Abrahamic religion quiz

Question 1

Story of Abraham in Judaism/Christian version

Answer 1

• Believed he was the first Jew
• Ishmael and Hagar are the ones who
  Banished
• Sarah gives birth to Isaac
• In Judaism and Christianity, the child he has to sacrifice is Isaac, who doesn’t know what is going on
• At the last possible minute, Isaac is not sacrificed, and a lamb is instead

Question 2

The story of Ibrahim in Islam

Answer 2

• Ibrahim was the first person to believe there is one god but not the first Muslim
• According to Islam, he and his son built the Kabbah
• Ibrahim has a son named Ishmael and is ordered by god to sacrifice his son to show devotion
• Ishmael is old enough to tell him he has been instructed to sacrifice you, Ishmael if that is what god said that is what you should do
• Allah intervenes, and they don’t need to go through sacrifice. This story shows devotion and commitment to Allah
• They end up sacrificing a lamb or sheep instead
• He has a wife named Hagar
• In the Qu’ran, he also has a wife named Sarah, who is exiled and doesn’t live with him

Question 3

What do all three belief systems agree about Abraham? Who was he?

Answer 3

• Believed he is the father of monotheism
• The first person to believe there is one god
• He is a prophet ( he directly speaks to God) and is considered very luck
• Both have similar morals, believe in god, and be faithful no matter what situation

Question 4

Judaism main topics

Answer 4

Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion. The foundation was built out of the stories of Abraham and the Jewish holy book. Jews live all across the world; the main countries are the United States and Israel. In Judaism, God bears the name of YHVH in the Hebrew language out of respect; the name is never said out loud. Tanakh is the bible of Judaism which was originally written in Hebrew and consists of three parts. The Torah is the first part and contains the five books of Moses, the book of the prophets, and a collection of holy writings.

Question 5

Christianity main topics

Answer 5

Christianity has the most followers out of any religion in the world and emerged from Judiams around 2,000 years ago. Christianity consists of several denominations with slightly different ideas of God. In Christianity, God is seen as a figure of love and faith. They also believe that God is made up of three people: God, the holy spirit, and Jesus referred to as the Trinity. Jesus is considered the son of God, and his teachings teach unconditional love towards God. Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross by the Romans. The cross is now a significant symbol throughout the world and represents self-sacrifice. The holy book of Christianity is known as the bible and consists of two parts. One is the Old Testament, which Judaism uses, and one is the New Testament, which mainly speaks of Jesus’s teachings. Both books were originally written in Greek and shortly after translated into Latin.

Question 6

Islam main topics

Answer 6

Islam is the youngest of the five major religions and is also an Abrahamic religion. They believe in a single god and refer to him as Allah. After a political argument, Islam diverged into two branches of the group, Sunni and Shia. Islam developed in Saudi Arabia, and they believed that Gibriel’s angel was revealed to Muhammed, a sacred prophet in Islam, the Qu’ran, which is the holy book of Islam. The Qu’ran is considered the sacred word and collection of prophecies of Allah and is supposed to be followed by all Muslims. It was written in Arabic after 632 CE. The five pillars are the five basic acts of Islam, and a Muslim must follow these yearly; though some only happen during Ramadan, one is allowed to practice all five at any time in the year. Similarly to Judaism and Christianity, Muslims believe in Heaven and Hell’s afterlife.

Question 7

How did we get here (Judaism)

Answer 7

Judaism and Christianity share the same heritage, and they have the same background. God created the whole world over six days, and Adam and Eve were the first humans. The forbidden Garden of Eden tempted Adam and Eve; they ate the apple and were banished.

Question 8

How did we get here (Christianity)

Answer 8

God created the world out of nothing, creating everything in the universe, such as stars and planets. God created humans over the span of 6 days, and on the seventh, he retired. The first humans were Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were cast out soon after their creation.

Question 9

How did we get here (Islam)

Answer 9

According to the Qu’ran, God created the world in six days, created Adam and Eve from a mixture of water and earth, and lived in a heavenly paradise. God commanded all the angels to bow down to the first humans, but Iblis despised them and tempted them with the forbidden fruit. Adam and Eve ate the fruit and were then banished to Earth. Iblis has hated humans since and has tried to tempt all who walk on Earth.

Question 10

Is there a god (Judaism)

Answer 10

Similar to Christianity, Judaism is a monotheistic religion, the god being YHWH, but no one says the name out loud because it is considered disrespectful, so many call him Hashem, which means ‘my lord.’ This god is the supreme being and created everything in the universe.

Question 11

Is there a god (Christianity)

Answer 11

Christianity is a monotheistic religion. God is the supreme being that manifests in three different forms, which is referred to as the Trinity. The trinity takes the form of God himself, Jesus, who is the Son of God, and the holy spirit.

Question 12

Is there a god (Islam)

Answer 12

Islam’s god is referred to as “Allah” and, in English, means the god. Though Christianity and Judaism follow the Old Testament, Islam also has many similar beliefs regarding god. In fact, before Islam, Christian Arabic sometimes called God “Allah”.

