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There are three monotheistic beliefs: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. These three faiths worship a specific god. Monotheism emerged from Egypt in the 14th century BCE (1353-1336 BC), and the worship of a single god proved to be exceedingly unpopular with the priestly schooling, as well as, most likely, the local population. During this period, the worship of deities was very particular to given cities and temples. We all know Judaism is the world's oldest monotheistic religion, dating back almost 4,000 years. Followers of Judaism believe in one God who revealed himself through ancient prophets. The history of Judaism is essential to appreciating the Jewish faith, which has a rich heritage of law, lifestyle, and tradition. Jewish people believe there is only one God who has established a covenant, or specific agreement, with them. A Hebrew man named Abraham is known as the founder of Judaism. Jews believe that God made a covenant with Abraham and that he and his descendants were chosen people who would create a great nation. Their God communicates to believers through prophets and rewards good deeds while also punishing evil. Most Jews (with a few exceptions) believe that their Messiah has not yet come but will one day. Jewish people worship in holy places known as synagogues, and their religious leaders are called rabbis. The six-pointed Star of David is the symbol of Judaism.
Today, there are about 14 million Jews worldwide, with most of them residing in the United States and Israel. Traditionally, a person is considered Jewish if his or her mother is Jewish. While the Tanakh is considered the sacred text of Judaism, many other important manuscripts were composed in later years. There are various sects in Judaism, including Orthodox Judaism, Reform Judaism, Conservative Judaism, Reconstructionist Judaism, and Humanistic Judaism.
Christianity is the most widely practiced religion in the world, with more than two billion followers. Christians base their beliefs on the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While it began with a small group of adherents, many historians regard the spread and adoption of Christianity throughout the world as one of the most successful religious missions in human history. Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God—fully human and fully divine—and that by believing in him and following his teachings, they can inherit eternal life. Christianity traces its origins to the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth over 2000 years ago in Palestine. Christians believe that his father was the Holy Spirit of God, making Jesus both fully human and fully divine. His earliest followers came to believe that he was the Messiah, or messenger, sent by God to free God's people from slavery, sin, and death. The sacred text of Christianity is the Holy Bible, which consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament contains the Hebrew scriptures of Jesus' time, while the New Testament contains writings about Jesus Christ and the early church. Christianity has spread worldwide and is practiced by two billion people. As with any large group, Christianity has experienced various interpretations, disagreements, and struggles for power over the centuries, leading to the development of many different branches of Christianity that interpret the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus in different ways. There are three major streams of Christianity: Orthodox, Protestant, and Roman Catholic, each with unique traditions and practices observed annually.
The rise of Islam is intrinsically linked with the Prophet Muhammad, believed by Muslims to be the last in a long line of prophets that includes Moses and Jesus. Muhammad was the prophet and founder of Islam, born in Mecca around A.D. 570. Muslims are the followers of Islam. They believe in one god, known as Allah, the creator, sustainer, and restorer of the world. The will of Allah, to which people must submit, is made known through the sacred scriptures, the Qur'an (often spelled Koran in English), which Allah revealed to his messenger, Muhammad. In Islam, Muhammad is considered the last of a series of prophets. Muslims believe that nothing can happen without Allah's permission, but people have free will. Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha. Eid Al-Fitr marks the end of the month of Ramadan, while Eid Al-Adha falls on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah.
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