Religions in the Modern World - Essay Example

Your 1) 2) 3) 4) Religions in the Modern world In his desperate search for a reason to hope, for a reason to believe in a better life now and in the hereafter, man has for time immemorial made recourse to the guidance of a supreme being. He has expressed his belief in this being through diverse forms of worship known as religions. Antiquity had its religions. No period in human history has probably ever witnessed a boom in religions like the modern era. There has been the birth of thousands of religions in the last century, each religion vying for adepts. In an analysis of the number of adherents of the major religions of the contemporary world, the Religious Tolerance website makes allusion to David Barret et al, editors of the "World Christian Encyclopedia". According to the editors' Comparative survey of churches and religions AD 30 to 2200, "there are 19 major world religions which are subdivided into a total of 270 large religious groups, and many smaller ones. 34,000 separate Christian groups have been identified in the world." According to the same web source, Christianity has the largest (but declining) membership, be it 2,039 million adherents. Islam follows trail with 1,226 million adepts and is a growing religion. Judaism counts 14 million members world wide. Wicca is the smallest religion with only 0, 5 million members. It is interesting to note that the source informs of 775 million persons with no religion. It may not be an overstatement to say that aside Christianity and Islam no other religion has ever attained the degree of fame Judaism has attained, especially in the last century and more so in the last two decades. This is certainly because Judaism is linked to the Jewish nation. This nation has been the object of several controversies. She is the hot pot of political tensions in the Middle East. The Jews or the Israelites believe in their divine right to the land of Palestine. The United Nations (UN) and the Zionists created the state of Israel on 29.11.1947 (E:/theorcracywatch.org/Christian_zionism_israel_forms.htm) Your last name 2. Peace has never existed between the Israelis and the Palestinians since that date. But the Israeli determination to ensure their sovereignty is more than firm. The source of this unshakeable resolve to ensure their autonomy, aside being backed by the constant support of the Zionist is rooted in the historical background of the Jews presented in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. In one of his works, Professor S. D. Kunin of the Department of Theology and Religion of the University of Durham wrote; "The biblical depiction of God's promise of the land clearly provided a strong religious and emotional tie to specific geographical location, and continues to provide political and religious motivations for many Zionists" (Kunin). It is interesting to discover the link between religion, sovereignty and territory. The biblical depiction mentioned by Kunin is embedded in what is known as the covenant myth. The rediscovery of this myth in the last two decades by the Jews has added more force to the emotional, religious and political ties mentioned by Kunin. Due to this discovery, the Zionists have had more reason to affirm the right of the Jewish nation to be situated where it is today. A criticism of Kunin's statement would necessitate an eminent discussion of the covenant myth and its rediscovery as well as the role of the Zionists in the Jewish nation before any judgement can be made of the merits of that assertion. Judaism, Jewish politics, Jewish social life and culture all draw their origins and inspirations from the old Testament of the Bible. It probably started with the covenant God made with Abraham. (Genesis 12.) Daniel J. Elazar, explaining the rediscovery of the covenant myth in an article entitled; "Covenant as the Basis of the Jewish Political Tradition" published on the Jerusalem Centre for Political Affairs website states clearly states that, "the covenant is as much a political as a theological phenomenon. Perhaps it is best described as a theo-political phenomenon, especially in its original biblical form" (Elazar, on the Covenant Idea). Elazar goes forward to explain that the Hebrew term brit, which signifies a covenant was "usually meant to be perpetual between parties having independent but not necessarily equal status, that provides for joint action or obligation to achieve defined ends (limited or comprehensive) under conditions of mutual respect, in such a way as to protect the integrity of all parties involved." A simple promise of a line of children and the promise of a land in return for fidelity made by God to Abraham is not enough to explain the Zionist positions of today. A deeper reading of Elazar' Your last name 3. explanation of the covenant idea reveals implicitly that a single covenant made to Abraham had several ramifications as well as (sub) covenants. Abraham was bound to be faithful to God in return for offspring and land for the nation that his children were to constitute. God entered many other agreements and covenants with the patriarchs, the judges, the prophets, the kings, the macabees; all of these agreements had a common denominator; the land. Through the history of a people therefore the battle to remain in a specific geographical location has been a fierce one. The covenant agreement meant that in return for fidelity, the Israelites were to benefit from a land flowing with milk and honey, a land given to them by God himself. Today, a re-examination of the covenant myth (especially through a comprehensive analogy of the term brit) in which is enshrined God's promise of the land has given the Zionists more reason to affirm the territorial integrity of the Jewish nation. It is interesting to note that the Zionists are not only Jews. The 'fiercest' of the Zionists are even the Christian Zionists who are mostly