Islam, Christianity, Judaism, And Cultural Diversity

Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Cultural Diversity
Alicia Lue
Devry University
Course Number: SOCS350
July 2013

Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Cultural Diversity
Religion has always been and will be one of the major influences that shape our world. The three major Western religions of the world are Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Christianity is said to be the largest with an estimated two billion followers and Islam the second largest with 1.5 billion followers (Ali-Karamali, 2008). These three religions are important to cultural diversity, because religion is what shapes a culture and allows individuals to form identities. Religious beliefs are at the center of a human beings culture and provide the moral codes by which individuals
The vast majority of Muslims are citizens of the United States, who abide by the law, and who do not support terrorist activities (Bell, 2007). In the United States Muslims worship in the mosque, even though the structures may not be the same as in other countries, the religious practices are the same (Smith, J. n.d.). American Muslims follow the same principles as in many other countries where Islam is practiced. In the United States at the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate “edi” which is like Christmas that is celebrated in the United States (Parbtani, S. personal communication, July, 23, 2013). According to Al-Karamali, Edi ul-Fitr means “Festival of Fast-Breaking”, the celebration involves a special prayer, gift giving, feasting, and wearing fancy clothing, however one old piece of clothing is worn to signify being humble followers. One of the traditional foods that American Muslims to this day prepare in celebration of “edi” is called sheer khurma which is a creamy like pudding made of milk, vermicelli noodles, and golden raisins, along with some pistachios (Ali-Karamali, 2008). The gathering at the mosque brought Muslims of different ethnic backgrounds to the feast, where all enjoy the various kinds of traditional
This affects how diverse individuals interact with each other and because of the many misperceptions about Islam’s values, its goals, and its beliefs, a lot of prejudice and discriminatory acts have been witnessed. In addition to the media stereotyping, adding the negative medieval mythology regarding Islam, “the result is a picture that resists erasure” (Ali-Karamali, 2008). Add also confusion of what is religious versus what is cultural or socioeconomic, the language barriers, and people who use Islam to commit crimes, the end result is a major misunderstanding of Islam and Muslims. Islam teaches compassion, self-control, tolerance, forgiveness, and generosity. In closing the three major religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism, all link religion and morality together. Religion is manifested by showing concern for the well-being and dignity of others, in a life of service to others, and in personal, social and ethical