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Miracles In Different Religions

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Miracles in Different Religions
As of 2010, nearly 80% of Americans believe in miracles (“Do You Believe in Miracles? Most Americans Do”). They are considered an important factor of faith in many religions. While many may claim that these wonders are nothing but mythical stories that contain all elements that classify a piece of literature as a fantasy (Aichele), they serve as a basis of belief for millions of people around the world including Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
The world’s largest and most popular religion, Christianity, revolves around one man who is believed to have performed several miracles, Jesus Christ. Claimed to be “son of God,” Jesus was born near Jerusalem to the Virgin Mary. When Jesus reached the age of 30, a prophet by the name of John the Baptist appeared in Jesus’ town and called people to the truth. As Jesus approached John to get baptized, John “recognized in him [Jesus] the Messiah whose coming he had foretold” (“Jesus …show more content…

Jews believe that in 175 BCE, Antiochus, a Syrian King, “forced all Jews to give up their religious beliefs” (Winkler). Furthermore, Jewish temples were seized and the books therein were burned while idols of Greek gods were placed inside. When compelled to prostrate to a Greek idol, Mattathias, an elderly Jewish man, fled to the hills above Israel with a group of fellow Jews. Mattathias and the Jews fought the Syrians for 3 years until they finally gained their victory and were able to return to their homeland and temple. In rejoice, they decided to light the menorah (a candleholder) in the temple to rededicate it to God but were only able to find enough oil to light the candles for one day. However, mysteriously, the oil burned for 8 days. This occurrence marks a major celebration in the Jewish religion and is known as Hanukkah, literally meaning “dedication” in Hebrew, once again showing the significance of miracle in a widespread

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