamic religions I wrote on, I never got any opinions of the religions from anyone who has turned the religion into a profession. To gain another perspective, I went to St. Jude to interview my grandmother’s priest Tom Belleque. The questions I asked Tom were mainly about the Abrahamic religions as whole and his personal experiences with Christianity.
Showing posts with label Nate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nate. Show all posts
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Religious Holidays
by Nate
If religion has not affected you directly, by going to church or temple or some other form of participation, it has probably affected you indirectly, through religious holidays such as Christmas and Hanukkah.
In American society, Christmas is widely celebrated with things like Santa Claus, colorful lights, and gift exchange, but this is not how Christmas started. Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25th, which to Christians means something more – the birthday of Jesus. It is written in the Bible that Jesus was born in an animal manger in a stable. You can read more about this in our article about Christianity: http://religionrethought.blogspot.com/2010/11/christianity-brief-summary.html
Have you ever noticed Jewish kids getting presents for eight straight days during Hanukkah and wondered why this is? A holy Jewish temple in Jerusalem was once captured by Syrian-Greek soldiers and dedicated to the worship of Zeus. It took the Jews about a year to reclaim their temple, and by that time it had been horribly defiled by the sacrifice of pigs and the worship of what they considered to be false gods. To purify the temple, they decided they must burn ritual oil in the temple for eight days. Sadly they only had enough oil for one day, but this one day’s worth of oil miraculously lasted for all eight days.
Now that you know the history behind Christmas and Hanukkah, maybe this time of year won’t be confusing for you anymore. Happy Holidays!
Works Cited
Fairchild, Mary. "The Christmas Story - This Bible Story Summary Tells the Christmas Story of the Birth of Jesus." Christianity - About Christianity and Living the Christian Life. Web. 11 Dec. 2010 http://christianity.about.com/od/biblestorysummaries/p/christmasstory.htm
"Judaism - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 10 Dec. 2010. http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/index.htm
"The Land of Israel." Judaism 101. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. http://www.jewfaq.org/israel.htm#Promised
Pelaia, Ariela. "Hanukkah - What Is Hanukkah." About Judaism. Web. 11 Dec. 2010. http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/hanukkah.htm
If religion has not affected you directly, by going to church or temple or some other form of participation, it has probably affected you indirectly, through religious holidays such as Christmas and Hanukkah.
In American society, Christmas is widely celebrated with things like Santa Claus, colorful lights, and gift exchange, but this is not how Christmas started. Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25th, which to Christians means something more – the birthday of Jesus. It is written in the Bible that Jesus was born in an animal manger in a stable. You can read more about this in our article about Christianity: http://religionrethought.blogspot.com/2010/11/christianity-brief-summary.html
Have you ever noticed Jewish kids getting presents for eight straight days during Hanukkah and wondered why this is? A holy Jewish temple in Jerusalem was once captured by Syrian-Greek soldiers and dedicated to the worship of Zeus. It took the Jews about a year to reclaim their temple, and by that time it had been horribly defiled by the sacrifice of pigs and the worship of what they considered to be false gods. To purify the temple, they decided they must burn ritual oil in the temple for eight days. Sadly they only had enough oil for one day, but this one day’s worth of oil miraculously lasted for all eight days.
Now that you know the history behind Christmas and Hanukkah, maybe this time of year won’t be confusing for you anymore. Happy Holidays!
Works Cited
Fairchild, Mary. "The Christmas Story - This Bible Story Summary Tells the Christmas Story of the Birth of Jesus." Christianity - About Christianity and Living the Christian Life. Web. 11 Dec. 2010 http://christianity.about.com/od/biblestorysummaries/p/christmasstory.htm
"Judaism - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 10 Dec. 2010. http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/index.htm
"The Land of Israel." Judaism 101. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. http://www.jewfaq.org/israel.htm#Promised
Pelaia, Ariela. "Hanukkah - What Is Hanukkah." About Judaism. Web. 11 Dec. 2010. http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/hanukkah.htm
Saturday, December 11, 2010
My experience as a Christian
by Nate
If you were to ask 100 different Christians what affect Christianity had on them, you would get 100 different answers, but here is my story. I became a Christian through a family decision in the second grade to be baptized in Saint Jude church. As far back as I can remember, I went to church every Sunday until third grade when my favorite priest was fired. Because of family reasons, I didn't go to church again until the summer of 7th grade. The only reason I decided to give Christianity another try was because I was influenced by a Christian camp, Camp Gilead. As of the beginning of 8th grade, I have gone with my grandmother to Sunday church at Saint Louise as often as possible. She has had a major positive influence on reviving my will to go to church and stay a Christian.
