The world has always been a melting pot of beliefs, but now more than ever, your neighbor may be part of a differing world religion. the truths of christianity are compared in key life beliefs to Buddhism, hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and tribal religion. A most helpful tool in answering questions you or seekers have about other religious beliefs. And a handy overview for sharing your faith with others. Formerly titled The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error II. STEVEN CORY is a former academic editor for Moody Publishers. He is co-author of the pamphlet Comparing Christianity with World Religions . DILLON BURROUGHS (B.A., Indiana State University; Th.M., Dallas Theological Seminary) serves as a professor of youth and culture at Tennessee Temple University. He has co-authored a number of books, including Comparing Christianity with World Religions and Comparing Christianity with the Cults and he is the author of Generation Hex and The Middle East Meltdown. Burroughs lives in Tennessee with his wife and children. Comparing Christianity with World Religions By Steven Cory Dillon Burroughs Moody Publishers Copyright © 2007 The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago All right reserved. ISBN: 978-0-8024-8213-6 Chapter One Judaism Salvation and the Afterlife One's eternal existence in the afterlife is determined by actions and attitudes. Although different from the Christian belief of saving grace, Judaism teaches that God always offers even the most evil person the possibility of repentance (teshuva) . After such repentance one can atone for one's rebellion against God's ways by positive action. Traditional Judaism does not highly emphasize the ideas of personal salvation and heavenly existence. Many Jews criticize Christianity for being a "selfish" religion, too concerned with personal eternal rewards. Jews continue to anticipate the coming of the Messiah. This Messiah will hand out eternal judgment and reward to all. This hope is largely communal. All Jewish people and the entire creation are in view more than the individual. In the end, the moral lives of people on earth are considered the most proper concerns of humanity. Final judgments are left for God. Morals Torah ("to point the way, give direction"), often translated "law," refers in Judaism to a complete pattern of behavior, applicable to all aspects of communal and individual life. It is to be found in the Old Testament as well as in a wide variety of oral traditions, rituals, ceremonies, stories, and commentaries on Scripture. Jews have often tried to develop rules of behavior to cover each situation encountered in their various cultures. Thus a gigantic literature covering codes of conduct has arisen. From time to time movements have emerged that have tried to cut through those rules and get back to the original meaning of Torah , though legalism has been a perennial emphasis of Judaism. Most Jewish morality is related primarily to the good of the community. The Jewish prophets were early strong proponents of social justice in the ancient world. Concern for economic justice continues to remain an integral part of Judaism. Physical possessions are not considered bad in themselves. Even the prophets did not denounce wealth itself but wanted a greater equality among members of the community. Marriage and children are held in high regard in Judaism. Singleness is generally viewed negatively even for religious leaders (though exceptions exist among Jewish prophets), and much time is spent teaching children the precepts of the faith. Education continues to be a strong value within most Jewish communities. Worship Ritual and ceremony remain important within Judaism. Life is sacred and to be shared with God. Jewish writings say that to eat or drink without praying is like robbing God of His property, The Jewish calendar includes a full range of daily, weekly, and yearly celebrations, based both on the Torah and additional Jewish writings. A major part of scheduled celebrations is the remembrance of spiritual history. Both biblical and extrabiblical stories relating God's deliverance of Israel are retold countless times. Devout Jews observe a regular weekly Sabbath day of rest in reverence to God's law to rest on the seventh day as described in the Torah. Islam Salvation and the Afterlife The Koran rejects the belief of redemption. Salvation depends on a man's actions and attitudes. However, tauba ("repentance") can quickly turn an evil man toward the virtue that will save him. Islam does not hold out the possibility of salvation through the work of God but invites man to accept God's guidance. The final judgment day is described in remarkable terms. On that last day every person will account for what they have done. Eternal existence will be determined on the basis of those actions: "Every man's actions have we hung around his neck, and on the last day shall be laid before him a wide-op