World Religions
By Rachel Crutchfield
Christianity
Judaism
Hinduism
Buddhism
Buddhism (polytheistic) goes beyond religion and is more of a philosophy or 'way of life'. Buddhists sometimes pay respect to images of the Buddha, not in worship, nor to ask for favors. A statue of the Buddha with hands rested gently in its lap and a compassionate smile reminds us to strive to develop peace and love within ourselves. Bowing to the statue is an expression of gratitude for the teaching. The Four Noble Truths comprise the essence of Buddha's teachings, though they leave much left unexplained. They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.
Islam
Islam is based on the ministry of a man named Muhammad (peace be upon him), and on the words that Allah gave to the world through Muhammad. The basic belief of Islam is that there is only one God(monotheistic) , whose name in the Arabic language is Allah, and who is the sole and sovereign ruler of the universe. The Muslim scripture is the Holy Qur'an. The Muslim building for communal worship is called a mosque. Dhu Al-Hijja is the month of pilgrimage during which all Muslims, at least once in their life, should try to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.