Have you ever wondered what religion is out there? Are there other religions in the world? Do they have any meaning or significance? Can they create a group of people able to protect themselves against natural disaster, famine or war?
Some people think that religion is just a set of beliefs, a certain philosophy of life, a way to show how we understand the Universe and the meaning of our existence.
But in fact, it's something much more: each religion brings to its believers unknown worlds, with their own sets of rules, customs and gods.
Most Popular Religions
There are thousands of religions in the world, forming a complex and intriguing patchwork of beliefs.
When it comes to belief though, one's religion is usually held as being 'true', and that all others are, in some way, false. Most people believe there is only one true religion that must be adhered to by everyone else.
But is this really true? Is it possible for several religions to be true simultaneously? Is Hinduism a trickster, attempting to confuse those who try to track down its truth?
Christian Religion
Christian religion (or Christianity) is a monotheistic religion that has developed continuously since the 1st century AD.
Christian authorities and theologians have noted that Christian doctrine has gradually evolved over time, including in response to contact with other cultures and religions, particularly Judaism.
During the centuries following Jesus' willfulness, Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.
Islamic Religion
Islam is a monotheistic religion articulated by the Qur'an, a text considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of God (Arabic: الله, Allah) and by the teachings and normative example (called the Sunnah and composed of Hadith) of Muhammad (c. 570–8 June 632 CE), considered by them to be the last prophet of God.
An adherent of Islam is called a Muslim. Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...and so forth and so on, saving you time right?
Hinduism
Hinduism is the oldest documented living religion in the world. It originated in India and was founded between 1500 and 500 BCE.
Hinduism is a very diverse religion, where there is no one founder, one holy book or one prophet that we all worship or agree upon.
Instead, we believe in a multitude of Gods and Goddesses, which makes Hinduism very pluralistic.
Buddhism
Traditionally, Buddhism has been seen as atheistic (no transcendent creator deity) and as largely focused on epistemology and theories of the “self”, but the traditional view sees Buddhism as having a strong focus on ethics and also having ritual and devotional elements. In the modernist view, Buddhism is regarded as a non-theistic or polytheistic set of spiritual practices that are meant to help one reach the goal of enlightenment.
Confucianism
Confucius was an extraordinary figure in Chinese history. Although Confucianism has had a profound impact on the culture of East Asia, his teachings and philosophy remain relevant today.
According to Confucius, it is only by recreating our lives to conform to ancient rules that we can gain an understanding of what he called Jen or "humanity." Jen is manifested through respect for one's family members, elders, friends, and strangers alike.
It means respecting others so much that it becomes second nature to go out of one's way for strangers.
So how does this translate into everyday life? What are some ways you can be more Confucian in your day-to-day? Aside from just avoiding the most basic of offences that violate
Jainism
Jainism is an ancient Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings.
While it was originally a philosophy, it evolved into a religion with the same name during the medieval period.
There are some who say that Jainism is not a religion as it is too unconcerned with notions of the divine and focuses primarily on the avoidance of harm to all living things (including plants).
Nonetheless, it does contain the core tenets of what one would expect from any religion: ethical precepts, moral directives, and religious practices.