Encourage Me: However

“However many holy words you read. However many you speak. What good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?” (Buddha)

While there are only a few major religions in the world, it’s believed that there are tens of thousands of belief systems that branched off from those few. Each one has its own doctrines, beliefs, practices, and forms of deities or non-deities. Interestingly enough, if you asked the followers of each religion why they believe what they do, their answers would be as varied as the number of religious groups that exist.

So what is religion and why are there so many variations from which to choose? Simply put, religion is a particular system of beliefs involving some type of moral code adhered to by its followers. As each individual seeks to find meaning in life, their own unique journey takes them on an examination of various religious experiences as seen through the lens of their particular faith. Let’s take a look at the belief system of the five major religions in the world:

Buddhism overview: Buddhism was founded in the fifth century B.C. by Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as the Buddha. After giving up an extravagant life of excess, Buddha discovered enlightenment through giving up his wealth and position to live a simple life as a monk.

The vast majority of Buddhists live in the eastern and southeastern regions of Asia. There are numerous traditions within Buddhism each with varying practices. Core beliefs of Buddhism include:

· Buddhism has five precepts to which followers are expected to adhere. These precepts dictate that Buddhists refrain from killing, stealing, lying, misusing sex, and using drugs or alcohol.

· Buddhists believe in reincarnation and rebirth. In the Buddhist tradition, being reincarnated means coming back as yourself multiple times while rebirth involves returning as an entirely different entity.

· Consistent with philosophy’s principles and truths, Buddhists follow a path of moral living, and thinking and behavior as well as seeking wisdom.

· Karma is an important factor in Buddhism, which focuses on each individual’s responsibility and accountability for their own actions.

· The Buddha is not worshiped as a god. He was a man, and is recognized by Buddhists as such.

· The Buddhist religion includes a number of sacred writings, in the form of scriptures and texts that share the Buddha’s philosophy and teachings.

· The primary focus of Buddhism is to seek enlightenment.

Christianity overview: Christianity is the largest religion in the world, with more than 2 billion believers worldwide. The United States is home to the largest Christian population, but Christianity is widespread in many other places including Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, several African nations, many European countries, and numerous Caribbean islands.

There are many versions of Christianity including Catholicism and various protestant denominations each differing in many ways yet remaining similar in central teachings. Core Christian beliefs include:

· A central focus of this religion is the belief that Jesus died as a result of being crucified on a cross, which lead to the forgiveness of mankind’s sins.

· After being entombed for three days, Jesus rose from the dead and then ascended from Earth to Heaven to be reunited with God.

· Christian teachings are grounded in the Old Testament and the New Testament that together form the Holy Bible. There are many versions of the Christian Bible.

· Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, represented by the divinity of the Father (God), son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit.

· Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, sent to earth as a Man and a Messiah to save people from their sins.

· Christians have faith that there will be a second coming in which Jesus will return to Earth and take Christian believers back to Heaven with Him.

· The Ten Commandments play an important role in Christian teachings.

· Worship of God is an important aspect of Christianity.

Hinduism overview: Hinduism began in India around 2300 B.C. and remains prevalent on that subcontinent. It is third largest religion in the world with fewer followers than only Christianity and Islam. As of 2018, about 94% of those who follow the Hindu faith live in India. As with all religions, there are multiple sects of Hinduism each with some variations in their practices. Core beliefs of Hinduism include:

· A person’s karma, which refers to the net of their good and bad deeds in the last life, determines the level into which they’ll be reborn.

· Brahman is the recognized supreme deity (God) responsible for creating everything in the universe. Brahman has no gender and is all-knowing and all-present.

· Cows are viewed as sacred in the Hindu faith. Eating beef is prohibited.

· Hinduism teaches that God’s presence exists in all of creation.

· Hindus believe in reincarnation with a constant cycle of being born, living and dying on the path to enlightenment.

· In the Hindu faith, God goes by many names and manifests in infinite ways.

· Rather than a single religious book, Hinduism has a number of sacred texts, including the Vedas, the Samhitas, the Upanishads, the Ramayana, and the Bhagavad Gita.

· Shiva and Vishnu are the other primary Hindu deities (gods).

· The divine essence (called atman) dwells within each person.

· There are many other deities (called devis), demi-gods (called devas) and goddesses, with significant variations among specific groups.

· Yoga practice is an integral component of Hinduism.

Islam overview: Islam is the second largest religion in the world with an estimated 1.8 billion followers. Muslim is the term for people who follow the Islamic religion. This religion is believed to have begun in the 7th century B.C. in what is now Saudi Arabia. While Muslims live in many countries worldwide, they make up the majority of the population in several countries. There are seven countries where more than 90% of the population is Muslim (Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Pakistan). Some places follow Islamic (Sharia) law. Core beliefs for Islam include:

· After Muhammad’s death, other leaders rose in his place under a system called the caliphate with the individual leaders being referred to as caliphs.

· Followers of Islam are required to fast during the month of Ramadan.

· Islamic places of worship are referred to as mosques.

· Many Muslim women wear a hijab that covers their hair, while others wear a niquab or burka, which conceals more of their appearance.

· Muslims are expected to complete a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca at least once in their lives.

· Muslims pray at five specific times throughout each day, following a specific prayer ritual.

· The Islamic faith believes in Allah as the one true God.

· The Islamic faith teaches that the prophet Muhammad is Allah’s final messenger, who continued to receive messages from Allah to share with the people.

· The Quaran is the holy book of Islam.

· There are two major groups within Islam: Sunnis and Shiites. The majority (90%) of Muslims are Sunnis.

· Those who follow Islam commit to living life in submission to the will of Allah.

Judaism overview: Judaism is the smallest of the top five religions. The worldwide population of Jewish people is estimated to be approximately 14 million. About 41% of the Jewish population lives in Israel and 41% lives in the United States with the majority of the remainder concentrated in Europe and elsewhere in North America. There are multiple denominations of Judaism including orthodox, conservative, and reform. Core beliefs for Judaism include:

· Even beyond God’s law outlined in the Ten Commandments, righteousness and justice are central to the teachings of Judaism.

· Israel is an important place in the hearts and minds of the Jewish people, both for its historical significance in relation to their faith and its designation as the Promised Land in the Bible.

· Judaism followers recognize and worship only one true God. It is actually the oldest monotheistic religion.

· Synagogue is the name for Jewish houses of worship.

· The Hebrew Bible, which is also referred to as the Tanakh, is the primary holy text of the Jewish faith. It includes the same books as the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, though they are in a different order. The first five books of the Hebrew Bible form the Torah.

· The Talmud is another holy text in Judaism. It includes an extensive collection of Jewish laws and various teachings specific to the faith.

· The Ten Commandments play an important role in the teachings of Judaism.

· Young people in the Jewish faith go through Bar Mitzvah (boys) and Bat Mitzvah (girls) ceremonies to symbolize that they have reached adulthood in terms of their responsibilities to the faith.

“We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature (trees, flowers, grass) grows in silence. See the stars, the moon, and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
(Mother Teresa) [i]

[i] Adapted from:

· “5 Main World Religions and Their Basic Beliefs” by Mary Gormandy White

· “Why Are There Different Religions?” by Shepherds Gate Church