Major Religions of the World

[Kat]

I did a internet search and put all this together and thought it was very interesting, so I'm posting it here.

Major Religions of the World

Christianity (2.1 billion)

• One God being that exists as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the trinity.
• The beliefs are based on the teaching of the New Testament, that Jesus is the divine Son of God and born into flesh as Messiah, to be a sacrifice to save sinners.
• Those that accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and repent of their sin, go to heaven. If a person does not believe that Christ is the Son of God and Savior, then their destiny is eternity in hell.

Islam (1.5 billion)

• One almighty god, named Allah, creator of all there is and totally sovereign over it.
• Last prophet Muhammad.
• If one faithfully serves Allah and practices good deeds and strict disciplined religious rituals, then at death that one may enters paradise or otherwise they will be eternally punished in hell.

Hinduism (900 million) 

• One being of ultimate oneness, Brahman.
• God manifests through infinite representations of gods and goddesses, which becomes incarnate within idols, temples, gurus, rivers, animals, etc.
• Reincarnation with the goal to become free from the law of karma... evil actions in a previous life, justifies experiencing tremendous hardships in next life.
• It's about striving to be free from continuous reincarnations, the cycle of rebirths and to finally be at rest.

Buddhism (376 million)   

• No god
• Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama, born in the 5th or 6th century BC) never claimed to be divine, but have spiritual enlightenment.
• Reincarnation – reaching for spiritual enlightenment through self-discipline and removing sensual desires, to purify one's heart and the attachment to ones self.
• They seek freedom from the continuous cycle of life and death (reincarnation).

Chinese Traditional (Folk) (400-800 million)

• Involves household ancestor worship, shamanism, spirit mediumship, magic, ghosts and other spirits, and aspects of animism and local temples housing various gods and festivals.
• Folk religions may overlap with an individual's belief in Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, or other traditional Chinese religions.
• At the moment of death, Chinese believe one's spirit is taken by messengers to the god of walls and moats, Ch'eng Huang, who conducts a kind of preliminary hearing. Those found virtuous may go directly to one of the Buddhist paradises, otherwise it's the tenth court of hell (where they undergo a fixed period of punishment in one or more levels of hell) and then reincarnation/rebirth.

Primal-indigenous (300 million)

• The worship of one god while acknowledging the existence of others. God dwells within all things and all things are spiritual in nature.
• All of existence is thought to be connected, including life and death, humans and animals, the physical world and spirit world, etc.
• The tribe, which extends beyond just persons and includes nature, animals, and objects both animate and inanimate, is central to the individual's sense of self.
• Rites of passage are of great importance as a state of transition and life does not end with death, but continues in another realm. Some believe the afterlife is a spirit world similar, but better than life on earth... "the happy hunting ground."

African Traditional & Diasporic (100 million)

• Differing from region to region most African societies believe in a single supreme creator God - Chukwu,Nyame,Olodumare,Ngai,Roog, etc. Some in a dual or twin Divinity such as Mawu-Lisa.
• Some believe in the personification of supernatural spirits, yet others believes that it is the manifest destiny of all human beings to merge with the divine creator.
• It's oral rather than scriptural - belief in spirits and other divinities - veneration of ancestors - use of magic - traditional medicine.
• The role of humanity is generally seen as one of harmonizing the natural with the supernatural and the goal of life is to become an ancestor after death.
• Some believe in reincarnation, and others that the dead will reappear in another form, such as a totem animal.
• But the separation between the supreme being and humankind remains unavoidable and natural for the departed, even though the dead are able to rest there and be safe. 

Sikhism (20-30 million)

• Their belief is in the concept of the oneness of God.
• Founded during the 15th century on the Indian subcontinent by Guru Nanak and continued to progress through the ten successive Sikh gurus.
• There is one primary source of scripture for the Sikhs: the Ādi Granth—literally, The First Volume created by Guru Arjan in 1604, the Gurū Granth Sāhib is the final version of the scripture created by Guru Gobind Singh.
• They believe the soul reincarnates when the body dies and that good or bad actions in this life determine the life form into which a soul takes rebirth. No afterlife in either Heaven or Hell.

Spiritualism (15 million)

• The spiritualists understand God as infinite intelligence.
• Communion with the spiritual world is both possible and desirable, and spiritual healing is the natural result of such communication. They believe that spiritual entities exist such as souls in the afterlife, spirits, deities and mediums.
• The individual survive the deaths of their bodies by ascending into a spirit existence and a person's condition after death is directly related to the moral quality of their human existence and reformation is never closed against any soul here or hereafter.

