Judaism: Abraham to Zionism

Judaism

• Abraham was called by God to migrate from Ur, Mesopotamia.
• God promised to make him the father of a great nation, a blessing to all, and give him Canaan (Palestine/Israel) if he remained faithful.
• The Hebrew God communicated with Moses through a burning bush to deliver the Hebrews/Israelites from Egyptian bondage.
• Job is described by God as blameless, upright, fearing God, and shunning evil, indicating he does not suffer due to his own sins.
• The Hebrews/Israelites moved to Egypt during Jacob's time due to a famine in Canaan.
• The Sabbath occurs on the 7th day of the week, Saturday.
• At thirteen, a Jewish boy (Bar Mitzvah) or girl (Bat Mitzvah) becomes a "son" or "daughter" "of the commandment".
• This indicates they are reasonably informed about Judaism and can participate in Jewish assemblies.
• Zionism refers to the movement to establish a Jewish homeland in and around Jerusalem.
• The Sabbath begins on Friday at Sundown.
• Jewish rabbis had access to the Hebrew Apocrypha and pseudepigrapha, but did not regard them as canonical.
• Chanukah's miracle involves the temple lamps burning for eight days on a small amount of oil.
• Purim, meaning "lots," commemorates Esther saving her people from destruction in Persia.
• Ironically, the Jews' enemies were destroyed on the day they had chosen by lots.
• Orthodox Judaism stresses strict observance and fidelity to God's laws (mitzvot) as recorded in Hebrew scripture.
• Reformed Judaism is more relaxed about observing Jewish law.
• Moses was rescued from being thrown into the Nile by an Egyptian princess.
• Torah/Pentateuch refers to the Hebrew books of Law, the first five books of Hebrew scripture.
• Yom Kippur, the holiest Jewish holiday, is observed as the climax of the High Holy Days for atonement of sins.
• Reformed Judaism does not expect a messiah, resurrection, or Last Judgment.
• Abraham's great test of faith was when God instructed him to sacrifice his son Isaac.
• How one lives one's current life on earth is more important in Judaism.
• Passover or Pesach commemorates God's deliverance of the ancient Israelites from Egypt.
• The covenant in Judaism means if the Jewish people obey God's commands, then God will bless them, and vice versa.
• God instructed Moses to tell his people to smear lamb's blood on their doorposts to protect their firstborn from the final plague.
• The Talmud, a collection of oral law (Halachah) and tradition (Haggadah), is a sacred text.
• After the destruction of Jerusalem in C.E. 70, prayer and Torah study replaced temple sacrifices.
• Reformed Judaism emerged in 19th-century Germany to modernize Sabbath services.
• YHWH or Yahweh is the name revealed to Moses at Mt. Sinai, referring to the God of Judaism.
• Orthodox Judaism still expects a messiah and the resurrection of the dead on a final Day of Judgment.
• Hanukkah or Chanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Jewish temple in 165 B.C.E.
• Judas Maccabaeus rededicated it after it was defiled by a Syrian Greek ruler's sacrifice to Zeus.
• Tanak is an acronym for the Hebrew collection of Law, Prophets, and Writings.
• Rosh Hashanah celebrates the Jewish new year, during which sweets are eaten in hopes of a sweet new year.
• Passover or Pesach is named after the tenth and final plague inflicted upon the Egyptians.
• The Mosaic covenant of Judaism is comprised of 613 laws or mitzvot.
• Jacob, Abraham’s Grandson, is also known as Israel.
• Canon refers to the standard or ruling collection of sacred literature for a religious tradition.
• Conservative Judaism emerged in the nineteenth century as a compromise, respecting tradition but allowing latitude in practice.

