World Religions

**Religion** is any specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life. There are about 4,200 religions in the world.

A religious sect is a group of people with somewhat different religious beliefs (typically regarded as heretical) from those of a larger group to which they belong.

Religion is a dominant force throughout the world, affecting everything from what people wear or eat to how they behave and think.

They have some features in common:

* A sense of community
* A code of behaviour / ethical beliefs
* A set of rituals
* Afterlife beliefs

Categories:

* world religions: transcultural, international faiths;
* indigenous religions: culture-specific or nation-specific religious groups;
* new religious movements: recently developed faiths.
* Folk religion:
	+ “it consists of various forms and expressions of religion that are distinct from the official doctrines and practices of an organized religion.”
	+ “Ethnic or regional religious customs under the umbrella of a religion, but outside official doctrine and practices.”

## Buddhism

Buddhism has influenced Asian religion, society, and culture for over 2,500 years. Today, most Buddhists live in Sri Lanka, East and Southeast Asia, and Japan. Buddhism consists of several different sects. A religious sect is a group within a religion that distinguishes itself by one or more unique beliefs. Buddhists are united in their belief in the Buddha’s teachings, known as the dharma.

Because the Buddha is said to have “set in motion the wheel of the dharma” during his first sermon, his teaching is often symbolized by a wheel. The Buddha taught that the key to happiness was detachment from all worldly goods and desires. This was achieved by following the Noble Eightfold Path, or the Middle Way, a life between earthly desires and extreme forms of self-denial.

Statues of the Buddha appear in shrines throughout Asia. Buddhists strive to follow the Buddha’s teachings through meditation, a form of religious contemplation. They also make offerings at shrines, temples, and monasteries. Those who dedicate their entire life to the teachings of the Buddha are known as Buddhist monks and nuns. In many Buddhist sects, monks are expected to lead a life of poverty, meditation, and study.

One of the most well-known Buddhist scriptures is the *Dhammapada*, or Verses of Righteousness. The book is a collection of sayings on Buddhist practices.

## Christianity

Christianity is the largest religion in the world, with about 2 billion followers. It is based on the life and teachings of Jesus, whom Christians call Christ, or savior. Most Christians are members of one of three major groups: Roman Catholic, Protestant, or Eastern Orthodox. Christianity teaches the existence of only one God. Christians regard Jesus as the son of God. They believe that Jesus entered the world and died to save humanity from sin. The cross, a symbol of the crucifixion of Jesus, represents Jesus’ love for humanity by dying for its sins. Christians believe that they reach salvation by following the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Worshiping as a group is an important part of Christian life. Most Protestant services include praying, singing, and a sermon. Some services include baptism and communion, in which bread and wine are consumed in remembrance of Jesus’ death.

In some Christian churches, the person who performs services in the local church is known as a priest. These priests, like the ministers and clergy in other Christian sects, conduct worship services and preside over marriages and funerals. Monks and nuns also provide leadership and guidance in the Christian church.

The Bible is the most sacred book of the Christian religion. It is divided into two major parts: the Old Testament, which focuses on Jewish history, and the New Testament, which describes the teachings of Jesus Christ.

## Hinduism

Hinduism, one of the world’s oldest surviving religions, is the major religion of India. It also has followers in Indonesia, as well as in parts of Africa, Europe, and the Western Hemisphere. Hinduism is a collection of religious beliefs that developed over thousands of years. Hindus worship several gods, which represent different forms of Brahman. Brahman is the most divine spirit in the Hindu religion. Hinduism, like Buddhism, stresses that persons reach true enlightenment and happiness only after they free themselves from their earthly desires. Followers of Hinduism achieve this goal through worship, the attainment of knowledge, and a lifetime of virtuous acts. The sound “Om,” or “Aum” is the most sacred syllable for Hindus. It often is used in prayers.

Gurus, or spiritual teachers, play a major role in spreading Hindu beliefs. These holy men are believed to have had the gods’ words revealed to them. Brahmin priests are also religious leaders. They take care of the divine images in the temples and read from the sacred books.

Each spring, Hindus in India celebrate the festival of Holi. Originally a harvest festival, Holi also symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. The festival recalls the story of Prince Prahlada, who faced death rather than cease worshiping Vishnu. During this joyous celebration, people dance in the streets and shower each other with colored powder and dyed water.

The Vedas are the oldest Hindu scriptures—and they are older than the sacred writings of any other major religion.

## Islam

Islam is a religion based on the teachings of Muhammad, revered by his followers as the Prophet. Followers of Islam, known as Muslims, believe that God revealed these teachings to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. Muslims are concentrated from southwest to central Asia and parts of Africa. Islam also has many followers in Southeast Asia. Sunni Muslims believe that their leaders should follow Muhammad’s example. Shi’a Muslims believe that their leaders should be Muhammad’s descendants.