Question 13

Where does evil come from (Judaism)

Answer 13

Unlike the belief of Christianity, Jews do not believe one is born into a sin but is able to become one by not following the laws of the Torah and ignoring God’s rules.

Question 14

Where does evil come from (Christianity)

Answer 14

1. Original sin is where evil originates in Christianity. Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree and took a bite from the apple, which is believed to be passed down from every generation because of the initial rebellion of the first humans on Earth.
2. Satan and other evil people can tempt you to do bad things
3. When you listen to the angel and follow god, you will be a good person and not do bad things.

Question 15

Where does evil come from (Islam)

Answer 15

Similar to Judaism, Islam rejects the belief that the original sin and evil come from the belief of Allah and that one’s good deeds outweigh one’s bad deeds. Evil comes from not following the laws of Allah and Muhammad.

Question 16

What happens when you die? (Judaism)

Answer 16

It is very vague on the idea of what happens after you die because the bible is more focused on your presence and the actions you take while alive. But the basic information collected is that people who have followed Judaism will go to a heaven-like paradise, and the ones who disregarded the rules and are wicked go to hell, where they will be tortured, or another idea some belief is that they will “cease to exist” after death.

Question 17

What happens when you die? (Christianity)

Answer 17

The ones who are saved will live in an eternal Heaven with God, but the sinful ones will go to Hell. The idea of hell is not “universal” among all Christians.

Question 18

What happens when you die? (Islam)

Answer 18

All who are faithful and die will be resurrected and judged by Allah.

Question 19

Mezuzah

Answer 19

• Parchment with phrases of keeping commandments on doorposts.
• Hang it up on the doorpost
• It is a symbol and is required, but some choose not to
• You can find this inside someone’s house building or doorstep
  Meant to remember commandments

Question 20

Tefillin

Answer 20

You wear it
Passages of the Torah say to keep commandments in your mind and to wear them on arms, heads, doorposts
Required to wear it sometimes throughout the day during prayer, except Saturday

Question 21

Star of David

Answer 21

No biblical meaning to Judaism but more of a symbol
Refers to King David of the bible and is seen as a shield and protectant
Used in synagogue decorations
Became associated with Judaism
Does not show up anywhere in terms of commandments

Question 22

Tallit

Answer 22

Prayer shawl
As described in the Torah, you’re supposed to wear a garment with fringes on the sides
Most people wear them when praying, but some people wear them under their clothes all the time
Mostly worn by men
When you see the fringes, you’re supposed to be reminded of God’s commandments
If you count the number of strings and knots, it equals to 613, which is the number commandments of God in the Torah

Question 23

Hamsa

Answer 23

Very common symbol of the hand and is a symbol in Islam (called the hand of Fatima)
Symbol against bad luck and the evil eye
There is no requirement, but it tends to have a significant meaning
Symbol not REQUIREMENT
Seen in all sorts of jewelry and decorations
Alternative to the star of David

Question 24

Chai

Answer 24

The word means life and is made up of two different Hebrew letters
Number 18 is an auspicious number
Comes in the form of necklaces
It is not a requirement but more symbolic within the belief system
This equates to the number 18

Question 25

Menorah

Answer 25

Two menorahs
Comes from the bible, described in Torah
It is supposed to be a decoration that was once housed in the temple
7 candles were originally supposed to be
But the Hanukkah menorah has nine branches for each day of Hanukkah
There is no obligation to light it or have it in your home
Go to symbol for Judaism

Question 26

Kippah

Answer 26

A Kippah is a traditional Jewish head covering generally worn by men. The Kippah is a small piece of fabric in the shape of a circle that boys and men are required to wear in a strict Jewish community. This is not biblically required but is a sign of respect. They wear the Kippah while eating, praying, or reading Jewish scriptures. While Jews are not obligated to wear the Kippah at all times, many do as a reverence to god. Though Judaism was made a little more than three thousand years ago, the Kippah is a more recent symbol created between the 17th and 18th centuries. The Kippah is not made of a specific fabric and has a wide range of designs, colors, and textures. Overall the Kippah is a sacred and essential piece of clothing worn by many men in orthodox and non-orthodox communities.

Question 27

Who is a jew?

Answer 27

Who is a Jew is an extremely controversial topic in the 21st century. Many still believe in the concept of matrilineal descent and you are only a Jew if your mother is one, but this has become so debatable because other Jews also think that as long as you have Jewish descent or a parent who identifies as Jewish. While many Jews practice religiously some just consider themselves Jewish because of ancestors but don’t practice religiously. These topics create wide controversy around the concept of “who is a jew?”.

Question 28

What is the trinity?

Answer 28

The concept of the trinity is a concept that many Christians have studied for years and have still not mastered, but the main points consist of the fact that there is only one god with three manifestations, which is God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the holy spirit. These three figures all share attributes of God. God is so strict and all-powerful that many ask for forgiveness, and he is seen as an all-mighty and authoritative, wise figure with more respect. Jesus is a kind and compassionate God in the form of a man; the holy spirit is devotion, faith, and less human attributes, but more spirit is the intangible parts of belief. Each form is not part of God but fully and equally God. God did not become Jesus and the holy spirit. There have always been and always will be three distinct persons in the Godhead. God is just one essence in three forms, and the Trinity is not a belief in three Gods. It is only the belief in a single God.