Something I have learned as a Christian is treat others the way you want to be treated; which is the Golden Rule as stated by Jesus:
So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7.12 ESV)
I have also learned (the hard way) that violence is never the answer. In fact, I stumbled upon a bible verse that struck me as shockingly true:
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. (Matthew 26:52)
Lastly, the reason I am alive is purely because I am a Christian. Yes, this means exactly what you think it means. Since early seventh grade to the beginning of the ninth grade I had more family conflict than I want to admit. I wanted an easy way out and suicide radiated the most selfish and easy way out of them all. I was talking to one of my friends about it and he told me that to commit suicide was like buying an express ticket to Hell. I believe Hell, and for this reason I decided to flip through my bible until I found my truth, twice:
1. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. (Corinthians 1:8-11)
2. Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple. (Corinthians 3:16-17)
In summary, Christianity has played a huge part of my life.
If you were to ask 100 different Christians what affect Christianity had on them, you would get 100 different answers, but here is my story. I became a Christian through a family decision in the second grade to be baptized in Saint Jude church. As far back as I can remember, I went to church every Sunday until third grade when my favorite priest was fired. Because of family reasons, I didn't go to church again until the summer of 7th grade. The only reason I decided to give Christianity another try was because I was influenced by a Christian camp, Camp Gilead. As of the beginning of 8th grade, I have gone with my grandmother to Sunday church at Saint Louise as often as possible. She has had a major positive influence on reviving my will to go to church and stay a Christian.
Something I have learned as a Christian is treat others the way you want to be treated; which is the Golden Rule as stated by Jesus:
So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7.12 ESV)
I have also learned (the hard way) that violence is never the answer. In fact, I stumbled upon a bible verse that struck me as shockingly true:
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. (Matthew 26:52)
Lastly, the reason I am alive is purely because I am a Christian. Yes, this means exactly what you think it means. Since early seventh grade to the beginning of the ninth grade I had more family conflict than I want to admit. I wanted an easy way out and suicide radiated the most selfish and easy way out of them all. I was talking to one of my friends about it and he told me that to commit suicide was like buying an express ticket to Hell. I believe Hell, and for this reason I decided to flip through my bible until I found my truth, twice:
1. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. (Corinthians 1:8-11)
2. Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple. (Corinthians 3:16-17)
In summary, Christianity has played a huge part of my life.
Monday, December 6, 2010
The Life of Moses
by Nate
Moses is considered by many to be the most important prophet of Judaism. He was born in Egypt to a Hebrew family, but when the Egyptian pharaoh ordered all male Hebrew infants to be killed, his mother hid him and he was found by the Egyptian royal family, who adopted and raised him. Thus he grew up among those who enslaved and abused the people to whom he would later become a savior.
After he had reached adulthood, Moses witnessed the murder of a Hebrew at the hands of an Egyptian taskmaster. His eyes were opened to the cruelty and oppression of the Egyptians, and he killed the taskmaster. He was forced to flee to Median, where God appeared to him and told him that he must return to Egypt and free the Hebrews. He was instructed to warn the Egyptians that if they did not comply and set the Hebrews free, they would suffer ten plagues. These were as follows:
1. (Exodus 7:14-25) Water would turn to blood
2. (Exodus 7:26-8:11) Frogs
3. (Exodus 8:12-15) Gnats
4. (Exodus 8:16-28) Flies or wild beasts
5. (Exodus 9:1-7) Disease of livestock
6. (Exodus 9:8-12) Boils
7. (Exodus 9:13-35) A storm of hail and fire
8. (Exodus 10:1-20) Locusts
9. (Exodus 10:21-29) Darkness
10. (Exodus 11:1-12:36) Death of the first-born
Finally, after the tenth plague had passed, the Pharaoh conceded and released the Hebrews. Moses led them triumphantly from Egypt, but the Pharaoh soon changed his mind and sent his army after them. To help the Hebrews escape the Egyptian army, God parted the Red Sea so that they could pass, and released his grasp on the sea when the army began to follow, so that they were all drowned.
