The term cultural differences is part of hot-shot vocabulary used in present era. It is directly related to cultural diversity. It means the variety of cultures or human societies in the whole wide world. It also refers to people belonging to different cultures respect each other’s cultures and values. The whole world is like an eco-system of diverse religions and cultures. Looking at world statistics, we find that there are nearly 4200 religions lead by Christianity and Islam on the top two positions. People follow different religions and thus, have different cultural values which further results in unique personalities.

Christian guy

A person who calls himself a Christian falls under the broad category of approximately 2.1 billion people like him i.e. he is a follower of Christianity and believes in the teaching of Lord Jesus of Nazareth.

Muslim girl

Likewise, a Muslim girl is a person who believes in the teachings of Prophet Mohammad. She is one of 1.3 billion people moving on the same path of Islam.

Christian Guy V Muslim Girl

Religious Differences

In this article we shall look at the differences between a Christian guy and a Muslim girl as they follow different religions and practice different customs.

Religious following

A Christian boy believes in the Old and New Testament as the Holy Word of God. He follows the word of the trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy spirit. For him, Jesus Christ is high on the pedestal of God. He is the saviour of mankind.

Whereas, a Muslim girl believes in the Quran as the Holy Word of God. She follows the Word of one god only. For her, Jesus Christ is only a prophet or a miracle-worker in the line of Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses. He lived and died in the same way as his kin. Prophet Mohammad is considered the final messenger, the ultimate above all existent before and after him.

Difference in value-systems

Both Christians and Muslims believe in the concept of austerity in actions and beliefs. Both are adamant in their respective ways of life. For instance, Christians don’t have any set pattern for fasting. But Muslims strictly follow fasting during the holy month of Ramzan every year. The concept of fasting is meant as a way to repent for the wrong doings done deliberately or by mistake.

Concept of Salvation

Christians believe that all humans are doomed with the original sin from the time of their birth. The punishment levied upon Adam and Eve stands as an equal liability on all men and women in contemporary times also. No man has the ability to atone for his sins. The immeasurable gift of God’s mercy is the only way of salvation.

While, Muslims believe that humans are born with their minds like clean slates-‘a tabula-rasa’. Their good and wrong deeds are imprinted on this slate through the course of their lives. There is no ‘Jesus’ figure to pay for the sins committed by the Muslims and there is no assurance of salvation in Islam.

Conclusion

Despite all the differences in belief systems, a Christian boy and a Muslim girl are equal in the eyes of God and hence should be equal in the eyes of world also. Individual differences make persons, communities, nations and continents diverse and beautiful. But, let’s remember that we all have evolved as humans from the same singular cells. So, basically we all are same. It wouldn’t be inappropriate to quote some lines from a verse by James Kirkup- ‘No men are strange, no countries foreign; Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes…”