Main types of religions. World religions

The differences are only in words and terminology. I studied Suffism, Buddhism, Taoism, Tengrism, Hinduism and realized that the ultimate goal for everyone is the same - knowledge of the truth and reunification with a certain Absolute.
It’s just that all religions were sent to certain cultures and peoples in their “language”

Buddhism - founded by a man, Buddha, real name Siddhartha Gautama
salvation in Buddhism - through one's own efforts
founder of Buddhism - died
Islam was founded by a man, Muhammad, real name Ubu il-Qassim
salvation in Islam - through one's own efforts
founder of Islam - died
Christianity - the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Son of God
salvation is given by God through the death of Jesus Christ by faith
Jesus died but was RISEN

In fact, in these three religions, only Buddhism is very different. It was founded by a man called the “enlightened one,” Buddha. Oddly enough, there is God in Buddhism. As Buddhists say, there is only suffering in the world caused by our desires. To get rid of suffering, you need to get rid of desires. This is what Buddhists essentially do all their lives.

Islam and Christianity have common roots. But there are several differences: Muslims consider Jesus to be a prophet (Isa), and no son of God came to earth. In addition, Christians have God in three persons, while Muslims have only one.

World religions traditionally include Buddhism, Christianity and Islam. According to the latest data in modern world There are about 1,400 million Christians, about 900 million adherents of Islam, about 300 million Buddhists.
In Buddhism, unlike Christianity and Islam, there is no church, but there is a community of believers - the sangha.
The cardinal difference between Christianity and other religions is that the founders of the latter acted not as an object of faith, but as its intermediaries. It was not the persons of Buddha, Mohammed or Moses that were the real content new faith, and their teaching. The gospel of Christ reveals itself to be the gospel of Christ; it is a message about a Person, not a concept.
Another difference between Christianity is that any ethical and religious system is a path, following which people come to a certain goal. And Christ begins precisely with this goal. He speaks of life flowing from God to men, and not of human efforts that can lift them up to God.
The dogma of Islam is very simple. A Muslim must firmly believe that there is only one god - Allah; that Muhammad was his messenger-prophet; that before him, God sent other prophets to people - these are the biblical Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Christian Jesus, but Muhammad is higher than them; that there are angels and evil spirits (jinn), however, these latter, who converted to Islam from ancient Arabic beliefs, are not always evil, they are also in the power of God and carry out his will; that the last day world dead will be resurrected and everyone will receive rewards for their deeds: the righteous, who honor God, will enjoy in paradise, sinners and infidels will burn in hell; finally, that there is divine predestination, for Allah has predetermined each person’s destiny.

If we are talking about directions originating in Judaism (Christianity, Islam), then the differences are very superficial.
If we consider exactly the three largest streams - Vedic (Hinduism, Buddhism), Taoist (Taoism, synthetic Lamaism) and Jewish - then the differences are very significant.
Briefly -
the Vedic stream is based on knowledge
Taoist flow is harmony
the Jewish stream is faith
As you can see, the differences are quite dramatic.

These are the 3rd world religions - Christianity. Islam and Buddhism differ in that they find the path to God in different ways.
Christianity is the path to God through Jesus Christ
Islam is the path to God through submission
Buddhism - through enlightenment

Conception and birth of Buddha

Below are translations from Jah

Revelation of the Qur'an

According to tradition, what was the first revelation given to Muhammad? Scholars of Islam usually agree that these were the first five verses of the 96th sura "al Alyak", or "Clot [of blood]", which begins with the words (Prh):

Read and shout!
In the name of your God, Who created -
Who created man from a clot.
Read! Your Lord is the most generous!
He is the One who gave man a pen and taught him to write,
And also taught him what he didn’t know.

According to the first chapter of the Sahih, Muhammad replied: “I cannot read!” Therefore, he had to memorize the revelations and repeat them from memory. The Arabs were very good at memorizing texts, and Muhammad was no exception. How long did it take for him to receive the revelations that made up the Koran? It is believed that they descended on him over a period of 20-23 years, starting around 610 until his death in 632 AD. e.

According to Muslim sources, having received a revelation, Muhammad immediately repeated it to those who were next to him. And those people, in turn, kept the revelations in their memory, repeating them periodically so as not to forget. Since the Arabs had not yet learned how to make paper, Muhammad's revelations were written down on simple available means: camel shoulder bones, palm leaves, wood or parchment. It was only after the death of the prophet, under the leadership of his companions and successors, that the Quran took on the form we are familiar with today. This was during the reign of three caliphs, the spiritual leaders of Muslims.

Translator Muhammad Pickthall writes: “All the suras of the Koran were written down during the lifetime of Muhammad, and many Muslims stored the entire text of the Koran in their memory. Records of individual suras were kept by different people, and when during wars... many of those who knew the Koran by heart died, the entire text was again completely collected and written down.”

The norms of Muslim life are regulated by three authoritative sources - the Koran, Hadith and Sharia. Muslims believe that the Koran in Arabic is the revelation of God in its purest form, since, according to legend, it was in this language that God spoke through the angel Jibril. Surah 43:2 says: “We have written it in Arabic so that you may understand.” Therefore, any translation, according to Muslims, detracts from the value of the Koran and its purity is lost. Some Islamic theologians even refuse to translate the Koran, believing that “translation is always treason.” Therefore, according to Islamic history teacher John Williams, “Muslims have historically rejected the idea of ​​​​translating the Koran, and sometimes even prohibited any attempt to convey its contents in another language.”

Spread of Islam

Muhammad's new religion met fierce resistance. The people of Mecca, even his own people, rejected him. After 13 years of hostility and persecution, he moved the center of his activities north of Mecca, to the city of Yathrib, later called al-Madina (Medina), or “city of the prophet.” Is this relocation, or hee

The life of Christ shows the way

According to the Bible, Jesus was raised in an ordinary Jewish family, went to the local synagogue and the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-52). When he turned 30, he began his ministry. First of all, he came to his second cousin John, who dipped the Jews into the waters of the Jordan as a sign of repentance. Luke writes: “While all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized; and as he prayed, the heavens were opened, and the holy spirit in bodily form, like a dove, descended upon him, and a voice was heard from heaven: “You are my beloved Son, I approve of you”” (Luke 3:21-23; John 1:32-34).

