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Module 3 Unit 2 - Christianity, Islam and Sikhism
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Christianity, Islam and Sikhism are
theistic religions. God is the source of truth, values and morality
and the religious founder is seen as the embodiment and example of
how to live those values. Theistic religions demand faith in God,
which can sometimes be blind or dogmatic, however deep faith is a
subtle quality just as God is also very subtle. God, the Supreme Being
is considered not only the source of values but also the source of
the power to live according to those values. |
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Christianity underpins Western civilisation.
The three main strands of Christianity are Roman Catholicism, Protestantism
and the Orthodox Church. Its central belief is that God sent his only
Son, Jesus Christ, to be born on earth and to sacrifice his life to
atone for the sins of humanity. Christians believe that acceptance
of Jesus Christ as the saviour ensures that they will go to heaven
when they die. The essential Christian message is to love God and
to love others. Traditional Christians shun the seven deadly sins
of pride, avarice, lust, anger, gluttony, envy and laziness. Three
important Christian virtues are faith, hope and charity. |
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Islam is the religion of the Muslims,
a monotheistic faith founded by the Prophet Mohammed in the Arabian
Peninsula in the 7th century AD. It is now the professed religion
of nearly 1,000 million people worldwide. Islam is regarded by its
followers as the last of the revealed religions and Mohammed is seen
as the last of the Prophets, building upon and perfecting the examples
and teachings of Abraham, Moses, and Christ. Islam holds three interrelated
precepts: the individual submission to Allah, the World of Islam as
a concrete historical reality, and the concept of an Ideal Muslim
Community. |
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The five pillars of Islam include
profession of the faith; observance of ritual prayer; giving alms
to the poor; fasting during Ramzan; and performing the pilgrimage
to Mecca. As well as a code governing social behaviour, these ritual
observances were given to Mohammed as a series of revelations which
were codified in the Qu’ran. |
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Globally, Islam today is in an assertive
phase. Most Muslims live in the Arabian Peninsula which possesses
35% of the world’s recoverable oil. The oil industry, developed
in the last half of the 20th century, transformed the region from
an impoverished area of nomadic tribes where life had changed little
since the days of Mohammed, to a wealthy industrial power with international
influence. A huge influx of wealth juxtaposed anachronistic social
structures with imported modern western amenities and precipitated
a clash of cultures and values. The wealth also facilitated the Islamic
religio/political leadership’s inspiration to assert and extend
the influence of Islamic culture and religion. The cultural, religious,
political and economic dominance of the USA and Northern Europe is
now being challenged by some Islamic countries. Historical tragedies
and contemporary incidents continue to provoke communal violence which
repeatedly opens the wound in the relationship between Muslims and
Hindus in India. |
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The Sikh movement was founded in the
Punjab by Guru Nanak in the 15th century. He sought to combine Hindu
and Muslim beliefs into a single religious creed. He taught the unity
of God, brotherhood of man, rejection of caste and idol worship. He
was followed by nine masters, the last of whom was Guru Gobind Singh
who involved his followers in an unsuccessful martial struggle against
Mughal rule. His followers vowed to keep the five Ks: kesh (long hair),
kangha (a comb), kara (a steel bracelet on the right wrist), kachha
(shorts), and kirpan (a sword). The tradition persists to the present
day. The holiest place for Sikhs is the Golden Temple at Amritsar
in the Punjab, founded by the fourth Guru, Ram Das. The fifth Guru,
Arjun Dev gave Sikhism its holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib. |
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Sikhs believe truth, contentment,
spiritual discipline and compassion are the signs of dharma. Dharma
is born of compassion. Compassion creates harmony through contentment.
The forces which infringe human rights and human dignity are lust,
anger, greed, attachment and ego. These need perpetual attention.
Sikh scriptures condemn intolerance and espouse the right of free
speech and free choice of faith and defend human rights. Peace within
and peace without, shared happiness and love for all is the cherished
goal of a Sikh. |
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