What to believe? Major Religions of the World

In modern world there are thousands of beliefs and religions, some of which have millions of adherents, while others have only a few thousand or even hundreds of believers.

Religion is one of the forms of understanding the world, which is based on faith in higher powers. As a rule, each religion includes a number of moral and ethical norms and rules of conduct, religious rituals and rituals, and also unites a group of believers into an organization. All religions rely on a person's belief in supernatural forces, as well as on the relationship of believers with their deity (deities). Despite the apparent difference in religions, many postulates and dogmas different beliefs very similar, and this is especially noticeable in the comparison of the major world religions.

Christianity

The founder of Christianity is Jesus Christ (Jesus of Nazareth, 2 BC Bethlehem - 33 AD Jerusalem), the son of God and the God-man (that is, he combines the nature of the divine and the human). The second person in the structure of the Trinity. God the Son embodies the Word of God, the mediator between God and people, through whose mouth the Lord proclaims the truth of Revelation.

He was the son of a poor carpenter from Galilee. Until the age of 30, he lived in complete obscurity, then he preached a doctrine that no one had heard before. A small circle of disciples formed around him. But his disciples did not understand him either, numerous enemies pursued him until they triumphed over him, betraying him to a shameful death on the cross, as a criminal and a villain. Jesus Christ died on the cross "for the atonement of the sins of men", and then resurrected and ascended to heaven.


This is the religion, the geography of which is the most extensive. It was based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, hence the name "Christianity". Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God and believe in the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit). The Bible says that Jesus will return to earth to judge the living and the dead.

The Bible is the holy book of Christians, it consists of two parts: Old Testament and New Testament. The Old Testament describes life before the birth of Jesus Christ. The New Testament records the life and teachings of Jesus himself. The New Testament includes: the Gospel, the Acts of the Apostles - 21 Epistles of the Apostles, the Apocalypse (or the Revelation of John the Theologian). There are four Gospels: Mark (AD 70), Luke (AD 80), Matthew (AD 90), and John (AD 100). Texts that are not included in the code of the Bible, but recognized by the church as sacred, are called Apocrypha.

The difference between the three main areas of Christianity (Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodoxy) is that Orthodox Christians, unlike Catholics and Protestants, do not believe in the existence of purgatory, and Protestants consider inner faith to be the key to the salvation of the soul, and not the observance of many sacraments and rituals, therefore, the churches of Protestant Christians are more modest than the churches of Catholics and Orthodox, and the number of church sacraments among Protestants is less than among Christians who adhere to other currents of this religion.

In the Protestantism movement that arose in Europe in the 16th century, during the Reformation, there are 3 main dogmas, including the recognition of only the Bible as true Holy Scripture, the recognition of the salvation of the soul only through the acceptance of the atoning sacrifice of Christ, and the denial of the primacy of the Pope. For Protestants, any believer can be called a priest, and there is no need for the intercession of saints or the Virgin Mary.


The personal head of the Russian Orthodox Church is the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. The patriarch rules the church together with the Holy Synod. The Russian Orthodox Church is divided into dioceses, headed by diocesan bishops. Dioceses include deanery districts, which are divided into parishes. At the head of the Catholic Church is the Pope, the secular and spiritual leader of the Vatican. The governing body of the Vatican is called the Holy See.
Symbols of Christianity - Orthodox and Catholic cross.

The number of adherents of Christianity around the world exceeds 2 billion, of which in Europe - according to various estimates from 400 to 550 million, in Latin America - about 380 million, in North America- 180-250 million (USA - 160-225 million, Canada - 25 million), in Asia - about 300 million, in Africa - 300-400 million, in Australia - 14 million. The approximate number of adherents of various Christian denominations: Catholics - about 1 billion, Protestants - about 400 million (including 100 million Pentecostals, 70 million Methodists, 70 million Baptists, 64 million Lutherans, about 75 million Presbyterians and movements close to them), Orthodox and adherents of the Ancient Eastern churches ( "non-Chalcedonian" churches and Nestorians) - about 240 million, Anglicans - about 70 million, Gregorians - 10 million.