Now, as the anointed Son of God, Jesus entered into ministry. He walked throughout Galilee and Judea, preaching about the Kingdom of God, healing the sick and performing other miracles. He served freely, without seeking to become rich or exalt himself. On the contrary, Jesus said that he who gives is happier than he who receives. He also taught his followers the work of preaching (Matthew 8:20; 10:7-13; Acts 20:35).

If you pay attention to the message of Jesus and the way he presented it, you will see how different it is from the style of many preachers in Christian churches. He did not try to captivate the masses on a wave of emotions and did not scare people into hellish torments. On the contrary, Jesus appealed to the mind through parables and illustrations from everyday life, which were permanently imprinted on the minds and hearts of his listeners. His Sermon on the Mount is a prime example of what and how he taught. In this sermon, Jesus gave a pattern of prayer. By mentioning first of all the sanctification of God's name, he clearly showed what should be the main thing in the life of a Christian (Matthew 5:1-7:29; 13:3-53; Luke 6:17-49; see box on pages 258- 259).

Jesus showed love and compassion in his dealings with his disciples and others (Mark 6:30-34). While he preached God's Kingdom, he also exemplified love and humility. Therefore, in the last hours of his life, he could say to his disciples: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another; so that as I have loved you, so you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if there is love among you” (John 13:34, 35). So the essence of true Christianity is self-sacrificing love based on Divine morality (Matthew 22:37-40). In practice, this means that a Christian should love even his enemies, even though he hates their evil deeds (Luke 6:27-31). Just think how much the world would change if every person showed such love! (Romans 12:17-21; 13:8-10).

The teachings of Jesus cannot be compared to the ethics or philosophy taught by Confucius and Lao Tzu. In addition, he, unlike the Buddha, did not teach that a person can independently achieve salvation through knowledge and enlightenment. On the contrary, Christ argued that God gives salvation to people: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who exercises faith in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16, 17).

By reflecting the Father's love in both word and deed, Jesus encouraged people to draw closer to God. It was not for nothing that he said to one of the apostles: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [...] Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say: “Show us the Father”? Or do you not believe that I am in unity with the Father and the Father is in unity with me? The words that I speak to you do not speak from myself, but the Father, who is in unity with me, does his works. [...] You heard what I said to you: I am leaving and will come to you again. If you loved me, you would be glad that I go to the Father, because the Father is greater than I” (John 14:6-28). It is Jesus who is “the way, the truth, and the life,” because he helped the Jewish people return to the Father, the true God, Jehovah. The fact that God, out of His love, sent this light of truth to earth opened up a special opportunity for people to find a way to Jehovah (John 1:9-14; 6:44; 8:31, 32).

With this role of Christ in mind, Paul addressed the Greeks in Athens with the words: “From one man he [God] created every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having established certain times and limits for the habitation of people, so that they should seek God, if they would not feel and whether they will find him, although he is not far from each of us. For by it we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:26-28). Finding God is possible if you strive and put in the effort (Matthew 7:7, 8). The Earth, the beautiful home he created for a huge variety of living beings, testifies to God and his love. Out of love, he sends both the righteous and the unrighteous everything they need for life. In addition, Jehovah gave the people his Word, the Bible, and also his Son as an atoning sacrifice for them. In this way, God helps people find the way to him (Matthew 5:43-45; Acts 14:16, 17; Romans 3:23-26).

Of course, Christian love should be manifested not only in words, but, more importantly, in deeds. The Apostle Paul wrote: “Love is slow to anger and kind. Love is not jealous, not boastful, it does not boast, it does not behave indecently, it does not seek its own, it is not irritated, it does not count insults, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth; endures everything, believes everything, hopes for everything, endures everything with steadfastness. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Jesus Christ also emphasized the importance of proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven—God's government over obedient humanity (Matthew 10:7; Mark 13:10).

Islam is a religion of peace, and its values ​​should serve to solve the problems of consolidating society, maintaining unity and stability, overcoming separatism, strengthening peace and harmony. It is important to achieve the unification of efforts of the state and religious Muslim organizations.

The Islamic worldview in the most difficult times helped bring together and cooperate all Dagestan peoples. The revived Islam in Dagestan should serve these goals today.

Currently, Islam is under massive attack through the media.

One of the most exploited is the idea that Islam is anti-scientific, archaic and drags society into the Middle Ages. However, the famous theoretical physicist Abdu-Salam, director International Institute theoretical physicist, Nobel Prize winner, claims that he became a physicist thanks to the call and instructions of the Koran. The Koran directly states that the duty of a Muslim is to be educated, literate and, therefore, useful to society.

Muslim scientists made many discoveries in the fields of mathematics, astronomy, optics and many other areas of human knowledge. Moreover, these discoveries were made under the direct influence of the study of the Koran. In the field of mathematics, Muslims invented algebra. Arabic numerals were transformed into European ones and are still used today.

Long before others, Muslims attempted to measure the thickness of the atmosphere in order to determine the time of the first glimmer of dawn. The first scientist to make these measurements was ibn Myad, and this happened in the 11th century. In the field of anatomy, Ibn al-Nafis was the first to describe the circulatory system. In the field of astronomy, using unusually precise mathematical calculations, Sanad Ali proved in the 12th century that the Earth is smaller than the Sun, but larger than the Moon.

Every year the number of adherents of Islam around the world increases. It is noteworthy that in Europe and America this is happening mainly due to the scientific and creative intelligentsia. The media have repeatedly reported about the adoption of Islam by a number of outstanding scientists and luminaries of science.

