Major Religions

Religious believes of one sort or another are an intrinsic aspect of virtually every society that has ever existed on this planet. Many of these beliefs are organized and codified, often based on the teachings and writings of one or more founders. Other belief systems are less rigid in their external structures and may be transmitted orally from one generation to the next, whether by family members or by religious leaders within the community.

While all religious beliefs are of vital importance to those who hold them the less formalistic belief systems-variously referred to as animist or tribal religions, and adhered to by peoples all over the world-have proven somewhat enigmatic to Western minds. This section, therefore, deals only with those religions that are recognizable as such to Westerners, ones that employ certain readily identifiable tenets, beliefs, and doctrines.

THE WORLD'S MAJOR RELIGIONS
BAHA'I
Baha'I has more than 6 million followers worldwide and 300,000 followers in the United States. It was founded by Mirza Husayn 'Ali Nuri, who took the name Baha'u'llah (Glory of God while in exile in Baghdad. Baha'u'llah's coming had been foretold by Mirza Ali Muhammad, known as al-Bab, who founded Babism in 1844, from which the Baha'I faith grew. The central tenets of the Baha'I faith are the oneness of God, the oneness of humanity, and the common foundation of all religion. Baha'ists also believe in the equality of men and women, universal education, world peace, and the creation of a world federal system of Government.

BUDDHISM
Buddhism has 323 million followers worldwide and 780,000 followers in the United States. It was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha (Enlightened One), in southern Nepal in the 6th and 5th centuries B.C .The Buddha achieved enlightenment through meditation and gathered a community of monks to carry on his teachings. Buddhism teaches that meditation and the practice of good religious and moral behavior can lead to Nirvana, the state of enlightenment, although before achieving Nirvana, one is subject to repeated lifetimes that are good or bad depending on one's actions (karma). The doctrines of the Buddha describe temporal life as featuring "four noble truths": existence is a realm of suffering; desire, along with the belief in the importance of one's self, causes suffering; achievement of Nirvana ends suffering; and Nirvana is attained only by meditation and by following the path of righteousness in action, thought, and attitude.

CONFUCIANISM
A faith with 6 million followers worldwide (the number of followers in the United States is uncertain), Confucianism was founded by Confucius, a Chinese philosopher, in the 6th and 5th centuries. B.C. Confucius's sayings and dialogues, known collectively as the Analects, were written down by his followers. Confucianism, which grew out of a strife-ridden time in Chinese history, stresses the relationship between individuals, their families and society, based on li (proper behavior) and jen (sympathetic attitude). Its practical, socially oriented philosophy was challenged by the more mystical precepts of Taoism and Buddhism, which were partially incorporated to create neo-Confucianism during the Sung dynasty (A.D. 960-1279). The overthrow of the Chinese monarchy and the Communist revolution during the 20th century have severely lessened the influence of Confucianism on modern Chinese culture.

HINDUISM
A religion with 780 million followers worldwide and 910,000 followers in the United States, Hinduism developed from indigenous religions of India in combination with Aryan religions brought to India c. 1500 B.C. and codified in the Veda and the Upanishads, the sacred scriptures of Hinduism. Hinduism is a term used broadly to describe a vast array of sects to which most Indians belong. Although many Hindus reject the caste system-in which people are born into a particular subgroup that determines their religious, social, and work related duties-it is widely accepted and classifies society at large into four groups the Brahmins or priests, the rulers and warriors, the farmers and merchants, and the peasants and laborers. The goals of Hinduism are release from repeated reincarnation through the practice of yoga, adherence to Vedic scriptures, and devotion to a personal guru. Various deities are worshipped at shrines; the divine trinity, representing the cyclical nature of the universe, is made up of Brahma the creator Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.

ISLAM
Islam has 1.1 billion followers worldwide and 5.1 million followers in the United States. It was founded by the prophet Muhammad, who received the holy scriptures of Islam, the Koran, from Allah (God) C.A.D 610. Islam (Arabic for "submission to God") maintains that Muhammad is the last in a long line of holy prophets, preceded by Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. In addition to being devoted to the Koran, followers of Islam (Muslims) are devoted to the worship of Allah through the Five Pillars: the statement "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is his prophet"; prayer, conducted five times a day while facing Mecca, the birthplace of Muhammad and the holy city of the Islamic world (Mecca is the capital of the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia): the giving of alms; the keeping of the fast of Ramadan during the ninth month of the Muslim year; and the making of a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once, if possible. The two main divisions of Islam are the Sunni and the Shiite. The wahabis are the most important Sunni sect; the Shiite sects include the Assassins, the Druses, and he Fatimids, among countless others.

