WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
• What clues do science and the world’s religions give about the meaning and purpose of life?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZh1MrDHLoY
Science and Religion || Mayim Bialik
Mayim Bialik
Published on Jun 23, 2016
It’s time for my next vlog! Last time we talked about cats; this time
I’m discussing how I can be both a scientist and a person who
participates in a religious life, and how both make me who I am. I also
discuss what God is and what God isn’t in a way that makes for a deeper
love of the scientific world. Sounds impossible? It’s not! Check it out!
—
You may know me as Amy Farrah Fowler from The Big Bang Theory, or from
Blossom, but hopefully, these videos allow you to get to know me better
as Mayim, too! Subscribe to my channel for video updates. I upload new
videos every Thursday!
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About Mayim Bialik:
You might know me as Amy Farrah Fowler from The Big Bang Theory or
from Blossom but there are so many other parts of me that you might not
be aware of! I’m trained as a neuroscientist, I’m a passionate
activist, an observant Jew, a perfectly imperfect mother, and I’m a
complicated human being like many of you. This is the place where I
wear all of those hats - and none of them have a flower on them! ;)
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbsnyx14cac
The Science of Religion | UBCx on edX | Course About ActionCut Videos
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edX
Published on Jun 8, 2016
What is religion? Are we wired to believe? Does science have the
answers? Join us on a journey to the origins of religion and
spirituality.
Take this course free on edX: https://www.edx.org/course/science-re…
ABOUT THIS COURSE
Drawing on new scientific advances, this religion course examines
foundational questions about the nature of religious belief and
practice.
The course is based on the idea that religion is a
naturalistic phenomenon — meaning it can be studied and better
understood using the tools of science. Religious belief and practice
emerge naturally from the structure of human psychology, and have an
important impact on the structure of societies, the way groups relate to
each other, and the ability of human beings to cooperate effectively.
Topics to be covered will include traditional and contemporary theories
of religion, with a special emphasis on cultural evolutionary models.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
- Evolutionary and cognitive scientific approaches to the study of religion
- The origins of religion, and its role in human life
- How religion relates to morality, spirituality and atheism
- The role of religion in current events and conflict hotspots around the world
- The role religion may have played in the origin of civilization
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Education
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP5tjEmvPItGyLhmjdwP7Ww
RealLifeLore
Published on Mar 3, 2017
A lot of things happen on Earth, but there are still some things that
just don’t ever happen here. But, that doesn’t mean that what’s
impossible here is impossible everywhere else in the universe. Whether
it’s clouds that rain rocks or glass, wind that’s 29 times faster than
sound, having 2 shadows or even being able to fly in some places, this
is a collection of some of the most ridiculous places that we know of so far in our strange universe.
This video was done in a collaboration with Second Thought, and you can check out his video here!
If you’re curious about flying on Titan and the research into that,
I’ve attached a paper written by the Department of Physics and Astronomy
at the University of Leicester dated October 22nd 2013 which goes into a
lot more detail than I could afford. Here it is; https://physics.le.ac.uk/journals/ind…
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Videos explaining things. Mostly over topics like history, geography, economics and science.
We believe that the world is a wonderfully fascinating place, and you
can find wonder anywhere you look. That is what our videos attempt to
convey.
Currently, we try our best to release one video every week. Bear with us :)
Business Email: thereallifelore@gmail.com
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A Response to:
“Living Buddha, Living Christ” Copyright 1999-2002 by John WorldPeace All rights reserved CHAPTER FOUR: LIVING BUDDHA, LIVING CHRIST A. His life is His Teaching 100800
There is a science called Buddhology, the study of the life of the Buddha.
Christology is the study of the life of Christ. When speaking about
The fact that Christians believe that Jesus was the only son of God, and
Christians only comprise one sixth of the world population and yet they
This elitist viewpoint has been the cause of Christian genocide throughout
For the Christian bureaucracy to acknowledge the validity of any other
When we look into and touch deeply the life and teaching of Jesus, we can
Well this is what is talked about in Christianity but Love means love
Jesus was somewhat of an elitist himself because he uttered such words
It has always been interesting to me that one of the great Christian hymns
And this attitude has not changed even today as evidenced by the Pope God made himself known to us through Jesus Christ.
As he also made himself known through the Buddha, Mohammed, Baha’U'llah,
With the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God within him, Jesus touched the
Today Christians talk to sinners in order to bring them to Jesus.