The great French oceanographer, pioneer of deep sea exploration, inventor of scuba gear, underwater houses, author of many popular books and films, Jacques Cousteau, is known all over the world. But few people know that the scientific research he conducted and the fact that many scientific signs were reflected in the Quran led him to accept Islam and he died a Muslim. The world-famous researcher said that choosing Islam was the most correct decision in his life.

Roger Garaudy - French writer and philosopher, former member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of France and editor-in-chief of the newspaper L'Humanité, on Friday, July 3, 1982, in the month of Ramadan, converted to Islam and thereby shocked the public in the West.

Wilfried Hoffmann - Master of Laws from Harvard University, Doctor of Laws from the University of Munich, a high-ranking official of the German state apparatus, who rose to the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, accepted Islam and additionally took a new name for himself - Islam.

Professor Tasazha Tasajon, one of the greatest scientists in the field of anatomy, said: “In the last 4 years, I have been attracted by the Holy Quran, which was given to me. I believe that what was mentioned in the Qur'an 1400 years ago is a truth that can be proven by scientific method."

Professor Schrader from Greece said: “Indeed, what is said in the Quran is the truth that scientists are discovering today. I think it is very important to communicate this to scientists around the world.”

Professor Alfred Korner from the USA, one of the world's leading biologists, said: “Man 1400 years ago, not knowing anything about nuclear physics, could not comprehend with his mind the truth that the Earth and other planets were created in the same way. “I believe that if we collect the information contained in the Koran, including about the Earth and its origin and about science in general, then we can say that this information is reliable and true, and this can be proven by scientific methods.”

The famous French scientist Maurice Bucaille, who converted to Islam, wrote: “If I had known the Koran before, I would not have walked blindly in search of a scientific solution, I would have had a guiding thread.”

This is what the Turkish scientist Odnan Oktar writes in his book “The Deception of Evolution”:

“Religion encourages scientific research. And if these studies are conducted based on the truths revealed by religion, they very soon achieve the most accurate results. The fact is that religion is the only source that gives a true and accurate answer to the question of how the Universe and life arose. Therefore, research for which the correct starting point is chosen will reveal the secrets of the existence of life and the Universe in the shortest possible time and with the least expenditure of labor and energy.”

Scientists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Cuvier (father of paleontology), Linnaeus (leader of botany and zoology), Isaac Newton, who is remembered as “the greatest scientist,” believed in (One Creator) and improved science, believing that the Universe and all living organisms were created by Him. Albert Einstein wrote:

“I can’t imagine a scientist without firm faith. This can be expressed this way: it is impossible to believe in science that is not based on religion.”

In one of his works entitled “Principles of Mathematics,” Newton writes: “We, being weak slaves, in need of God given under reason, must know the Greatness and Power of God and submit to him.”

American geneticists have proven the existence of prehistoric Adam - a man and a single proto-Eve. Researchers argue that the concept of race is illusory, and these differences between people are recent. The genetic codes of modern people are strikingly similar. “The four different types of African gorillas are less similar to each other in their genetic makeup than I am and an Alaskan Eskimo or an Australian aborigine,” writes English scientist Christopher Stringer. Thus, it has been scientifically proven that the prophets were right.
Great Book - Koran

American doctor, scientist, Muslim Ahmad al-Qadi in medical clinic The city of Panama (Florida) conducted a special study to study the healing effects of verses of the Koran, read aloud, on patients who have experienced stress, with heart disease and some other diseases.

Men and women who had no idea about the Koran and did not know Arabic were selected for the research. The Arabic text of the Koran was read to them.

The results of the impact of the Koranic verses on patients were recorded with the most modern devices and computers. The study was conducted year-round, and the results were announced at the North American Islamic Medical Congress (Missouri, August 1984). They turned out to be impressive - 97% of patients who listened to the Quran got rid of stress, and this was recorded by special devices that recorded the changes occurring in the listeners. The presented materials aroused interest among medical scientists and received great resonance in the media.

According to Doctor of Medical Sciences B.S. Alyakrinsky, more than 400 functions of the human body are subject to the biological clock. During the day, 500 small and 5 large periods of biorhythms change. The change of 5 large periods of biorhythms is associated with the corresponding influence of the planets of the solar system. The most interesting thing: the time of change of these large periods coincides with the time of daily Muslim prayers (namaz). When changing each of the 5 periods of biorhythms, biologically active points (BAT) first open. They remain in this state for 15 minutes, after which a gradual closure begins, which lasts about two hours.

If we remember that according to the hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the most valuable prayer is the one performed immediately after the onset of its time, and that as a last resort, if someone did not have time to perform the prayer on time, it can be performed within 1.5-2 hours , then it becomes obvious that all this is connected with the BAT mode.

An American, professor at Harvard University, Benson, provided a scientific basis for the fact that prayer helps health. As a result of many years of research involving thousands of people, he found that regular prayers reduce the rate of breathing, heartbeat and normalize brain wave fluctuations, which, it turns out, contribute to the body’s self-healing. In addition, according to the observation of Professor Benson, believers are 36% less likely to get sick.

There is research data from English scientists proving that the five-fold prayer of a Muslim, when performed correctly, has a healing effect no less than yoga orders.

Analysis of statistical data, scientific research recent years, during which professional athletes and physical educators were examined, showed that gymnastic exercises performed at the same time, constantly and without overload have the greatest health benefits.

These are the actions in prayer. Namaz is unique in that when it is performed, literally all articular plexuses are set in motion, which is very important for the prevention of arthrosis and osteochondrosis.

This is confirmed by the results of research by English scientists. The effect of prayer on human health has not yet been fully studied. This is a topic for scientific dissertations.

It must be said that not only many outstanding scientists of the past and present, but also writers and poets treated and treat Islam with deep reverence and respect.

The brilliant Russian writer Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy wrote: “...look at me as a good Mohammedan, then everything will be fine...”.