Christianity

• In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught to turn the other cheek instead of taking an eye for an eye.
• Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, in 367, distinguished between authoritative Christian books and those that were not.
• Paul was converted to Christianity after being struck by a light from heaven while traveling to Damascus to persecute Christians.
• Sola Fides is the Protestant idea that "faith alone," not good works, is key to salvation.
• The word "trinity" never appears in the Christian New Testament.
• Jesus ascended into the heavens to join God after his resurrection.
• Halloween or "All Hallows Eve" is the evening before the day honoring all saints.
• Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation in 1517 by posting his ninety-five theses in Wittenberg.
• The Protestant division of Christianity questioned indulgences and emphasized justification by faith alone.
• It also underlined religious truth through scripture alone and the priesthood of all believers.
• Most Christians worship on Sunday because Jesus was resurrected on Sunday morning.
• Paul, considered "the second founder of Christianity," is traditionally regarded as the author of fourteen of the twenty-seven New Testament books.
• Paul belonged to the party of the Pharisees, and they accepted bodily resurrection at a Day of Judgment.
• Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christian bibles include books from the Hebrew or Old Testament Apocrypha, which are not found in Protestant bibles.
• Roman Catholics understand the Eucharist as a sacrifice where bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ.
• Advent is the four-week period in the Christian calendar prior to Christmas.
• Jesus Of Nazareth is referred to by a title which translates into "anointed one of God".
• Constantine converted to Christianity and, in 313, issued the Edict of Milan/Toleration, legalizing Christianity.
• According to Roman Catholicism, the Pope is infallible when speaking ex cathedra or “out of his official chair”.
• The concept of sacred reality or God in Christianity is described as Trinitarian monotheism.
• The Pope is considered by many to be the "father" or "papa" of Christianity.
• St. Mary, according to Pope Pious IX in 1854, was born without original sin.
• Her body, according to Pope Pius XII in 1950, was assumed into heaven by God after death.
• The Christian Holy Spirit is described as an advocate, comforter, attesting to truth, cultivating virtues and gifts and a source of miracles.
• Pentecost commemorates the day the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus' disciples.
• This enabled them to preach in different languages.
• On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit gave the apostles tongues like flames of fire.
• It enabled them to speak about Jesus in diverse languages.
• Christianity emerged from Judaism.
• Christian belief includes resurrection of the body.
• Lent, from an Old English word for "spring," refers to the forty days prior to Easter Sunday.
• The Christian New Testament was originally written in Greek.
• Christianity ranks first among the religions of the world in terms of adherents.

Islam

• The foundation of Islam is marked by Muhammad's "migration" (Hijrah) from Mecca to Yathrib (Medina).
• This event marks the first year in the Muslim calendar.
• The Hijrah occurred in 622.
• Sufism, emerging in the eighth century, stresses mystical union with God.
• Hadith refers to "sayings" relating the words and actions of Muhammad and his companions.
• They clarify the meaning and application of the scripture of Islam.
• Muhammad is buried in Medina, the second most important shrine in Islam.
• Islam ranks second in terms of its number of adherents worldwide.
• Shahadah is the act of confessing "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His prophet".
• During Ramadan, Muslims fast during daylight hours.
• Studying the Qur’an or Koran is not one of the 5 pillars of Islam.
• Muslims are to engage in prayer 5 times a day.
• Imams lead Muslims in prayer at their masjids or mosques.
• Within a century of its founding, Islam had conquered Palestine, Persia, Egypt, North Africa, and parts of Spain.
• During Hajj, Muslims kiss the Black Stone, circle the Ka'ba, run between two hills, and stand on Mount Arafat.
• Caliph refers to the political leader of Sunni Islam.
• Muslims regard Muhammad as the seal of the prophets.
• Shari’a, refers to the divine "Path" in Islam, includes the Qur'an, tradition, community consensus, and analogy.
• During the Islamic ritual, The feast of sacrifice celebrates Abraham willing to sacrifice his son Ishmael.
• Masjid or Mosque refers to a Muslim of worship.
• Shi’a Islam insists that the founder's successors should be related to the founder (his hereditary descendants).
• Muhammad did not write many books, nor was he constantly reading various books
• Hafiz refers to someone who has memorized the scripture of Islam (Qur'an).
• Qur’an or Koran refers to the collection of “recitations” revealed to Muhammad by God.
• "Muslim" and "Islam" derive from an Arabic term relating to submission to God.
• Allah refers to the God of Islam.
• Sunni Islam accepts the authority of nonhereditary successors to the founder.
• It received its name from consulting the Muslim tradition on unsettled issues.
• The Qur’an or Koran has 114 surahs, arranged from longest to shortest, and is an earthly copy of a heavenly original.
• Mecca, Saudi Arabia may be referred to as the center of the Muslim world due to its role in Islamic history.
• Christians commit the sin of shirk by believing that Jesus is equal to God.
• Ka’ba or Kaaba is the structure that enshrines an object thought to have fallen to earth from the heavens during the time of Adam and Eve.
• Hajj refers to the Muslim pilgrimage.
• Ka’ba or Kaaba is an exact replica of a heavenly house stationed below the throne of God.
• Before Muhammad cleansed it, it was filled with pagan relics.
• Ramadan falls in all seasons eventually.
• Jihad, though often translated as "holy war," refers to any struggle in the defense of Islam.

