Judaism, Christianity and Islam / Christopher Hamby

Judaism, Christianity and Islam are the known “big three” religions of the world. Despite their close relation in beliefs and history, many people tend to view them as polar opposites, especially in regards to Islam in Modern America. The majority of Americans identify themselves with the Christian faith, while Judaism and Islam come in far behind with a very small percentage. All three religions believe in a transcendent god. They each see their god as the creator of their existence. In Christianity, this God also presents a physical form as Jesus Christ, the son of God.

In Islam, one must complete the 5 pillars that ultimately, lead one to God. The first pillar is Shahada, which is where one affirms their faith in Allah. The second pillar is prayer. A Muslim must pray five times a day. The third pillar is charity. In Islam, 2 and a half percent of someone’s wealth goes toward Islam. In Judaism and Christianity, the charity amount is 10%, but the difference is that they require 10% of your income. In Islam, it is 2.5% of your entire wealth, which includes savings, etc. The fourth pillar of Islam is Ramadan. One must observe this month by fasting sun up to sun down. Not only is that person fasting from food, but they are fasting from emotions such as anger, jealousy and acts such as cursing. The fifth and final pillar of Islam is the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. If someone is physically and economically able to do so, one must travel to Mecca. This will heighten their relationship and devotion to God.

In America, Islam is almost a taboo subject to talk about and many people see an image of a terror when they think of Islam, which is so sad because they’re beliefs are so similar to many others. The true human solution, at this point, is that people need to see at a “heart to heart” level in regard to other religions, especially Islam, and not see it as “what we saw on the news!”

During one of the last classes, you talked about the circle or spiral of man’s connection to God through certain levels. The first level is the body, which is purely physical. The second one is the heart, which connects on the emotional level. The third one is the mind, which is responsible for the self and ego. The fourth level is the soul, which is the interdependence between someone and their God. The final level is spirit, or just God, which is everything. If one can make it all the way to final stage and come back, they will no longer be attached to the physical, emotional and mental stages of their relationship with God.

I really enjoyed watching the CNN special Unwelcome: The Muslims Next Door, which focused on the controversy over a mosque being built in Rutherford County. By bringing the issue to home, literally, it really makes people think more about what is happening. The film showed a side of Murfreesboro that I knew existed, but not to such a great degree. It showcased how fearful people are of what they don’t understand. Not to mention, the lawyer hired to fight for the anti-Muslim fanatics, was outright laughable. It would be quite difficult to be more ignorant than him.