Download The Dictionary states Religion is the belief in and worship of a

So Different But so similar
The caparisons and contrasts of different religions
Written by: Samantha Davis
May 5, 2014
Humanities 2300
Spring 2014
World religions
Suzanne Jacobs
The Dictionary states Religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling
power, especially a personal God or gods. If that is what the dictionary states then, why are some
religions so different? Why do they try to find fault in some religions? I believe that some
religions don’t realize how similar other religions are. In this paper I will discuss the similarity
and differences in Christianity, Judaism, and Sikhism. I also believe that other religions should
not do anything hurt full or demining to religions that might think differently. Each religion
deserves their respect. Religion is very interesting; it is fun to see other religion that is not your
own preform rituals because you never know they might do them similar.
Sikhism was founded over 500 years ago; the Sikh religion today has over 20 million
people worldwide and is ranked as the world’s 5th largest religion. Sikhism preaches a message
of devotion and remembrance of God at all times, truthful living, equality of mankind and blind
rituals. Sikhism is open to all who want to learn of the teachings are of its 10 Guru’s and
enshrined Holy book. The word Gurdwara, meaning the gateway through which a guru could be
reached, was introduced by Guru Hargobind to the growing population. Sikhs can have there
Gurdwara be anywhere from there house to the temple. The Guru Granth Sahib has to be present.
Three main functions are carried out in all the public Gurdwaras, Kirtan which is singing of the
hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib, Katha which is reading of the holy text and explanations,
lastly Langar which is a free community kitchen for all visitors of all religions to eat. The Sikhs
believe that you need to give back no one should go hungry.
Entering the Gurdwara one is expected to remove the shoes and cover ones bare head as
signs of respect towards the sovereignty of the Guru Granth Sahib. The Guru Granth Sahib is
treated as if it were human every morning an night Hands are washed and in some Gurdwaras
there are also feet washes. Approaching the Guru Granth Sahib one is expected to bow down and
touch the floor as a sign of further respect towards the Eternal Sikh Guru. Offerings of cash are
usually made at this time to help carry the expenses of running the Gurdwara and community
work carried out by the Gurdwara. All people sit on the floor as a sign of equality. The Granth is
on a higher level than the people to show that it is sacred. Men and women do not sit together but
on separate sides of the room. All people are expected to stand facing the Guru Granth Sahib
when the common prayer is read out.
Their belief in God is a very big part in the religion. He is the holy one, loving, and
gracious. The Gurus are his teachers they are here to help God get his point a crossed. God has
no gender. God is with us at all times, he gives us knowledge, and emotions. There is also
reincarnation so that we can do it all over again if we didn’t do it right the first time God controls
if we are perfect or not.
“Denominations: A denomination is defined in this Encyclopedia as an organized
aggregate of worship centers or congregations of similar ecclesiastical tradition within a specific
country; i.e. as an organized Christian church or tradition or religious group or community of
believers, within a specific country, whose component congregations and members are called by
the same denominational name in different areas, regarding themselves as one autonomous
Christian church distinct from other denominations, churches and traditions. As defined here,
world Christianity consists of 6 major ecclesiastico-cultural blocs, divided into 300 major
ecclesiastical traditions, composed of over 33,000 distinct denominations in 238 countries, these
denominations themselves being composed of over 3,400,000 worship centers, churches or
congregations.” How can we as people think that when the Christian churches say they are the
only true church believe them when they say that they are the only true church when there is
33,000 different Christian religions that believe in almost the same thing with the exception of
they believe a little differently than the rest?
Sense there are so many different Christian religions I decided to just focus on the one
that we talked about the most which was Catholics. They believe in what you call a Nicene
Creed which goes through all of their beliefs they sing it in every service it’s like with the Sikhs
they have the Guru Granth Sahib which is there holy text. The Trinity which consists of God,
Jesus of Nazerath, and the Holy spirit. They reason they call it the trinity is because they believe
that it is only one person in some Christian religions they believe that they are three separate
beings. The Atonement is God grace for all of us, Incarnation is so we can become perfect in
gods eyes, baptism so that we can become clean, resurrection is so that we can live with God for
entirety, and salvations.