Islam

The founder of Islam was the prophet Muhammad (c. 570-632) from the family of one of the large tribes of the Quraysh. Prone to loneliness, Muhammad indulges in pious reflections. According to legend, in his youth, angels cut open the chest of Muhammad and washed his heart, and in 610, at the age of 40, he received the Revelation on Mount Hira during a 40-day fast, and the words of the heavenly messenger Jabrail (Archangel Gabriel) were imprinted in the heart of the Prophet as "inscription". Muhammad, with a small group of followers, suffers persecution and moves in 622 from his native Mecca to Medina. Muhammad's struggle for approval new religion- faith in one God (Allah) - ended with a victory over pagan Mecca in 630.

The Koran (Arabic “reading aloud, by heart”) was sent down to the Prophet Muhammad by Allah - the main sacred book of Muslims, a record of sermons delivered by Muhammad in the form of “prophetic revelations”. The Qur'an consists of 114 chapters (suras) divided into 6204 verses (verses). Most of these verses are mythological in nature, and only about 500 verses contain instructions relating to the rules of conduct for Muslims. Another authoritative and obligatory source of law for all Muslims is the Sunnah (“Holy Tradition”), which consists of numerous stories (hadith) about the judgments and actions of Muhammad himself.

"Islam" means "obedience to God", this religion is based on the teachings of Muhammad. The followers of Islam are known as Muslims. They believe in the one God of Allah and his prophet Mohammed, in the existence of the soul and in the afterlife. They also adhere to the five basic principles of Islam, the five rules on which the faith of a true Muslim is based: reciting the mahada aloud (the main provision of the creed is “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger”); five daily prayers (namaz); observance of fasting (ura-za) in the month of Ramadan; charity - zakat (obligatory payment of a tax, the collection of which is prescribed in the Koran, and the amount of taxation is developed in Sharia) and sadaka (voluntary donation); hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).

Sharia (Muslim law) is organically linked with Islam and its teachings. This is a set of religious and legal norms, compiled on the basis of the Koran and the Sunnah, containing the norms of state, inheritance, criminal and marriage and family law. Islam considers legal institutions as part of a single law and order. Hence, the commandments and prohibitions that make up the norms of Shariah are also attributed divine significance.

Today there are three main branches of Islam - Sunnis, Shiites and Kharijites. The Sunnis consider the first four caliphs to be the successors of Mohammed, and, in addition to the Koran, they recognize the Sunnahs as sacred books, the Shiites believe that only his direct blood descendants can be the successors of the Prophet. Kharijites are the most radical branch of Islam, the beliefs of its supporters are similar to those of the Sunnis, but the Kharijites recognize only the first two caliphs as the successors of the Prophet.


The religious center, the venue for religious events in Islam - the mosque. The symbol of Islam is a star and a crescent.

Only 18% of Muslims live in Arab countries. Almost half of all Muslims live in North Africa, about 30% - in Pakistan and Bangladesh, more than 10% in India, the first place among the countries in terms of the number of Muslims belongs to Indonesia. In addition, there are a significant number of Muslims in the United States, China, Europe, the republics former USSR and South America.
There are over 1 billion Muslims worldwide, making it the second largest religion after Christianity.

Buddhism

The founder of Buddhism is a princely son named Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni, who later became known as the Buddha ("Enlightened One"). He was born within the current eastern border of Nepal and was the first person to achieve enlightenment (nirvana). He spent his whole life in India and devoted it to the philosophy of being. His parables were based on the suffering of Samsara (one of the main concepts in Buddhism, denoting birth and death).


Buddhism is a philosophy built on the teachings of the Buddha. The biography of the Buddha reflects the fate real person framed by myths and legends, which over time almost completely pushed aside the historical figure of the founder of Buddhism. Based on the teachings of the Buddha, his followers wrote the Pali Canon (Tripitaka), which is considered a sacred book by the followers of most of the currents of Buddhism. The main currents of Buddhism today: Hinayama (Theravada Buddhism - "Narrow Path to Liberation"), Mahayana ("Wide Path to Liberation") and Vajrayana ("Diamond Path").

