Molloy's Definitions of God and the Concept of the Divine

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Review six World Religions we explored this semester (You may select up to 3 new religions in your Molloy text for 15 points extra credit).
Part 1: Religious Studies Written Final
Religion #1: Christianity
1 Identify five specific beliefs, values, and practices that emerge from your study of this Religion. What is this religion's understanding or concept of God or the divine? (Based upon Molloy's definitions of God).
* In what is identified as the Second Coming, Christians believe that Jesus will return to earth once more.
* Important scriptures in the Holy Bible outline Jesus' teachings, the teachings and lives of disciples and Major Prophets, and provide guidelines for how Christians should live.
* Christians and Jews both believe in the Old Testament, but Christians also believe in the New Testament.
* The Christian cross is a symbol of faith.
* Christmas (which commemorates Jesus' birth) and Easter are the two most important Christian holidays (which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus).
2 Belief or Concept of the divine:
According to traditional Christian theology, Divinity is the quality or state of being divine, and it can also refer to God's character or nature. The Godhead, or God in general, is considered divinity in the Bible. It could also be a reference to a deity. Christians are monotheistic, which means they believe in a single God who created the heavens and the earth. The father (God himself), the son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit are the three parts of the divine Godhead. God sent his son Jesus, the messiah, to save the world, according to Christians.
3 Identify three new ideas, beliefs, or expressions of faith that you learned about this religion. Explain why these ideas interested you.
1 The belief that Jesus died as a direct result of being crucified on a cross, ensuing in the forgiveness of sins of humankind, is at the heart of this religion.
2 The Christian cross is a symbol of faith
3 Christians believe that he will return to Life and take Christian believers into heaven with him during his second coming.
These ideas are interesting because they portray how Christians believe in the existence of Jesus, the son of God, how he lived on earth, and how he represents God. Using the cross as a symbol of faith implies how Christians adore the death of Jesus on the cross. It is also amazing how Christians believe that Jesus will still come back again.
4 What contribution do you believe this belief system offers our world to increase peace, understanding, and compassion for one another? Explore in detail.
Most Christians believe that war should be prevented at all costs and that it should only be used when all other options for resolving a problem have failed. According to many Christians, war results from a failure to live up to God's standards.
Religion #2: Islam
1 Identify five specific beliefs, values, or practices that emerge from your study of this Religion. What is this religion's understanding or concept of God or the divine? (Based upon Molloy's definitions of God).
* The monotheistic Islamic faith recognizes Allah as the only true God.
* These people who practice Islam pledge to live their lives in submission to Allah's will.
* Within Islam, there are two major sects: Shiites and Sunnis. The majority of Muslims (90 percent) are Sunnis.
* Muslims pray five times a day, each at a different time, observing a special ritual prayer.
* During the month of Ramadan, Muslims are required to fast.
1 Belief or Concept of the divine:
Muslims believe that God is the only actual reality and the originator of all things. Everything, along with its life forms, is solely a speculative reality created out of love and mercy by God's command, "Be," and it is," with the purpose of existence being to know or worship God. They also believe in Angels. According to Muslims, Angels are unseen beings who worship God and carry out God's commands throughout the universe. The prophets received divine revelation from the angel Gabriel. Muslims believe Muhammad is the last of the prophets and sent to bring the Islamic teachings to humankind.
2 Identify three new ideas, beliefs, or expressions of faith that you learned about this religion. Explain why these ideas interested you.
1 According to Islam, the Prophet Muhammad is Allah's final messenger, who received numerous communication from Allah to pass on to the people
2 Muslims pray five times a day, each at a different time, observing a special ritual prayer.
3 At least once in their lives, Muslims are encouraged to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, the holy city.
It is interesting how Muslims adhere to praying five times a day and putting time aside for these prayers. Also, all Muslims, regardless of the country they come from, are expected to visit the Mecca pilgrimage, which sounds like a privilege, especially to people who love traveling around the world. Finally, since Muhammad is Allah's final messenger, he acts as a unifying factor to all Muslims.
3 What contribution do you believe this belief system offers our world to increase peace, understanding, and compassion for one another? Explore in detail.
The principle of tawhid, or oneness, is at the heart of Muslim belief. In Islam, this oneness, or unity, has been described as ruling the mind, whereas the heart is inextricably linked to the idea of compassion. "All things are included in My Mercy" (Qur'an 7:156). "My mercy comes first, not my rage" (hadith Qudsi, a saying in which God speaks through the Prophet). Love and compassion, or the ability to feel with the other, are seen as expressions of the linked unity of all human beings, illustrating God's oneness and unity.
Religion #3: Hinduism
1 Identify five specific beliefs, values, and practices that emerge from your study of this Religion. What is this religion's understanding or concept of God or the divine? (Based upon Molloy's definitions of God).
* According to Hinduism, God's presence can be found throughout creation.
* Brahman is the acknowledged supreme deity (God) who is responsible for the creation of the universe. Brahaman is all-present and all-knowing and has no gender.
* Each person possesses the divine essence (known as atman).
* Hindus believe in reincarnation, a never-ending cycle of birth, life, and death on the path to Redemption.
* The level into which a person will be reborn is determined by their Karma, which covers their good & evil deeds in the previous life.
1 Belief or Concept of the divine:
In addition to Brahman, who is believed to be the supreme God force present in all things, Hindus worship numerous goddesses and gods.  Among the most well-known deities are Brahma, the God who created the world and everything that lives in it, and Vishnu is the God who guards and preserves the universe. According to Hindus, the Divine is beyond human comprehension, so they interpret the Divine through various ideas or deities.
2 Identify three new ideas, beliefs, or expressions of faith that you learned about this religion. Explain why these ideas interested you.
Many names know 1 God in Hinduism, and he manifests himself in quite an incredible way.
2 The level into which a person will be reborn is determined by their Karma, which covers their good & evil deeds in the previous life.
3 Each person possesses the divine essence (known as atman)
It is unique how each Hindu can have their divine essence, and their God has many names. Their belief in Karma applies to daily human life, and it teaches lots of lessons.
3 What contribution do you believe this belief system offers ...