Download Judaism, Christianity and Islam

If all 3 Monotheistic Religions
are so Similar, why is there so
much Conflict between the
Religions
Objective
Examine Religion
Judaism, Christianity and Islam
http://www.mapsofwar.com/image
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The founding of Judaism
• 1800BCE Hebrews left Palestine (Canaan) due to
drought and starvation
• Enslaved in Egypt
• Led out of Egypt into the Sinai Peninsula by Moses.
• God spoke to Moses. The Hebrews were made
“the chosen people” as long as they accepted God
as the ruler.
• Hebrews settled in Canaan (Present day Israel).
Israel
• In 1025 BCE the Hebrews migrated to
the fertile crescent
• Israel flourished under King David and
his son, King Solomon
Persians Greeks and Romans
• In 500 BCE the Persians take control
– Tolerated Hebrews
• The Greeks and Romans also came to
rule the fertile crescent.
The Diaspora
• 587 Jerusalem sacked by Babylonians,
– Many Jews fled
• In 70 AD the Romans invaded Jerusalem the Jews revolted against the
Romans. Many were killed and the rest were forced to scatter
throughout the world.
• The Diaspora, as it was called, resulted in Jewish communities scattered
wide. (5 million in Israel, 8 million in other countries today)
• The Jews retained their culture
The Torah
• Judaism– the first monotheistic
religion in the area
• The 10 commandments were
given by god to the Jews
• The Torah was a book of laws
and teaching that established
the duties and conduct for the
Jews in their everyday life
• Prophets guided the Jews
when they began to stray off
path.
• The Jews were taught that
they were responsible for their
own actions
Christianity
• Jesus lived when Roman’s ruled Palestine
• At 30, he began preaching. The gospels
said that Jesus performed miracles.
• Jesus crucified—Followers write gospels
(stories about his life)
The messiah
• The Jews were taught that their would be a
messiah that would save the Jews and restore
the Kingdom of Israel. Some Jews thought that
Jesus was this messiah sent by god to save the
Jews. Most Jews saw Jesus as a threat to their
traditional beliefs
• Romans saw Jesus as a rebel when his
popularity grew. Jesus refused to see the
Roman emperor as god
• The Romans arrested him and crucified him.
Christianity’s Teachings
• Jesus preached one God.
• He also preached that god loved all
people, Jewish and Non-Jewish
• His teaching were based on moral stories
and lessons.
•
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'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
"This is the great and foremost commandment. "And a second is like it, 'You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.“
"If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you." (Jesus (after cleaning the feet
of His followers) as quoted by John 13:14-15)
Diffusion of Christianity
• The teachings of Jesus after his death were
written in the New Testament
• Follower called Christians
• Missionaries (like Peter and Paul) began
spreading Christianity throughout the Roman
empire
• Many were persecuted due to their refusal to
acknowledge the Roman gods
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/reli
gion/maps/christ.html
Islam
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Muhammad’s parents die
Uncle takes care of him
He travels a lot
Meets wealthy woman and marries her
Lives a rich life
Begins meditating in a cave regularly.
One day is confronted by Gabriel who orders
him to preach the word of Allah to the people
Muhammad’s Message
• Muhammad begins spreading the message in
Mecca
• He denounces those worshiping idols
• He and his followers are forced to leave to
Medina (Hejira). This became the 1st year of the
Muslim calendar.
• After accruing a large army of followers, he went
back to Mecca, claimed the city, smashed the
idols and dedicated the Kaaba to god.
Kaaba
Koran
• Sacred book of Islam
– The precise words of God
revealed to Muhammad
– All areas of life including
politics, law, economics,
social life, religion, etc.
– Honor Parents, Be
respectful and kind,
protect the less fortunate,
treat people as equals,
Muslims were one
brotherhood
Other Beliefs
• The Christian and Jewish Gods
are the same as the Muslim God
• Believe in the final day of
judgment
– Only the faithful will be
rewarded with eternal life in
heaven
• Referred to Jews and Christians
as “people of the book” and
respected them and accepted
the Jewish and Christian
scriptures as God’s word
Spread of Islam
• Islam spread like wildfire across the middle east.
• Arab armies were united under the teachings and all who
fought with the Arab army would claim a spot in paradise
• Jihad– The idea that they were fighting for Islam
The Islamic World expansion, 622-750
Expansion 622-632 Dark Red
Expansion 632-661 Light Red
Expansion 661-750 Orange
Division of Islam
• Shiites (Shia)- Believe that beginning with Muhammad's
daughter (Fatimah Zahra) and then cousin (Alī ibn Abī Tālib
or Ali), that the successor to the prophet must be a
descendent of the prophet himself.
• Sunni believe that any follower of Islam can be the Caliph