Bahá'í

• Baha’u’llah, formerly known as Husayn Ali and later referred to as "the Glory of God," is the founder of Bahá'í.
• The Writings of Baha’u’llah are considered the revealed word of God.
• Abdu´l-Baha stated a religion must promote love and unity.
• Bab-ud-Din, formerly known as Ali Muhammad and later referred to as "the Gate of Faith," was believed to be the twelfth imam.
• In "the Black Prison" in Tehran, Iran, a "maiden of God" appeared to Baha’u’llah.
• She told him that he would establish a global religion.
• Baha’u’llah died in Akka, Palestine or Acre, Israel.
• There are nine points in the Bahá'í star symbol, nine holy days in the Bahá'í calendar, and nine sides on a Bahá'í temple.
• Baha’i views the achievement of global peace as the peak of human civilization.
• The Baha’i Festival of Ridvan commemorates when Bahá'u'lláh proclaimed that he was the one foretold by the Bab.
• The universal House of Justice in Acre, Israel leads the Baha’i Faith today.
• Each Bahá'í month has 19 days, each Bahá'í year has 19 months, and there are 19 days of fasting required.
• The Baha'i faith accepts Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Krishna, the Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad are all true prophets.
• The Baha'i stresses the oneness of humanity as created in the image of a solitary God.
• The shrine of Baha’u’llah in Israel is where Baha’is face and pray to.
• According to the principle of Huqúqu'lláh, a Bahá'í should contribute 19% of one's income to the Faith.
• The religion and science in Baha’i has no contradiction between true religion and science.
• Baha’is do not need to pray 5 times a day.
• The unusual occurrence about the Bab-ud-Dins execution, was that the first firing squad missed.
• Working at an occupation has been elevated to the rank of worship.
• The Bahá'í Faith emerged from Islam.

Primal

• The Ashanti of western Africa became estranged from their god because an old woman repeatedly struck Onyankopon with her pestle.
• Annoyed, he left humans to be on their own.
• Animism is the belief that all things (rocks, trees, lakes, etc.) are inhabited or enlivened by a spirit or soul
• Totemism is the practice of identifying oneself, one's tribe, or one's family with an animal, plant, object, or phenomenon.
• Myths are not primarily oriented toward the propagation of falsehoods
• High God creates the world but no longer interacts with it.
• In the Apo ritual of purification, everyone is granted equal status, and they are allowed to speak their mind to bosses and leaders without fear of retribution.
• Shamans are gifted individuals who can enter the spirit world through dance, vision, trance, and sickness.
• They return with messages or powers that can be utilized for the tribe's benefit.
• Fetish, the power object will posses super-ordinary energy, controlled for the purpose of protection, bringing good fortune, or causing harm.
• Panentheism is the notion that sacred reality participates in all things.
• All things also participate in God or sacred reality.
• Spiritism suggests that those who die continue to live on as spirits and can influence the living.