Day 5
In Islam, there are six articles of faith: belief in Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala, belief in His angels, belief in His Holy Books, belief in His Prophets, peace be upon them, belief in the Day of Judgment, and belief in the Qadr of Allah (divine preordainment).
In Judaism, there are thirteen principles of faith, which is outside the scope of this little blog of inspiration to introduce in detail. Maimonides (Rambam) compiled this definitive list, but it includes basic core beliefs, for example, that God exists, is one and unique, and incorporeal, etc.
I can’t imagine traversing a Jewish landscape without knowing the tenets of the faith. I had a Jewish friend, who was agnostic. I wondered if this took him out of the fold of Judaism, but Judaism is not just based on belief but bloodline. It is based on lineage. Some people are born Jewish, become Jewish, or have Judaism thrust upon them.
Orthodox Christians have the Nicene Creed to thank for codifying the faith. There is a wide array of diversity in the Christian faith. There are many denominations. Each possessing a slight variation to the original, early church. The Bible outlines faith, but it doesn’t include words like “trinity” or triune God. Below is a passage from Hebrews whose authorship is unknown, but who sounds convincing. Here is a brief description of the type of faith required to please God. We must be seekers.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV).
Jesus said to Thomas, who doubted Jesus’s return from the grave and who demanded to feel Jesus’s scars from the crucifixion, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Moreover, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was brought to tears when he thought of the number of future brothers he would have (people who would accept Islam without first having met him in-person, who would come after Muhammad’s death.)
Some people today think the crucifixion is fiction. Some people call it history. Whole calendars are based on being in the year of our Lord (Anno Domini) or beginning the year Christ Jesus was born.
So many beliefs divide us. Which of Abraham’s sons was almost sacrificed: Ishmael or Isaac? Did Jesus die on the cross? Despite, the moments we disagree on, can we find common ground rooted in the human experience? I have faith God is still revealing Himself to the world one YouTube video at a time. But don’t just rely on Sheikh Google or Rav Google. Connect with the real world, not just the online world.
“Without faith, it is impossible…”
Homework:
Watch a YouTube video about an opposing view and respectfully disagree.
Share a meal with someone who has a different religious background or who subscribes to a different political affiliation. Build bridges and show solidarity with the interfaith community.
コメント