Jesus was not really trying to heal Jewish society but was trying to attack As the child of Mary and Joseph, Jesus is the Son of Woman and Man.
With all due respect, Brother Hanh, Joseph was Jesus’s father in name As someone animated by the energy of the Holy Spirit, he is the Son of God.
No, Brother Hanh, Christians will tell you that he was the literal Son
The fact that Jesus is both the Son of Man and the Son of God is not difficult
Brother Hanh, I submit that it is impossible for any Buddhist to accept
We can see the nature of nonduality in God the Son and God the Father, because
Brother Hanh, my truth is that we are all sons and daughters of God as But in Christianity, Jesus is usually seen as the only Son of God.
Jesus is not usually seen as the only Son of God but always seen as the
I notice Brother Hanh that you skip over this very controversial issue.
I think it is important to look deeply into every act and every teaching
Well again Brother Hanh, I do not think you want to make this kind of
Further you can see here the precedent that Jesus set for later Christians
And you can also see why the Jewish bureaucracy was instrumental in having
I truly respect you Brother Hanh, but you are attempting to write about
This is why I feel that I must continue to practice law. If I can
Jesus lived exactly as he taught, so studying the life of Jesus is crucial
No Brother Hanh, Jesus did not live exactly as he taught. His admonition For more examples go to The Saying of Jesus
For me, the life of Jesus is His most important teaching, more important
Well now Brother Hanh, I see how you diplomatically get around the issues
You sir, avoid this subject and look at Jesus outside this role of the
But in the end, when your book is finished, the question will still be B. Mindfulness is the Buddha The Buddha was a human being who was awakened and, thereby, no longer bound When we read, “The heavens opened and the Holy Spirit C. Matthew described the Kingdom of God The Buddha is also described as a door, a teacher D. The The Buddha said that his Dharma body is more The Buddha E. The Buddha is said to have ten names, each One The second name I see the rite of Baptism as a way of F. When we celebrate Christmas or the birth of the A similar story appears in the Bible. Eight Whenever I read the stories of Asita and Simeon, I have G. I am not sure if I am myself or if I am my Expecting parents have to be very careful Our H. As children, Siddhartha and Jesus both Monks The Buddha was twenty-nine, quite young, I. I am the Way The J. I am Always There for After the Buddha passed away, the love and devotion to him became K. To encounter a true master is said to be L. I am the Like many great humans, the Buddha had a M. When I read any scripture, Christian or When we read the Bible, we see The N. When Jesus said, “I am the O. Your Body is the When the Protestant minister described me as someone who In Buddhism, we also personify traits we aspire toward, such as The living Christ is in the Christ of Love who is always Thanks to P. Enjoy Being Alive To “There is a person whose appearance Return To The Table of Contents How can we manifest peace on The WorldPeace Banner To the John WorldPeace Galleries Page To the WorldPeace Peace Page |
This “Big Religion Chart” is our
attempt to summarize the major religions and belief systems of the world
- Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and dozens more -
into a quick-reference comparison chart. Oversimplication is unavoidable
in charts like these, and it is not intended to be a substitute for
advanced religious study and exploration, but simply a fast overview. It
is our hope that this chart becomes a useful tool for you to compare
basic religious beliefs and practices of the world’s religions and
belief systems.
Over 40 religions and belief systems are
currently listed. If a group does not appear, it doesn’t mean it’s not a
religion or doesn’t matter; the chart is not comprehensive and will
continue to grow. See also our list of religions and definitions of religion. Links within the chart will take you to more detailed information on ReligionFacts on that religion or topic.
