RELIGION AND EMPIRE

Religion and Empire

Religion and Empire

Introduction

All living organisms are constantly competing for scarce resources. Organisms that are better equipped then the other in coping with their environment are more likely to survive and, thus, replicating themselves and their genes. This mechanism is the basis of evolution. Evolution, in turn, is one of three basic ingredients of life itself. Without development, there can be no life.

Judaism

Judaism is the oldest religion in the world.  These are only 15 million people? who believe in Judaism. The bible of Judaism is called the Torah. The most important text in the Torah is the Ten Commandments called the Decalogue. It includes Ten Commandments gave to Moses from the God on the Sinai Mountain. 

I am Jahwe? your God? who made you free from Egyptians captivity

Don't believe in any other god

Don't tell My name when you're lying or when it's unnecessary

Remember about the Sabbath day. Six days you'll be working? but on seventh day you'll rest and pray

Be good for your mother and father

Don't kill

Don't adultery

Don't steal

Don't lye

Don't covet your neighbor's wife and any thing?

That belongs to him Believers of Judaism call Jews.  Priers of Judaism are called kohens. They make services in Jew's temple? called Synagogue.  In a Synagogue there is always characteristic seven-branch candlestick? called menorah.  There are two important events in Jew's religion.  When a boy is 13? or a girl is 12? they become bar micwah? son of commandment that is mature Jew (Logan 2000). Second event is marriage? called kiddeshin.  The most famous Jew's praying place is the Wall of Crying. Jews can pray there. Very famous synagogue is the Dome. Jews has got their own calendar. It includes 12 months? but 7 times in every 19 years they add one supplementary month. Months in Jew's calendar are called: 

Nisan

Ijar

Siwan

Tammuz

Aw

Elul

Tiszri

Heszwan

Kislew

Tewet

Szewad

Adar

Christianity

The most characteristic point of Christianity is belief in Jesus Christ? the son of God. In Greek language Jesus' name is IHSOYS. In the first age B.C. rulers of Palestine were Romans. Jews believed that the Messiah will come and free them from the Romans' captivity. Messiah means ritesed? in Greek "christos".   Parables? then He was making? attracted a lot of people? who was going with Him around Palestine.  Jesus didn't call them to fight with Romans? but to live in peace and love (Knoepflmacher 2007). He advocated that the prize for being good is living forever in the Heaven. You can get there only after death. Jesus told that His kingdom isn't in this world. There was people? who didn't believe? that Jesus is the Messiah. One of His students? Judas was unfaithful to Jesus and told Romans? which man is Jesus? by kissing Him. They gave him some money for that.  He went to Pilat? Romans' judge. Pilat told? That Jesus isn't gilty? but Jews told him to sentence Jesus. The judge did it and told soldiers to crucify Jesus. They've done it and Jesus died. On the third day He rose from the death and went to His father? to the heaven. From that time? the cross is the symbol of Christianity (Manuel 2005).

Islam

Arab migrates worshiped The Holy Black Stone? which was in Mecca? Arab city. In Mecca? there were Jews and Christians too.  They were often talking about their religions.  Somebody was listening to them ...