Question 29

Brief history of what led to the split of Christianity

Answer 29

The Nicene creed
The year was 325 CE
It is a statement of what the church believes in, specifically around Jesus
The great schism
The year is 1054 CE
When the Eastern Orthodox and roman catholic split
The split was among growing differences in how to practice and who had power
They were culturally very different and that’s why they split
The protestant reformation
The protestant denominations split from the roman catholic church
The year was 1517 CE
That year, someone named Martin Luther he put on the doorstep of the roman catholic church a list of all the corrupt things which was wrong with the church as a form of protesting
Among the things he is annoyed about he thinks that the priests are taking bribes and living too fancy of a lifestyle along with hogging all the information and keeping the ideas of Christianity to themselves
He thinks that you don’t need to have any fancy things and should be able to read the bible in your own language
He believes there should be more about the people and individual connection with god
The word protestant comes from the word protest

Question 30

Orthodoxy

Answer 30

Sometimes called Eastern orthodoxy or orthodoxy but they are talking about the same thing
No central authority
Each individual community makes decisions within the community
Generally based in traditional service
Focus on personal connections with god
Do similar things to such as a 100 years ago
Very localized
Differences in terms of rules
Some orthodox priests can marry but some can’t
Dependant on the specific community
Not one authority figure

Question 31

Catholicism

Answer 31

There is a central authority figure]
The name is the pope
He is the one who is in charge of all roman catholic churches
No decision is made without the pope
The roman catholic service has many rituals
Some of them are like communion or a confession
The clergy have power in the community (popes, bishops etc)

Question 32

Protestant

Answer 32

Many different denominations within protestants
tend to have in common is the emphasis on faith
This means that recognizing you made a mistake is enough to be forgiven rather whereas in catholicism you have to do many more rituals and confess and you don’t need a spiritual leader in protestant
It’s about the personal connection to god and is about what’s in your heart more than the rituals
More personal in terms of the emphasis

Question 33

Latter-day saints

Answer 33

They believe that modern Christianity has many errors, but they still have the same core values. Latter-day Saints’ opinions on other parts of Christianity are more closed-minded.

Question 34

Shahada

Answer 34

Shahada is the first pillar of Islam and is when one recites the statement, “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammed is his messenger.” which is in Arabic. This simply means that only one god, Allah, and Muhammad is the prophet. As an individual, one accepts that very truth, and they will obey the commitments of Islam in their life. Muslims repeat this statement several times a day during their prayers.

Question 35

Salat

Answer 35

Salar is the obligatory five prayers a Muslim has to do everyday. According to Islam tradition God ordered muslims to pray at specific times a day. It reminds you of who you are and brings God to the Majesty’s position he deserves, as well as the reminder that you are a servant of God. When praying, you are directly connected to Allah with nothing and no one in between, and it leaves you spiritually and emotionally filled. Praying together helps a Muslim realize that all are equal in the sight of Allah.

Question 36

Zakat

Answer 36

Zakat is the obligated act of giving money to charity towards the poor. As the video said, the Zakat is also considered a prayer and directly correlates with Salat; without giving to charity, one should not consider themselves a Muslim because this form of prayer is mentioned 82 times in the Qu’ran. Many feel a gift from Allah in their hearts, and the feeling of giving to others is like how God gives to them.

Question 37

Hajj

Answer 37

Hajj is the pilgrimage to the Kabbah and Mecca. The focus of Hajj is to wipe clean of all your mistakes and ask for forgiveness from God. Seeking redemption from God is the raw point of going to Mecca and participating in Hajj. There are special rituals many do while near the Kabbah, one being walking seven laps around it chanting prayers.

Question 38

Sawm

Answer 38

During Ramadon Muslims must fast throughout the day to show faith towards Allah, self-discipline, and becoming spiritually stronger. Fasting helps create a community of those who are grateful and are put in the shoes of someone who is less fortunate. This provides a thankful and appreciative group of people who now know the pain and hunger many go through for days to years.

Question 39

Hijab

Answer 39

Hijab is a head covering most commonly worn by women and is a sign of modesty towards God. And though it is not a requirement, many believe God has instructed women to wear them. Hijabs come in many different styles, colors, and shapes, and truly depend on your culture, country, and beliefs.

Question 40

Sunni

Answer 40

Elect or choose someone named Abu Bakr to be president. He is not related to Muhammad but a good friend. This would lead them more politically, not revising Islam. The majority of people who identify as Muslims identify as Sunnis.

Question 41

Shia

Answer 41

Shia have a leader who is related to Muhammad. Their name is Ali ibn Abi Talib. Shia Muslims see Ali as the second most important Islam idea, not just a political leader but a religious leader. Still, religious authority after Muhammed’s death. You don’t have to wait for a prophet, even a scholar can interpret the Quran.

Question 42

Sufism

Answer 42

Separate religion, one can be a Shia or Sunni but also be a Sufi; they cross over.
Mystical form of Islam
A big part of beliefs is a connection with god and expressing personal devotion through performing arts