In 1995, in Weimar, a group of researchers led by Sheikh Abdulkadir al-Murabin studied numerous works of Goethe, which gave al-Murabin grounds to recognize the great poet Goethe as a Muslim.

Here are some of Goethe's statements about Islam:

“How stupid it is to chant like that

Your opinions about this and that!

After all, if Islam means submission to God,

We all live and die in Islam."

“...We must remain in Islam... I can’t add anything to this.”

“Most holy Jesus was submissive only to God alone,

It was an insult to God that Jesus was exalted as God.

Let the truth shine forth, which was conveyed to us by Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), Who, through the comprehension of the One, inclined the whole world to submission.”

In the cycle of poems by the great poet A.S. Pushkin “Imitations of the Koran” there are the following lines:

“Pray to the Creator, he is mighty,

He rules the wind on a hot day

Sends clouds to the sky

Gives the earth tree shade

He is merciful, he is to Mohammed,

He opened the shining Koran.

May we also flow towards the light,

And let the fog fall from your eyes."

Humanity faces two possible paths: the path of development - true and erroneous.

These paths have always collided and fought with each other. If you look at the problem from the point of view of the development of social relations, man rejected the true path, choosing different paths from existing situations in life, developing and improving various systems - from totemism, feudalism, capitalism to communism.

However, in none of them did I find happiness and peace and what I was really looking for. As a result, not having received what he wanted, he continued his search, not realizing that all these paths lead to a dead end. Until people turn towards the Creator and Creator of all things and trust spiritual guides, this search will not stop.

An analysis of world history convincingly demonstrates that any state, no matter what economic and political power it achieves, departing from the principles of Monotheism, from faith in the One Creator, faces inevitable decline and ultimately collapse.

Smoke36, there are more Muslims than Christians.
The most important difference is Islam for One God - Allah.

These are three varieties of opium =))) In general, they must be destroyed to hell, otherwise people will destroy the Planet! Ideally, the states will also be united into one - Planetland. And there must be different marriages so that there is one nation - the Earthlings. and religion - Christianity is the main (correct) one based on love [you still won’t understand], Islam is based on fear [Allah will punish] and cohesion, Buddhism is based on wisdom and experience. (Judaism - Jewish Islam)
In short, don’t sleep, don’t you see that these are PARTS of the unreal universe, that is, we must have one KNOWLEDGE! In general, I went to create the First Universal Faith of the United Religions))) Otherwise we will live arguing for another millennium

"About Tisha and Irisha (parable)

Once upon a time there lived two twins - brother and sister, Tisha and Irisha. And then one day, when they were one and a half years old, the twins’ father went on a long business trip. He left clean-shaven, wearing gray trousers and a white shirt. And he returned - as it happened - unshaven, in black jeans and a red sweater. Tisha was tense at first... but then he realized that this “unfamiliar” uncle at first glance was still his dad, so there was nothing to be afraid of. And Irisha...
Irisha screamed wildly, hid under her cot, and cried bitterly, bitterly. Her parents tried for a long time to calm her down and lure her out from under the bed. But the little girl was terribly afraid of the scary bearded uncle, and did not want to get out of there. The father even had to lift the crib... And only when he hastily shaved and put on that same white shirt did the girl calm down. But she calmed down, as it soon became clear, not completely, and not for long...
Years passed, the twins grew up... Tisha grew up as a normal, healthy, cheerful boy. But Irisha constantly remembered the scary “unfamiliar bearded man,” and always began to shake with horror and indignation. All the relatives tried many times to explain to the girl that that same “bearded man” is her own dad, who loves her, takes care of her and protects her... But Irisha did not want to listen to anyone. She called everyone who told her this “obsessed,” “fraudsters,” and “blasphemers.” It seemed to the girl that those who think so are thereby INSULTING her “REAL”, “TRUE”, beloved dad. And when the father himself tried to talk to his daughter about this topic, Ira simply began to squeal loudly and plugged her ears with her fingers...
Doctors - psychiatrists and psychotherapists - were even invited to see her several times. But the girl immediately declared them the most terrible enemies, as she said - “apostates.” And she even rushed at the doctors with scissors, kitchen knives, and other sharp objects...
Having matured, Irina completely withdrew into herself, hung a large photograph of her clean-shaven father in a white shirt over her bed, and began to talk to her for a long time. At the same time, the girl wrote articles on her blog entitled “Why the bearded man in a red sweater is not my dad”, “The bearded man in jeans cannot be my father”, “Down with the unshaven in red!”, etc.
It seemed to Ira that she acted and behaved in life very wisely, that this was the only way she should always act (and to behave differently was wrong, and even simply stupid). And this made the girl so happy that one day she shaved her head and began running around the area, dressed all in white... Ira ran, rejoiced and laughed. Periodically attacking unshaven men in red...
They say she still runs like that... Runs, rejoices... and laughs...

_____________________________________________________________________________

In the same way, some of us are sometimes afraid of people of other faiths. And they don’t want to understand that the “ALIER” God is actually the SAME, the One Lord Almighty. It’s just that followers of different Faiths call and perceive Him differently...”

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> He who does not have the Son does not have the Father.
It looks like some kind of nonsense, memorized in a backward TsPSh.
There is no such statement in any of the four Gospels.

And whoever does not have a Daughter does not have a Mother?

The fact is that Christianity and Islam are looking for people to join them, Judaism is not.

The difference lies in Jesus Christ. He who does not have the Son does not have the Father.

Hello, dear schoolchildren!

Today we have a rather complex topic. IN primary school it is studied as part of the course “Fundamentals of Religious Culture and Secular Ethics” and it is quite possible that the teacher will ask you to prepare a report or message for the class on the topic “Major World Religions”.

Today I propose to consider them in more detail and give them a brief description in order to have a little idea of ​​what the believing people breathe. I'll try to write in simple words so that everything is clear to everyone. Well, if it’s still not clear, you can always ask a question in the comments.

Lesson plan:

What is religion?