Despite some differences between orthodox and new currents of Buddhism, this religion is based on the belief in reincarnation, that is, the rebirth of a person after death in a new body, which depends on deeds. past life(the law of karma). The main thing that, according to Buddhism, a person should strive for is the search for the path of enlightenment, after passing which one can free oneself from an endless chain of rebirths and find absolute peace and dissolution in eternity, that is, to achieve nirvana.

One of the most important symbols of Indian philosophy is the soul. The soul is drowning in the “waters of Samsara”, trying to get rid of its past mistakes, to cleanse itself. An important principle of life follows from this: one cannot resist evil.
The difference between Buddhism and other religions is the belief of Buddhists that a person’s karma depends on his actions, and everyone goes his own way of enlightenment and is responsible for his own salvation, and the gods, whose existence Buddhism recognizes, do not play key role in the fate of man, since they are also subject to the laws of karma.


In Buddhism, unlike Christianity and Islam, there is no church, but there is a community of believers - the sangha, which is formed in a particular Buddhist temple or monastery. This is a spiritual brotherhood that helps in advancing along the Buddhist path. The two main symbols of Buddhism are the images of the Buddha himself, sitting in the lotus position, and the Dharma chakra (the wheel of the law).
In the world there are about 400 million professing Buddhism in Everyday life and 1 million Buddhist monks. Buddhism is widespread in Asian countries (India, Thailand, Tibet, Korea, Mangolia, Laos, Indonesia, etc.).
In addition to these three world religions, in every corner of the world there are national and traditional religions, also with their own directions. They originated or gained special distribution 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).
Let us dwell on Hinduism and Judaism in more detail.

Hinduism

An Indian religion formerly called "Sanatana Dharma" which means "eternal law". Hinduism is considered to be the most ancient religion world (formed in the 1st millennium AD), it does not show a certain unity. Hindu teachings are kept in in large numbers sacred writings that have carried philosophical teachings for thousands of years. These scriptures are divided into two parts - shruti (basic) and smriti (additional), they describe the main dogmas that are sacred rules for every follower of this religion.

Hinduism is the result of the development of the Vedic religion and Brahminism and the process of further assimilation of folk beliefs. The basis of Hinduism is the doctrine of the reincarnation of souls (samsara), which takes place in accordance with the law of retribution (karma) for virtuous or bad behavior, determined by the veneration of the supreme gods (Vishnu or Shiva) or their incarnations, and the observance of caste household rules.

Religious rites are performed in temples, at local and domestic altars, in sacred places. Animals (cow, snake), rivers (Ganges), plants (lotus), etc. are revered as sacred. Hinduism is characterized by the idea of ​​the universality and universality of the supreme deity, which was especially manifested in the teachings of bhakti. Modern Hinduism exists in the form of 2 currents: Vishnuism and Shaivism.

It is one of the largest religions in the world in terms of the number of followers (approximately 95% of all Hindus are in India). Hinduism is practiced by about 1 billion people, this religion is the third largest.

Judaism

Judaism claims a historical continuity spanning over 3,000 years. The Jewish religion in the process of becoming became a generalized name for the Jewish people. Also the oldest monotheistic religion. Its main feature is the doctrine of the special role of the Jewish people. "Jews are more pleasing to God than angels," "just as a person in the world stands high above animals, so Jews stand high above all peoples in the world" - the Talmud teaches. Election is conceived in Judaism as the right to domination. The rejection of Christ and the expectation of another instead of Him became the spiritual cause of the state-national catastrophe of the Jews - at the beginning of the 2nd century, Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Jews were scattered around the world.

Before Christ came, there was one religion that we now call Judaism. Later, Christianity came out of it and Islam would be based on it. It can be assumed that if the Jews 2,000 years ago accepted Jesus, recognizing Him as the Messiah, then they would not have to create christian religion, everything would have been done within the then existing Judaism.

Jews distinguish three main periods in the formation of religion: temple (named after the period when the Jerusalem temple existed), rabbinical and talmudic. Judaism preaches faith in the one God who created the universe and rules it, in the value of a spiritual person who lives his life in accordance with the laws of God and continuously strives to comply with the regulations given in the sacred books.

