Every third Sunday in January is World Religion Day, so in celebration of this we’re exploring some of the different religions around the world! The aim of this special day is to inspire understanding amongst all religions and to celebrate both their similarities and differences.
What is religion?
Especially now, the definition of religion is something that is highly debated and discussed both societally. sociologically and even religiously. The textbook definition is “the belief in and worship of a superhuman power or powers, especially a God or gods”, however many argue that this definition is far too narrow and excludes religions such as Buddhism which doesn’t have a god and is more focused on one’s self.
Most religions though seem to follow a set of rules mainly focused on enlightenment and how to interact with other beings. They also help people navigate through life and help find the meaning of the world, where it came from and what happens after we pass.
What are the main religions?
- Christianity, 2.4 Billion followers.
- Islam, 1.9 Billion followers.
- Hinduism, 1.2 Billion followers.
- Buddhism, 0.5 Billion followers
- Folk Religion, 0.4 Billion followers.
Religious Fun Facts!
- Symbols are used by most religions to remind people of their faith and represent certain themes from them. Examples of symbols are the Cross from Christianity or the Ying and Yang from the Chinese religion Taoism.
- The oldest religion is Hinduism.
- Many religions have a sacred religious text; Muslims follow the Holy Quran, Buddhists follow the Tripitakas, and Christians follow The Bible just to name a few!
- Some people are Atheists which means they don’t believe in any god, religion or other worldly powers in the universe…
- Many people who follow a religion also celebrate and express themselves through food, music, dance and ritual.