Judaism (14 million)

• G-d exists, is one and unique, is incorporeal, is eternal.
• Prayer is to be directed to G-d alone and to no other.
• The words of the prophets are true, Moses' prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets.
• The written Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and oral Torah (teachings now contained in the Talmud and other writings) were given to Moses.
• G-d knows the thoughts and deeds of men and will reward the good and punish the wicked.
• The Messiah is yet to come and the dead will be resurrected.

Secular/nonreligious/agnostic/atheist (1.1 billion)

• Self-explanatory.

[lilitalienboi16]

There are only 14million jews in the world?

[Kat]

Well those are close estimates, there could be discrepancy from site to site and those are rounded off numbers as well. Here is a more exact number about Judaism though.

The world's core Jewish population in early 2013 was estimated at 13.9 million people (around 0.2% of the world population).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_population_by_country

There were quite a few surprises in that research for me.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[ez2u]

well does that leave us?

[Rhys 🕊]

Thanks for putting together........hard to pick one to join

Might stay as a Bible Truthsism 

Rhys

[Rene]

well does that leave us?

If we are among the chosen few, the answer is "none of the above."  Hopefully, we are among the 144,000 (whether this number is symbolic or literal).  God's elect are NOT a part of the Religions of the world.

René

[Extol]

There are only 14million jews in the world?

I'm a Religion major and I was pretty surprised when I learned this a couple years ago. Judaism seems to be such a presence in the world (in large part because of its connection to Christianity), yet apparently there are more "spiritualists" than Jews.

On a related note, I was very surprised to learn that there are fewer than 11 million people living in Greece today. Like the Jews, the Greeks played an important role in the foundation of Western thought. Their art, their culture, their literature is still widely discussed in universities---yet there are now fewer people there than in the state of Ohio.

[indianabob]

Hi folks,

Yes the Jews are small in number, but it is amazing that there are any left the way they have been persecuted and slaughtered over the centuries.
The reason though that a few million still exist is that God has a plan for them to be in Jerusalem when their Messiah returns.
God promised and God never fails...

Indiana Bob

[Joel]

It's interesting to me that there are more Jewish people in the United States than there are in the state of Israel.
Also the Jews in the U.S. are giving much political, and monetary support in combination with the different Christian groups that are in support of the cause of Israel.

Joel

[Ricky]

Does the bible say anything about the FEW that are chosen, if they are to be Jewish or Gentiles.  None of those religions go by the spirit and truth. Man does not see it, since there is only one God, there can only be one way to Him. That way is spirit and truth. And that way has nothing to do with the religious garbadge.    Ricky

[lilitalienboi16]

Does the bible say anything about the FEW that are chosen, if they are to be Jewish or Gentiles.  None of those religions go by the spirit and truth. Man does not see it, since there is only one God, there can only be one way to Him. That way is spirit and truth. And that way has nothing to do with the religious garbadge.    Ricky

Yes it does.

Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
John 4:24 God is Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Col. 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Col. 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Col. 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Col. 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Col. 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Col. 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Col. 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Col. 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col. 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col. 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Col. 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col. 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Romans 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
Romans 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
Romans 9:5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
Romans 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Romans 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Romans 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Galatians 4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
Galatians 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
Galatians 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

Hebrews 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Hebrews 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
 
Hebrews 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

1 Pet. 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
1 Pet. 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
1 Pet. 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1 Pet. 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
1 Pet. 2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1 Pet. 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
1 Pet. 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
1 Pet. 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Those who have the spirit of God inside them, who believe on the Son, who obey Him and purify themselves because of this hope, this down payment that has been made as a promise of the future coming redemption, these same are now the people of God. The Isreal of God. The spiritual jews. The elect. The beloved. The chosen. The royal priesthood. The sons and daughters of God. We are His people! Its us! It no longer has anything to do with the physical literal flesh but all about that gift of faith which by way of grace saves us.

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.


God bless,
Alex

[Ricky]

Would Bible Truths be considered some  kind of a new religion, I don't think God or Jesus were Christians, so I am not going to be one either. Labelling myself a christian, means I am no different than any other christian. I cant see it that way.  Ricky

[lilitalienboi16]

Would Bible Truths be considered some  kind of a new religion, I don't think God or Jesus were Christians, so I am not going to be one either. Labelling myself a christian, means I am no different than any other christian. I cant see it that way.  Ricky

Has anyone, or has ray, ever said bible truths was a "religion?"

