Bangah, Ezekiel Meego B.

BS BIO 3A

Answer the ff QUESTIONS comprehensively.10 points each.

1. The bible is one influential book in the history of mankind. What are some of the
influences of the bible to humanity? Prove your answer whether these influences are still
felt and followed in modern time.
• The Bible is a living book, it has the ability to penetrate the spirit and soul and thoughts
and intents of the hearts of those who read it. This means that the bible has the power to influence
those who read it. The gain faith and belief in God and Christianity and with that, they try to follow
God's teachings. They try to do well and they try to help people. They then spread their faith and
gain more people. This has been true for the past years and decades. It has affected humanity
greatly. The Bible is the foundation of morality in the society. This means that because of the
teachings of God that people try to follow, the morality that they gain with it also becomes the
foundation that our very own society has been built upon. It also has a lot of influences on
humanity’s literature through classic books and stories (Moby Dick). There’s also the influence of
the bible in film. Many movies have been made that are meant to showcase the faith and belief of
people in God (The Passion of Christ). There’s also the influence in art, many artist throughout
history painted artworks that are influenced by faith (The Last Supper).
2. Science and God are opposed, right? Isn't faith just irrational and emotive?
They are opposed in the way that they have conflict when it comes to the explanation of
things like on how the world originated (Creation vs. Big Bang). Religion and by extension, faith
are fundamentally incompatible with science. They disagree profoundly on how we obtain
knowledge of the world. Science is based observation and reasoning from observation. Religion
assumes that human beings can access a deeper level of information that is not available by either
observation or reason.
Faith isn’t “just irrational and emotive”, although when redundant it can become like that,
it isn’t what it should be judged on. You can argue that faith interferes with reason when it comes
to factual discussions and such, and you’d be right, but having faith in something can be helpful.
Faith allows one to believe something without proof. Faith is the basis of all reality. Every human
being places faith on some object or another. Some may place faith on information from
senses/experiences, others may place faith on logical reasoning, while others may place faith in
the word of others. All knowledge we gain, and thus what constitutes out reality is based on where
we place our faith. Atheists place their faith on science and scientific theory as well as logical
reasoning while theists place their faith on others.
3. Who created the bible?
There are many claims on who wrote the Holy Bible. The bible is a large text, it is believed
that many people wrote different parts. One of them is that God wrote it, religious doctrine, holds
the claim that God himself is the author of or at least the inspiration for the entirety of the Bible,
which was transcribed by a series of humble vessels. Another author is Moses, he is the prophet
who leads Israel from slavery in Egypt to the edge of the Promised Land. He also wrote about 20%
of your Bible. Of all the Old Testament prophets, nobody’s like Moses. Moses is a Hebrew born
in Egypt and raised in Pharaoh’s house. There's more authors who wrote differnet parts of the
bible, like Ezra, Nehemiah, David, Solomon, Asaph and Family, The Sons of Korah, Heman, Agur,
Lemuel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk,
Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, Matthew/Levi, John Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James,
Peter, and Jude.
4. As a literary work, cite some effects of literary interpretations of the bible.
The Bible is a literary book. Most of it is embodied in the genres of narrative, poetry,
letters, and visionary writing. Dozens of smaller genres accumulate under those big rubrics. There
are many pieces of literature that have been influenced by the bible, or even directly interpreted
the bible. The Holy Bible’s influence extends also to the language we speak, the laws we uphold,
the names we have been given, the metaphors we use and the similes we employ for emphasis in
our daily communications. To this day, we continue to hear biblical phrases like: “My brother’s
keeper” (Genesis 4:9). “The salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). “A law unto themselves” (Romans
2:14, King James Version). “The powers that be” (Romans 13:1, KJV). “Filthy lucre” (1 Timothy
3:3, KJV). “Fight the good fight” (1 Timothy 6:12) and many, many more. The literature of the
Bible, encompassing the Old and New Testaments and various non-canonical works, has played a
special role in the history, culture and literature of the world and has itself become the subject of
intensive critical study. This field of scholarship, including exegesis (critical interpretation) and
hermeneutics (the science of interpretive principles), has assumed an important place of the Bible
especially in the field of literature. An example of a piece of literature inspired by the bible is
Paradise Lost by John Milton. The Garden of Eden is only a small part of the biblical creation
story in Milton's epic poem; the majority of the action takes place in the far reaches of the heavenly
(and hellish) realms, where we meet the angel Lucifer, who would rebel his way into becoming
Satan. Strangely enough, Paradise Lost may leave you having more sympathy for the devil than
anyone else in the narrative.
5. What are the similarities of the bible and the Qur'an?
• They share general similar events, but complete different specifics. The whole
framework in terms of theology is different. Both religions revere the early prophets including
Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Joseph, John the Baptist and even Jesus (Peace be upon them.).
Christians are familiar with the Bible, but Muslims also believe the Bible to be Holy Scripture
insofar as it is translated correctly and does not contradict the Quran. Both religions that are from
the book are monotheistic. Both Muslims and Christians believe that practicing their faith is
good for them personally now, creates peace and harmony among people, and brings blessings in
the life after mortality. People of both faiths believe in similar rules given by God for all people
and obeying them keeps humankind in a right relationship with God. Both Quran and Bible have
mentioned Jesus and have talked about him while at the same time highlighting his significant
influence in the current world and the world to come. It is clear that both Bible and Quran call
refers to Jesus as ‘Christ’ whom God sent to Israel. Additionally, both religious books note that
Jesus was born of a virgin woman and that she ascended to heaven and will come again to earth
at the end of time. Both bible and Quran have a significant relationship concerning their
constituents. Both texts contain information that guides the followers on matters doctrine, the
social organization of the society highlighting what each member of the community ought to do,
and legislation concerning various issues. It is worth noting that the legislation or laws
underscored in both texts indicate what should be done to a person who conducts a particular
offense. Both Quran and Bible highlight sacred scriptures that inform their readers to believe in
God who is the creator of heaven and earth. According to the two holy books, God is the creator
of each, and therefore all people should worship and believe in Him because He is the owner and
giver of life. Additionally, on the Day of Judgment, God will call everybody to account for his or
her sins upon which punishment will be rendered to all the sinners. Both the Quran and the Bible
have highlighted specific commandments that all those who believe in God are supposed to
adhere and follow to the letter. However, some people through acts of omission or commission
ends up committing actions that can be defined to be contrary to what God expects. However, if
a person acknowledges his or her sins will be forgiven because God has mercy and loves His
people who are His creation. Both sacred books are very similar in their compositions. Although
they are not referred to with the same names, both the Bible and the Quran have a certain number
of books, which are divided into chapters and the chapters are divided into verses. It is worth
noting that each section has its message and it is believed that the books, which form the Bible
and Quran, were written at different historical times.

