The Catholic Faith With Contrasting Facts on Islam Religion - Essay Example

 The Catholic Faith With Contrasting Facts on Islam Religion Abstract It is the objective of this essay to present one of the most prominent religions in the world, the Catholic religion. The presentation would be achieved through an interview with a devotee of the Catholic faith. Responses from the interview questions are summarized and compared with another profound religion, Islam. Underlying revelations would be emphasized to form an opportune conclusion to the discourse. Introduction of the Catholic Church The history of the Catholic Church is traced by scholars and theologians from the time of the twelve apostles nearly 2,000 years ago (Aguilar 2007). Devotees of the Catholic faith believe that Jesus Christ is the founder and ultimate head of Roman Catholics. With the death of Christ, the apostle Peter was designated as the first Pope, or temporal head of the Catholic Church. Since then, the mission of this faith is to spread the faith across the world. According to Pope Benedict XVI, the mission of the Catholic Church can be summarized “as a threefold responsibility to proclaim the word of God, celebrate the sacraments, and exercise the ministry of charity” (Benedict XVI 2005). Known to be one of the oldest institutions in the world, the Catholic Church is rich with traditions and beliefs seen through the eyes of devotees. This essay provides the opportunity for a Catholic devotee to be interviewed. In the process, one would appreciate the insights, beliefs, underlying teachings of the Catholic Church as seen from of an ordinary woman. Subsequently, the beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church would be compared and contrasted with those of the Islam religion. Name, Location Review of the Catholic Church The interview was conducted in the Infant of Prague Catholic Church at Jacksonville, North Carolina. The person being interviewed is Christina Cordero, a Roman Catholic by virtue of her birth and baptism. She was raised in another country, the Philippines, which is a predominantly Catholic country. The Infant of Prague Catholic Church is medium built. It has three balconies, vaulted ceilings, a separate room for families with small children who might act up during service, an elaborate altar flanked by praying candles, and beautiful stained glass windows with depictions of St. Michael, St. Peter and others saints. Apart from the solemn façade, there is just one thing that needs some maintenance and repairs – the pews. They seem to be a little worn down but other than that everything is pretty nice.   Tina, as she wants to be called, is a new parishioner here. She remembers the Catholic Churches in the Philippines. Most are very old that sustained wars and natural calamities. They, however, are always being remodeled or repaired to keep up to the demand of the times. Almost always, the altar is being repaired, the high ceiling, the church bells, the flooring. But the basic structure remains intact. Interview Summary 1. What are the important holidays and traditions of this religion? The Catholic Church requires parishioners to attend mass every Sunday and holy days of obligations, such as Christmas, Easter, and Ash Wednesday, among others. We observe a Lenten season which depicts the sacred passion of Jesus Christ. This is a one week celebration of the passion and death of Jesus which culminates on the Good Friday (depicting Jesus’ death) and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Another important event is during Advent (the coming of Jesus Christ) which is during Christmas season, depicting the birth of Jesus. This is a happy event which is being anticipated mostly by children. Church services include novena masses at dawn (5:00am) for nine consecutive days ending on December 24. Then, at midnight, Catholic devotees celebrate the midnight mass commemorating the birth of Jesus. All family members gather together after the mass to share a midnight meal and open gifts given by family members. We are also encouraged to confess our sins at least once a year, receive the Eucharist during Holy Communion at least once during Easter season, observe the prescribed days of fasting and of abstinence (during the Lenten season) as established by the Church, and also help provide for the Church's needs. There was a time when a strong storm blew the whole roof of the St. Mary Magdalene Parochial Church in Rizal. The parishioners helped in putting back the roof through donations and with the assistance of architects and engineers who did not ask for any remuneration for their services. 2. How has religion shaped your life? Religion continues to make an impact on my daily life. It gives me strength in times of sorrow. It makes me realize that I am in fact living God’s purpose in life: to share His blessings with others. Religion provides the emotional and spiritual support needed when I encounter trials and difficulties. It also makes me realize how blessed I am in the talents, skills, and gifts accorded me to undertake the mission I am supposed to accomplish. 