God gave humankind both supernatural revelation in the Bible and natural revelation
through the rational human mind such as the Pope, arch bishops, bishops, and priests. Catholics
believe that the grace of God will save them but they should do everything possible to make sure
that there life here on earth will be what God wanted it to be. “Jesus’s teaching was the kingdom
of God. He announced standards of human conduct that would prevail in the lives of people who
lived according to the will of God.” Catholics think that Gods plan had reached its potential in
the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as Christ. All other events prior were preparation
for his coming Sacraments are also done as rites for the grace of God that he bestows on his
people where sins will be forgiven.
The Jewish Bible the Tanakh is the sacred book that interprets history as Jews have
experienced it. The Bible is more of a library of books assembled under three major headings.
The Torah is the most important it means divine instruction and guidance, the former prophets,
and the latter prophets, the writings, and the canon. The Bible is the foundation on which the
Jewish life is built. The bible is understood in two very different ways. History and as a
document from god that is without error. It is not product of humans; it is a reliable guide of
god’s requirements and promises labeled as “conservative” or “traditional”. The second way of
understanding the Tanakh assigns a greater human role. The bible in this interpretation is a
record of human encounters with God. Revelatory experiences and their responses to them from
the traditions of the bible labeled as “liberal” or “critical”.
Jews believe that Judaism does not have formal mandatory beliefs. Judaism focuses on
the relationships between the creator, mankind, and the land of Israel, exclusion or separation
from God to come closer to and worship God together. Prayer is a big part of the Jewish religion
they pray out of the siddur which is a book that has all of the prayers in it and also the
translations. All of the prayers were songs even some of the Torah reading was in a song. The
Jews have their own personal meditation were they read a couple of prayers to themselves and
bow to the Torah. They also work on their own personal growth and readings.
Jewish tradition holds that "Moses received the Torah from Sinai," yet there is also an
ancient tradition that the Torah existed in heaven not only before God revealed it to Moses, but
even before the world was created. In rabbinic literature, it was taught that the Torah was one of
the six or seven things created prior to the creation of the world.
Kashrut is what they call there dietary. You can only eat meat of an animal that chews
their cud because that’s what it says in the Bible. Kashrut is the body of Jewish law dealing with
what foods we can and cannot eat and how those foods must be prepared and eaten. "Kashrut"
comes from the Hebrew root, meaning fit, proper or correct. It is the same root as the more
commonly known word "kosher," which describes food that meets these standards. Kosher
dietary laws are observed all year round, not just during Passover. There are additional dietary
restrictions during Passover, and many foods that are kosher for year-round use are not kosher
for Passover. For the food to be kosher you also can not have your fruits, veggies, or dairy
products touch so most Jews have separate cutting boards and plates and everything for the two
categories some Jews have separate kitchens.
In conclusion these religions are not only similar and they believe in one god, that you
worship god and his teachings, but are they very different as well like the Sikhs they believe in
one God but they also believe in ten different Gurus that help give out Gods word which is a
little bit like the Catholic Church where they had the twelve apostles but now all of them died
and all they have left are the bible with the words of the twelve. The Jews are the only one that
has a really strict diet where you can’t eat anything that doesn’t have hooves and chews their cud
and two separate kitchens for it. The Catholic religion believes in trinity God, Jesus, and the
Holy Spirit. Jews believe in Jesus but they don’t really think that he was the son of God. Jews
also don’t believe in a holy spirit. They believe in God’s grace all of the religions do but they not
all of them call it God’s grace.
World Christian Encyclopedia by Barrett, Kurian, Johnson (Oxford Univ Press, 2nd
edition, 2001).
Professor Suzanne Jacobs power points and Notes.
Judaism 101.