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RELI 448N Week 5 Assignment: Interview Essay
Introduction
Christianity is the religion that I identify with the most. Most of my family members identify with Christian theology which is why I grew up
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RELI 448N Week 5 Assignment: Interview Essay
Introduction
Christianity is the religion that I identify with the most. Most of my family members identify with Christian theology which is why I grew up under the teaching of Christianity as a child. According to Molloy 2013, Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, fully human and fully divine and that through believing in him and following his teachings they can inherit eternal life. Also, that God is an eternal, intelligent power who created the universe as an expression of love. Christians also hold the belief that God is made of three “Persons”: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—together called the Trinity.
My interviewee’s religion of choice is the Islam religion. According to Molloy 2013, Islam literally means “surrender” or “submission,” indicating wholehearted surrender to God, and a Muslim is one who submits to God (Allah). The name of God is invoked in daily conversation, particularly in the frequently used phrase, “if God wills.” People are called to prayer several times a day by a muezzin, a chanter who announces that Allah is great, greater than anything else (Molloy, 2013).
The Interview
The conversation between myself and the interviewee was a success. One of the Islam’s material expressions is through their art. The interviewee stated that architecture is one of the most significant forms of material expression for the Islam religion. The architecture that the interviewee is referring to are Mosques. The Mosque is one of the places Muslims go to worship, which is considered a material expression of their religion (Molloy, 2013). The interviewee stated that he does attend a mosque in his hometown where there is prayer several times a day.
The interviewee does not see any conflict between the stated beliefs of their tradition and their own beliefs. The theory of the origin of religion from week one that offers the best explanation for the interviewee approach to religion is the William James theory. The interviewee believes that being a Muslim brings a new meaning to living for him. He feels his
life is fulfilled because of the connection he has with his God (Allah). According to Malloy 2013, the William James theory discusses how religion brings a new zest living, provides assurance of safety and leads to a harmonious relationship with the universe.
The interviewee was asked about challenges that their religious tradition faces in the modern world. The two most significant problems that they face is judgmental comments about their garments as well as a lack of respect from non-Muslims just because of their religion. The interviewee does feel that their tradition is responding positively in spite of the challenges they face daily. According to Molloy 2013, some more challenges Islam faces in the modern world are as following: Industrial work schedules make daily prayer and other religious practices difficult; women are demanding total equality with men and complete independence, and individualism is weakening family ties and social responsibility.
The interviewee believes that the Islamic religion is based on belief (orthodoxy). The interviewee states their primary purpose of the Islamic religion is to surrender and believe in their God (Allah). The interviewee expressed that they believe in one God which is Allah, they pray several times a day, and fast. The interviewee was asked what type of rituals his religion partakes in? His answer was fasting and praying. Fasting is a way to purify the body. The interviewee was asked about any symbols associated with the Islamic religion, and he spoke about the star inside a crescent moon. The sacred text related to the Islamic religion is the Quran
which means Allah according to the interviewee. When asked about the Islam ethical principle, the interviewee replied, living by the five pillars of Islam which consist of the following: faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage to Mecca. Their community comes together in the Mosque for prayer. Material expressions of the religion are the Mosque (place of worship) which was mentioned earlier. When asked about their religious experience, he stated the pilgrimage to Mecca is to be experienced once in life. According to the interviewee, he was not aware of any myths associated with his religion.
Cultural and Historical Context
According to Hursh 2009, Islam is the second largest religion in the world Christianity. Islam religion started with the prophet and founder Muhammad who was born in Mecca in 570. By the time Muhammad was 40 years old, he had revelations from Allah that became the foundation of Islam. Muslims now use the Quran and live by the five pillars of faith as their principles for correct guidance through their religious lives.
Muslims have many cultural rituals and practices that are significant to them. Art is an essential part of Muslim culture. The abstract, decorative, and floral designs are unique to Islamic art and architecture (Hursh, 2009). Music plays a significant role in Muslim culture as well.
Praying, fasting, worshiping, giving to charity, and Hajj (pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca) are extremely important to the Muslim religion. According to Molloy 2013, some more cultural practices are celebrating Muhammad’s birthday, no consumption of wine or pork, and male circumcision common in the Muslim culture.
My Religion versus Islam Religion
My religion is like the Islam religion because both believe in one God although their names are different, one being Allah and the other being Yahweh. I was brought up believing that Jesus died for our sins and is sitting at the right hand of God. I was taught that God is in three persons; however, Muslims don’t believe in the Trinity. Both religions believe in praying and fasting, although the Islam religion prays more often daily. I was taught growing up that if you needed something from God, sometimes it only came by fasting and praying, which is in line with Islam belief as well. Christians believe in Jesus Christ whereas Muslims believe in Muhammed as their founder. Although there are many differences, the most significant factor is that both believe in one God that helps us through life.
Conclusion
After completing this interview, I learned so much about Islam’s religion and culture.
Although I still stand firm with my religious beliefs, I learned that other religions do have some similarities. I was able to interview someone using tips from the article talking about religion 2014, such as being honest, brave, and realizing cultural differences. I was able to have a successful conversation throughout this assignment. The question that came up after the interview was complete was about how the patient became a Muslim. We also discussed the challenges with Muslims praying five times a day, how are they able to work, and whether prayer was seen as an interference. Overall, this was a great learning experience.
References
Molloy, M. (2013). Experiencing the world's religions (6th Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Hursh, J. (2009). The Role of Culture in the Creation of Islamic Law. Indiana Law Journal, 84(4), 1401–1423. Retrieved from https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?
url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=a9h&AN=44197889&site=eds-live&scope=site
Talking about religion - how to do it right. (2014, May 1). Record, The (Kitchener/Cambridge/Waterloo, ON). Retrieved from https://chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login? url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? direct=true&db=n5h&AN=Q4KRKON2014050128873929&site=eds- live&scope=site
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