Essay Introduction on Christianity
Christianity is the most predominant religion globally and surpasses Buddhism and Islam as the most popular religion. Christians uphold that Jesus Christ was the Messiah that was promised in the Old Testament. Just like Buddhism and Islam, Christianity has its own set of doctrines and beliefs that guide it. For instance, they believe that the Messiah is the Son of God and that God is their Supreme Being. Christians believe that they are redeemed by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. God sent Jesus Christ so that Christians are not condemned for their sins. His primary role on the planet was to save humankind from the repercussions of their sins. By His crucifixion and resurrection, Christians would repent their sins and would be forgiven. Christians believe in the trinities. They believe in the Supreme Being, but there are three elements that make up the being. These are the God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Research Paper on Christianity
The multitude that follow the doctrines of religion in the Christian way are many. The consequence of such a situation is the creation of many subdivisions. These include but are not limited to the Baptist churches, Opus Dei, Methodist Church, Pentecostalism, Seventh-Day Adventists, Church of Scotland, Christadelphians, Salvation Army, and Methodist Church. In these subdivisions, the Roman Catholic Church is the most predominant and the center of this observation essay.
Comparative Analysis of Major World Religions
Friends are the most essential elements in life after family. Different friends introduce one to various cultures of life. In the course of such things, there are events in their life that one cannot fail to attend. One of them includes the happiest day in their lives, which includes their wedding. I had the opportunity to attend such a glamorous event. All worshippers are requested to attend this service regardless of their closeness to the relative family. Such consideration comes into play after the service when the ceremony continues to the bride’s home. However, the primary events are carried out in the church. The church is their place of worship, but this event occurred in the Cathedral.
Description of the Cathedral
A Cathedral is a church, but its name reflects its importance as the main institution in a particular region. It is also the place where a designated bishop will reside. Therefore, it is a very important place of worship for the Catholic fraternity. From a far distance, one can easily spot the Cathedral because of the cross at the top. This is a common feature of Catholic churches. The cross implies the place where Jesus Christ was crucified. In the entrance door lie two small metallic bowls fitted at a relative height where followers dip their fingers and then perform the sign of the cross. The congregation gradually gathers with those seated reading the bible and others praying. It is a moment in which they seek forgiveness from the Father so that their souls are cleansed before the mass.
The Experience of Attending a Friend’s Wedding Ceremony and the Importance of Community Participation
After they are settled, the bishop arrives with the rest of the clergy. Altar boys are also present and aid in the success of the service. They perform little actions like holding the microphone for the bishop, bringing in the Holy Communion for blessing, and unpacking and packing everything for the bishop. The service usually starts with the sign of the cross followed by a request from the leader for the congregation to seek forgiveness. This is also part of the opening prayer. There is praise and worship, which is usually not for a long time, and then the followers sit down for the word.
Their scripture is usually from the Holy Bible, which has been restructured to fit the Roman calendar. The readings are in three phases; the first reading, which is from the Old Testament, the Songs of David (Psalms), and the second reading, which is from the New Testament. The bishop or the priest will follow up with a relatively longer reading from the gospel. The need to interpret the word for the followers is crucial, and this is what ensues.
After this, he invites all the brides and their grooms to the front for a special prayer and the consequential incorporation of vows. This session is the most important, particularly for this day, as people relentlessly jubilate and appear to be very happy for the couples.
After what appears to be the essential event, songs from the church choir usher in the offering and gifts session. Every Christian offers offerings and tithes to the set collection baskets distributed around the church for easy mobility. No one is compelled to give anything, although offering is a sign of thanking the Lord for whatever one has. The church will offer their prayers for the offerings. After the prayers of the faithful (these are various prayers offered by Christians at the altar – I think it is a pre-arranged activity before the mass begins because they pop out from the crowd at the bishop’s request), the Holy Communion prayer follows.
The followers head to a greetings session which is perceived as a sign of ensuring one’s heart is at peace with everyone. This is necessary before one goes to partake in the Holy Communion. It is respected as Christ’s body, and whoever takes it must have a pure heart and mind. The reception of the Holy Sacrament is the second and last primary activity. The bishop offers the closing prayers. Christians exit the church after the bishop and his clergy. In between the sessions, much of the time is dedicated to singing and worshipping. This essay does not highlight every detail. What is highlighted are the main activities I observed and can remember. For instance, there are particular sessions where people kneel down. However, I believe what is described here is also the usual sequence of activities in their services.
Conclusion
It was an interesting moment to see how another religion conducts its activities. Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam are dominant and popular religions around the world. The religions have a staunch following, and it seems they are getting followers across the world every day. The numbers imply that their messages are positively received across the world. The existence of three religions gives the audience a moment in which to provide valuable comparisons and raise the differences and similarities among them.
In all religions, there exists a Supreme Being. All Puritans worship the Supreme Being seeking to please Him. In the same breadth, the leaders are perceived as of special authority and are given the utmost respect for their work. The three religions have a designated location of worship. The Christians go to a church, the Muslims a mosque, and the Buddhists a Temple. The architectural designs are different. Churches usually have a cross at the top, which is similar to the minarets for mosques. Temples and mosques are offered a more traditional sense of construction, with much detail being given to their external appearance.
Final Thoughts on the Commonalities among Different Religions and the Importance of Virtues in All Religions
On the other hand, churches appear to have adopted the modern form of housing development, which is also great. The three religions refer to their Supreme Being with different names. Muslims refer to Him as Allah, while Buddhists have the Buddha. For Christians, it is God. Both Muslims and Christians believe that the Supreme Being sent a son as a messenger and one who humanity could relate with. Allah and God sent Prophet Muhammad and Jesus Christ, respectively. Another difference that sprouts up is the source of their scriptures. The Christians depend on the Holy Bible for their daily bread. The Muslims are heavily reliant on the Holy Quran.
However, the Buddhists do not have a precise book from where to draw their daily teachings.They subscribe to scriptures written by the wise leaders of the religion. In my opinion, Buddhism relates to human beings’ life experiences than the rest. They are sensitive that the need to be happy is the primary goal of every individual. Pain and sorrow are also inevitable. The ability to handle these moments depends on a person’s ability to control the mind. Most of their subjects on a quality life are based upon these fundamentals. They abide by these factors by practicing compassion, meditation, kindness, and peacefulness, among others. The different religions provide almost similar teachings because they promote virtues above everything. An in-depth analysis will prove that we are all one and minute differences exist among them.
