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| Faiths | Biblical Christianity | Islam | Hinduism |
| Afterlife Path to Salvation How to go to God, Heaven, Paradise etc Spirituality and practice | Salvation is the not by your own good works, but by God’s love, grace and gift – the finished work of God’s Son – Lord Jesus died and paid the penalty for your sin on the cross, this is what gets you into heaven. This is unlike almost all the religions, you cannot work yourself into heaven; this is the difference between manmade religious works vs. God’s true path to salvation. Matthew 7:13Jesus was perfect and after the cross, He was resurrected on the 3rd day, defeated sin and death. Everyone is a sinner and fall before God’s standards and glory. Romans 3:33, Only God/Jesus is Holy and can forgive sins.You must be Born Again to enter the Kingdom of God by believing/faith in the Lord Jesus and receiving the Holy Spirit. See (John Ch3 and 3:16-21). After receiving the Holy Spirit, God helps transform believers to repent, live righteously and Holy.Biblical Christianity is focused on faith and relationship with God. Good works is a result of appreciation of God’s love. Activities: Baptism once saved, group Worship, Lord’s Supper(communion), missionary/outreach efforts & charities.Jesus Christ, the Word of God is the authority of the Church.After death everyone is resurrected and judged (Hebrews 9:27) and those that are not written in the Book of Life, pay for their sins in hell eternally. (Revelation 20:11-15,21:8) | Allah will “scale” and judge your works Qur’an 101:6–9. Faith and good works must be performed and out balance bad works to determine someone’s destiny for paradise or hell during the day of judgement and resurrection.Islam means to submit to AllahWorship at Mosque. Prayers are done kneeling, bowing towards Mecca.Humans are good but fallible and need guidance.One should live in fear of Allah. Essential Duties – 5 Pillars (according to Sunni Muslims):profession of faith, prayer 5 times daily, Give to the poor, fasting during Ramadan, pilgrimage to Mecca.(Shi’a Muslims)Has more such as justice, prophet hood, Jihad(religious war) etc.After death is a burial and Islamic ritual. It’s believed Angel of death will take the soul of the dead and 2 angels will question the soul. | Nirvana/Moksha – liberation or freedom from Samsara or reincarnation cycles. If a Hindu gains good karma from many lifetimes, this achieved by doing good works, yoga and meditation. To get closer and finally the union, oneness with Brahman.Reincarnation: religious afterlife concept of living life in another/different form or body after death.Samsara: the indefinitely repeated cycles of birth, misery, and death caused by bad karma.Karma: Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect, rewards or consequences. |
| Founder and Origins | Jesus the Christ. Born around 1BC~1AD. From a Judean province in what today is Israel. Followers of Christ are called Christians. | Prophet Muhammad (570-632 AD) Considered to be the greatest prophet sent by Allah. From Arabian Peninsula. | No individual founder, Started around 1800-1000 BC in India. Main types: Vaishnavism, Shaivism & Shaktism |
| Who is Jesus Christ to this faith | The Son of God – Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.John14:6God manifest in the flesh(Fully God and human) 1 Timothy 3:16 , Hebrews 1, Isaiah 9:6 …The second person of the Godhead – Jesus said “I and My Father are one.” John 10:30, Jesus said “before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58 (“I AM” the name of God revealed to Moses Exodus 3:14)The prophesied Messiah, The Saviour of the world, The Christ. Born of a virgin. Sinless perfect Lamb of God. From the line of King David. Miracles: has power over creation, nature, over disease, life and death – raised the dead to life(Lazarus).Died as the final offering for our sins/The Gospel: Crucified, buried and Resurrected on the 3rd day, appeared to many people and ascended to heaven.Will return one day to deliver his people, judge evil and rule the Earth | Jesus is also known as “Isa” in ArabicThe MessiahSinlessProphet of AllahBorn of a virginPerformed many signs miraclesRaised the deadNot the Son of God.Most Muslims believe Jews and Christians corrupted the sacred texts.Allah made it appear that Jesus died on the cross but didn’t, was taken to heaven and did not die or resurrected.Will return one day in future judgement | No common Hindu writings or views on Jesus Christ but here are some beliefsTeacher/ GuruAn avatar or incarnation of Vishnu or Krishna or a Deity / DivineJesus is a son of some of these Hindu gods. |