There were many of them, and each saint was responsible for his own sphere.

• They turned to some gods to make it rain.
• To others - to help in the fight against enemies.
• Still others were asked for help in trouble and illness.

This is how religion was born - belief in a supernatural helper called God, and the ability to contact him through prayer.

Time passed, people's beliefs changed, matured and united into groups. Today there are many religious movements, the supporters of which may be hundreds, or perhaps billions, of people.

Every religious belief includes:

• standards of morality and ethics;
• behavior rules;
• a set of rituals and rites with the help of which people turn to shrines, asking for help in daily matters.

Today there are three main religions in the world. All other beliefs are just branches from them with their own small subtleties. The most important tenets of life are preserved in any religion.

The oldest religion is Buddhism

The Buddhist religious movement arose in the 6th century BC in India.

History associates the emergence of Buddhism with the name of Siddhartha Gautama.

According to ancient legend, at the age of 29 he left his luxurious home when he saw the “truth of life”:

• old age in the form of a decrepit old man who caught his eye;
• illness through meeting a seriously ill person;
• death from a collision with a funeral procession.

In search of truth, he reflected and meditated, realizing the inevitability of putting up with the obligatory moments in life. As a result, he found the meaning of existence of everything that surrounds us, and, as Buddhists say, he became enlightened, therefore he was called Buddha.

The truth about the fate of man, found in the depths of his consciousness, Buddha began to share with others - this is how the sacred book Tipitaka arose.

It lists all the main religious ideas of Buddhism:

• suffering in life is inevitable; to get rid of them, you need to renounce earthly desires, striving to achieve nirvana - the highest state of the soul;
• a person determines his own future fate by your actions, being reborn in another life into a new living being, who you will be later depends on how you behave in this life;
• good behavior is kindness and the ability to have compassion for others;
• correct life path– this is honesty;
• correct speech is the absence of lies;
• the correct action is not to harm anything living, not to steal and not to have bad habits;
• proper training is the understanding that anything can be achieved if you put in the effort.

Today Buddhism is supported by different countries ah more than 500 million people.

Buddhists in Asia, the Far East, Laos, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Cambodia devote all their free time to meditation in monasteries, trying to achieve this highest state and free themselves from the shackles of life.

The Buddhist headquarters is located in Bangkok. Representatives of this religion choose divine statues as shrines, to which they lay flowers.

Cultural scientists believe that without understanding Buddhism, it is impossible to understand the great culture of the eastern peoples of India, China, Tibet and Mongolia. Buddhism is also present in Russia; you can communicate with its fans in Kalmykia or Buryatia.

This is interesting! The name of the Buddhist canons "Tipitaka" means "triple basket", which is usually interpreted as "three baskets of the law." Scientists believe that perhaps the sacred texts of the rules, written in ancient times on palm leaves, were kept in wicker baskets.

Christian religion

The birthplace of Christianity is Palestine, the former east of the Roman Empire.

The religious movement that appeared in the 1st century appealed to all the humiliated who were looking for justice, with an offer to turn to God for help in the hope of getting rid of everything bad. The emergence of the Christian religion is associated with the preaching of Jesus Christ, whose birth was predicted to the Virgin Mary.

When he was 30 years old, the messenger of God went out to the people to preach the holy word, conveying to the people the ideas of hard work, peace and brotherhood, condemning wealth and exalting the spiritual over the material. The Hebrew name of Jesus is Yeshua, which translates as “savior” who was destined to suffer for the sins of all Christians.

The basis of the Christian religion is belief in angels and demons, the afterlife, the Last Judgment and the end of the World.

The holy book of the Christian religion is the Bible, which contains all the basic ten rules - commandments, observance of them for every Christian believer is the goal in life.

The most important of them is to love God as yourself. There are also rules here: not to steal or lie, to work and to honor your parents.

In 1054, the Christian Church split into Orthodox (East) and Catholics (West), and later, in the 16th century, Protestants appeared.

Most Orthodox Christians live in Russia, Belarus, Greece, Moldova, and there are Canadians and Americans. Catholicism is widespread in Portugal, France, Spain, Italy, and Germany.

Today there are about 2 billion believers in the Christian religion.

This is the largest religion in the world in terms of the number of followers and geography - in every country there is, even a small, Christian community.

All Christians, both Orthodox and Catholics, attend church churches, undergo the baptism procedure and atone for their sins through prayers and fasting.

The youngest religion is Islam

The youngest world religion in terms of age appeared among the Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula in the 7th century and is translated as “submission.”

But being young does not mean that there are few believers in it - today there are about 1.5 billion people from almost 120 countries of the world among the followers of Islam. The ideas of Islam were brought to the people by Mohamed, who was born in Mecca, declaring that he was the chosen one of Allah (the god of Islamists) to carry out his sermons.

The holy scripture of Muslims - this is the name given to those who have chosen Islam as their religion - is the Koran, which includes all the sermons of Muhammad.

An Islamic shrine is a mosque where believers come to pray 5 times a day. Many researchers believe that young Islam took its entire basis from the Christian Bible, adding Arabic traditions: here, too, there is God’s terrible judgment and demons, paradise and Satan.

According to the Muslim Koran, a person lives to pass all life's tests, serving Allah and preparing for the afterlife. The most serious sins in Islam are gambling and drunkenness, as well as usury (this is when they give a loan and demand to return it in a larger amount, charging interest).

And true Muslims never eat pork. Muslims are especially attentive to fasting during the month of Ramadan, when even a crumb of food is not allowed during daylight hours.

Islam has a religious law called Sharia, the judgment of which sometimes does not fit into modern conditions - for serious sins and violations of the Koran, Muslims are stoned to death, for minor offenses they are beaten with sticks. Such punishments are still preserved in some areas of Islamic states.

What unites the three world religions?

