Monotheistic Religions
By: Tasha • Essay • 895 Words • December 25, 2009 • 1,030 Views
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Abraham was told by god that his decedents would outnumber the stars, this has come to pass. Forming three religions, Abraham’s decedent’s now reach around the globe forming half of its population. These religions are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. All three are very much alike, yet all in all, very different. Main issues are their founders, creation stories, and God’s true nature.
With Abraham’s covenant with God, all three religions started. Judaism starts with Abraham. Leading a rather interesting life, Abraham first lived in the city of Ur. The city’s inhabitants were polytheistic, which conflicted with Abraham’s monotheistic beliefs and caused him to leave and settle in the lands of Canaan. Here he made the covenant with God and was promised to have decedents that outnumber the stars. Having no heir proved to be a problem, but was resolved with Abraham’s wife giving birth to Isaac. Getting along with the story, Isaac’s son Jacob has twelve sons that form the twelve tribes of Israel.
The founder of Christianity is Jesus Christ. Being born to the Virgin Mary, he was the son of God. He was said by many to be the messiah and gave his life to forgive mankind’s sins. Through his miracles and sermon’s, Jesus acquired a large amount of followers. Converting so many Jewish followers angered the Jewish Pharisee’s. So they plotted against him and led to his death as a man. Yet, Jesus’ greatest miracle is rising from the dead and giving guidance to his twelve apostles. By bringing deliverance to the Jewish nation, the Christian religion in many ways share much with Judaism.
When Abraham was worried that he did not have an heir to his name, he decided that he would conceive with someone other than Sarah. He chose a slave girl who gave birth to Ishmal. Muhammad is the descendant of Ishmal and is Islam’s founder. He was faced with difficult situations that resulted in him learning patience and perseverance. His father died before he was born and mother passed away when he was six. Then he went to live with his Grandfather who died two years later. He lived with his uncle until his adulthood. Muhammad had a revelation when seeking peace in a cave. He was visited by arch angel Gabriel, who revealed the first verses of the Quran. He shared his views with the people and faced many hardships, all which he prevailed over.
Truly the similarity’s of all threes creation stories are hard to miss. They all believe that God created the world in six days. The Quran is not very specific because it may mean days or eons. Even so, the steps are the same. Light and darkness are created on the first day. The heavens and waters of earth are created on the second day. A separation of land and sea, and vegetation is made on the third day. Bodies of light are created on the fourth day. On the fifth day animals were created. Finally on the sixth, the lord over all animals, man is created.
The Adam and Eve stories are also very similar. Eve is tricked by the serpent who is also Satan for the Muslims. Eve then misguides Adam into eating the apple