Young Druze/ Professionals

INTRODUCTION
ISLAM
CHRISTIANITY
JUDAISM
HINDUISM
THE GREEKS
EPILOGUE
GLOSSARY
BIBLIOGRAPHY

What is the Druze's evaluation of Christianity ?

The answer to this question is quite special. The Druze believe in Jesus
and his four disciples, who wrote the Gospels. According to their
classification Christ is the Greatest Imam and the incarnation of Ultimate
Reason (Akl) on earth and the first cosmic principle (Hadd). He is directly
second to God. His four disciples are considered as the four cosmic
principles (Houdoud). The Gospels are Holy Books. With Christianity, the
development of Monotheism was decisive. God promised the Christians the
salvation of the tortured souls, and made it clear that Jesus had come to
lead his followers to the safety shore. As for the crucifixion of Jesus,
the Druze believe that he was not crucified but another person who
resembles him was crucified in his place. Such a belief may seem very queer
to a traditional Christian, but we have to remember that the Druze follow
also the koranic verses and the Koran made it clear that Jesus Christ was
not crucified. Nevertheless, the Druze maintain a great value to the
meaning of sacrifice. John the Baptist is considered next to Jesus and he
personifies the Ultimate Sacrifice.
One of the Druze manuscripts reveals a fascinating idea by mentioning that
Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one identity. This idea is very near to the
concept of the sacred Trinity in Christianity. The Druze's manner of
thinking enabled them to accept the idea of the all in one. The diluted
pantheism of their faith leads to such a conclusion.
Another remark that shows a close relation with Christianity is the Druze
refutation to polygamy unlike the traditional Muslim sects. It is true that
the Druze refer to their refutation to certain Koranic verses, but their
attitude gives them a special character and brings them close to the
Christian opinion about marriage. What is more remarkable about the Druze
with respect to the matter is the adoption of Monasticism by some Druze
Sheikhs. This conduct is highly praised in the Druze community and it is
considered as the highest degree of chastity. A sheikh may ask his fiancée
to agree to marry him without conjugal relations, and there are many cases
in which a Druze priest has remained single for all his life. Sex is not an
aim in itself; it is only stressed for the sake of reproduction. A part of
that sex maybe considered as a sin. Such a belief proves beyond doubt that
the Druze have inherited much of the Christian dogmatic with respect to
marriage and to the sincere mutual relations between man and woman. The
general outlook on marriage in the Druze community is quite similar to that
of the Christians and has the same pious spirit.