Messianism
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Messianism is any field of philosophy which concerns itself with the interpretations of stories about a world hero or the establishment of a Utopian world. The four most common topics of messianism are the Messiah, the Saoshyant, the Maitreya, and the Kalki found in Christianity, Judaic adventism/Zionism and Islam, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Hinduism respectively, though Marxism and many other fields also present messianisms.
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[edit] Christianity
Christianity derives from the Greek, meaning "a follower of Messiah". Such followers were originally Jewish and recognized the fulfillment of the Biblical prophecies given in Scripture. Jewish thought believed basically in two great Messiahs that would come. These early Christians, however, recognized these two Messiahs came as one person (who would suffer for the sins of the people but also return to rule as king of the world). They believed that the Christian Messiah, Jesus, came as God in the flesh, to save man, where man could not save himself.
[edit] Polish
Romantic Slavic messianism, arguing that Slavs (or specific nations, like Poland) are being hurt (crucified) in order for other Europan nations to be eventually saved. This theme is visible in the works of Polish famous poet, Adam Mickiewicz, and his famous quote Polska Chrystusem narodów (Poland - Christ of the nations). See also [1]
[edit] Judaism
Orthodox Judaism and Conservative Judaism anticipate the arrival of the prophetic Jewish Messiah.
Various Jewish Messiah claimants have been part of Jewish history over the milleniam, most recently a movement centered around Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Hope for the imminent arrival of the Messiah has been a traditional motivator of Jewish religious fervor. (See: Chabad messianism.)
[edit] Zionism
In secular Zionist messianism, the state and army are the people's salvation and change of event is brought upon by human action. Secular Zionism is an existentialist form of messianism where material needs of the people are addressed through practical and realistic solutions.[citation needed]
Religious Zionism regards the return of the Jewish people to Israel as a prelude or precursor to a Messiah and Messianic era conceived in traditional religious terms.
[edit] Islam
In Islamic messianism, Jesus of Nazareth is considered a prophet, and the true Messiah. It is narrated in the traditions of Prophet Muhammad that during the end-times Jesus will descend from the heaven, and along with Mahdi, he will remove the problems of the world. (See Qiyamah).
[edit] Adventism
Adventist messianism is a feature of Quaker-Judaism (Chareidi), some Christian movements and Islam where the state of the world is recognised as hopelessly flawed beyond normal human powers of correction and the necessity of divine intervention through a specially selected and supported human is recognised as needed. Adventism usually takes a literal interpretation of scriptures and expects the specially selected human to be accompanied by unmistakeable miraculous signs.
[edit] Universal Messianism
(Messianic Universalism) The belief in the Universal oneness of all of God’s creations, existing as one single Universal family, descending from one Source, each creation created fairly through God’s equal love and through God's intentions of creating and sustaining life for a good eternal purpose of living to Messianicly serve God, by protecting good and purging evil from the Universe, in advancement towards a greater Universe of Universal equality, unity, liberty, purity and security and in fulfillment of eternal destiny.
[edit] Other forms
Other forms include Humanitism, a type of social solidarity; and New Age Messianism where idiosyncratic leaders of small groups claim a role similar to or identical with the prophetic Messiah.
