@missjudysmith: Awesome! In terms of beliefs, are there differences? Are any of the main tenets of the three religions shared?
@askreligionquestions: Great question! All three religions highlight having good morals. Judaism urges morality and social justice, which was taught by the prophets. The prophets called to the rich to protect and support the weak (Judaism). These ethics can show the social justice Jews searched for because they called on different parts of the socioeconomic class to unite and aid each other. Jews also have a charity tax called tzedakah, where the money paid goes to Jewish services. For Christianity, some main tenets include service to others, such as morality, justice, and the importance of forgiveness. These morals are highly stimulated on afterlife. Christians believe that treating others with respect or “lov[ing] your neighbor as yourself,” will result in being resurrected to heaven after death (Esler 168). This can be an encouraging factor of service to others, yet many Christians treat others kindly out of goodness and morality. Finally, for Islam, the Alms for the poor stress giving through charity through a form of tax called a Zakat. The money one pays goes to charitable and religious purposes (Esler 306). Although some many not enjoy paying these funds, the money goes to good causes to help other Muslims and people in need. To connect the three religions, they collectively accentuate justice and aiding others, but many people are driven to do so in different ways. In Judaism, aiding others is emphasized through the code of ethics, and they have a charity tax. Christians might do service because they believe it can be a deciding factor to their afterlife, and Islam’s way of expressing morality is addressed through obligatory taxes, similar to Jewish people in order to help their society.
@missjudysmith: Last question! Are there similarities between how they practice? Where does each religion go to pray, and what are some religious holidays?
@askreligionquestions: The three religions all worship their respected God, but they do so in different places and in different ways. First, each religion worships their faith in different holy buildings. Jews go to a temple or synagogue, Christians go to church, and Muslims go to a mosque, but prayer anywhere is encouraged. This shows a comparison between the religions, and how they each congregate in order to respect the God they believe in. The different religious buildings may have have different symbols throughout, and they also have different administrators leading the service. In Islam, a pilgrimage to Mecca, the holy city, is encouraged once in a lifetime for prayer. Also, one must pray five times throughout the day.