Sacred Traditions

Sacred Traditions

The world is very diverse place with people have different cultures, beliefs, and traditions. Additionally, people practice different religions and religious beliefs in these different religions people and/or cultures embrace various sacred traditions. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are three religions that this paper will focus on to describe some of their sacred traditions to include holidays, sacred locations, manner of dress, and even eating habits.

Judaism

According to the Torah, otherwise known as Jewish teachings, what one eats is of cosmic significance because some foods are too unclean to eat (Fisher, 2005). According to Fisher (2005):

For example, the only ritually acceptable, or kosher meats, are those from warm bloodied animals with cloven hoofs which chew their cuds, such as cows, goats, and sheep. Poultry is kosher, except for birds of prey, but shellfish is not. (p. 266)

Meat is only kosher if it has been prepared and butchered in the traditional way by an authorized Jewish slaughterer (Fisher, 2005). Additionally, meat and milk cannot be eaten together, these must be prepared and served on separate dishes.

Pesach, or Passover is a major Jewish festival where kosher foods will be prepared and eaten. Passover celebrates Jewish freedom from bondage in Egypt and the spring-time advent of new life (Fisher, 2005). During the tenth plague, which would take the first born sons of the Egyptians, the Israelite families were warned to slaughter a lamb and mark their doors with the blood of the lamb so that the angel of death would pass over them (Fisher, 2005). “The beginning of Pesach, is marked by a Seder dinner” (Fisher, 2005, p. 273). Families eat a meal that consists of matzah, or bread, bitter herbs, charoset, or a sweet fruit and nut mixture, and salt-water which has parsley or some other plant dipped into and eaten, the different foods are to remind families of the slavery, hardships and liberation of their ancestors (Fisher, 2005).

Christianity

“In most forms of Christianity, the central sacrament is the Holy Eucharist (also called Holy Communion, mass, or Lord’s Supper)”, (Fisher, 2005, p. 336). The word sacrament is translated as mystery, the mystery of the Holy Eucharist is that Christ, who is invisible, is thought to grant communion with himself (Fisher, 2005). During communion, worshippers are given bread, which represents the body of Christ, and wine which represents his blood. Per Fisher (2005), “In sharing the communion “meal” together, the people are united with each other as well as with Christ” (p. 336).

Not only is communion repeated reenacted but also the reenactment of the birth of Jesus. Yearly, during Christmas, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. Pageants, reenacting Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem and trying unsuccessfully to get a room with the innkeeper, Mary having to give birth to Jesus in a stable, amongst animals, also shepherds baring gifts and the three wise men are portrayed. Additionally, per Fischer (2005):

Since the nineteenth century, it has been traditional to cut or buy an evergreen tree (a symbol of eternal life, perhaps borrowed from indigenous ceremonies) and erect it in one’s house, decorated with lights and ornaments. (p. 340)

Islam

Faithful Muslims must say a recurrent round of prayers every day. As told by Fisher (2005):

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