Whatever the names of the three religions, which we have characterized today, no matter how they differ in rituals, shrines and faith, all of them, taken together, establish human moral standards and rules of behavior, prohibiting causing pain and harm to all living things, resorting to deceit, behave disrespectfully towards others.

Any of the world's religions teaches tolerance, calls to be merciful and treat people kindly.

By sharing goodness, no one will become a beggar,

Everything will come back a hundredfold.

Who makes our world brighter and cleaner,

He himself will become rich from kindness.

That's all for today. I say goodbye to you with wishes to be kinder to each other.

Good luck in your studies!

Evgenia Klimkovich.

(not the world, but everyone).

The world religion is a religion that has become widespread among the peoples of different countries around the world. Differences between world religions from national and nation-state religions in that in the latter the religious connection between people coincides with the ethnic connection (the origin of believers) or political. World religions are also called supranational, since they unite different peoples on different continents. History of world religions always closely connected with the course of the history of human civilization. List of world religions small. Religious scholars count three world religions, which we will briefly consider.

Buddhism.

Buddhism- oldest world religion, which arose in the 6th century BC on the territory of modern India. At the moment, according to various researchers, there are from 800 million to 1.3 billion believers.

In Buddhism there is no creator god, as in Christianity. Buddha means enlightened one. At the center of the religion are the teachings of the Indian prince Gautama, who abandoned his life of luxury, became a hermit and ascetic, and thought about the destinies of people and the meaning of life.

In Buddhism there is also no theory about the creation of the world (no one created it, and no one controls it), there is no concept of an eternal soul, there is no atonement for sins (instead, positive or negative karma), there is no such multi-component organization as the church in Christianity. Buddhism does not require absolute devotion and renunciation of other religions from believers. It sounds funny, but Buddhism can be called the most democratic religion. Buddha is something of an analogue of Christ, but at the same time he is not considered either a god or the son of God.

The essence of Buddhist philosophy- the desire for nirvana, self-knowledge, self-contemplation and spiritual self-development through self-restraint and meditation.

Christianity.

Christianity arose in the 1st century AD in Palestine (Mesopotamia) based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, which were described by his disciples (apostles) in the New Testament. Christianity is the largest world religion in terms of geography (it is present in almost all countries of the world) and in terms of the number of believers (about 2.3 billion, which is almost a third of the world's population).

In the 11th century, Christianity split into Catholicism and Orthodoxy, and in the 16th century, Protestantism also broke away from Catholicism. Together they make up the three largest movements of Christianity. There are more than a thousand smaller branches (currents, sects).

Christianity is monotheistic, although it monotheism a little non-standard: the concept of God has three levels (three hypostases) - Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The Jews, for example, do not accept this; for them God is one, and cannot be binary or trinary. In Christianity, faith in God, service to God and righteous living are of paramount importance.

The main reference for Christians is the Bible, which consists of the Old and New Testaments.

Both Orthodox and Catholics recognize the seven sacraments of Christianity (baptism, communion, repentance, confirmation, marriage, unction, priesthood). Main differences:

• Orthodox Christians do not have a Pope (single head);
• there is no concept of “purgatory” (only heaven and hell);
• priests do not take a vow of celibacy;
• slight difference in rituals;
• difference in holiday dates.

Among Protestants, anyone can preach; the number of sacraments and the importance of rituals are kept to a minimum. Protestantism is, in fact, the least strict movement of Christianity.

Islam.

IN Islam also one god. Translated from Arabic it means “conquest”, “submission”. God is Allah, the prophet is Muhammad (Mohammed, Magomed). Islam ranks second in the number of believers - up to 1.5 billion Muslims, that is, almost a quarter of the world's population. Islam arose in the 7th century on the Arabian Peninsula.

The Koran, the holy book of Muslims, is a collection of Muhammad's teachings (sermons) and was compiled after the death of the prophet. The Sunnah, a collection of parables about Muhammad, and the Sharia, a set of rules of conduct for Muslims, are also of considerable importance. In Islam, observance of rituals is of paramount importance:

• daily five times prayer (namaz);
• fasting in Ramadan (9th month of the Muslim calendar);
• giving alms to the poor;
• hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca);
• pronouncing the main formula of Islam (there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet).

Previously, world religions also included Hinduism And Judaism. This data is now considered outdated.

Unlike Buddhism, Christianity and Islam are related to each other. Both religions belong to the Abrahamic religions.

In literature and cinema, the concept of “one universe” is sometimes encountered. Heroes from different works live in the same world and may one day meet, such as Iron Man and Captain America. Christianity and Islam take place in “the same universe.” Jesus Christ, Moses, and the Bible are mentioned in the Koran, with Jesus and Moses being prophets. Adam and Hawa are the first people on Earth according to the Koran. Muslims also see a prophecy of the appearance of Muhammad in some biblical texts. In this aspect, it is interesting to observe that particularly severe religious conflicts arose precisely between these religions, which are close to each other (and not with Buddhists or Hindus); but we will leave this question to psychologists and religious scholars.

As well as their classifications. In religious studies, it is common to distinguish the following types: tribal, national and world religions.

Buddhism

- the most ancient world religion. It originated in the 6th century. BC e. in India, and is currently widespread in the countries of South, Southeast, Central Asia and the Far East and has about 800 million followers. Tradition connects the emergence of Buddhism with the name of Prince Siddhartha Gautama. The father hid the bad things from Gautama, he lived in luxury, married his beloved girl, who bore him a son. The impetus for the spiritual upheaval for the prince, as legend says, was four meetings. First he saw a decrepit old man, then one suffering from leprosy and a funeral procession. So Gautama learned that old age, illness and death are the lot of all people. Then he saw a peaceful beggar wanderer who needed nothing from life. All this shocked the prince and made him think about the fate of people. He secretly left the palace and family, at the age of 29 he became a hermit and tried to find. As a result of deep reflection, at the age of 35 he became Buddha - enlightened, awakened. For 45 years, Buddha preached his teaching, which can be briefly summarized in the following basic ideas.

