More Alike Than Different

It seems there has not been a national news cast or perhaps a major newspaper that has not carried the ongoing story of the Mosque to be built in New York City near the site of the September 11th attack. People are lining up on both sides of the issue and demonstrating in their belief.

One of the goals of One Person's Views is to generate thinking of individuals. Regardless of the side you elect to support here are a few things that will illustrate how the three major religions, Christianity, Judaism and Muslim are much more alike than they are different.

Together, the followers of these three beliefs compromise over half of humanity. The grim realities of contemporary politics aside, similarities between the three religions vastly outnumber the differences. These similarities include shared perspectives on God, creation, faith, prayer, history, ethics, and contemporary concerns such as war, terrorism, ecology, and so on.

The Hebrew Bible, roughly corresponds to what Christians call the “Old Testament.” It is comprised of the Torah (the first five books, the books of the Prophets, and the Writings (Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and I and II Chronicles).

The Christian Bible comprises the books of the Hebrew Bible along with additional books, collectively called the “Old Testament,” and the “New Testament,” consisting of twenty-seven books in total, written during the first two centuries AD.

The Qur'an differs from the Hebrew Bible and New Testament in two fundamental ways. First, it is understood by Muslims to be the direct speech of God, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the medium of the archangel Gabriel over the course of 23 years. Second, its composition was limited to a comparatively short span of time.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam share the concept of an all-powerful creator God who fashions the universe and everything in it.

“In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” (Genesis 1: 1-3)

“To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth; when He decreeth a matter, He saith to it: ‘Be’; and it is.” (Qur'an 2: 117)

Not much difference here.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam have in common the notion that one God governs the world and all of creation.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone." (Deuteronomy 6: 4-5)

“There is no God but one." (1 Corinthians 4: 4-6)

“And your God is one God; there is no god but He Most Gracious, Most Merciful."  (Qur'an 2: 163-164)

It would take pages and pages to continue listing the similarities. I could cite them with regards to Moses, to death and resurrection, marriage and even paradise or heaven. But perhaps it would be  illuminating to illustrate where all three beliefs are joined in commonality, the topic of war. All three also look forward to an era when social justice will be established on the earth and war will no longer be necessary.

“He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2: 4)

“Do not repay evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." (Romans 12: 17)

“Those who avoid the greater crimes and shameful deeds, and, when they are angry even then forgive." (Qur'an 42: 37)

In this One Person's Views I can't help but wonder why so many have died in the name of religion when they are so much alike in their tenants. Maybe, just maybe, if people read things as they were meant rather than as they wanted to mean there would one day be peace.