6. What are some of the traditions mentioned in the Quran that have greatly influenced the
Muslims?
• There’s the 5 pillars of Islam which is the core beliefs and practices of Islam. The Qur’an
is the central religious text used by most Muslims to guide their prayer rituals, worship services,
and family traditions. The religious practice of Islam, which literally means "to submit to God",
is based on tenets that are known as the Five Pillars, arkan, to which all members of the Islamic
community, Umma, should adhere. The first pillar is the Profession of Faith (shahada). The belief
that "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God" is central to Islam. This
phrase, written in Arabic, is often prominently featured in architecture and a range of objects,
including the Qur'an, Islam's holy book of divine revelations. One becomes a Muslim by reciting
this phrase with conviction. The 2nd pillar is Prayer (salat). Muslims pray facing Mecca five times
a day: at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and after dark. Prayer includes a recitation of the
opening chapter (sura) of the Qur'an, and is sometimes performed on a small rug or mat used
expressly for this purpose. Muslims can pray individually at any location or together in a mosque,
where a leader in prayer (imam) guides the congregation. Men gather in the mosque for the
noonday prayer on Friday; women are welcome but not obliged to participate. After the prayer, a
sermon focuses on a passage from the Qur'an, followed by prayers by the imam and a discussion
of a particular religious topic. The 3rd pillar is Alms (zakat). In accordance with Islamic law,
Muslims donate a fixed portion of their income to community members in need. Many rulers and
wealthy Muslims build mosques, drinking fountains, hospitals, schools, and other institutions both
as a religious duty and to secure the blessings associated with charity. The 4th pillar is Fasting
(sawm). During the daylight hours of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, all healthy
adult Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink. Through this temporary deprivation,
they renew their awareness of and gratitude for everything God has provided in their lives—
including the Qur'an, which was first revealed during this month. During Ramadan they share the
hunger and thirst of the needy as a reminder of the religious duty to help those less fortunate. The
5th pillar is Pilgrimage (hajj). Every Muslim whose health and finances permit it must make at
least one visit to the holy city of Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia. The Ka'ba, a cubical structure
covered in black embroidered hangings, is at the center of the Haram Mosque in Mecca. Muslims
believe that it is the house Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) built for God, and face in its direction
(qibla) when they pray. Since the time of the Prophet Muhammad, believers from all over the
world have gathered around the Ka'ba in Mecca on the eighth and twelfth days of the final month
of the Islamic calendar.
Most Muslims believe marriage is a fundamental building block of life. Marriage is a
contract between a man and woman to live together as husband and wife. The marriage contract is
called a “nikah”. Marriage is mentioned many times in the Qur'an, which Muslims believe is the
word of God, as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, and therefore, they follow its teachings on
marriage. Every adult Muslim physically and financially able is expected to perform the duty of
the pilgrimage (Hajj) at least once in his/her lifetime. Just as five times each day Muslims
throughout the world are united as they face Mecca in worship, so each year many travel physically
to Mecca, sacred city of Islam, where they have traveled spiritually. The equality of the pilgrimage
is symbolized by exchanging one's ordinary clothing for the ihram, a white, seamless garment.
Islam, then, provides its followers with an integrated, holistic way of life which was revealed by
the God of Abraham, Isaac, Moses, and Jesus to Muhammad one final time and which was
subsequently recorded in the Quran. As believers in the same God and as children of Abraham,
Jews, Christians, and Muslims share more than a common geographic origin in the Middle East.
Their challenge today is to understand better this common religious heritage and to draw closer
not only as individuals but as communities of believers who face many similar problems in the
modern world and who possess a unifying goal—world peace and justice.