A comparison paper on Christian and Islamic views on food and drink

Published under category: Sample Essays | 2015-05-19 12:01:45 UTC

Context: Religious Studies

An ESL custom written essay comparing Christian and Islamic views. Register and ask for “assignment writing help with my a paper”. How do you see the Roman context shaping these two religions' attitudes toward food and drink? An idea that what you eat shapes and tells about who you are, started off with the Greeks. For the Romans, what someone eats was very closely related to the social status that they held. They considered the spices and the food to tell of the social status of an individual. They believed in importation of vintage wine and exotic meat to say of a particular class of people and social bearing of the people. However, this great nation crumbled and fell at some point. The paper looks at the influence it had on those who were under its rules and were considered colonies of the Romans. The paper will examine instance of some Roman ideology concerning what you eat as affecting the Christians and the Muslims in their behavior. For Christians, the Passover is a very special and symbolic time in their lives. It symbolizes the salvation that the Jewish nation got from their slavery, but most importantly the last supper. It stands to symbolize the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples just before he was arrested. The meal they have is symbolic in the way it is used. It is eluded that the bread would represent the body of Jesus Christ and the wine that they drink stands for the blood of Jesus. The eating of the Passover meal makes the Christians have a family and a close relationship with Jesus. In so many ways, this act is closely related to the trend that the Romans take as far as food and wine are concerned. To Christians through this practice one identifies with a specific religion. The Romans considered a particular type of food and taking of a particular drinking to have social status and identity with a distinct social standing. A trait that is now being seen in Christians through the Passover. The Islam, on the other hand, was resentful of the way of the Romans. They considered food as a way through which they attain spiritual sanctification and a close link to God. During Ramadan, they are known for staying for quite some time without food and drink, only water, as they pray. They, however, host this feat that they are free to invite the poor the sick and those who are not privileged to have into the fold. They embrace the very existence of the giving. Therefore, unlike the Romans who had food for separation of those who have and those who do not have, Islam tries to unite everyone. They use food as a way of unifying people and showing love for the unprivileged in the society. How are they similar to one another and how do they differ? Christianity and Islam have similarities that are clearly seen in both religions. Apart from being among the biggest religions in the world, they both have strong conviction in the existence of God. They all have a firm belief in the existence of prophets that were sent by God. Both religions believe in the following of the Ten Commandments and the mosaic laws that they abide within all that they do. Both religions agree on the birth of Jesus being miraculous and that Mary was a virgin when she bore Jesus, making this birth a miracle. The notable differences in these two religions would only be looked at in three aspects. Christians believe in the existence of the trinity. That is God the father the son and the Holy Spirit. To Islam they do not have such convictions. They believe in God whom they refer to as the one who created Jesus and all the prophets and whom they all worship. They refer to Moses, Mohammad, and Jesus as prophets and nothing more. They think they were handpicked, and they were divine in their teachings but they don’t give either of them divine power of having God like traits. They were just prophets who were out to spread the word of God. They believe that angles are created by God and are thus not divine and should not be worshiped. The Quran states that Jesus never died on the cross and, instead, suggests that he ascended to heaven. They are two concepts that are presented very differently. For Christians he died on the cross and the third day he rose and ascended to heaven after some time that he spent with his disciples. The Quran, on the other hand, states that it was made to appear as if he died on the cross but in the real sense, he ascended and never died. Another difference would be the origin of sin as it is presented by both religions. For Christians, the origin of sin is associated with the fall of Adam and Eve. To Christians, sin was transferred to the descendants of Adam and Eve. Islam, on the other hand, is very different in its doctrines. They believe that the sin cannot be transferred from one individual to the next. They also have the conviction that God is very forgiving, and he forgave Adam after he sinned.ORDER PLAGIARISM FREE PAPER