The Value of Religion

Religion is one of the most important facets in culture and social interactions. Religion helps to define everything from ethics to social hierarchies.

Religions of the World

Christianity

Judaism

Islam

Hinduism

Buddhism

Jainism

Conclusion

Christianity

Key Figures

Dates

Beliefs

Regions Where it is practiced today

Christianity’s Key Figures

• Jesus- The son of God and savior of man• Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Judas, Peter,

Andrew, Bartholomew, Thaddeus, Simon, Thomas, Phillip: The Apostles of Jesus

Christianity’s Key Dates

• 0 C.E. The birth of Jesus• 29-33 C.E. The Crucifixion of Jesus• 50-60 C.E. St. Paul performs his mission

work• 313 C.E. Constantine legalizes

Christianity• 325 C.E. Council of Nicaea affirms the

divinity of Jesus

Christianity’s Key Beliefs

• God is part of a trinity, God, his son Jesus, and the Holy Ghost

• Jesus died for the sins of humanity so that they could go to heaven

• God forgives the sins of those who ask and accept Jesus as their savior

Regions Where Christianity is Practiced Today

• Christianity is the primary faith in: all of North America, Europe, the majority of South America, Australia, Russia, and a large portion of the Middle East

Judaism

Key Figures

Dates

Beliefs

Regions Where it is practiced today

Judaism’s Key Figures

• Abraham- The man whose ancestors would become the Jewish tribe

• Moses- The leader of the Jewish people who lead his people out of Egypt and into the promised land

• Noah- The man whose family survived the Great Flood on an arc

Judaism’s Key Dates

• 3760 B.C.E. Creation of Adam and Eve• 1812 B.C.E. Birth of Abraham• 1312 B.C.E. Exodus of the Jews from

Egypt• 1200-• 400 B.C.E The Torah is compiled• 63 C.E. Roman conquest of Israel• 70 C.E. Jewish population disperses

the Roman Empire

Judaism’s Key Beliefs

• The Jewish tribe are the chosen people of God• They believe that if they follow the 10

Commandments and stay true to the word of God that they will be allowed into the kingdom of Heaven for their souls to be at peace for eternity

Regions Where Judaism is Practiced Today

• Judaism’s primarily practiced in Israel but has followers in every major country in the world

Islam

Key Figures

Dates

Beliefs

Regions Where it is practiced today

Islam’s Key Figures

• Ishmael, son of Abraham, is the founder of Islam

• Muhammad, the prophet of Islam

Islam’s Key Dates

• 570 C.E. The Birth of the Prophet Muhammad

• 610 C.E. Muhammad receives his first revelation

• 632 C.E. The death of Muhammad

• 700-• 900 CE Emergence of Sufism

Islam’s Key Beliefs

• There is only one true God and Muhammad is his prophet

• Violence is only allowed in order to protect one’s self or the Islamic faith

• Anyone who is able needs to see Mecca• You must pray 5 times a day facing Mecca• You must give 2.5% of your gross income to

charity• You must fast during Ramadan

Regions Where Islam is Practiced Today

• Islam is practiced primarily in the Middle East, including northern Africa but it is the fastest growing faith in the word.

Hinduism

Key Figures

Dates

Beliefs

Regions Where it is practiced today

Hinduism’s Key Figures

• Hinduism is a very unique religion as there are no real or major profits or teachers for Hinduism. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world and as such many of the gods and beliefs predate most records. Their beliefs and deities often come from reverence to natural occurrences in an attempt to make understandings out of them.

Hinduism’s Key Dates

Hinduism’s Key Beliefs

• Hindi’s believe first and foremost in reincarnation. They believe that one must separate themselves from the cycle of reincarnation by earning enough good Karma, life points, from doing good deeds. The ultimate goal is to get one’s soul to rejoin the oneness of the universe.

Regions Where Hinduism is Practiced Today

• Hinduism is practiced in almost every major country in the world. The primary region where it is practiced is in the east, specifically India. India has by and far the largest population of Hindi followers.

Buddhism

Key Figures

Dates

Beliefs

Regions Where it is practiced today

Buddhism’s Key Figures

• Siddhartha Gautama was the founder of Buddhism.

• King Asoka who spread missionaries throughout the east spread Buddhism throughout all of India’s surrounding territories

• Dalai Lama was the leader of the Yellow Hat group

Buddhism’s Key Dates

• 480-405 BCE Life and teaching of Buddha

• 405 BCE First Buddhist council• 200BCE-200 CE Development of

Theravada Buddhism• 247 CE Transmission of

Buddhism to Sri Lanka• 1959- Present Dalai Lama in exile

Buddhism’s Key Beliefs

• Life inevitably involves suffering• Suffering originates from desire• Suffering will cease when desire ceases• We can eliminate desires by following the 8

Fold Path• You need to achieve good karma to have a

better rebirth

Regions Where Buddhism is Practiced Today

• Mongolia• Japan• Philippines• Vietnam• Burma• Thailand• Cambodia

Jainism

Key Figures

Dates

Beliefs

Regions Where it is practiced today

Jainism’s Key Figures

• Nataputta Vardhamana is the man claimed to be the founder of Jainism.

• Digambara is the sect of Jains that is conservative, not allowing females to lead worship and require monks to be nude

• Svetambara is the more liberal of the Jain sects which does allow woman to lead worship and allows their monks to be clothed

Jainism’s Key Dates

• 599-527 BCE Life of Mahavira• 1st century BCE Distinction between the

two sects of Jainism• 9th-

11th century BCE Digambara Jains supported by South

Indian kings19th-21st century CE Jains become most well

educated people in India

Jainism’s Key Beliefs

• For Jains the first and foremost belief is to do no harm

• Like the Hindus and Buddhist Jains believe in reincarnation and karma

• Jains are strictly vegetarian• Jain monks must speak only truth

Regions Where Jainism is Practiced Today

• Jainism is primarily practiced in India but the United States, the UK, and East Africa all have large Jain populations.

Conclusion

• Religions around the world provide a variety of functions, from determining the ethics of a people to setting up the basic traditions. While there are differences and often time cultural strife from those differences, religions around the world provide the same basic functions and help for their believers.