3. What are the challenges, if any, to practicing this particular religion? In my personal conviction, there is not so much challenge as to practice its teachings, traditions and obligations. I only have to be reminded what Jesus gave up to be our savior and there is nothing that can compare to what He has given us. Observing the practices and traditions are done out of love more than out of obligation. It is like doing something for one’s parent (a father in heaven) which is done out of pure love. 4. What is the story of God in your religion? God is the creator of all things. He is the alpha and the omega. The world is essentially dependent on God, and this dependence implies that God is the Creator of the world — the producer of its whole substance; and that its continuance in being at every moment is due to His sustaining power. 5. How do you believe in something that may or may not exist? Through faith. These teachings from the Bible have been handed down from generations to generations. It only means that there were some people who originally witnessed the things that actually happened – through the twelve apostles. Their stories were written and handed down for future generations to read, worship, and believe. The life, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ have been witnessed by many and His story was written by those close to Him so that future generations would believe that He is truly the Son of God. 6. Are Jesus and God the same person and if not wouldn’t that mean you have two Gods? And if so why are the names not used interchangeably? One of the teachings of the Catholic Church is the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity. The Trinity is the term employed to signify the central doctrine of the Christian religion — the truth that in the unity of the Godhead there are Three truly distinct Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God, represents the Father, Jesus, represents the Son, and the third distinct person is the Holy Spirit. That is why their names are specific and are not interchangeable due to the distinct and separate persons mentioned in the doctrine. 7. In the DaVinci Code it alluded to Jesus having a relationship, do you believe that Jesus was a man on this earth and never had a relationship with a woman? I believe that Jesus was born of Mary and by giving birth to Christ, she is considered to be the spiritual mother of the Catholic Church. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown was just a fictional book and the Catholic Church never confirmed any of the ideas contained in the story. By relationship, I think it should be qualified. Jesus, of course, had influences and interpersonal relationships with a lot of people during his time; women, included (where there were stories of His curing them, rebuking demons, etc.) But I do not believe He ever got married. This is the essence of the spiritual head of the Catholic Church remaining celibate in order to completely devote their time, effort, and energy for the mission of spreading the word of God. 8. If Jesus was Jewish why/how did he create Christianity? Jesus was Jewish by virtue of His mother, Mary. As the Son of God, His mission for becoming man was to save mankind from the original sin that was committed by Adam and Eve. The name Christianity was coined from Jesus Christ. Christianity is the name given to that definite system of religious belief and practice which was taught by Jesus Christ in the country of Palestine, during the reign of the Roman Emperor, Tiberius, and was promulgated, after Jesus’ death, for the acceptance of the whole world, by certain chosen men among His followers. 9. Are you baptized? Yes, I am. 10. What does that signify for you? Baptism is one of the seven sacraments of Christian faith. It is considered a first sacrament which opens the door to a spiritual life. As a baptized person, I acknowledge that I received the sacrament of living a life as a devoted Catholic: practicing its beliefs and traditions, studying the words of God through the Bible and by attending Sunday masses, observing days of obligation, fasting, making penance, and living a life to help those in need. We were taught that through baptism, the effect of this sacrament is the remission of all sin, original and actual; likewise of all punishment which is due for sin. As a consequence, no satisfaction for past sins is enjoined upon those who are baptized; and if they die before they commit any sin, they attain immediately to the kingdom of heaven and the vision of God. Comparison with Islam Islam was founded by the prophet Mohammed. According to the Funk (2009), “unlike Christians, who believe that Jesus was the Son of God and an