Let us

compare and contrast the uniqueness and similarities of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are traditionally called the Abrahamic religions. They highlight and trace their common origin to the patriarch Abraham or recognize a spiritual tradition identified with him.

Abraham appears in the scred texts of all of these religions. The major Abrahamic religions in chronological order of founding are: Judaism (late second millennium BCE), Christianity (first century CE), and Islam (seventh century CE).

Christianity claims 33% of the world's population, Islam comes second with 21%, and Judaism has 0.2%.

The famous Tzu Chi Foundation stands for the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, Republic of China. Literally "Compassionate Relief", Tzu Chi is an international humanitarian organization and a non-governmental organization (NGO) with an international network of volunteers and employees. Tzu Chi Foundation has been awarded a special consultative status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Tzu Chi Foundation has many sub-organizations such as the Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) and also the Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth Association (Tzu Ching). Tzu Chi volunteers and relief workers are mostly identifiable worldwide by their blue and white uniforms called ‘lántiān báiyún,’( lit. 'blue sky, white clouds').

Buddhist nun Master Cheng Yen on May 14, 1966 established The Tzu Chi Foundation as a charity organization with Buddhist origins in Hualien, Taiwan. She was inspired by her master and mentor, the late Venerable Master Yin Shun (Yìn Shùn dǎoshī) a proponent of Humanistic Buddhism, who encouraged her to "work for Buddhism and for all sentient beings". The organization thus started with a motto of "instructing the rich and saving the poor" as a group of thirty housewives who donated a small amount of money each day to care for needy families.

 

In the subject Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems, the learners are expected to demonstrate understanding of belief system or worldview, Religion, Spirituality, Philosophy of Religion, Theology, the elements of religion, belief system, and spirituality. Being familiar with the following terms and concepts are very important as an introduction:

 

1.  ‘Materialism’ is the philosophical doctrine that physical matter is the only ultimate reality. It maintains that all that exists is reducible to matter or to qualities or upshots of matter.

 

2. Theists believe that unlike opposing ethical theories, theistic moral system (which is also called ‘moral supernaturalism’) can satisfactorily explain the existence of objective ethical values and moral laws.

 

3. Worldview is more than culture as it extends to perceptions of time and space, of happiness and of well-being. In fact, the beliefs, values, and behaviors of a culture stem from its worldviews.

 

Judaism has been correctly depicted as a religion, a race, a culture, and a nation. To be a member of the Jewish people, a person needs either to have been born to a Jewish mother or to have converted to the Jewish faith by one of the generally acknowledged movements within Judaism.

 

 

1.  Far more than just a person with the gift of prophecy, a ‘prophet’ is fundamentally a “spokesman for God, a person chosen by God to speak to people on God's behalf and convey a message or teaching. Prophets were role models of holiness, scholarship and closeness to God. They set the standards for the entire community” (“Prophet,” n.d.).

 

2. Moses is another great figure in Judaism. In Hebrew, he is called ‘Moshe Rabbenu’ (‘Moses our teacher’).

 

3. Concerning Jewish poetry, a Jewish liturgical poem, customarily designated to be sung, chanted, or recited during religious services, is called ‘piyyut’ or ‘piyut’ (plural ‘piyyutim’ or ‘piyutim’). Piyyutim are usually written in Hebrew or Aramaic, and most follow certain poetic scheme, like an acrostic following the order of the Hebrew alphabet or spelling out the name of the author. Piyyutim are said to have been written since Temple times.

The following statements are worth knowing about Shintoism:

 

1. Shintoism’s concept of the divinity of the Emperor is usually misunderstood especially by Westerners.

 

 

2. Collectively, the stories in Nihongi and the Kojiki are referred to as the ‘Kiki stories.’ (Read: What is the Kojiki (and its Difference from Nihongi)

 

3. Kami is the Japanese word for a divine being, god, deity, divinity, spirit, or an aspect of spirituality. (Read: What is Kami in Shintoism (and the Importance of Worshiping these)

 

The term has been used to describe mind, God, supreme being, one of the Shinto deities, an image, a principle, and anything that is worshipped.

 

4. The Nihongi focuses on the merits of the righteous rulers as well as the errors of the wicked rulers.

 

5. Shinto believers find it important to worship the kami also because of the assumed roles they play in the nature. The kami’s supposed primitive roles were as earth-based spirits, helping the early hunter-gatherer groups in their day-to-day lives, thus revered as gods of earth and sea.