from the western nations. The Christ was a Jew and the book of Revelations sees Jerusalem as the place from where God shall directly exercise kingship on earth (Revelations). Such is a good example of the link between the Christian and the Jews. From the creation of Israel post 1945, western nations especially the United Nations, Britain, Italy have provided constant support for the Jews against their sworn enemies, the Arabs. But who are Zionists and what is Zionism From a lay man's point of view, a Zionist is person who believes, practices and applies all the principles of Zionism. According to an article published on the website on Christian Zionism, "at the 27th Zionist Congress held in Jerusalem in 1968, Zionism was defined in terms of five principles: 1) the unity of the Jewish people and the centrality of Israel in Jewish life; 2) the in-gathering of the Jewish people in its historic homeland, Eretz Israel; 3) the strengthening of the State of Israel; 4) the preservation of the identity of the Jewish people; and 5) the protection of Jewish rights. Your last name 4. According to the same source Christian Zionism is defined as Christian support for Zionism. Still according to the same source, "In Der Judenstaat, published in 1896, Theodor Herzl forcefully articulated the aspirations of Jewish Zionists for their own homeland, although the Zionist dream was largely nurtured and shaped by Christian Zionists long before it was able to inspire widespread Jewish support in the 1940's." In effect the Jewish nation saw its re-birth after the Second World War. The second principle of Zionism emanates from the biblical depiction of God's promise of the land (covenant) and its recent re-examination. Thus the ancient Israelites battled for their land. That battle continues today and is propagated by the Zionists. They may hide behind United Nations (UN) Charters, and Human rights to nurture sympathy for the Jews and their course but the entire truth lies in the covenant. It is this covenant that is the backbone of the struggle of Judaism, of Jewish politics and international support for the land of Israel. It continues to provide emotional, religious and political motivation to impose respect for the territory of Israel. There is an overwhelming amount of evidence to prove that Kunin's statement is true. There are more than 20 Christian Zionist organisations today that continue to fight for the land of Israel. These organisations include; Friends of Israel (PFI); Bridges for Peace (BFP); The American Messianic Fellowship (AMF); The Messianic Jewish Alliance America (MJAA); Jews for Jesus (JFJ); the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary; and the Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ); the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ); the Church's Ministry Among Jewish People, also known as The Israel Trust of the Anglican Church within Israel (CMJ or ITAC); Christian Friends of Israel (CFI); Intercessors For Britain (IFB). The world's greatest superpower, the United States of America (USA) has provided its unflinching support for Israel; the Vatican continues to emit calls for peace in Palestine. The Christian Zionism Defined website Your last name 5. goes ahead to quote Sharif on political Zionism;'...the ideological instrument for mobilizing international support for an exclusively Jewish state in Palestine.' She observes how in 1975, the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 3379 (XXX) defining Zionism as, 'a form of racism and racial discrimination. It was no longer politically correct to view Zionism as merely another national liberation movement, in this case for Jews. According to the same source, "following the passing of U.N. Resolution 242 in protest at Israel's occupation of the West Bank, and Palestinian Jerusalem, when the entire international community closed their embassy's in Jerusalem, the International Christian Embassy moved to Jerusalem expressly to show solidarity with Israel. They and other Christian Zionists believe that the modern State of Israel, and Zionism in general, are divinely mandated, the fulfilment of God's promise to Abraham. 'I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.' (Genesis 12:3) (E:Christian Zionism Defined.htm) The ideas developed above are simply a successful attempt to bear out the veracity of Kunin's statement in the light of the covenant myth and its rediscovery. The facts presented are indubitably true. The political customs of the Jews alongside Judaism find their extraction from the covenant myth in which the promise of the land is rooted. So, Hal Lindsey could assert, 'The centre of the entire prophetic forecast is the State of Israel." Such is a critical analysis of Kunin's words, a statement backed by an arsenal of verifiable facts. The merits of the statement are clearly outlined. The question that poses itself is that of knowing whether in the present context the covenant is still enough to back the claims to specific geographical context. In theory it may be enough but practically, the hardships encountered on the terrain impose the necessity for new negotiations. The debate is open. Your last name 6. Sources The Holy Bible: See Genesis 12, Revelations. Also The books of Exodus, Judges Samuel II, Ezekiel (Version unspecified) Religious Tolerance.org (Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance): "Religions of the World: Number Of Adherents; names of houses of worship; names of leaders; rates of growth " Retrieved 10th April 2008. Christian Zionism: "Christian Zionism Defined"; retrieved 10th April 2008 Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs; Daniel Elazar Papers index, on Jewish Political Thought: "Covenant As the basis of the Jewish Political Tradition.Kinship and Consent, Chapter One (Daniel J. Elazar). 9th April 2008. Theocracy watch.org: Article on The Creation of Israel, 1947: retrieved 10.04.2008 Read More