The Tanakh is the so-called "Jewish Bible", which tells about the creation of the world, man, the religious and philosophical aspects of Judaism, and describes in detail the rules that a believer must follow. (The Christian Old Testament is based on the texts of the Tanakh.) Torah - the first five books of the Tanakh (Pentateuch of Moses), the next 8 books - Neviim (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Scriptures) - 11 books. Talmud ("Oral Torah") - comments on the Torah, compiled by Jewish sages.

One of the external symbols of Judaism since the 19th century is the six-pointed Star of David. A more ancient symbol is the Menorah, which, according to the Bible and tradition, stood in the Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem. Since it is traditionally believed that modern Jews mainly come from the tribe of Judah and the Kingdom of Judah that existed on its territory, the lion - the symbol of this tribe - is also one of the symbols of Judaism. Sometimes a lion is depicted with a royal scepter - a symbol of royal power, which the forefather Jacob endowed this tribe in his prophecy. There are also images of two lions, on both sides of the tablets - standing "on guard of the commandments."

Today, there are 13.4 million Jews worldwide, or about 0.2% of the total population of the Earth. About 42% of all Jews live in Israel and about 42% live in the US and Canada, most of the rest live in Europe.

* * * * *
As you can see, the greatest religions of the world are based on different teachings, and it cannot be said that any of them is the best or the main one. Everyone has the right to choose what to believe. We know that religious teachings are often the cause of wars and human suffering, but it must be remembered that any religion teaches, above all, tolerance and peace.

All these beliefs have some common features, and the similarity of Islam and Christianity is especially noticeable. Belief in one God, in the existence of the soul, in the afterlife, in fate and in the possibility of the help of higher powers - these are the dogmas that are inherent in both Islam and Christianity. The beliefs of Buddhists differ significantly from the religions of Christians and Muslims, but the similarity between all world religions is clearly visible in the moral and behavioral standards that believers must comply with.

The 10 Biblical Commandments that Christians are required to observe, the laws prescribed in the Koran, and the Noble Eightfold Path contain moral norms and rules of conduct prescribed for believers. And these rules are the same everywhere - all the major religions of the world forbid believers from doing evil deeds, harming other living beings, lying, behaving loosely, rudely or disrespectfully towards other people and call to treat other people with respect, care and love and develop in positive qualities in character.

Knowledge of the religious affiliation of the population helps to better understand the features of the economic and social geography of different countries of the world. The role of religion in society today continues to be very significant.

It is customary to single out tribal, local (national) and world religions.

Even in primitive society, the simplest forms arose religious beliefs- totemism, magic, fetishism, animism and the cult of ancestors. (Some elementary religions have survived to our time. So, totemism was widespread among the Melanesians, American Indians).

Later appeared complex shapes religions. They arose most often among any one people, or among a group of peoples united in a state (this is how local religions arose - Judaism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Confucianism, Taoism, etc.).

Some of the religions have spread among the peoples of different countries and continents. These are world religions - Islam and Christianity.

Buddhism is the oldest world religion exists mainly in its two main varieties - Hinayana and Mahayana, to which Lamaism should also be added.

Buddhism originated in India in the 6th-5th centuries. BC. The founder of the doctrine is Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni, known to the world under the name of Buddha (i.e. "awakened, enlightened").

There are many Buddhist centers, temples and monasteries in India, but still in India itself Buddhism did not become widespread and turned into a world religion outside of it - in China, Korea, and in a number of other countries. He didn't fit in social structure and the culture of society, as he rejected caste, the authority of the Brahmins, religious ritualism (in India, Hinduism was most widespread).

In the II century. Buddhism penetrated China and became widespread, having existed there for about two millennia, having big influence to Chinese culture. But it did not become the dominant religion here, which was Confucianism in China.

Buddhism as a world religion reached its most complete form in Tibet in Lamaism (during the late Middle Ages - in the 7th-15th centuries). In Russia, Lamaism is practiced by the inhabitants of Buryatia, Tuva, and Kalmykia.

Currently, there are about 300 million adherents of this religious teaching.

Christianity is considered to be one of the world religions, meaning both its influence on the course of world history and the extent of its spread. The number of adherents of Christianity is approaching 2 billion people.

