Do Abrahamic Religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) Cause War Research Paper

Do Abrahamic Religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) Cause War - Research Paper Example However, there are differences in the beliefs and systems that Jews, Christians and Muslim accept as legitimate. Jews hold that the Abrahamic covenant was carried down onto Isaac (Abraham's second son) and then to Jacob (Isaac's second son) and then down to Jacob's (also known as Israel's) descendants. After years of the Israelite community growing, they merited to receive the Torah, a set of Laws given directly to the Israelites through Moses. The Jews hold the Torah (first five books of the Bible) to be authoritative and the generational interpretation of the Torah from the Prophets to the Rabbis as absolutes (Idel 7). Christianity on the other hand sprouted out of Judaism because the followers believed that Jesus Christ was the son of God and this was a position that most Jews rejected and never accepted. On the other hand, Christians also did not accept the generational interpretation of the Torah as Jews did but rather focused on the life of Jesus Christ as an ideal standard interpreted by the New Testament. Islam on the other hand came up as a result of revelations received by Mohammed, a descendant of Abraham through the line of his first son, Ishmael (Schmidt-Leukel 149). Although there are clear areas that Islam seems to build on Judaism and Christianity, Islam also maintains its distinct features and elements. Islam, Christianity and Judaism cuts across elements of spirituality, morality and nationalism (Oystein, 72). In terms of spirituality, all these Abrahamic Faiths profess some element of control over the supernatural and promises humanity a pleasant life after death. Additionally, these promises comes with some responsibilities that seek to make people live according to some standards and ideals prescribed by these religions. The Jewish have a set of traditions Halackha that must be adhered to at all times in a person's life. Christians have doctrines and principles of holiness that must be followed. Muslims also have the Sunnah which sums up the traditions and instructions a s revealed to Prophet Mohammed. The institutionalization of these principles and practices amongst a group of people professing each of these three Faiths leads to the nationalism aspect of the Abrahamic Faiths. This requires the establishment of the structures of a modern nation, including a military that would protect the interest of a religious state. Based on this, I identify three main issues of misunderstanding and misuse of the Abrahamic religions that led to wars and various forms of violence throughout history. These three matters include the rise of opportunistic leaders in the original kingdoms of the founders of these