| Who is God | Godhead/Tri-Unity(Trinity)/Elohim(Hebrew plural word for God) God the FatherGod the Son(Jesus Christ)God the Holy Spirit Trinity explanation: Only One God(What He is), One Being in three distinct Persons(Who God is) revealed in the Holy BibleGod is Holy, righteous and just. Eternal – The Great “I AM”(Self-Existing Being outside our known dimensions)All powerful (Omnipotence)All knowing(Omniscience)All present (Omnipresence)The Creator of time, space, matter, the universe, life and man[body(what you are), soul(who you are), spirit] God said: “Let Us make man in Our image” –Genesis 1:26 | Allah One GodAllah is unique and mysterious separate from the universecannot be known, it’s a sin to associate Allah with anythingAllah is always right and just | Brahman is “the Absolute” a supreme cosmic universal spirit.Everyone is a part of God(Brahman)Hinduism worships manifestations of Brahman (incarnations of gods and goddesses), this can be images, idols and statues.Hinduism chooses who they believe or worship as gods. |
| Writings/ Sacred Text | Tanakh(Old Testament)-written in Hebrew and Aramaic Historically dated ancient writings – Septuagint (300-250BC),Dead Sea Scrolls(300BC-70AD)New Testament- written in Greek within the 1st century historical manuscripts 5800 Greek, 10000 Latin, 9300 others , 1stCentury manuscripts-Rylands Papyrus ~100AD, Magdalen Papyrus (37-70AD Dr Thiede) etc Not a Book but a Library of scriptures and ancient text.Inspired word of God written over 30+ Authors( Prophets/ Eye-witnesses / Disciples) beginning more than 3000 years ago for a period over 1000+ years. | The Holy Qur’an(Koran) The word of Allah believed to be revealed by an angel to Prophet Muhammad. 1 Author – but had 7 Arhrufs/30 Qirats+Written in a period of 23 years when Muhammad was 40 years old around 610-632 AD. Qur’an confirms the Torah(Old Testament) and the Injeel (Gospels) New Testament. See Al-Ma’idah 5:68, Aal-e-`Imran 3:3 | Many writings, including the Vedas (oldest ~1000BC), the Upanishads and the Bhadavad-Gita |
| Faiths | Catholicism (Catholic Church Denomination) | Judaism | Buddhism |
| Afterlife, Salvation How to go to God, Heaven, Paradise etc Spirituality and practice | Salvation is by faith but also only those who are baptized and maintained good works such as the 7 sacraments:Baptism – sacrament of salvation, either sprinkle, pouring of water or immersion.Eucharist / Holy Communion– partake and receive the real (transubstantiation): Body, Blood and Soul of Jesus Christ in the bread and wine ceremony.Reconciliation /Penance/ Confession: A Catholic confesses their sins to a Priest which acts as a representative of Christ and absolves the sins of the sinner.Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage, Holy OrdersChrist died as sacrifice for our sinsGood souls go to Heaven, Imperfect souls go to Purgatory (a temporary place of suffering, where sins are purified with the help of Church services such as prayers for the dead so the soul can go to heaven), and wicked souls go to hell.The Church has authority to forgive sins, cast out demons and interpret the scripturesCatholic Church has religious authority a bishop/leader/ head of the world wide Catholic Church called the “Pope”.Catholics also use images, icons and statuesCatholics view dead saints as still a part of the Church and pray to them not to worship them but to make requests.Jesus’ earthly mother (Mary) as the Mother of God | Following the 613 Laws / the Torah(1st 5 books of Old testament from Moses) How strictly depends on the branch. Orthodox is the strictest, Conservative