Christianity arose in the 1st century. n. e. in the east of the Roman Empire (on the territory modern state Israel), which in that period absorbed the whole, when civilization based on slavery was already declining. By the 60s. 1st century n. e. there were already several Christian communities in addition to the very first, Jerusalem, which consisted of disciples gathered around Jesus.

Christianity today - a collective term that includes three main areas: Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism, within which there are many different faiths and religious associations that arose in different time throughout the two thousand year history of Christianity (Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox Church, etc.).

Catholicism(Catholicism) - the most significant branch of Christianity. It exists as a strictly centralized church headed by the Pope (who is also the head of state).

Protestantism- arose in the era of the Reformation (XVI century) as an anti-Catholic movement. The largest areas of Protestantism are Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anglicanism, Methodism, and Baptism.

In 395, the Roman Empire split into western and eastern parts. This contributed to the isolation of the Western Church, headed by the Bishop of Rome (Pope) and a number of Eastern churches, headed by patriarchs - Constantinople, Jerusalem, Alexandria. Between the western and eastern branches of Christianity (Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches) a struggle for influence unfolded, which ended in their formal break in 1054.

By that time, Christianity had already turned from a persecuted faith into a state religion. This happened under the emperor Constantine (in the 4th century). Orthodoxy of Byzantine origin established itself in the east and southeast of Europe. Kievan Rus adopted Christianity in 988 under Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich. This step had important consequences for the history of Russia.

Islam- the second world religion after Christianity in terms of the number of followers (1.1 billion people). It was founded by the Prophet Muhammad in the 7th century. on Arab tribal religions (in Arabia, in Hijaz).

Islam served as a powerful impetus for the development in a short historical period of such a phenomenon, which is denoted by the concept of the "Muslim world". In those countries where Islam is widespread, it plays important role as religious doctrine, forms social organization, cultural tradition.

From many religious systems modern world Islam remains one of the most significant forces.

Confucianism emerged in Ser. 1st millennium BC in China as a socio-ethical doctrine expounded by the philosopher Confucius. For many centuries it was a kind of state ideology. The second local (national) religion - Taoism - is based on a combination of elements of Buddhism and Confucianism. To date, it has survived only in certain areas.

Hinduism means more than just the name of a religion. In India, where it has become widespread, it is a whole set of religious forms, from the simplest ritual, polytheistic to philosophical-mystical, monotheistic. Moreover, this designation Indian image life with caste division, including the amount life principles, norms of behavior, social and ethical values, beliefs, cults, rituals.

The foundations of Hinduism are laid in the Vedic religion, which was brought by the Aryan tribes who invaded the Ser. II millennium BC. e. The second period in the history of Indian religion is the Brahmin period (I millennium BC). Gradually, the ancient religion of sacrifice and knowledge turned into Hinduism. Its development was influenced by those that arose in the VI-V centuries BC. e. Buddhism and Jainism (teachings that denied the caste system).

Shintoism- the local religion of Japan (along with Buddhism). It is a combination of elements of Confucianism (observance of the cult of ancestors, patriarchal foundations of the family, respect for elders, etc.) and Taoism.

Judaism was formed in the 1st millennium BC. among the people of Palestine. (In the 13th century BC, when the Israelite tribes came to Palestine, their religion consisted of many primitive cults common to nomads. Only gradually did the religion of Judaism, in the form in which it is presented in the Old Testament, arise). Distributed exclusively among Jews living in different countries world (the largest groups are in and). The total number of Jews in the world is about 14 million people.

At present, most of the people living in different countries and different social conditions consider themselves believers - Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc. - or do not belong to any of the existing churches, but simply recognize the existence of some higher power- world mind.

At the same time, it is a fact that today a significant part of people are not religious, that is, they are people who do not profess any of the existing religions, consider themselves atheists or agnostics, secular humanists or freethinkers.

The spread of world religions in the 90s. 20th century

Christianity spread among the peoples of Europe and in other parts of the world, settled by immigrants from this part of the world.

Catholicism is the dominant religion in the countries Latin America and in the Philippines; There are significant groups of Catholics in the USA and Canada (French Canadians), as well as in some African countries (former colonies).

