Mesopotamia Where it all starts

Ancient Mesopotamia

Modern day Mesopotamia One Land… Three Paths Sacred Lands for World’s largest religions—Muslim, Judaism, Christianity Majority of world’s conflicts attributed to these faiths Foundations of all three very similar

Commonalities One God Adam and Eve Abraham The Abraham Story divides and unites the religions Muslims/Christians/Jews agree that God told Abraham to go to Palestine and that it would be his

Judaism/Torah (Old Testament of The Bible) Judaism: Abraham migrates from Mesopotamia to Jerusalem. God gives Abraham and his wife a son when Abraham is 99. The son is named Isaac. Isaac, through his son Jacob, is the founder of Judaism. God promised Abraham that through his sons all the nations of the world would come to be blessed

Islam/The Koran Abraham migrates from Mesopotamia to Jerusalem, and finally to Mecca. Abraham and his wife are unable to have a child, so his wife lends him her maid. The son is named Ishmael. Abraham is considered a prophet of Islam.

The Holy Lands Bethlehem Jerusalem Mecca Jerusalem remains the most contested city on earth, having fallen to invading forces more than 20 times throughout its recorded history. The land to which God sent Abraham some 4,000 years ago lies at the very crossroads of three continents. It is also holy to three religions.

Prophets Judaism: Awaiting the arrival of the Messiah. Believe Christ to be a prophet, not the Messiah. Believe in a descendant of King David who will rule Israel during the age of perfection. (Still waiting)

Prophets Christianity Christians believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, sent to provide salvation. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and lived in Jerusalem

Prophets Islam Muslims believe Muhammad (a descendant of Abraham) to be the prophet

Whose Land Is It?

Judaism/Jerusalem Dome of the rock Moses led Isralites from Egypt (slavery) to Jerusalem. David (God’s Chosen) made Jerusalem his capital and moved the Ark of the Covenant (10 commandments) there Dome of the rock

Christianity/Bethlehem Bethlehem/Jesus Birthplace

Islam/Mecca Muhammad proclaimed Islam in this city Ishmael’s descendents from Mecca

The Holy Wars

Crusades Goal was for Christians to recapture the Holy Lands/Jerusalem from Muslims The Crusaders conquered Jerusalem in 1099 but failed to secure the Holy Land, and they were driven out by the late thirteenth century

Modern Israel/Palestine After WWII Palestine is claimed as the Jewish state of Israel Jews settled in Palestine and felt the land was theirs Muslims were outraged because they felt the land was theirs (remember Abraham migrated to Jerusalem and then Mecca).

Modern Gaza

Intifadeh The First Intifadeh An uprising of Muslim Palestinians against Israelis that involved sticks/stones against the Israeli modern army.

Second Intifadeh Violent methods to further the goals of the original – suicide bombings are a common method of attack.

Future Goals