Adherents | History | Gods | Meaning of Life | Afterlife | Practices | Texts | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aladura | 1 million | Various prophet-healing churches founded since c.1918, West Nigeria. | Generally monotheistic; a mix of Anglican, Pentecostal and traditional African beliefs. | Strong emphasis on healing and salvation in this life. | Not emphasized; views vary. | Spiritual healing is central. Mix of Anglican and African rituals; a prophet plays a prominent role. | none |
Asatru | unknown | Revival of Norse and Germanic paganism, 1970s Scandinavia and USA. | Polytheistic, Norse gods and goddesses, Norse creation myths. | Salvation or redemption not emphasized. Fatalistic outlook. | Valhalla (heaven) for death in battle; Hel (peaceful place) for most; Hifhel (hell) for the very evil. | Sacrifice of food or drink, toast to the gods, shamanism (less frequently), celebration of solstice holidays. Nine Noble Virtues is moral code. |
Eddas (Norse epics); the Havamal (proverbs attributed to Odin) |
Atheism | 7.4 million self-identified atheists; 1.1 billion are religiously “unaffiliated” | Appears throughout history (including ancient Greek philosophy), but especially after the Enlightenment (19th cent). | There is no God or divine beings. | Not addressed. But many atheists believe that since there is no afterlife, this one life is of great importance. Only humans can help themselves and each other solve the world’s problems. |
none | none | Influential works include those by Marx, Freud, Feuerbach, Voltaire, and Mark Twain. Notable modern authors include Richard Dawkins and Carl Sagan. |
Baha’i Faith | 5-7 million | Founded by Bahá’u'lláh, 1863, Tehran, Iran. | One God, who has revealed himself progressively through major world religions. | The soul is eternal and essentially good. Purpose of life is to develop spiritually and draw closer to God. | Soul separates from the body and begins a journey towards or away from God. Heaven and hell are states of being. | Daily prayer, avoidance of intoxicants, scripture reading, hard work, education, work for social justice and equality. | Writings of Bahá’u'lláh and other Bahá’í leaders. |
Bon | 100,000 | 11th-century Tibet | Nontheistic Buddhism, but meditation on peaceful and wrathful deities. | Gain enlightenment. | Reincarnation until gain enlightenment | Meditation on mandalas and Tibetan deities, astrology, monastic life. | Bonpo canon |
Adherents | History | Gods | Meaning of Life | Afterlife | Practices | Texts | |
Buddhism | 500 million | Based on teachings of Siddharta Gautama (the Buddha) in c. 520 BC, NE India. | Buddhist gods include buddhas, bodhisattvas, arhats and deities; such as Tara, Kuan Yin, and Amida Buddha. | Escape the cycle of rebirth and attain nirvana (Theravada Buddhism). Become a boddhisatva then help others attain enlightenment (Mahayana Buddhism). |
Rebirth or nirvana. Nirvana is seen simply as the cessation of suffering by some and as a heavenly paradise by others. | Meditation, mantras, devotion to deities (in some sects), mandalas (Tibetan) | Tripitaka (Pali Canon); Mahayana sutras like the Lotus Sutra; others. |
Cao Dai | 4-6 million | Founded in 1926, Vietnam by Ngo Van Chieu and others based on a séance. | God represented by Divine Eye. Founders of Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity venerated, and saints including Victor Hugo. |
Goal is peace and harmony in each person and in the world. Salvation by “cultivating self and finding God in self.” | reincarnation until Nirvana/Heaven | Hierarchy similar to Roman Catholicism. Daily prayer. Meditation. Communication with spirit world (now outlawed in Vietnam). | Caodai canon |
Chinese Religion | 394 million | Indigenous folk religion of China. | Dualistic yin and yang; mythological beings and folk deities. | A favorable life and peaceful afterlife, attained through rituals and honoring of ancestors. | judgment, then paradise or punishment and reincarnation | Ancestor worship, prayer, longevity practices, divination, prophecy and astrology, feng shui. | none |
Christian Science | 400,000 | Founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 1879, Massachusetts. | One God. No Trinity (in traditional sense). Matter and evil do not exist. | “Life, Truth, and Love understood and demonstrated as supreme over all; sin, sickness and death destroyed.” | Heaven is “not a locality, but a divine state of Mind in which all the manifestations of Mind are harmonious and immortal.” | Spiritual healing through prayer and knowledge, Sunday services, daily Bible and Science & Health reading. | Christian Bible, Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures |
Christianity | 2.2 billion | Life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth (born c. 4 BCE), a Jew from Palestine under Roman rule | One God, who is a Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit; angels; demons; saints | All have sinned and are thereby separated from God. Salvation is through faith in Christ and, for some, sacraments and good works. |
Resurrection of body and soul; eternal heaven or hell (most denominations); temporary purgatory (Catholicism) | Prayer, Bible study, baptism, Eucharist (Communion), church on Sundays, numerous holidays. | Bible (Hebrew Bible + New Testament) |
Adherents | History | Gods | Meaning of Life | Afterlife | Practices | Texts | |
Confucianism | 5-6 million | Based on the teachings of Confucius (551–479 BCE, China) | not addressed | To fulfill one’s role in society with propriety, honor, and loyalty. | not addressed | none | Analects |
Deism | unknown | Especially popularized in the 18th-cent. Enlightenment under Kant, Voltaire, Paine, Jefferson, and others | One Creator God who is uninterested in the world. Reason is basis for all knowledge. | not addressed | not addressed | None prescribed, although some deists practiced prayer. | Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason and similar texts |
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Druze | 500,000 | Founded by Al-Darazi in 11th century, Cairo, Egypt. Roots in the Isma’iliyya sect of Shia Islam. | Universal Intelligence (al-Aql al-Kulli) or Divine Essence (akin to Neoplatonism), of which al-Hakim is believed to be an incarnation. |
Live a good life for a favorable reincarnation. Await the re-appearance of al-Hakim (a Fatimid caliph who disappeared in 1021), who will usher in a Golden Age for true believers. |
Reincarnation. Heaven is a spiritual existence when one has escaped reincarnation. Hell is distance from God in lifetime after lifetime. |
Modest lifestyles, fasting before Eid al-Adha. Beliefs and practices are hidden for protection from persecution. Special group of initiates called uqqal. |
Al-Naqd al-Khafi (Copy of the Secret); Al-Juz’al-Awwal (Essence of the First) |
Eckankar | 50,000-500,000 | Founded by Paul Twitchell in Las Vegas, 1965 | The Divine Spirit, called “ECK.” | “Each of us is Soul, a spark of God sent to this world to gain spiritual experience.” Salvation is liberation and God-realization. |
Reincarnation. The Soul is eternal by nature and on a spiritual journey. Liberation possible in a single lifetime. | Spiritual Exercises of ECK: mantras, meditation, and dreams. These enable Soul travel and spiritual growth. | Shariyat-Ki-Sugmad and books by Harold Klemp. |
Epicureanism | n/a | Based on the teachings of Epicurus, c. 300 BCE, Athens. | Polytheism, but the gods take no notice of humans. | Pursue the highest pleasures (friendship and tranquility) and avoid pain. | No afterlife. The soul dissolves when the body dies. | none | Letters and Principal Doctrines of Epicurus |
Adherents | History | Gods | Meaning of Life | Afterlife | Practices | Texts | |
Falun Gong | 3 million (acc. to official sources); 100 million (acc. to Falun Gong sources) | Li Hongzhi in 1992 in China | Countless gods and spiritual beings. Demonic aliens. | Good health and spritual transcendence, achieved by practicing Falun Gong. | Not addressed | Five exercises to strengthen the Falun. Cultivation of truthfulness, benevolence and forbearance. Meat eating discouraged. | Zhuan Falun and other writings by Master Li |
Gnosticism | ancient form extinct; small modern revival groups | Various teachers including Valentinus, 1st-2nd cents. AD | The supreme God is unknowable; the creator god is evil and matter is evil. | Humans can return to the spiritual world through secret knowledge of the universe. | Return to the spiritual world. | Asceticism, celibacy | Gnostic scriptures including various Gospels and Acts attributed to apostles. |
Greek Religion | ancient form extinct; various modern revivals | Indigenous religion of the ancient Greeks, c. 500 BCE to 400 CE. | Olympic pantheon (Zeus, etc.) mixed with eastern deities like Isis and Cybele. | Human life is subject to the whim of the gods and to Fate; these can be partially controlled through sacrifice and divination. | Beliefs varied from no afterlife to shadowy existence in the underworld to a paradise-like afterlife (mainly in mystery religions). |
Animal sacrifice, harvest offerings, festivals, games, processions, dance, plays, in honor of the gods. Secret initiations and rituals in mystery religions. |
Epic poems of Homer and Hesiod. |
Hare Krishna | 250,000-1 million | Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, 1966, USA (with roots in 15th-century Hindu movement) | Krishna is the Supreme God. | Salvation from this Age of Kali is by a return to Godhead, accomplished through Krishna-Consciousness. | Reincarnation until unite with the Godhead. | Chanting, dancing, evangelism, vegetarianism, temple worship, monastic-style living | The Bhagavad-Gita As It Is |