In many countries of the African continent, as a rule, both Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism, since in the recent past these states were colonies) and traditional local beliefs are represented.

There is also Christianity of the Monophysite persuasion in and partly in Egypt.

Orthodoxy spread in the east and southeast of Europe among the Greeks, and the southern Slavs (,). He is professed by Russians, Belarusians,

Throughout history, man has believed in something. Various deities, who now and then sent misfortunes or, on the contrary, bestowed a generous harvest, brought various kinds of offerings. The beliefs of people in different regions could differ radically and in each of them there was something original. To date, there are many different kinds of religions and beliefs and it is very difficult to navigate them. However, every educated person should know at least a little about them, so in this article we will consider the three main religions of the world, and for erudite people, I suggest that you read the article - an overview of the most common religions of the world, which is in the next section.

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CHRISTIANITY - one of the three world religions (along with Buddhism and Islam). It has three main directions: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism. At the core is faith in Jesus Christ as the God-man, the Savior, the incarnation of the 2nd person of the triune Deity (see Trinity). The communion of believers to Divine grace occurs through participation in the sacraments. The source of the doctrine of Christianity is Holy Tradition, the main thing in it is Holy Bible(Bible); as well as the "Symbol of Faith", decisions of ecumenical and some local councils, individual creations of the church fathers. Christianity arose in the 1st century. n. e. among the Jews of Palestine, immediately spread to other peoples of the Mediterranean. In the 4th c. became the state religion of the Roman Empire. By the 13th century all of Europe was Christianized. In Rus', Christianity spread under the influence of Byzantium from the 10th century. As a result of the schism (the division of churches), Christianity in 1054 split into Orthodoxy and Catholicism. From Catholicism during the Reformation in the 16th century. emerged Protestantism. The total number of Christians exceeds 1 billion people.

ISLAM(Arabic, lit. - humility) - a monotheistic religion, one of the world religions (along with Christianity and Buddhism), its followers are Muslims. Originated in Arabia in the 7th century. The founder is Mohammed. Islam developed under the significant influence of Christianity and Judaism. As a result Arab conquests spread to the Middle and Wed. East, later in some countries Far East, Southeast. Asia, Africa. The main principles of Islam are stated in the Qur'an. The main tenets are the worship of one God - the almighty God-Allah and the veneration of Muhammad as a prophet - the messenger of Allah. Muslims believe in the immortality of the soul and the afterlife. The five main duties (pillars of Islam) assigned to the adherents of Islam are:
1) belief that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah (shahada);
2) five daily prayers (salat);
3) alms for the benefit of the poor (zakat);
4) fasting in the month of Ramadan (saun);
5) pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj), performed at least once in a lifetime.

Holy tradition is Sunnah. The main directions are Sunnism and Shiism. In the 10th century a system of theoretical theology, kalam, was created; legal system Islam developed in Sharia. In the 8th-9th centuries. there was a mystical trend - Sufism. The number of followers of Islam is estimated at 880 million (1990). In almost all Muslim-majority countries, Islam is the state religion.

BUDDHISM - one of the three (along with Christianity and Islam) world religions. Originated in Dr. India in the 6th-5th centuries. BC e. The founder is considered to be Siddhartha Gautama (see Buddha). Main directions: Hinayana and Mahayana. The Rise of Buddhism in India in the 5th c. BC e. - early 1st millennium AD e.; spread to the Southeast. and Center. Asia, partly in Wed. Asia and Siberia, having assimilated elements of Brahminism, Taoism, etc. In India, by the 12th century. dissolved in Hinduism, greatly influencing it. He spoke out against the inherent predominance of Brahmanism external forms religious life (including ritualism). At the center of Buddhism is the doctrine of the "4 Noble Truths": there is suffering, its cause, the state of liberation and the path to it. Suffering and liberation are subjective states and at the same time a certain cosmic reality: suffering is a state of anxiety, tension, equivalent to desire, and at the same time a pulsation of dharmas; liberation (nirvana) - a state of unbound personality outside world and at the same time the cessation of the agitation of dharmas. Buddhism denies the otherworldliness of liberation; in Buddhism there is no soul as an unchanging substance - the human "I" is identified with the cumulative functioning of a certain set of dharmas, there is no opposition between subject and object, spirit and matter, there is no god as a creator and, of course, a higher being. In the course of the development of Buddhism, the cult of Buddha and bodhisattvas, ritual, sanghas (monastic communities), etc., gradually took shape in it.

