A cross- cultural comparison on the lives of important religious figures

The Stories of Jesus, Mohammed,Confucius, Baal Shem Tov,

Guru Nanak, and BuddhaBy Jessica Cabrera and Jason Walker

Important Points

• Jesus Christ• Buddha• Confucius• Mohammed• Guru Nanak• Baal Shem Tov

• Who were these men?• Where were they

from?• What age did they

start their ministry?• What time period?• Major civilizations

they influenced?

Jesus Christ

• Born in Bethlehem, Israel

• Grew up in Nazareth• Historical accounts of

Jesus visiting the temple at age 12

• Began formal ministry at 33

Jesus (cont.)

• He was born in human form so that He could die a physical death and take away our sin

• Jesus began to perform miracles and preach a message of repentance in his early thirties.

• He would later die by the hands of his own people and would return to life 3 days later.

Confucius

• Born approximately 1200 years before the time of Christ

• Ministry was during the 1st Shang Dynasty

• Ancestor of a Noble family that included Philosophers

Confucius

• His writings were left with general sub headings to actual real life experiences that encountered. Example. “Good people better themselves when they see a chance and correct whatever faults they have.”

• He was of noble stature at birth, and served as a government official until his mid thirties.

• He began reading and studying more and in his mid fifties he began a fourteen year journey about China’s country side.

• He died at age 73 with a ministry that lasted about 20 years.

Muhammad

• Born in 570 A.D. in Mecca, Saudi Arabia

• Father died before his birth, and mother shortly after.

• Raised by his Uncle from a respected tribe of Quaraysh.

• At age 40 he received his first revelation

Muhammad cont.• One night, while he was

meditating in the Hira cave, the Angel Gabriel came to him and told him to read he responded that he could not

• That revelation continued on for 23yrs and became known as the Quran, which is the exact words revealed by God, thru the Angel Gabriel

• He later died of an illness in 632.

Buddha

• Buddha was born as a royal prince in 624 BC in what was northern India but is now part of Nepal

• A Brahmin seer told the king that the prince would be someone very important

Buddha (cont.)

• It was evident that the boy could be either a great noble man or a great philosopher.

• The boy chose to renounce his nobility and became a father of one the world’s largest religious groups.

• Legend says he went into deep meditation where he received enlightenment, or “connection with the force of life”

• He later died of an illness in his 80’s.

Guru Nanak

• Was born on April 15, 1469 in the Western Punjab village in Talwandi

• At an early age he was friends with Hindu and Muslim children and was inquisitive in the meaning of life

Guru cont.

• At age 30, he went to the river bain for a bath, and didn’t surface the water, people searched everywhere but couldn’t find him

• After 3 days he appeared at the same spot he’d disappeared from

• He had returned with a divine light in his eyes, remaining in a trance for days.

• When finally speaking he said, “There is no Hindu, no Muslim”

• He would then continue to give up his job, and begin travels to deliver the message of God and died of old age in 1539.

Baal Shem Tov

• Born in Okop, Ukraine in 1698

• His father’s last words were to “Fear nothing other than God.”

• As a young kid he would seclude himself from others and talk to God

• During the time he spent as a caretaker of the synagogue he would immerse himself in the mystical teachings of the Kabbalah

Ba’al Shem Tov

• Central to his teachings is the idea that one must worship and adhere to God in all activities, not only in acts of prescribed religious observance but in the affairs of daily life

• He founded the Chassidism movement

• He died of natural causes at the age of 62.

Results of there Ministries

• Jesus’ ministry led to the formulation of the Christian religion which later separated into Catholicism and many different denominations under the Protestant sect.

• Mohammed later was known to be the last prophet from God in order from Abraham to Moses and even including Jesus. The Islam religion is credited to his work.

Results of their MinistriesWhat writings did they leave us?

• Mohammed, Buddha, and Confucius left writings for their followers.

• Jesus, Guru Nanak, and Baal Shem Tov were vocal leaders whose followers carried their messages. The followers from all three leaders would eventually formulate their own scriptures in much later years.

Guru vs. Confucius

• Both were far eastern philosophers who made there travels along the country sides with practicality.

• Confucius had followers as well as Guru Nanak. However Confucius traveled more spreading his knowledge at what would seem random, while Guru Nanak had a meeting place.

Jesus vs. Buddha

• Jesus was of royal lineage linking him to King David of Israel. However his nobility was not acknowledged until after his death.

• Buddha renounced his nobility before committing himself to teaching and understanding the meanings of life.

Coincidence?

• In the stories of Jesus Christ and Mohammed the Angel Gabriel is present

• In the stories of Ba’al Shem Tov and Mohammed they both experience an early loss with parents

• It was foretold that both Jesus and Buddha would be important people

• Most of these people experienced death• They all traveled in search of a deeper meaning of life, and

helped the poor along the way.• Both Ba’al Shem Tov and Jesus were known as healers

Similarities

• All except for Jesus gave up their normal lives and got deeper into their religion

• They all included fasting in their lives

• All have followers who are present today.

Conclusion

• What are some observations as to the age of the leaders when they started their ministries?

• What are some observations about the deaths either natural, or brutal?

• At his death Guru Nanak said, “You place flowers on either side, Hindus on my right, Muslims on my left. Those whose flowers remain fresh tomorrow will have their way.” What does this quote mean to you?