Introduction:
Every religion is unique in its own way. Jerusalem is considered as the oldest and the holiest place in the history of religions. The city of Jerusalem has been home to a lot of different religions in the past. It is considered a holy place because of three religious dimensions, Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Moreover, it is important to understand that these three different aspects of religion have always had a unique significance in the past. However, there is a hope that the cultural and religious discoveries will help to find a common ground for these three different religious aspects. This city is a fascinating holy site for Christian, Jews, and Muslims. Although this city is also considered a point of the major focus of all the conflicts between Israel and Palestine.
Cultural impact:
Religion is sacred knowledge and it is not always entirely different when you compare all the aspects of three different religions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Every religion holds different qualities and these qualities are the elements that make them different from one another. Every culture has a direct influence on religion which is why religion is a set of rules and teachings that its followers practice according to their own will. The two religions which have more things in common are Christianity and Judaism. They believe in God however there is a difference in how they believe in God. For Christians Jesus was someone who sacrificed his own life for the sake of the Love of God however Jews believe that Jesus is the only prophet. Muslims on the other hand are of the belief that is entirely different and do not worship Jesus. However, all these three religions share a common sacred site, Jerusalem. The culture of this city is different and unique in its very own way and it has always been an influence on the religious aspect of this culture. The flag itself is a sign of integrity and the culture of this city and also reflects the history of this city as a cultural and religious site for three different religions. The relationship between the Jews and the Arabic Muslims is extremely antagonistic which makes it impossible for them to exist together because of all the cultural differences they have. Moreover, the relations within the Christian community are not easy at the same time. The Christians do not believe in reforming their old culture and religious beliefs and they do not strictly follow either of their beliefs.
Religious beliefs over time:
Jerusalem is holy which was really important to the British. The British people were the ones who wanted to make this a capital city. However, over the years, everything has significantly changed and for Muslims, it is a place to practice their religion and the Christians and Jews believe the same. It was never easy for people with three different beliefs and faith to get along a century ago and as time has passed, the Jews are the majority living in this city which was once home to too many people. The Muslims are a minority and they are treated like a lower class race in that city which sums up that as they used to follow and practice religion in the past, Jews do not really have a common ground with either Christians, not the Muslim community. As far as Christians are concerned, the association with a Holy place gives them a sense of inspiration and accomplishment but over the years this place has lost the essence it once had when it came to religious sanctity. Muslims face challenges to survive in a place where they feel like an outsider and not someone who can be themselves and follow their own religion. There were fine religious differences between the Muslims and the Christians. The Muslims had nothing to do with worshiping Jesus let alone considering him a God but on the other hand, Christians believed in all the sacrifices that Jesus made for them and they were determined to follow the pattern of life which was set by Jesus. The religious conflicts were never easy for both the parties to survive in the same city which held religious significance to both religions However after all these years, Muslims are treated as a minority in this city, and Christians on the other hand are the majority which has also effected the change of religious beliefs over the time. The impact of these religious differences was evident all these years and both these religions are pretty much determined to keep following their own religious beliefs as Muslims and Christians.
Impact of Modernism:
Modernity has transformed the city of Jerusalem. It has changed over the course of time in a way no one expected in the past. However, the challenge here is to understand the changes and relate them to the tradition and modern beliefs of the people with different religious aspects. The modernism of the present society has transformed the Jews. The original city had all the historical buildings which were a major attraction for people all around the world. Not only the infrastructure and the construction of the new buildings and the removal of the old ones, but the people also changed their religious beliefs too. The Jewish community is now against Semitism and this is to make sure that the individuals can have a sense of belonging to the city which they once called home. Moreover, the Jews are no longer able to count on their identity which gives them a sense of security. As far as Muslims are concerned, they are not able to practice their religion and being a minority where people are not even afraid to take away their life, the modernism of religion and culture did not turn out well for the Muslims because they are not allowed to practice religion and spirituality which means they have lost the true meaning of who they are and what they wanted to be in the past. All that they believed in is now gone for them and they are struggling every single day because the modern culture did not turn out well for them. Moreover, as far as the Jews are concerned, they need to have a new vision and eye for all the modernism and changes they are facing in the present world. Modernism has completely changed the vision of the holy city of Jerusalem.
Conclusion:
To sum up this discussion, the different aspects of the religion which were a part of Jerusalem have evolved over time. In order to preserve the idea of this city which was once a sacred site for Christians and Muslims there is a lot that needs to be done but at the same time as time is changing it is not as easy as it seems for the people. The current tensions between Israel and Palestine have created a new level of indifferent opinions among the people. Their right to be a part of a free country and practice their religion has been taken away from them. The demand for equal access to all three different religions has created a lot of tension for them and for the rest of the world as well.