June 15, 2011 by Retroman

Religions of the world

Religion is people's confidence in the existence of some huge, unknown, strong, powerful, wise and just force that invented, created this world and guides it - from the life and death of every person to the phenomena of nature and the course of history.

Causes of Belief in God

— Fear of life. Since ancient times, in the face of the formidable forces of nature and the vicissitudes of fate, man felt his smallness, defenselessness and inferiority. Faith gave him hope for at least someone's help in the struggle for existence.
— Fear of death. In principle, any accomplishment is available to a person, he knows how to overcome any obstacles, solve any problems. Only death is not subject to him. Life, no matter how hard it is, is good. Death is terrible. Religion allowed a person to hope for the endless existence of the soul or body, not in this, but in another world or state.
— The need for laws. The law is the framework in which a person lives. The absence of limits or going beyond them threatens humanity with death. But man is an imperfect being, therefore the laws invented by man are less authoritative for him than the laws allegedly of God. If it is possible and even pleasant to violate human laws, then God’s decrees and commandments cannot be

“But how, I ask, after that a man? Without God and without future life? After all, now everything is allowed, everything can be done?(Dostoevsky "The Brothers Karamazov")

world religions

  • Buddhism
  • Judaism
  • Christianity
  • Islam

Buddhism. Briefly

: more than 2.5 thousand years.
: India
- Prince Siddhartha Guatama (VI century BC), who became the Buddha - "enlightened".
. "Tipitaka" ("three baskets" of palm leaves, on which the revelations of the Buddha were originally recorded):

  • Vinaya Pitaka - rules of conduct for Buddhist monks,
  • Sutta-pitaka - sayings and sermons of the Buddha,
  • Abidhamma Pitaka - three treatises systematizing the provisions of Buddhism

: peoples of Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Korea, Mongolia, China, Japan, Tibet, Buryatia, Kalmykia, Tuva
: a person can become happy only by getting rid of all desires
: Lhasa (Tibet, China)
: Wheel of Law (Dharmachakra)

Judaism. Briefly

: more than 3.5 thousand years
: Land of Israel (Middle East)
Moses, leader of the Jewish people, organizer of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt (XVI-XII centuries BC)
. Tanakh:

  • Pentateuch of Moses (Torah) - Genesis (Bereshit), Exodus (Shemot), Leviticus (Vayikra), Numbers (Bemidbar), Deuteronomy (Dvarim);
  • Nevi'im (Prophets) - 6 books of senior prophets, 15 books of junior prophets;
  • Ketuvim (Scriptures) - 13 books

: Israel
: Don't give someone what you don't want for yourself
: Jerusalem
: temple lamp (menorah)

Christianity. Briefly

: about 2 thousand years
: Land of Israel
: Jesus Christ is the son of God, who descended to earth in order to accept suffering to redeem people from original sin, resurrected after death and ascended back to heaven (12-4 BC - 26-36 AD) )
: Bible (Holy Scripture)

  • Old Testament (Tanakh)
  • New Testament - Gospels; Acts of the Apostles; 21 epistles of the apostles;
    Apocalypse, or Revelation of John the Evangelist

: peoples of Europe, Northern and South America, Australia
: the world is ruled by love, mercy and forgiveness
:

  • Catholicism
  • Orthodoxy
  • Greek Catholicism

: Jerusalem, Rome
: cross, (on which Jesus Christ was crucified)

Islam. Briefly

: about 1.5 thousand years
: Arabian Peninsula (southwest Asia)
: Muhammad ibn Abdallah, messenger of God and prophet (c. 570-632 AD)
:

  • Koran
  • Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah - stories about the actions and sayings of Muhammad

: peoples of North Africa, Indonesia, Near and Middle East, Pakistan, Bangladesh
: worship of Allah, who is eternal and is the only one capable of assessing a person’s behavior to determine him to paradise

As well as their classifications. In religious studies, a distinction is made the following types:tribal, national and world religions.