Islam teaches the existence of only one God, called Allah in the Arabic language. Muslims believe in all prophets of Judaism and Christianity. They show their devotion by performing lifelong acts of worship known as the Five Pillars of Islam. These include faith, prayer, almsgiving (charity), fasting, and a pilgrimage to Mecca. The crescent moon has become a familiar symbol for Islam. It may be related to the new moon that begins each month in the Islamic lunar calendar, which orders religious life for Muslims. The five points of the star may represent the Five Pillars of Islam.

At least once in their lifetime, all Muslims who are physically and financially able go on hajj, or pilgrimage, to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. There, pilgrims perform several rites, or acts of worship. One rite is walking seven times around the Ka’aba—the house of worship that Muslims face in prayer.

During the sacred month known as Ramadan, Muslims fast, or abstain from food and drink, from dawn to sunset. The most important night of
Ramadan is called the Night of Power. This is believed to be the night the angel Gabriel first spoke to Muhammad.

Five times a day Muslims throughout the world face Mecca and pray to Allah. There are no priests or other clergy in Islam. However, a Muslim community leader known as the imam conducts the prayers in a mosque. Islam also has a scholar class called the ulama, which includes religious teachers. Muslims often pray by kneeling on a rug. The design of the rug includes a pointed or arch-shaped pattern. The rug must be placed so that the arch points toward Mecca.

The Qur’an, the sacred book of Muslims, consists of verses grouped into 114 chapters, or suras. The book is the spiritual guide on matters of Muslim faith. It also contains teachings for Muslim daily life.

## Judaism

Judaism is the religion of the more than 14 million Jews throughout the world. Judaism was the first major religion to teach the existence of only one god. The basic laws and teachings of Judaism come from the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. Judaism teaches that a person serves God by studying the Torah and living by its teachings. Orthodox Jews closely observe the laws of the Torah. Conservative and Reform Jews interpret the Torah less strictly and literally. The Star of David, also called the Shield of David, is the
universal symbol of Judaism. The emblem refers to King David, who ruled the kingdom of Israel from about 1000–962 BCE.

Major events in a Jew’s life are marked by special rites and ceremonies. When Jewish children reach the age of 12 (girls) or 13 (boys), for example, they enter the adult religious community. The event is marked in the synagogue with a ceremony called a bar mitzvah for a boy and a bat mitzvah for a girl. The synagogue is the Jewish house of worship and the center of Jewish community life. Services in the synagogue are usually conducted by a rabbi, the congregation’s teacher and spiritual leader. During a synagogue service, the Torah scroll is lifted, while the congregation declares: “This is the Law which Moses set before the children of Israel.”

Many Jews make the pilgrimage to the Western Wall. The sacred structure, built in the second century BCE, formed the western wall of the courtyard of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. The Romans destroyed the temple in 70 CE.

Jews celebrate a number of holidays that honor their history as well as their God. Purim is a festival honoring the survival of the Jews who, in the fifth century BCE, were marked for death by their Persian rulers. Jews celebrate Purim by sending food and gifts. They also dress in costumes and hold carnivals and dances.

## Confucianism

With no clergy and with no gods to worship, Confucianism is not a religion in the traditional sense. Rather, it is an ethical system that provides direction for personal behavior and good government. However, this ancient philosophy guides the actions and beliefs of millions of Chinese and other peoples of the East. Thus, many view it as a religion.

Confucianism is a way of life based on the teachings of the Chinese scholar Confucius. It stresses social and civic responsibility. Over the centuries, however, Confucianism has greatly influenced people’s spiritual beliefs as well. While East Asians declare themselves to follow any one of a number of religions, many also claim to be Confucian. The yin and yang symbol represents opposite forces in the world working together. It symbolizes the social order and harmony that Confucianism stresses.

While scholars remain uncertain of Confucius’s date of birth, people throughout East Asia celebrate it on September 28. In Taiwan, it is an official holiday, known as Teachers’ Day. The holiday also pays tribute to teachers. Confucius himself was a teacher, and he believed that education was an important part of a fulfilled life.

Confucius was born at a time of crisis and violence in China. He hoped his ideas and teachings would restore the order of earlier times to his society. But although he was active in politics, he never had enough political power to put his ideas into practice. Nonetheless, his ideas would become the foundation of Chinese thought for more than 2,000 years.

The earliest and most authentic record of Confucius’s ideas was collected by his students. Around 400 BCE, they compiled Confucius’s thoughts in a book called the *Analects*.