Hinduism | 1 billion | Indigenous religion of India as developed to present day. Earliest forms (Vedic religion) date to 1500 BCE or earlier; major developments 1st-9th centuries CE. |
One Supreme Reality (Brahman) manifested in many gods and goddesses | Humans are in bondage to ignorance and illusion, but are able to escape. Purpose is to gain release from rebirth, or at least a better rebirth. |
Reincarnation until gain enlightenment. | Yoga, meditation, worship (puja), devotion to a god or goddess, pilgrimage to holy cities, live according to one’s dharma (purpose/ role). |
Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, etc. |
Adherents | History | Gods | Meaning of Life | Afterlife | Practices | Texts | |
Islam | 1.6 billion | Based on teachings of the Prophet Muhammad; founded 622 CE in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. | One God (Allah in Arabic); the same God revealed (imperfectly) in the Jewish and Christian Bibles | Submit (islam) to the will of God to gain Paradise after death. | eternal Paradise or eternal Hell | Five Pillars: Faith, Prayer, Alms, Pilgrimage, Fasting. Mosque services on Fridays. Ablutions before prayer. No alcohol or pork. Holidays related to the pilgrimage and fast of Ramadan. |
Qur’an (sacred text); Hadith (tradition) |
Jainism | 4 million | Founded by Mahavira, c. 550 BCE, eastern India | Polytheism and pantheism. The universe is eternal; many gods exist. Gods, humans and all living things are classified in a complex hierarchy. |
Gain liberation from cycle of rebirth, by avoiding all bad karma, especially by causing no harm to any sentient being. | Reincarnation until liberation. | Monasticism under the Five Great Vows (Non-Violence, Truth, Celibacy, Non-Stealing, Non-Possessiveness); worship at temples and at home. Meditation and mantras. |
The teachings of Mahavira in various collections. |
Jehovah’s Witnesses | 6.5 million | Founded by Charles Taze Russell, 1879, Pittsburgh | One God: Jehovah. No Trinity. Christ is the first creation of God; the Holy Spirit is a force. | Salvation is through faith in Christ and obeying Jehovah’s laws. The End of the World is soon. | Heaven for 144,000 chosen Witnesses, eternity on new earth for other Witnesses. All others annihilated. No hell. | No blood transfusions, no celebration of holidays, no use of crosses or religious images. Baptism, Sunday service at Kingdom Hall, strong emphasis on evangelism. |
New World Translation of the Scriptures |
Judaism | 14 million | The religion of Abraham (c. 1800 BCE) and the Hebrews, especially after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. | One God: Yahweh (YHVH) | Obey God’s commandments, live ethically. Focus is more on this life than the next. | Not emphasized; views vary: no afterlife, shadowy existence, World to Come (similar to heaven), Gehenna (similar to hell), reincarnation |
Circumcision at birth, bar/bat mitzvah at adulthood, observing Sabbath, wearing tallit and tefilin, prayer services | Hebrew Bible (Tanakh); Talmud |
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Mayan Religion | Several million Maya practice a Catholicism that retains many elements of traditional Mayan religion. | Began c.250 CE (rise of the Mayan civilization) | Many gods, including Itzamná, Kukulcán, Bolon Tzacab, and Chac | Appease and nourish the gods; determine luckiest dates for various activities. | The soul journeys through dark and threatening underworld; but sacrificial victims and women who die in childbirth go to heaven. | Astronomy, divination, human sacrifice, elaborate burial for royalty, worship in stone pyramid-temples | Dresden Codex; Madrid Codex; Paris Codex; Books of Chilam Balam; Popol Vuh; The Ritual of the Bacabs |
Adherents | History | Gods | Meaning of Life | Afterlife | Practices | Texts | |
Mormonism | 12.2 million | Revelations to Joseph Smith, 1830, New York. | God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate individual beings | Return to God by faith in Christ, good works, ordinances, and evangelism. | All return to spirit world instruction before resurrection. Then Mormons to heaven with God and families; others rewarded apart from God; hell for those who still reject God. |
Abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea; baptism for the dead; eternal marriage; temple garments under daily clothes; active evangelism. |
Christian Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price |
