Comparative Religions

Elizabeth Pham

Islam

IslamHow It Began:

Founder: Muhammed Founded: 610 C.E.

(Muhammed received first revelation)

Point of Origin: Mecca

Where It Spread: West and East Africa,

Philippines, Central Asia, Western China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, North America, and Europe.

A Muslim must make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in their life. In the heart of Mecca, lays the Ka’aba. He/she must walk around the Ka’aba seven times and then, the Black Stone.

Islam [cont.]How It Spread:

TradeWhere Most Influential

Today: India and Indonesia,

however being the fastest growing religion, North America is giving way to many Muslims.

Followers, worldwide: 1,387,454,500

Prayer 5 times a day is part of the Five Pillars. When praying it is important to face the direction of Mecca, thus, everyone in the above picture is facing the same direction.

Islam [cont.]Holy Book:

The Qur'an (or Koran) Main God/gods/deities:

AllahBasic Beliefs:

Strictly monotheistic; Allah is the Muslims must practice 5 Pillars of Islam

Submission to AllahFasting during RamadanPrayer 5 times a dayPilgrimage to MeccaZakat (pay alms to needy)

The sacred text of Islam is the Qur’an, which is shown in the above picture.

Islam [cont.]Religious Leader

Organization:Caliph is Islamic leader.

Sects Evolved Overtime:ShiitesSunnis

The Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) in Mecca is the most famous Mosque in the world and holds the holy Black Stone, the Ka’aba.

Buddhism

BUDDHISM

How It Began: Founder: Siddhartha

Gautama (The Buddha) Founded: c. 525 B.C.E.

Point of Origin: near present-day

Benares, India Where It Spread:

Mainly throughout Asia and North America.

The Life of a Buddhist Monk is meant to be simplistic. Thus, the shave their heads and wear robes in order to rid themselves of vanity.

BUDDHISM [CONT.]

How It Spread: By Trade and as Ashoka the Great spread the word throughout his Mauryan Dynasty

Where Most Influential: Buddhism is predominately practiced in Asia

Followers, worldwide: 385,609,000

Holy Book: The Tripitaka and Mahayana Sutras

The Dharmashakra represents the Eightfold Path.

BUDDHISM [CONT.]

Main God/gods/deities: no divine being

Basic Beliefs: Karma Reincarnation

Birth, Life, Death, Rebirth Four Noble Truths

Life means suffering Origin of suffering is desire. The stopping of all suffering is possible By following the correct path, one can achieve Nirvana

(the state of no suffering). The Eightfold Path will lead to the cessation of suffering.

BUDDHISM [CONT.]

Religious Leader Organization: Monastic order

where traditions passed down between monks and nuns

Sects Evolved Overtime: Mahayana (Zen &

Sokagakkai) Theravada Vajrayana (Tantrism)

One of the eight auspicious symbols for Buddhism, the white lotus represents the state of spiritual perfection.

Christianity

Christianity

How It Began:› Founder: Jesus (of

Nazareth)› Founded: c. 33

C.E. Point of Origin:

› Palestine Where It Spread:

› Europe, North America, and South America

A painting of Jesus Christ.

Christianity [cont.]

How It Spread: › Constantine made it

the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Where Most Influential Today: › Europe, North

America, and South America

Followers, worldwide: › 2,199, 817,400

Jesus Christ died on the Cross in order to forgive everyone’s sins, thus, the cross is a symbol to represent Christianity.

Christianity [cont.]

Holy Book: › The Bible

Main God/gods/deities: › God

Basic Beliefs:› Monotheistic› Jesus died on the cross to forgive everyone's

sins› The Bible tells the life of Jesus› Heaven and Hell

Christianity [cont.]

Religious Leader Organization:› The Pope is head of

the church. Sects Evolved

Overtime: › Main sects include

Roman Catholic Eastern Orthodox Protestant

A church of Eastern Orthodox, one sect of Christianity.

Hindu

ism

HinduismHow It Began:

◦ Founder: Not Specified

◦ Founded: c. 1500 B.C.E.

Point of Origin: ◦ India

Where It Spread: ◦ Mainly India, Nepal,

Malaysia, Guyana, Suriname, and Sri Lanka.

Symbol for Hinduism.

Hinduism [cont.]How It Spread:

◦ TradeWhere Most

Influential Today: ◦ India and Nepal

Followers, worldwide: ◦ 875,726,000

A statue of Shiva, a Hindu trinity God.

Hinduism [cont.]Holy Book:

◦ Vedas, Upanishads, Sutras, Bhagavad Gita

Main God/gods/deities: ◦ Brahman, Shiva, Vishnu, Devi

Basic Beliefs: ◦ Four Vedas◦ Karma◦ Reincarnation

Hinduism [cont.]Religious Leader

◦ Organization: Spiritual leaders known as gurus and sages.

Sects Evolved Overtime:◦ Shaivism◦ Vaishnavism

Vishnu, a Hindu trinity God.

Judaism

Judaism How It Began:

• Founder: c. 2000 B.C.E.

• Founded: Abraham Point of Origin:

• Israel Where It Spread:

• Mainly across Israel and United States

For each night of Hanukah, a Jewish holiday, one candle is lit on the menorah.

Judaism [cont.] How It Spread:

• Started by passing down through families. Where Most Influential Today:

• Israel Followers, worldwide:

• 14,956,000

Judaism [cont.] Holy Book:

• The Torah Main God/gods/deities:

• God Basic Beliefs:

• Monotheistic• Stresses ethical

behavior• God has special

relationship with Hebrews; they shall bear witness to God’s mercy.

The Holy Book of Judaism, the Torah.

Judaism [cont.] Religious Leader

Organization: • Other than the Rabbi,

who teaches and preaches Judaism, there is no overall religious leader.

Sects Evolved Overtime:• Orthodox• Conservative• Reform• Reconstructionist• Humanist

The Star of David.

Confucianism

Confucianism

How It Began: Founder: Confucius Founded: 6th-5th

Century C.E. Point of Origin:

China Where It Spread:

Koreans, Japan, Vietnam and Europe.

The Chinese symbol for Confucianism.

Confucianism [cont.]

How It Spread: Chinese tradition;

Became state doctrine for the Han Dynasty

Where Most Influential Today: China

Followers, worldwide: 6,111,100

An analect of Confucianism.

Confucianism [cont.]

Holy Book: Confucianism followed many different documents as sacred

text, including, but not limited to: The Confucian Analects, The Doctrine of The Mean, The Book of Odes, The Book of Changes, The Book of Rites, and The Book of Filial Piety

Main God/gods/deities: God

Basic Beliefs: Because Confucianism was more of a moral code, the basic

beliefs were simply the stressing of certain values:▪ Li: ritual, propriety, etiquette, etc.▪ Hsiao: love among family members▪ Yi: righteousness▪ Xin: honesty and trustworthiness▪ Jen: benevolence towards others; the highest Confucian virtue▪ Chung: loyalty to the state, etc.

Confucianism [cont.]

Religious Leader Organization: There’s no set religious

leader for Confucianism. Sects Evolved Overtime:

There are no formal sects of Confucianism, however Neo-Confucianism could be considered as Confucianism evolving over time, as it incorporates ideas from Buddhism and Daoism to form.

A depiction of the founder of Confucianism, Confucius.