Islam - The Summit of Religious Evolution — Page 11
11 Only meat of certain animals is permitted; pork and shellfish are forbidden. Furthermore, the animals must be slaughtered in the proper Jewish way. CHRISTIANITY Christianity is the faith with the largest following in the world. The term ‘Christian’ was used for the first time after Jesus' crucifixion, for people who associated themselves with the teachings of Christos. Although other religions like Zoroastrians, Buddhism and Confucianism are also named after their respective founders, the attachment and the reverence, which the Christians display for Jesus is quite different. The person of Jesus is worshipped by his followers and is central to the teachings and philosophy of Christianity. Strangely, no other prophet has appeared in history whose birth, life, death and teachings has been the subject of greater controversy than Jesus Christ's. JESUS CHRIST Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in the province of Judaea, somewhere between 4-7 B. C. The Christians believe, and majority of the Muslims concurs, that Jesus was born to Mary without a biological father. Joseph, Mary's husband, is reported to have married her after the conception of Jesus. 9 Jesus was born among the Israelites and the Gospels trace his ancestry to Prophet David, through his "father" Joseph. Jesus, therefore, was not only born a Jew but was also raised and educated according to the Judaic tradition. Around the age of thirteen, John (the Baptist) baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, who was then heralding the coming of the Messiah. Early in his life, Jesus became a Jewish rabbi, but was opposed by the orthodox Jewish priests for preaching his radical teachings. When he claimed to be the Messiah promised in the Jewish scriptures, the Jews vehemently objected to his claim. Their objection to Jesus' claim was their belief that the Messiah's advent would occur after the reappearance of Prophet Elijah who according to Jewish scriptures had ascended to heaven. Jesus' response to their objection was that the requirement of Elijah's return had been fulfilled in the person of John the Baptist and hence his claim was valid. 10 Jesus’ ministry in the Palestine area lasted about three years. During this short period he is said to have performed a number of miracles and healed many a people of their illnesses. Jesus’ teachings emphasized the gentler elements of the Mosaic teachings and condemned the rigid, often cruel, application of the Law. His open criticism of the Jewish priests and his rapidly increasing popularity among the masses made an enemy of both the Jews and the Romans. As a result, the Jewish religious authorities that found him guilty of blasphemy and falsehood and recommended to the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, that he be crucified, first questioned Jesus. Pilate believed in Jesus’ innocence but, at the demand of the Jewish people and the priests, condemned him to crucifixion.