Life is suffering, the cause of which is the desires and passions of people. To get rid of suffering, you need to renounce earthly passions and desires. This can be achieved by following the path of salvation indicated by the Buddha.

After death, any living creature, including humans, is reborn again, but already in the form of a new living being, whose life is determined not only by its own behavior, but also by the behavior of its “predecessors”.

We must strive for nirvana, i.e. dispassion and peace, which are achieved by renouncing earthly attachments.

Unlike Christianity and Islam Buddhism lacks the idea of ​​God as the creator of the world and its ruler. The essence of the teachings of Buddhism comes down to a call for every person to take the path of seeking inner freedom, complete liberation from all the shackles that life brings.

Christianity

Originated in the 1st century. n. e. in the eastern part of the Roman Empire - Palestine - as addressed to all the humiliated, thirsting for justice. It is based on the idea of ​​messianism - hope in the Divine deliverer of the world from everything bad that exists on Earth. Jesus Christ suffered for the sins of people, whose name in Greek means “Messiah”, “Savior”. By this name, Jesus is associated with the Old Testament legends about the coming to the land of Israel of a prophet, a messiah, who would free the people from suffering and establish a righteous life - the kingdom of God. Christians believe that God's coming to Earth will be accompanied by the Last Judgment, when He will judge the living and the dead and send them to heaven or hell.

Basic Christian ideas:

• The belief that God is one, but He is a Trinity, i.e. God has three “persons”: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which form one God who created the Universe.
• Faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity, God the Son is Jesus Christ. He has two natures at the same time: Divine and human.
• Belief in Divine grace is a mysterious power sent by God to free a person from sin.
• Belief in posthumous reward and afterlife.
• Belief in the existence of good spirits - angels and evil spirits - demons, along with their ruler Satan.

The holy book of Christians is Bible, which means “book” in Greek. The Bible consists of two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is the oldest part of the Bible. The New Testament (actually Christian works) includes: the four gospels (Luke, Mark, John and Matthew); the acts of the holy apostles; Epistles and Revelation of John the Theologian.

In the 4th century. n. e. Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire. Christianity is not united. It split into three currents. In 1054, Christianity split into the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. In the 16th century The Reformation, an anti-Catholic movement, began in Europe. The result was Protestantism.

And they admit seven Christian sacraments: baptism, confirmation, repentance, communion, marriage, priesthood and consecration of oil. The source of doctrine is the Bible. The differences are mainly as follows. In Orthodoxy there is no single head, there is no idea of ​​purgatory as a place of temporary placement of the souls of the dead, the priesthood does not take a vow of celibacy, as in Catholicism. The head of the Catholic Church is the Pope, elected for life; the center of the Roman Catholic Church is the Vatican - a state that occupies several blocks in Rome.

It has three main currents: Anglicanism, Calvinism And Lutheranism. Protestants consider the condition for the salvation of a Christian not the formal observance of rituals, but his sincere personal faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Their teaching proclaims the principle of universal priesthood, which means that every layman can preach. Almost all Protestant denominations have reduced the number of sacraments to a minimum.

Islam

Originated in the 7th century. n. e. among the Arab tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. This is the youngest of the world. There are followers of Islam more than 1 billion people.

Founder of Islam - historical figure. He was born in 570 in Mecca, which for that time was a fairly large city at the intersection of trade routes. In Mecca there was a shrine revered by the majority of pagan Arabs - the Kaaba. Muhammad's mother died when he was six years old, and his father died before his son was born. Muhammad was brought up in his grandfather's family, a noble but impoverished family. At the age of 25, he became the manager of the household of the wealthy widow Khadija and soon married her. At the age of 40, Muhammad acted as a religious preacher. He declared that God (Allah) had chosen him as his prophet. The ruling elite of Mecca did not like the sermon, and by 622 Muhammad had to move to the city of Yathrib, later renamed Medina. The year 622 is considered the beginning of the Muslim calendar according to lunar calendar, and Mecca is the center of the Muslim religion.

The Muslim Holy Book is a processed record of Muhammad's sermons. During Muhammad's lifetime, his statements were perceived as direct speech from Allah and were transmitted orally. A few decades after the death of Muhammad, they were written down and compiled into the Koran.

Plays an important role in the religion of Muslims Sunnah - a collection of edifying stories about the life of Muhammad and Sharia - a set of principles and rules of conduct obligatory for Muslims. The most serious ipexa.Mii among Muslims are usury, drunkenness, gambling and adultery.

The place of worship of Muslims is called a mosque. Islam prohibits the depiction of humans and living animals; hollow mosques are decorated only with ornaments. In Islam there is no clear division between clergy and laity. Any Muslim who knows the Koran, Muslim laws and rules of worship can become a mullah (priest).

Great importance is attached to ritual in Islam. You may not know the intricacies of faith, but you should strictly perform the main rituals, the so-called five pillars of Islam:

• pronouncing the formula of confession of faith: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet”;
• performing daily five times prayer (namaz);
• fasting during the month of Ramadan;
• giving alms to the poor;
• making a pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).

Faith in God surrounds a person from infancy. In childhood, this still unconscious choice is associated with family traditions existing in every home. But later a person can consciously change his religion. How are they similar and how are they different from each other?

The concept of religion and the prerequisites for its appearance

The word “religion” comes from the Latin religio (piety, sacredness). This is an attitude, behavior, actions based on faith in something that surpasses human understanding and is supernatural, that is, sacred. The beginning and meaning of any religion is faith in God, regardless of whether he is personified or impersonal.

There are several known preconditions for the emergence of religion. Firstly, from time immemorial man has been trying to go beyond the boundaries of this world. He strives to find salvation and consolation beyond his borders and sincerely needs faith.

Secondly, a person wants to give an objective assessment of the world. And then when he can't explain just natural laws the origin of earthly life, then makes the assumption that a supernatural force is attached to all this.