There is only one name under heaven in which a man can be saved and that is the name of Jesus Christ. Under no other name will anyone be saved.

Why waste even any time worrying about names? Sounds a lot like genealogies to me. God knows the heart and He will judge.

1 Corinthians 3

1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's;
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's;
23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

Acts 4:10  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

In Christ,
Alex

P.S. Most of the world outside of Christianity will label you a Christian regardless of your doctrine so long as you profess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. At least that has been my experience.

[Nathan]

Hi folks,

Yes the Jews are small in number, but it is amazing that there are any left the way they have been persecuted and slaughtered over the centuries.
The reason though that a few million still exist is that God has a plan for them to be in Jerusalem when their Messiah returns.
God promised and God never fails...

Indiana Bob

I Bob, the Jews in physical Jerusalem are not the chosen people and will have to go through the lake of fire just like all the rest of the world. "When their Messiah returns", as you stated, they too will have to learn righteousness in the age to come. Only spiritual Jews will reign in new Jerusalem - there is nothing special about the "Jews" that reside in physical Jerusalem (also known as spiritual Sodom and Egypt. Rev 11:8 ). Christendom continues to pay homage to these supposed chosen ones. The Israel of God is not in the Middle East!

[Kat]

Would Bible Truths be considered some  kind of a new religion, I don't think God or Jesus were Christians, so I am not going to be one either. Labelling myself a christian, means I am no different than any other christian. I cant see it that way.  Ricky

Hi Ricky, well Bible-truths is certainly not a 'new' group of believers, because the true believes began at Pentecost and God has continued to add to His church ever since then.  The thing is the believers are so dispersed around the world now, that it is really not possible (nor even desirable) develop an organized group... if God wanted it to be that way He would have made it possible.

Christ would not have been considered a Christian, because that is what people that followed His teaching were called... God is above and beyond any human organization, which religion is. Christian is the name the church has taken and continued to go by from the beginning.

The group of original believers was probably taken over in that very first generation, and soon became organized into a religion eventually known as the church. They started in the synagogues, but the gentiles were not allowed there and these groups of Christians would have been growing rapidly into their religions. The true believers would have soon left these carnal groups of people and went to study together in private homes.

http://bible-truths.com/lake11.html -------------------------

Did new converts to Christ continue to attend synagogues to be edified in their new-found-faith? NO! They were persecuted in the synagogues! They left the synagogues. They left the mother Church. Remember our lesson where Jesus said, "I will build My church..." (Matt. 16:18). Jesus didn't say that He would purify or purge the existing Church. No, Jesus built a New Church—His Church, "MY Church" Jesus called it.

And so it was in the religion of Judaism that the people learned of God and the Law of Moses. But when they learned of the gospel of Jesus Christ, they were forced to "COME OUT OF HER..."

When we read the history of the Apostles in the book of Acts, they and their new converts to Jesus did not continue to worship Jesus in the synagogues. They now began to meet among themselves and in private homes. Paul's habit was to go to the synagogues of whatever city he was evangelizing to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul did not go to these synagogues to worship Jesus Christ, but rather to teach that Jesus was the Christ. And those who were truly called of God left the synagogues and met with believers of like mind in private homes.

It is true that the Apostles continued for a time to go up to the Temple (not the local synagogues), but they were warned under threat of death that they should discontinue teaching in the Temple. But Peter, who denied Christ three times just weeks earlier, now spoke fearlessly:

"And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to TEACH AND PREACH Jesus Christ" (Acts 5:42).
--------------------------------------------------------

[microlink]

What I find most interesting is that even atheists greatly outnumber those who believe in Judaism.

From Wipkipedia:

There are 7 billion people on this planet earth.  Most adhere to some form of religion.  The World Factbook gives the population as 7,095,217,980 (July 2013 est.) and the distribution of religions as Christian 31.50% (of which Roman Catholic 16.85%, Protestant 6.15%, Orthodox 3.96%, Anglican 1.26%), Muslim 23.20% (of which Sunni 75-90%, Shia 10-20%, Ahmadi 1%), Hindu 13.8%, Buddhist 6.77%, Sikh 0.35%, Jewish 0.22%, Baha'i 0.11%, other religions 10.95%, non-religious 9.66%, atheists 2.01% (2010 est.).[1]

[rick]

Hello Kat,

I thought this would be a nice addition of truth to your thread. I found this on the internet.