During his lifetime, Moses would continue to teach the Hebrews the knowledge that was given to him by God. One of the most important things that Moses taught the Hebrews was the Ten Commandments, a list of principles that God gave to him and required his followers to live by. They are listed below:
1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
5. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
Works Cited
"Judaism - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the
Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 10 Dec. 2010. http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/index.htm
"The Land of Israel." Judaism 101. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. http://www.jewfaq.org/israel.htm#Promised
"Prophets and Prophecy." Judaism 101. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. http://www.jewfaq.org/prophet.htm
Moses is considered by many to be the most important prophet of Judaism. He was born in Egypt to a Hebrew family, but when the Egyptian pharaoh ordered all male Hebrew infants to be killed, his mother hid him and he was found by the Egyptian royal family, who adopted and raised him. Thus he grew up among those who enslaved and abused the people to whom he would later become a savior.
After he had reached adulthood, Moses witnessed the murder of a Hebrew at the hands of an Egyptian taskmaster. His eyes were opened to the cruelty and oppression of the Egyptians, and he killed the taskmaster. He was forced to flee to Median, where God appeared to him and told him that he must return to Egypt and free the Hebrews. He was instructed to warn the Egyptians that if they did not comply and set the Hebrews free, they would suffer ten plagues. These were as follows:
1. (Exodus 7:14-25) Water would turn to blood
2. (Exodus 7:26-8:11) Frogs
3. (Exodus 8:12-15) Gnats
4. (Exodus 8:16-28) Flies or wild beasts
5. (Exodus 9:1-7) Disease of livestock
6. (Exodus 9:8-12) Boils
7. (Exodus 9:13-35) A storm of hail and fire
8. (Exodus 10:1-20) Locusts
9. (Exodus 10:21-29) Darkness
10. (Exodus 11:1-12:36) Death of the first-born
Finally, after the tenth plague had passed, the Pharaoh conceded and released the Hebrews. Moses led them triumphantly from Egypt, but the Pharaoh soon changed his mind and sent his army after them. To help the Hebrews escape the Egyptian army, God parted the Red Sea so that they could pass, and released his grasp on the sea when the army began to follow, so that they were all drowned.
During his lifetime, Moses would continue to teach the Hebrews the knowledge that was given to him by God. One of the most important things that Moses taught the Hebrews was the Ten Commandments, a list of principles that God gave to him and required his followers to live by. They are listed below:
1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
5. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
Works Cited
"Judaism - ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the
Facts on the World's Religions. Web. 10 Dec. 2010. http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/index.htm
"The Land of Israel." Judaism 101. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. http://www.jewfaq.org/israel.htm#Promised
"Prophets and Prophecy." Judaism 101. Web. 13 Dec. 2010. http://www.jewfaq.org/prophet.htm
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Islam: A Brief Summary
by Nate
I testify that there is no God but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is a messenger of Allah. – Shahadah (Muslim declaration of belief)
The literal definition of Islam is "peace through the submission to God". It is a monotheistic religion that originated in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 610 AD. To its followers, Islam sets the law for all ways of life, including the moral, spiritual, social, political, economical and intellectual aspects. The Qur'an is the holy book of Islam, believed by its followers to have been created by the one God, Allah, and recorded by Muhammad and his followers. To be recognized as a Muslim, one must believe and be guided by the Qur’an, as well as be committed to the Five Pillars of Islam and the Six Articles of Faith. However, each of the four major sects of Islam interprets these documents, as well as the history of Islam, differently. These sects are often in bitter conflict with each other due to their fundamental differences and a refusal to acknowledge the others as true Muslims; they are Sunni, Shi’a, Ahmadiyya, and Sufism.
