Download 5 Major Religions of the World

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Originated ~ 1500 B.C. in India (oldest
religion, traced back to Indus Valley
civilization)
Founder – none (none known…)
Holy Text – Vedas
House of Worship
– individual
homes, temples
 Holy Site –
Ganges River is
considered
sacred
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Beliefs
 Polytheistic – belief in more than
one god
 Caste system – rigid society
based on 5 classes
 Reincarnation – to be born
again
Afterlife – Reincarnation – being “born
again”, if you have lived a good life
you may be born into a higher caste
Practiced in India and Nepal
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Originated ~1300 B.C.
Founder was Abraham
Holy Text – Torah (Old Testament)
 House of Worship -
Synagogue
Star of David
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Holy Site – Western (or Wailing)
Wall in Jerusalem
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Beliefs/History –
 Monotheistic – one god
 Jesus is viewed as a
prophet, not Messiah
 Sabbath (holy day) is sundown
Friday to sundown Saturday
 Some practice dietary food laws
(Kosher – no pork)
 Holocaust - during WWII 6 million
Jews killed
Judaism (cont.)
Judaism (cont.)
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Afterlife- belief in Judgment Day
(Heaven/Hell)
Practiced in Israel, Europe, and U.S.
Founded ~525 B.C.
 Founder was
Siddhartha Gautama
(became known as
“Buddha” or The
Enlightened One)
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Holy Text: The Tripitaka
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House of Worship –
Temple
Beliefs – Break
dependence on worldly
desires to reach inner
peace (Nirvana)
Did not believe in caste
system
Afterlife – belief in
reincarnation (to be
born again)
Practiced in Asia (China)
Founded in A.D. 30
in the Middle East
 Founder was Jesus
 Holy Text: New and
Old Testament of
the Bible
 House of worship:
Church or Cathedral
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Holy site: Church of
the Holy Sepulchre
(Jerusalem)
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Beliefs:
 Monotheistic – belief in one god
 Jesus is Messiah
 Sabbath is Sunday
 10 Commandments
 Roman Catholic, Protestant, Eastern
Orthodox are all “subgroups” of
Christianity
•Afterlife: Belief in Judgment Day (Heaven/Hell)
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Most practiced religion in the world.
Found in N. America, Europe, S. America, Africa, Australia, parts of Asia
Thematic map of world religions
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Founded in ~A.D. 600
Founder is Muhammed
Holy Text: Qur’an (Koran) (written in
Arabic)
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House of worship: Mosque
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Holy sites:
 Kaaba in Mecca
Medina in
Saudi Arabia,
(place of
Muhammed’s
birth)
Dome of the
Rock,
Jerusalem
(notice the
Western Wall
in the
foreground)
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Beliefs:
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Sabbath is Friday
Jesus accepted as prophet
God is Allah
Followers are called Muslims
 Five Pillars of Faith
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Prayer 5x each day facing Mecca
Declaration of Faith
Fasting during holy month of Ramadan
Almsgiving (charity)
Hajj – pilgrimage to Mecca
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Afterlife: Belief in Judgment Day (Heaven/Hell)
Fastest growing religion, found in Middle East,
Africa, Europe, and N. America
The End