The differences in religious beliefs seem to be most prominent now than ever before.  Christians believe that Jesus will return for his church soon and are watching for signs given by him.  The Jewish people believe that their Messiah will return at some point in time and are quickly preparing to rebuild the temple.  The Muslims believe that Mahdi will return soon during a time of intense war and death (to put it simply), so they (at least extremist Muslims) wish to intensify war, chaos and death.

Religious viewpoints in the United States and around the world are seeing the light of day.  Many people are showing their true colors by taking a stand against God and his word.  By promoting same sex marriage, abortion and siding against Israel.  Christians are also loosing their rights of free speech and freedom to worship God as they wish and have done in the past.  We are headed in the direction of religious intolerance.  That is, intolerance for Christianity and Judaism!  We already see Christian churches that have joined forces with Islam...Chrislam!  Heresy and Apostasy!  Yet, this is exactly where we are headed.  The One World Government will enforce a One World Religion to appease everyone!  I see it coming quickly.  It's right around the corner.

Big brother is getting even bigger and more intrusive into our personal lives.  Our rights as Americans are diminishing quickly.  The government claims to be helping it's citizens under the guise of security and safety.  Formation of the "TSA" (transportation security administration) and the "Department of Home Land Security".  Who are they trying to protect us from?  The government is not only getting bigger and more intrusive, but is exerting more power over our lives.  Police forces are being trained and equipped with the latest military equipment.  Reports of FEMA prison camps are being constructed around the country.  Hundreds of thousands of coffins have been found next to these camps.  Why?  What does the government know that we don't?  Maybe the government is preparing for civil unrest when the United Nations takes control as the One World Government.  Our current administration seems to be leaning in that direction as does the European Union.

It simply amazes me how much of bible prophecy is now happening.  The stage is being set folks.  The world is much closer than you think to instituting a One World Government!  A One World Leader!  Someone with all of the right answers for a hurting world.  The time is ripe for the world to accept a leader to save them, their savior, the anti-christ.  Economic collapse is at hand.  Political meltdown is here.  Religious strife is at an all time high.  Hatred of what is right and love of what is wrong abounds.  Food shortages and starvation are common around the globe.  Disease and pestilence is increasing daily.  Evil ways are common.  Good deeds are uncommon.  The world has been turned upside down.  Nothing makes much sense anymore.

[Kat]

Hi Rick, interesting, but I have to say that ending part sure reminded me of the end of the age scenario that I heard preached so much when in WCG.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[indianabob]

Valid point Kat,
And these group's leaders are also still teaching those things that Ray Smith has shown are not scriptural...

Belief in an eternal "hell", ascending to Heaven immediately at death, storing two years of dried food for yourself to carry you through the coming tribulations and buying it from the TV religion (Jim Bakker) to support their work of warning the "lost" to join one of the many religious organizations etc. etc.

Where there is a need some leader type is going to exploit it and where the need is absent they will conjure up one.
I have to laugh at those relatively few in each city who are going to hide food in their basement and guns in their closets to defend themselves from the hungry mobs of marauders that will develop when the government facilities break down [??] as the "end time" approaches. How long will they survive when the mobs or former neighbors see that they are not starving or have a generator running in the back yard. Don't any of these folks read history of Europe in WW2?

There is only one real preparation to concern ourselves with and that is staying close to our God and His Christ.

THanks much for your counsel, Indiana Bob

Hi Rick, interesting, but I have to say that ending part sure reminded me of the end of the age scenario that I heard preached so much when in WCG.

mercy, peace and love
Kat

[rick]

Hi Kat, I also agree with the ending part too but only to a certain extent. I personally find it difficult to believe that a sovereign God who never gave anyone the ability of free will, a God who raises political leaders, rulers, kings and presidents not controlling everything not only in heaven but also on earth, in plain English, the entire universe.

There are those here who believe everything is spiritual and not physical , but I know Ray had pointed out ( first the physical then the spiritual ) I believe according to Rays papers and what Ray said concerning 911 being a significant date in history but then there are some here who wish to spiritualize Ray's findings away.

I see this world moving to a one world government and a one world religion, I heard president George Bush 1 talk about the new world order some years ago. There is no doubt in my mind we are indeed at the end of this age.

I know God calls every event into being which includes the physical also not just the spiritual, we know the flesh profits nothing but without the physical, being made in the image of God
would be impossible according to the counsel of God.

I don't believe the end times will be as Christendom declares it, I personally pray the end just comes now but patience is a virtue I'm told.