indivisible part of God, Muslims believe that the Holy Prophet Mohammad (570-632) was a man and that he followed Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus as the last of the great prophets to receive divine revelation. A Muslim believes in the revelation of God through the Quran that was given to Mohammad. For a Muslim, the Quran is God’s Word.” Muslims believe in the teachings of the five pillars, to wit: (1) profession of faith, (2) prayer, (3) almsgiving, (4) Ramadan, and (5) pilgrimage. Their ultimate profession of faith is “There is no god but Allah, and Mohammad is the prophet of Allah.” This statement is repeated at least five times each day by the muezzin in the minaret of every mosque around the world as an invitation to prayer. (Funk 2009) Their prayers are carried out five times a day: at dawn, noon, midafternoon, sunset, and after the fall of darkness or at bedtime. Almsgiving for Muslims is a means to share or redistribute wealth. They believe that since everything came from God, they actually do not own anything unless shared with others according to the will of Allah. All Muslims all over the world during Ramadan are called on to fast from sunrise to sunset for 30 days, unless they are sick or on a journey. Generally, those 12 or older rise early for a meal before the sun rises, then break their fast after sunset. The aim of abstaining from food during the day is to help Muslims identify with the poor, who have no discretion when, where and what to eat. In this way, fasting is similar in intention to almsgiving. (Funk 2009) Finally, the pilgrimage is a return to Mecca. It restarts the conversion experience by returning the devotee to the point of origin. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance (2008), in their quest to compare Christianity and Islam provided some points of divisiveness on areas of beliefs and practices. Among the most interesting differences are as follows: In the Catholic Church, Jesus was believed to be the Son of God. In Islam, Jesus was the second to the last prophet. Further, Catholics believed Jesus died on the cross. Muslims believe that Jesus was ascended alive into heaven. The main books differ from both religions – Bible for the Catholics and Quran for the Muslims. Name of worship center: Church, cathedral for Catholics and Mosque for Muslims. Main worship: Sunday for Catholics and Saturday for some; Friday for Muslims. In issues of confessing sins: Roman Catholic: to God or Jesus, either directly or through a priest; others believe in confessing to God or Jesus. For Muslims they confess their sins only to Allah. Regarding the use of statues: in Catholics, this is common as they are only representations of the true images they believe in. For Muslims, statues are absolutely forbidden. These are considered a very serious form of idolatry. The main holy days for Catholics are Christmas, Easter, and associated holy days. For Muslims, their holy days are Ashura; Mawlid; lunar month of Ramadan; Eid al-Fitr; Eid al-Adha. The ultimate divine power for Catholics is the belief in the Blessed Trinity; while for Muslims, God (Allah) is one and indivisible. They believe in a strict monotheism. "Allah" means God in Arabic. It is interesting to note that both religions believe in life after death. Catholics also believe that there is a purgatory as a third state. Muslims also believe in heaven or hell. Conclusion The objective of this essay is to present two of the world’s largest religions. Fact reveals that Catholics comprise about 33 percent of the world’s population while Islam comprises about 20 percent. Actually, the value of this discourse lies in the information gathered for purposes of information and awareness. Each religion has its own set of beliefs and practices which have been in existence for thousand of years. For a devotee, religion provides a spiritual guide to ensure one’s path towards eternal salvation. Despite differences in beliefs and practices, religion gives focus and direction towards the goal of eternal life. The teaching of the ethic of reciprocity or the Golden rule applies to both Catholics and Muslims: "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." Matthew 7:12 for Catholics and "Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." Fourth Hadith of an-Nawawi 13 for Muslims. These only prove that their teachings value relationships with others to ensure a safe journey in this life and beyond. References Aguilar, M. (2007). The History and Politics of Latin American Theology, Volume 1. London: SCM Press. ISBN 978-0334040231 Benedict XVI, Pope (2005). "Deus Caritas Est". Vatican. Retrieved August 25, 2009 from Funk, M.M. (2009). Islam: What Catholics Should Know. Retrieved August 25, 2009 from Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. (2008). Comparing Christianity and Islam: the world's two largest religions. Retrieved August 25, 2009 from Read More