JUDAISM
Stemming from the descendants of Judah in Judea, Judaism was founded c. 2000 B.C. by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and has 14 million followers worldwide and 4.3 million followers in the United States. Judaism espouses belief in a monotheistic God, who is creator of the universe and who leads His people, the Jews, by speaking through prophets. His word is revealed in the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament), especially in that part known as the Torah. The Torah also contains, according to rabbinic tradition, a total of 613 biblical commandments, including the Ten Commandments, which are explicated in the Talmud. Jews believe that the human condition can be improved, that the letter and the spirit of the Torah must be followed, and that a Messiah will eventually bring the world to a state of paradise. Judaism promotes community among all people of Jewish faith, dedication to a synagogue or temple (the basic social unit of a group of Jews, led by a rabbi), and the importance of family life. Religious observance takes place both at home and in the temple. Judaism is divided into three main groups who vary in their interpretation of those parts of the Torah that deal with personal, communal, international, and religious activities: the Orthodox community, which views the Torah as derived from God and therefore absolutely binding; the Reform movements, which follows primarily its ethical content; and the Conservative Jews, who follow most of the observances set out in the Torah but allow for change in the face of modern life. A fourth group, Reconstructionist Jews, rejects the concept of the Jews as God's chosen people, yet maintains rituals as part of the Judaic cultural heritage.

ORTHODOX CHURCH
With 218 million followers worldwide and over 5 million followers in the United States, the Orthodox Church is the third-largest Christian community in the world. It began its split from the Roman Catholic Church in the 5th Century; the break wa finalized in 1054. The followers of the Orthodox Church are in fact members of many different denominations, including the Church of Greece, the Church of Cyprus, and the Russian Orthodox Church. Orthodox religion holds Biblical Scripture and tradition, guided by the Holy Spirit as expressed in the consciousness of the entire Orthodox community, to be the source of Christian truth. It rejects doctrine developed by the Western churches. Doctrine was established by seven ecumenical councils held between 325 and 787 and amended by other councils in the late Byzantine period. Relations between the Orthodox churches and Roman Catholicism have improved since Vatican Council II (l962-65).

PROTESTANTISM
Protestantism is a form of Christian faith. It includes any member of the various Christian churches established as a result of the Reformation, the 16th-century religious movement that aimed at reforming the Roman Catholic Church.

ROMAN CATHOLICISM
The Roman Catholic Church, with 900 million followers worldwide and 60 million followers in the United States, is the largest Christian church in the world. It claims direct historical descent from the church founded by the apostle Peter. The pope in Rome is the spiritual leader of all Roman Catholics. He administers church affairs through bishops and priests. Members accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Bible, as well as the church's interpretations of these. God's grace is conveyed through the seven sacraments, especially the Eucharist or communion that is celebrated at mass, the regular service of worship. The other six sacraments are baptism, confirmation, penance, holy orders, matrimony, and anointing of the sick. Redemption through Jesus Christ is professed as the sole method of obtaining salvation, which is necessary to ensure a place in heaven after life on earth.

ROSICRUCIANISM
Rosicrucianism, a modern movement begun in 1868 by R.W. Little, claims ties to an older Society of the Rose and Cross that was founded in Germany in 1413 by Christian Rosencreuz. The number of its followers is uncertain. The ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crusis (AMORC) was founded in San Jose, California, in 1915 by H. Spencer Lewis. The Rosicrucian Brotherhood was established in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, by Reuben Swinburne Clymer in 1902. Both sects could be classified as either fraternal or religious organizations, although they claim to empower members with cosmic forces by unveiling secret wisdom regarding the laws of nature.

SHINTO
Shinto, with 2.8 million followers worldwide (the number of followers in the United States is uncertain), is the ancient native religion of Japan, established long before the introduction of writing to Japan in the 5th century A.D. The origins of its beliefs and rituals are unknown. Shinto stresses belief in a great many spiritual beings and gods, known as kami, who are paid tribute at shrines and honored by festivals, and reverence for ancestors. Although Shinto has no overall dogma, adherents are expected to remember and celebrate the kami, support the societies of which the kami are patrons, remain pure and sincere, and enjoy life.

TAOISM
Both a philosophy and a religion, Taoism was founded in China by Lao-tzu, who is traditionally said to have been born in 604 B.C. Its number of followers is uncertain. It derives primarily from the Tao-te-ching, which claims that an ever-changing universe follows the Tao, or path. The Tao can be known only by emulating its quietude and effortless simplicity; Taoism prescribes that people live simple, spontaneously, and in close touch with nature and that they meditate to achieve contact with the Tao. Temples and monasteries, maintained by Taoist Priests, are important in some Taoist sects. Since the Communist revolution, Taoism has been actively discouraged in the People's Republic of China, although it continues to flourish in Taiwan.

ZOROASTRIANISM
An ancient religion that influenced both Judaism and Christianity, Zoroastrianism arose in Persia (modern-day Iran) at least as early as the 6th century B.C. Based mainly on a Persian text known as the Avesta, Zoroastrianism rejected the worship of multiple gods, adhering to belief only in Ahura Mazda, the "Wise Lord." With the advent of the Sasanid dynasty in the 3rd century .A.D. Zoroastrianism became Persia's state religion, but it declined dramatically after the Islamic conquest of the 8th century. The remnant of Zoroastrian believers eventually made their way to western India, where they are now know as Faris, or Parsees. Numbering about 185,000 worldwide and 20,000 in the United States, they still adhere to their ancient religion. Among other beliefs, they revere the forces of nature particularly fire, as expressions of Ahura Mazda's divine power.