Nation of Islam | 10,000-100,000 | Founded by Wallace Fard Muhammad, 1930, Detroit, USA. | “One God whose proper name is Allah.” Wallace Fard Muhammad became the divine messiah and incarnation of Allah in 1930. | “The Blackman is the original man.” Live righteously and worship Allah. | Mental resurrection of the righteous. Black people will be mentally resurrected first. | Prayer five times a day. Work for the equality of the African race. Respect laws of the land, don’t carry arms, don’t make war. Healthy living and abstinence from alcohol, smoking and substance abuse. Modest dress. |
Qur’an and “Scriptures of all the Prophets of God” are holy texts. Influential writings include Elijah Muhammad’s Message to the Blackman in America (1965) |
New Age | 5 million | Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Annie Besant in the 19th C, Alice A. Bailey (1880-1949), flourished in 1970s and 80s | The Divine is an impersonal life force that pervades all things | Dawning of a New Age of heightened consciousness and international peace. Individuals can obtain a foretaste of the New Age through spiritual transformation (”Ascension”). More emphasis on the latter now. Evil comes from ignorance. |
Reincarnation | Astrology; mysticism; use of crystals; yoga; tarot readings; holistic medicine; psychic abilities; angelic communications; channeling; amulets; fortune-telling |
Works of a variety of New Age writers |
New Thought | 160,000 | Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802-66) and others, late 19th century, USA. | Generally monism (all is One), but members might be theists, pantheists or panentheists. God is immanent; the universe is essentially spiritual. |
Man is divine, essentially spirit, and has infinite possibility. Mind can control the body. Sin and sickness caused by incorrect thinking. Man can live in oneness with God in love, truth, peace, health, and prosperity. |
“Life is eternal in the invisible kingdom of God.” | Emphasis on spiritual and mental healing, but without rejection of modern medicine. Worship services; prayer for the sick; discussion of New Thought authors and ideas. |
Writings of Quimby (such as the The Quimby Manuscripts) and other New Thought authors |
Olmec Religion | extinct in original form | Indigenous religion of the Olmecs, Guatemala and Mexico, c. 1500-400 BCE | Mostly unknown due to lack of written records. Many gods represented in art, including the Olmec Dragon, Maize Deity, Bird Monster, and Were-Jaguar. |
unknown, but art indicates importance of fertility (rain, corn, etc.) | unknown | sacrifices, large sculptures of human heads, cave rituals, pilgrimages, ball-courts, pyramids | none |
Adherents | History | Gods | Meaning of Life | Afterlife | Practices | Texts | |
Rastafarianism | 1 million | Founded by Marcus Garvey in the slums of Jamaica in the 1920s and 30s | God is Jah, who became incarnate in Jesus (who was black); Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I was messiah. | Humans are temples of Jah. Salvation is primarily in this world and consists of liberation from oppression and return to Africa. | Some Rastas will experience “everliving” (physical immortality). Heaven is a return to Eden, which is in Africa. | Many practices based on Jewish biblical Law. Abstinence from most or all meat, artificial foods, and alcohol. Use of marijuana in religious rituals and for medicine. Wearing of dreadlocks. |
Holy Piby (the “Blackman’s Bible”). The Ethiopian epic Kebra Negast also revered. |
Satanism | The Church of Satan was founded in 1966 by Anton LaVey | ||||||
Scientology | 70,000 or several million, depending on the source | Founded by L. Ron Hubbard, 1954, California | God(s) not specified; reality explained in the Eight Dynamics | Human consists of body, mind and thetan; capable of great things. Gain spiritual freedom by ridding mind of engrams. |
Reincarnation | Auditing, progressing up various levels until “clear”. Focus on education and drug recovery programs. | Writings of Hubbard, such as Dianetics and Scientology |
Seventh-Day Adventism | 25 million | Rooted in Millerite movement; founded 1863 in New England; early leaders: Ellen White, Hiram Edson and Joseph Bates | Trinitarian monotheism | Live in accordance with the Bible, including the Old Testament. The Second Coming will happen soon. | A “peaceful pause” after death until the coming of Christ, then resurrection to judgment, followed by eternity in heaven or nonexistence. No hell. |
24-hour Sabbath observance starting Friday at sunset; adult baptism by immersion; church services emphasizing sermon | Christian Bible; writings of Ellen G. White as helpful supplement |
Shinto | 3-4 million | Indigenous religion of Japan | kami: ancient gods or spirits | Humans are pure by nature and can keep away evil through purification rituals and attain good things by calling on the kami. | Death is bad and impure. Some humans become kami after death. | Worship and offerings to kami at shrines and at home. Purification rituals. | Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters); Nihon-gi (Chronicles of Japan) |