Buddhism

is the oldest religion in the world. It originated in the 6th century. BC e. in India, and is currently distributed in the countries of South, Southeast, Central Asia and the Far East and has about 800 million followers. Tradition links the emergence of Buddhism with the name of Prince Siddhartha Gautama. His father hid bad things from Gautama, he lived in luxury, married his beloved girl, who bore him a son. The impetus for a spiritual upheaval for the prince, as the legend says, was four meetings. At first he saw a decrepit old man, then a leprous sufferer and a funeral procession. So Gautama learned old age, sickness and death are the fate of all people. Then he saw a peaceful, impoverished wanderer who needed nothing from life. All this shocked the prince, 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 the meaning of life. As a result of deep reflection, at the age of 35 he became a Buddha - enlightened, awakened. For 45 years, the Buddha preached his teaching, which can be briefly reduced to the following main ideas.

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

After death, any creature, including man, 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 renunciation of 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 doctrine of Buddhism boils down to a call to every person to embark on the path of seeking inner freedom, complete liberation from all the shackles that life brings.

Christianity

It arose 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 - the hope for the Divine deliverer of the world from everything bad that is 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 traditions about the coming to the land of Israel of a prophet, a messiah who will free the people from suffering and establish a righteous life - God's kingdom. Christians believe that the coming of God to Earth will be accompanied by the Last Judgment, when He will judge the living and the dead, direct them to heaven or hell.

Basic Christian ideas:

  • Belief that God is one, but He is a Trinity, i.e. God has three "persons": the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, which form the one God who created the Universe.
  • Faith in the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ - the second person of the Trinity, God the Son - this is Jesus Christ. He has two natures simultaneously: Divine and human.
  • Faith in Divine Grace mysterious power sent by God to free man from sin.
  • Belief in the afterlife and afterlife.
  • Belief in the existence of good spirits - angels and evil spirits - demons, along with their master 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: four gospels (from Luke, Mark, John and Matthew); the deeds of the holy apostles; Epistles and Revelation of John the Theologian.

In the IV century. n. e. Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire. Christianity is not one. It split into three streams. In 1054 Christianity split into Roman Catholic and Orthodox Church. In the XVI century. The Reformation, an anti-Catholic movement, began in Europe. The result was Protestantism.

And recognize seven christian sacraments: baptism, chrismation, repentance, communion, marriage, priesthood and unction. 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 accommodation for the souls of the dead, the priesthood does not give a vow of celibacy, as in Catholicism. In charge of catholic church there is a pope elected for life, the center of the Roman Catholic Church is the Vatican - a state that occupies several quarters in Rome.

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

Islam

It arose 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.

The founder of Islam is a historical figure. He was born in 570 in the city of Mecca, which was quite major city at the crossroads of trade routes. In Mecca, there was a shrine revered by most pagan Arabs - the Kaaba. Muhammad's mother died when he was six years old, his father died before his son was born. Muhammad was brought up in the family of his grandfather, a noble family, but impoverished. 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) chose 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 chronology according to the lunar calendar, and Mecca is the center of the Muslim religion.

The Holy Book of Muslims is a processed record of Muhammad's sermons. During the lifetime of Muhammad, his statements were perceived as the direct speech of Allah and were transmitted orally. A few decades after the death of Muhammad, they were written down and will compose the Qur'an.

plays an important role in the beliefs of Muslims Sunnah - collection of instructive stories about the life of Muhammad and Sharia - a set of principles and rules of conduct binding on Muslims. The most serious ipexa.Mii among Muslims are usury, drunkenness, gambling and adultery.

The place of worship for Muslims is called a mosque. Islam forbids depicting a person and living creatures; hollow mosques are decorated only with ornaments. There is no clear division between clergy and laity in Islam. Any Muslim who knows the Qur'an, Muslim laws and rules of worship can become a mullah (priest).

Ritualism is given great importance in Islam. You may not know the intricacies of faith, but you should strictly follow the main rites, the so-called five pillars of Islam:

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