Long,+Maggie


 * __Maggie Long’s Final Draft__**

Different beliefs about worship
 * __My topic:__**

How do people worship in different ways?
 * __Research question:__**

I am exploring this topic because many different religions have different beliefs in “higher powers” and they all worship that “higher power” in different ways. I would like to find out some of those ways to further expand my knowledge on the religions. Since different religions have different ways of worshiping the higher powers, then that makes each religion one of a kind and separate from other religions like that one. If many religions worship the same god, then why would they worship the god in different ways? Well, many people believe that the God deserves to be worshiped in different ways and different religions want to give the God the highest form of worship they can.
 * __Introduction to topic:__**


 * __Interpretation and Analysis:__**

I chose to put this picture up because I feel it really shows you how the religion works. God is standing on the highest step, while everyone around him is looking at him and praying to him because he is higher than them. This is what they do in church also, pray and worship a higher power. In this case, it is God.

//__Christianity__//

Christians believe in God and Jesus. They have their own religious views and most Christians go to church every Sunday and on special occasions like, Christmas, and Easter. The way they worship God is different from the other 2 religions I will be talking about. They go to church and worship there. They have different ceremonies that they perform inside and outside of church. “ Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.” (Acts 4:23-37) This is telling me that even if you do sin and threat the lord that he will forgive and let you praise him and worship him still. The Lord is forgiving and kind to all that worship him correctly, and he does not accept the sinners and people who go against him. God lets the servants speak his word, even though they sinned against him. God knows that they will speak his word with boldness and with power in their voices.

I chose this picture because I would like to examine Judaism more, to really get a feel for the religion and truly understand the religion better. The lenses in this picture are magnifying the page in the Torah to look at them closer and study the book with more insight.

//__Judaism__//

Judaism is a little bit different from Christianity. Judaism also believes in a higher power. They believe in God. That is what they praise and pray to. Instead of going to a church however, they go to a Synagogue or a temple to pray and worship. The Jews have the Torah, as their sacred text. “A sign of respect for the day during which God rested after having completed the Creation in six days” (Exodus 20:8-11) This quote is talking about the Sabbath and how people worship God on that day for all he has done. The Sabbath is a traditional day set for worshiping and for praying to God. They eat a meal and say prayers at that dinner. Usually, the Sabbath is on a Saturday because when God completed the creation in six days, he rested on the 7th day. This is one way of worshiping the God. Another way would be to go to the Synagogue and pray there.

Comparison: Judaism is a little bit different from Christianity because they have different ways of worshiping the God. Some are the same though, they both go to a designated prayer place to worship the God. They both believe in God, which is sort of connecting the two religions together. Christians can also celebrate the Sabbath, but they usually do it on Sundays instead of Saturdays. I feel that these two religions basically have the same faith and are very closely related to each other.



The reason I chose this picture is because when many different people worship the Buddha, they offer something to him like, flowers, fruit, incense, and sometimes a candle. The pieces of flowers falling in the background represent these offerings to the Buddha. The Buddha has a bindi in the middle of her forehead in this picture. The Buddha was focusing her faith in the center of her mind and making sure it is he only thing she is focused on at that moment.

//__ Buddhism __//

Buddhism is a very different religion compared to Judaism, and Christianity. When people go to pray to the Buddha, they offer stuff to give to the Buddha as gifts. These include, flowers, fruit, incense, and sometimes a candle. A monk of nun would use the shrines to focus their meditation and to be reminded of the Buddha’s teachings. The shrines are to be used in that way, however some people use them to make sure they have a good afterlife and rebirth. “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.” (Sutras). This shows me that the monks and people that praise the Buddha are really thankful for what they have and are conservative and really know what they are praying to. Their faith is very strong and the community that they have is very close and thankful.

Comparison: Buddhism is very different from Judaism because the faith that the Buddhist have for the shrines are powerful and fulfilling to them. In Judaism, the faith in the God is like the faith to the shrines for a Buddha.

Buddhism and Christianity: Christianity does not seem to be very loose, as the religion seems to be to me. Buddhism is more of a, whatever you believe in is correct and you praise to any Buddha of your choice. But Christianity is more strict on what you believe in and you have to pray to God.

Reflection: I learned a lot from this benchmark. I think I know the religions a little bit more than I already did. I didn't know a lot about Buddhism until I read the sources and the book.

Bibliography: Adler, Cyrus. "Articles of faith." // The Jewish Virtual Library //. The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, 1-1-2001. Web. 2 Dec 2010. .

Rich, Tracy. "What do Jews believe?." // Judaism 101 //. Judaism 101, 1-1-2001. Web. 2 Dec 2010. .

Shafran, Avi. "Articles of faith." // Torah.org //. Project Genisis, 2007. Web. 3 Dec 2010. .

Sherbondy, Robert. "What is Christian faith?."// Christianity and what is good forever //. N.p., 29-11-2010. Web. 1 Dec 2010. .

Buddha Mind." // Buddha Mind //. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Dec 2010. .

Hai, Yin. "Two Distinctive Characteristics of Buddhism." // Teaches in Chinese Buddhism //. Buddha Dharma Education Association, 10-5-1996. Web. 2 Dec 2010. .