Adherents | History | Gods | Meaning of Life | Afterlife | Practices | Texts | |
Sikhism | 23 million | Founded by Guru Nanak, c. 1500, Punjab, India. | one God: Ik Onkar | Overcome the self, align life with will of God, and become a “saint soldier,” fighting for good. | Reincarnation until resolve karma and merge with God. | Prayer and meditation on God’s name, services at temple (gurdwara), turban and five Ks. Balance work, worship, and charity. No monasticism or asceticism. |
Adi Granth (Sri Guru Granth Sahib) |
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Spiritualism | 11 million | c.1850, USA, UK, France | Generally accepts the Christian God | Body and spirit are separate entities. Morality and contact with spirits affect afterlife. | A spiritual existence with access to the living. Condition depends on morality of life and advancement is possible. | Sunday services. Seances and other communication with departed spirits. Spirit healing. | No authoritative texts. Doctrine learned from spirit guides (advanced departed spirits). |
Stoicism | Zeno in c.313 BC, Athens. | Pantheism: the logos pervades the universe. | Happiness, which is achieved by living reasonably. | Possible continued existence of the Soul, but not a personal existence. | Ethical and philosophical training, self-reflection, careful judgment and inner calm. | writings of Zeno, Seneca, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius | |
Taoism | 20 million specifically of Taoism (Chinese religion contains Taoist elements) | Based on teachings of Lao-Tzu, c. 550 BC, China. | Pantheism - the Tao pervades all. | Inner harmony, peace, and longevity. Acheived by living in accordance with the Tao. | Revert back to state of non-being, which is simply the other side of being. | General attitude of detachment and non-struggle, “go with the flow” of the Tao. Tai-chi, acupuncture, and alchemy to help longevity. |
Tao-te Ching; Chuang-tzu |
Unification Church | over 1 million (3 million acc. to official sources) | Founded by Sun Myung Moon, 1954, South Korea. | Monotheism, with the duality of God (esp. masculine and feminine) emphasized. No Trinity. | True love and world peace instead of selfish love. True love and the kingdom of God on earth will be restored by the creation of “true families.” |
Eternal life in a spirit world. | Blessing Ceremony | The Divine Principle (1954) by Rev. Moon. |
Adherents | History | Gods | Meaning of Life | Afterlife | Practices | Texts | |
Unitarian Universalism | 800,000 | Formal merger of Unitarians and Universalists in 1961, USA. | Has no set beliefs, which is its defining characteristic. | Salvation is “spiritual health or wholeness.” Members seek “inner and outer peace,” insight, health, compassion and strength. | Not specified. Some believe in an afterlife, some do not. Very few believe in hell - “Universalism” indicates the belief that all will be saved. |
Ceremonies for marriages, funerals, etc. Church services have elements from various religions. Emphasis on civil rights, social justice, equality and environment. Most UUs are anti-death penalty and pro-gay rights. |
Many sacred texts are revered by various members; some none at all. The Bible is the most commonly used text. |
Wicca | 1-3 million | Based on ancient pagan beliefs, but modern form founded early 1900s. Founder generally said to be Gerald Gardner. | Polytheism, centered on the Goddess and God, each in various forms; also a belief in a Supreme Being over all | “If it harms none, do what you will.” | reincarnation until reach the Summerland | Prayer, casting a circle, Drawing Down the Moon, reciting spells, dancing, singing, sharing cakes and wine or beer | No sacred text; foundational texts include The Witch Cult in Western Europe and The God of the Witches |
Zoroastrianism | 200,000 | Based on teachings of Zoroaster in 6th cent. BCE Persia. Official religion of ancient Persia. May have influenced Judaism and Vedic religion. |
One God, Ahura Mazda, but a dualistic worldview in which an evil spirit, Angra Mainyu, is almost as powerful. | Humans are free to do good or evil, must choose the side of good. | Judgment followed by heaven or hell. Hell is temporary until final purgation and return to Ahura Mazda. | prayers; tending the sacred fire; coming of age rituals; burial by exposure in the Tower of Silence | Zend Avesta |
For sources, please see linked articles.
Title | The Big Religion Chart |
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Published | January 10, 2006 |
Last Updated | November 21, 2016 |
URL | www.religionfacts.com/ |
Short URL | rlft.co/1851 |
MLA Citation | “The Big Religion Chart.” ReligionFacts.com. 21 Nov. 2016. Web. Accessed 12 Aug. 2018. |