The Five Pillars of Islam are practices that Muslims must live by. They begin with Shahadah, which declares the follower’s dedication to Allah, and to Muhammad as Allah’s prophet. The second pillar is prayer, which must be performed five times a day. The third pillar involves setting aside a small portion of one’s earnings every year to be given to the needy. The fourth pillar is fasting, and occurs from dawn until sundown during the month of Ramadan. The fifth and last pillar is pilgrimage, a journey made to Mecca by all those who are able.
The Six Articles of Faith are basic beliefs that define a Muslim. The first article is the belief in one God, Allah. The second is the belief in angels, and that they were created by the Allah. The third is the belief in Allah’s scriptures, including the Qur’an; the fourth is faith in Allah’s prophets, such as Muhammad, and the fifth is belief in resurrection and the Day of Judgment. The sixth and final article is the belief that Allah is all-knowing, and has control over everything in the universe.
Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 AD and died in Medina, another Arabian city, at the age of 62. For most of Muhammad's life he worked as a shepherd and a merchant; however, he was not satisfied with his life and set out to the surrounding mountains to meditate. It was there that Muhammad was visited by the angel Gabriel, who gave him a verse of the Qur'an. Gabriel visited Muhammad many more times, teaching him of the Qur’an and of Allah. Muhammad came to believe that he had been chosen as one of Allah’s prophets, and began to preach to others what he learned.
Works Cited
"30 Facts About Islam." MeccaCentric - MeccaCentric. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. http://www.meccacentric.com/30_facts.html
Bard, Mitchell. "Muhammad." Jewish Virtual Library - Homepage. Jewish Virtual Library, 2005. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Muhammad.html
"Islam Guide: What Are the Five Pillars of Islam?" Islam Guide: A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam, Muslims, & the Quran. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-16.htm
IslamReligion.com. "Muhammad’s Biography (part 4 of 12): Persecution in Mecca." The Religion of Islam. 13 Feb. 2006. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/172/
ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Religion Facts. Web. 28 Nov.
"Six Articles of Faith." Muslim Bridges. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. http://www.muslimbridges.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=454:six-articles-of-faith&catid=18:understanding-islam-a-muslims&Itemid=103
I testify that there is no God but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is a messenger of Allah. – Shahadah (Muslim declaration of belief)
The literal definition of Islam is "peace through the submission to God". It is a monotheistic religion that originated in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 610 AD. To its followers, Islam sets the law for all ways of life, including the moral, spiritual, social, political, economical and intellectual aspects. The Qur'an is the holy book of Islam, believed by its followers to have been created by the one God, Allah, and recorded by Muhammad and his followers. To be recognized as a Muslim, one must believe and be guided by the Qur’an, as well as be committed to the Five Pillars of Islam and the Six Articles of Faith. However, each of the four major sects of Islam interprets these documents, as well as the history of Islam, differently. These sects are often in bitter conflict with each other due to their fundamental differences and a refusal to acknowledge the others as true Muslims; they are Sunni, Shi’a, Ahmadiyya, and Sufism.
The Five Pillars of Islam are practices that Muslims must live by. They begin with Shahadah, which declares the follower’s dedication to Allah, and to Muhammad as Allah’s prophet. The second pillar is prayer, which must be performed five times a day. The third pillar involves setting aside a small portion of one’s earnings every year to be given to the needy. The fourth pillar is fasting, and occurs from dawn until sundown during the month of Ramadan. The fifth and last pillar is pilgrimage, a journey made to Mecca by all those who are able.
The Six Articles of Faith are basic beliefs that define a Muslim. The first article is the belief in one God, Allah. The second is the belief in angels, and that they were created by the Allah. The third is the belief in Allah’s scriptures, including the Qur’an; the fourth is faith in Allah’s prophets, such as Muhammad, and the fifth is belief in resurrection and the Day of Judgment. The sixth and final article is the belief that Allah is all-knowing, and has control over everything in the universe.
Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 AD and died in Medina, another Arabian city, at the age of 62. For most of Muhammad's life he worked as a shepherd and a merchant; however, he was not satisfied with his life and set out to the surrounding mountains to meditate. It was there that Muhammad was visited by the angel Gabriel, who gave him a verse of the Qur'an. Gabriel visited Muhammad many more times, teaching him of the Qur’an and of Allah. Muhammad came to believe that he had been chosen as one of Allah’s prophets, and began to preach to others what he learned.
Works Cited
"30 Facts About Islam." MeccaCentric - MeccaCentric. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. http://www.meccacentric.com/30_facts.html
Bard, Mitchell. "Muhammad." Jewish Virtual Library - Homepage. Jewish Virtual Library, 2005. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Muhammad.html
"Islam Guide: What Are the Five Pillars of Islam?" Islam Guide: A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam, Muslims, & the Quran. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-16.htm
IslamReligion.com. "Muhammad’s Biography (part 4 of 12): Persecution in Mecca." The Religion of Islam. 13 Feb. 2006. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/172/
ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Religion Facts. Web. 28 Nov.
"Six Articles of Faith." Muslim Bridges. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. http://www.muslimbridges.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=454:six-articles-of-faith&catid=18:understanding-islam-a-muslims&Itemid=103
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Christianity: A Brief Summary
by Nate
Christianity is a very well-known religion, but unbiased explanations of it are still difficult to find. I hope this brief overview will clear up some confusion.
Christianity is considered an Abrahamic religion, along with Judaism and Islam. It has its roots in Judaism, and despite the many differences and disagreements between these two faiths, there are also many common themes and beliefs. Many people believe that Jesus was a Jew; however, many followers of Judaism reject Jesus as the messiah, while most Christians view Jesus as God incarnate, the savior of the world – the appointed one, the son of God, the bringer of salvation.
Accordingly, the teachings of Jesus are the foundation of Christianity. Christians believe that he was a real person, brought into the world by an immaculate conception, and executed by crucifixion for the sins of humanity. In the Bible it was prophesied that upon his coming, “The deaf shall hear; the blind shall see (Isaiah 29:18); the eyes of the blind opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped, the lame man shall leap like a rabbit, the tongue of a dumb man shall leap for joy (Isaiah 35:5, 8).” In Matthew 11:2-6 and Luke 7:18-23, Jesus fulfilled these prophesies. During his lifetime, he gathered many disciples, and preached to people, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40) To prove that he was truly the son of God, he performed many miracles, including walking on water and changing water to wine.
After Jesus spent years traveling and preaching, it was decided that he was a threat to the Roman Empire, and when he was about 33 his crucifixion was ordered by Pontius Pilate, then a governor. However, the Bible relates his resurrection and thereafter, the continuing of his teachings by his disciples, whom he instructed, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19) These teachings are described in the Bible’s New Testament, which continues and expands on the Old Testament, and relates events after the coming of Jesus.
Christianity plays a role in the lives of an extraordinary number of people all over the world. In fact, about one third of the world's population, or 2.2 billion people, are Christian – making Christianity the most widely adhered-to religion there is, followed by Judaism & Islam. However, it is strictly regulated or even illegal in 51 countries, including those which are Communist (Cuba), fundamental Islamic (Nigeria) or Hindu. It is not a unified religion, having 22 major denominations and 38,000 minor ones, which differ in regard to apostolic succession, papal authority, and the nature of Jesus. Of Christianity, C.S. Lewis once said, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
Works Cited
"Birth of Jesus." Christian Bible Reference Site. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. http://www.christianbiblereference.org/story_BirthOfJesus.htm
"Fast Facts on Christianity." Religion Facts. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/fastfacts.htm
Hedrick, Charles. "What Is Christianity?" Geneva.rutgers.edu. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. http://geneva.rutgers.edu/src/christianity/
Oakes, John. "Where Did Christianity Originate?" Evidence for Christianity. EFC. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/index.php?option=com_custom_content&task=view&id=4002
Paradigm, Shattered. "Christianity - The Most Persecuted Religion In The Entire World." The Final Hour. End Times, 06 Feb. 2009. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://thefinalhour.blogspot.com/2009/02/christianity-most-persecuted-religion.html
Persecuted Countries." Persecution News of Churches Persecuted & Christian Sufferings. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.persecution.org/
Robinson, B.A. "Religions of the World: Numbers of Adherents; Growth Rates." Religions of the World. 20 Dec. 2009. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.religioustolerance.org/worldrel.htm
"Teachings of Jesus." Gospel Mysteries. Gospel-mystries.net. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.gospel-mysteries.net/teachings-jesus.html
"When Did Jesus Live?" TheologyWeb News - The Front Page. VBulletin Solutions, 22 Apr. 2003. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/archive/index.php/t-3476.html
Christianity is a very well-known religion, but unbiased explanations of it are still difficult to find. I hope this brief overview will clear up some confusion.