Thirdly, a person believes that various events and incidents of a religious nature confirm the existence of God. The list of religions for believers already serves as real proof of the existence of God. They explain this very simply. If God did not exist, there would be no religion.

The most ancient types, forms of religion

The origin of religion occurred 40 thousand years ago. It was then that the emergence of the simplest forms of religious beliefs was noted. It was possible to learn about them thanks to the discovered burials, as well as rock and cave paintings.

In accordance with this, the following types of ancient religions are distinguished:

• Totemism. A totem is a plant, animal or object that was considered sacred by one or another group of people, tribe, clan. The basis of this ancient religion was the belief in the supernatural power of the amulet (totem).

• Magic. This form of religion is based on belief in human magical abilities. With the help of symbolic actions, a magician is able to influence the behavior of other people, natural phenomena and objects from a positive and negative side.
• Fetishism. From among any objects (an animal or human skull, a stone or a piece of wood, for example), one was selected to which supernatural properties were attributed. It was supposed to bring good luck and protect from danger.
• Animism. All natural phenomena, objects and people have a soul. She is immortal and continues to live outside the body even after its death. All modern types of religions are based on the belief in the existence of souls and spirits.
• Shamanism. The tribal leader or priest was believed to have supernatural powers. He entered into conversation with the spirits, listened to their advice and fulfilled their demands. Belief in the power of the shaman is at the core of this form of religion.

List of religions

There are more than a hundred different religious movements in the world, including ancient forms and modern movements. They have their own time of occurrence and differ in the number of followers. But at the heart of it big list lie the three most numerous world religions: Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. Each of them has different directions.

World religions in the form of a list can be presented as follows:

1. Christianity (almost 1.5 billion people):

• Orthodoxy (Russia, Greece, Georgia, Bulgaria, Serbia);
• Catholicism (states Western Europe, Poland Czech Republic, Lithuania and others);
• Protestantism (USA, UK, Canada, South Africa, Australia).

2. Islam (about 1.3 billion people):

• Sunnism (Africa, Central and South Asia);
• Shiism (Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan).

3. Buddhism (300 million people):

• Hinayana (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand);
• Mahayana (Tibet, Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam).

National religions

In addition, in every corner of the world there are national and traditional religions, also with their own directions. They originated or became particularly widespread in certain countries. On this basis, the following types of religions are distinguished:

• Hinduism (India);
• Confucianism (China);
• Taoism (China);
• Judaism (Israel);
• Sikhism (Punjab state in India);
• Shintoism (Japan);
• paganism (Indian tribes, peoples of the North and Oceania).

Christianity

This religion originated in Palestine in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD. Its appearance is associated with faith in the birth of Jesus Christ. At the age of 33, he suffered martyrdom on the cross to atone for human sins, after which he was resurrected and ascended to heaven. Thus, the son of God, who embodied supernatural and human nature, became the founder of Christianity.

The documentary basis of the doctrine is the Bible (or Holy Scripture), consisting of two independent collections of the Old and New Testaments. The writing of the first of them is closely related to Judaism, from which Christianity originates. The New Testament was written after the birth of religion.

Symbols of Christianity are the Orthodox and Catholic cross. The main provisions of faith are defined in dogmas, which are based on faith in God, who created the world and man himself. Objects of worship are God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit.

Islam

Islam, or Islam, originated among the Arab tribes of Western Arabia at the beginning of the 7th century in Mecca. The founder of the religion was the Prophet Muhammad. This man was prone to loneliness from childhood and often indulged in pious reflections. According to the teachings of Islam, at the age of 40, the heavenly messenger Jabrail (Archangel Gabriel) appeared to him on Mount Hira, who left an inscription in his heart. Like many other world religions, Islam is based on belief in one God, but in Islam he is called Allah.

Holy Scripture - Koran. The symbols of Islam are the star and crescent. The main provisions of the Muslim faith are contained in dogmas. They must be recognized and unquestioningly implemented by all believers.

The main types of religion are Sunnism and Shiism. Their appearance is associated with political disagreements between believers. Thus, Shiites to this day believe that only the direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad carry the truth, while Sunnis think that this should be a chosen member of the Muslim community.

Buddhism

Buddhism originated in the 6th century BC. Its homeland is India, after which the teaching spread to the countries of Southeast, South, Central Asia and the Far East. Considering how many other most numerous types of religions exist, we can safely say that Buddhism is the most ancient of them.

The founder of the spiritual tradition is Buddha Gautama. This was an ordinary person, whose parents were awarded the vision that their son would grow up to be a Great Teacher. The Buddha was also lonely and brooding, and very quickly turned to religion.

There is no object of worship in this religion. The goal of all believers is to achieve nirvana, a blissful state of insight, to free themselves from their own shackles. Buddha for them represents a certain ideal that should be equaled.

At the heart of Buddhism is the teaching of the Four Noble Truths: about suffering, about the origin and causes of suffering, about the true cessation of suffering and the elimination of its sources, about the true path to the cessation of suffering. This path consists of several steps and is divided into three stages: wisdom, morality and concentration.

New religious movements

In addition to those religions that originated a very long time ago, new faiths still continue to appear in the modern world. They are still based on faith in God.

The following types of modern religions can be noted:

• Scientology;
• neo-shamanism;
• neopaganism;
• Burkhanism;
• neo-Hinduism;
• Raelites;
• oomoto;
• and other currents.

This list is constantly modified and supplemented. Some types of religions are especially popular among show business stars. For example, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, and John Travolta are seriously interested in Scientology.

This religion arose in 1950 thanks to science fiction writer L. R. Hubbard. Scientologists believe that every person is inherently good, his success and peace of mind depend on himself. According to the fundamental principles of this religion, people are immortal beings. Their experience lasts longer than one human life, and their abilities are unlimited.

But everything is not so simple in this religion. In many countries it is believed that Scientology is a sect, a pseudo-religion with a lot of capital. Despite this, the trend is very popular, especially in Hollywood.