which follows to a degree and Liberal or reformed Judaism which follows very loosely and some even barely believe in God.Prayer and repentance is required for salvationBelieve the Messiah will from the line of King David, will restore the Kingdom and rule the EarthSome believe that there will be a physical resurrection, the obedient will live with God and the unrighteous will suffer. Some do not believe in conscious life after death. | The goal in life is to reach Nirvana, enlightenment, spiritual bliss , To do this you must eliminate all desires or cravings and this way you can escape suffering. Liberation or freedom from Samsara or reincarnation cycles. Good karma is achieved by doing good works and meditation, yoga etc.Reincarnation: religious afterlife concept of living life in another/different form or body after death.Samsara: the indefinitely repeated cycles of birth, misery, and death caused by bad karma.Karma: Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect, rewards or consequences. |
| Founder and Origins | 450AD Council of Chalcedon was one of the major early splits of the Church into the denominations. The western branch in Rome became Roman Catholic. Catholic Church believes Jesus’ disciple Peter was the first Pope. Apostolic succession is a chain of Popes from Peter to the current Pope. | Abraham -> Isaac -> Jacob/Israel in the Book of Genesis about 2000BC or 4000 years ago. Moses the author of the Torah dated about 1400BC. | Gautama Siddhartha (563-483BC) also known as Buddha “Enlightened One”. Founded in modern day Nepal and India as a reformation for Hinduism. Main types: Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana. |
| Who is Jesus Christ to this faith | Jesus is the Son of God.God manifest in the flesh(Fully God and human)The prophesied Messiah, The Christ. Born of a virgin. Sinless perfect Lamb of God. From the line of King David. Performed miracles: has power over creation, nature and the elements, power over disease, life and death – raised the dead to life.Died for our sins: Crucified, buried and resurrected on the 3rd day, appeared to many people and ascended to heaven. | Known as Yeshua in Hebrew There are mixed views of Jesus, some Jews view Jesus as a false Messiah, Some think he is good martyred Jewish rabbi(teacher)Jesus was neither the Son of God nor the Messiah nor resurrected, is the common belief among Jews except Messianic JewsBefore the Temple and Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD. According to Sanhedrin 43a. The Jews had accused “Jesus the Nazarene” of sorcery, blasphemy and idol worship, wanted to stone him to death and/or “hung” him.Messianic Jews (Christian Jews) believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and the Son of God, after Jesus was crucified he rose again, ascended to heaven and will fulfil the rest of the Messianic prophecies in His second coming. | No common view on Jesus ChristBuddhist in the west believe that Jesus Christ was an enlightened teacherBuddhists in Asia believe Jesus Christ is an avatar or a Bodhisattva. |
| Who is God | Trinity/ Tri-Unity God the FatherGod the Son(Jesus Christ)God the Holy SpiritGod is Holy, righteous and just. Eternal All powerful (Omnipotence)All knowing(Omniscience)All present (Omnipresence)The Creator | Elohim God is SpiritGod is Holy, righteous and just. Eternal All powerfulthe CreatorAll of the above is according to Orthodox type of JewsOther Jews believe God is unknowable or impersonal or other definitions. | ? Buddha did not believe in an existence of GodSome believe Buddha is an enlightened consciousness or as a god |
| Writings/ Sacred Text | Tanakh(Old Testament) Apocrypha (writings outside accepted Biblical canon)New Testament | Tanakh(Old Testament)-written in Hebrew and Aramaic . Beginning more than 3000 years ago. Historically Dated ancient writings – Septuagint (300-250BC),Dead Sea Scrolls(300BC-70AD)Talmud – commentaries, teachings, writings | The Mahavastu(Great Story, a collection of covering Buddha’s life story)Jataka Tales(550 stories of the former lives of Buddha)The Tripitaka- 3 basketsTantras – Tibetan Buddhism |