Christianity is considered an Abrahamic religion, along with Judaism and Islam. It has its roots in Judaism, and despite the many differences and disagreements between these two faiths, there are also many common themes and beliefs. Many people believe that Jesus was a Jew; however, many followers of Judaism reject Jesus as the messiah, while most Christians view Jesus as God incarnate, the savior of the world – the appointed one, the son of God, the bringer of salvation.
Accordingly, the teachings of Jesus are the foundation of Christianity. Christians believe that he was a real person, brought into the world by an immaculate conception, and executed by crucifixion for the sins of humanity. In the Bible it was prophesied that upon his coming, “The deaf shall hear; the blind shall see (Isaiah 29:18); the eyes of the blind opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped, the lame man shall leap like a rabbit, the tongue of a dumb man shall leap for joy (Isaiah 35:5, 8).” In Matthew 11:2-6 and Luke 7:18-23, Jesus fulfilled these prophesies. During his lifetime, he gathered many disciples, and preached to people, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40) To prove that he was truly the son of God, he performed many miracles, including walking on water and changing water to wine.
After Jesus spent years traveling and preaching, it was decided that he was a threat to the Roman Empire, and when he was about 33 his crucifixion was ordered by Pontius Pilate, then a governor. However, the Bible relates his resurrection and thereafter, the continuing of his teachings by his disciples, whom he instructed, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19) These teachings are described in the Bible’s New Testament, which continues and expands on the Old Testament, and relates events after the coming of Jesus.
Christianity plays a role in the lives of an extraordinary number of people all over the world. In fact, about one third of the world's population, or 2.2 billion people, are Christian – making Christianity the most widely adhered-to religion there is, followed by Judaism & Islam. However, it is strictly regulated or even illegal in 51 countries, including those which are Communist (Cuba), fundamental Islamic (Nigeria) or Hindu. It is not a unified religion, having 22 major denominations and 38,000 minor ones, which differ in regard to apostolic succession, papal authority, and the nature of Jesus. Of Christianity, C.S. Lewis once said, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
Works Cited
"Birth of Jesus." Christian Bible Reference Site. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. http://www.christianbiblereference.org/story_BirthOfJesus.htm
"Fast Facts on Christianity." Religion Facts. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/fastfacts.htm
Hedrick, Charles. "What Is Christianity?" Geneva.rutgers.edu. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. http://geneva.rutgers.edu/src/christianity/
Oakes, John. "Where Did Christianity Originate?" Evidence for Christianity. EFC. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/index.php?option=com_custom_content&task=view&id=4002
Paradigm, Shattered. "Christianity - The Most Persecuted Religion In The Entire World." The Final Hour. End Times, 06 Feb. 2009. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://thefinalhour.blogspot.com/2009/02/christianity-most-persecuted-religion.html
Persecuted Countries." Persecution News of Churches Persecuted & Christian Sufferings. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.persecution.org/
Robinson, B.A. "Religions of the World: Numbers of Adherents; Growth Rates." Religions of the World. 20 Dec. 2009. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.religioustolerance.org/worldrel.htm
"Teachings of Jesus." Gospel Mysteries. Gospel-mystries.net. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.gospel-mysteries.net/teachings-jesus.html
"When Did Jesus Live?" TheologyWeb News - The Front Page. VBulletin Solutions, 22 Apr. 2003. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.theologyweb.com/campus/archive/index.php/t-3476.html
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