The World’s Major Religions and their Belief System


Since the inception of time, humans have always find the need to connect to a power greater than themselves. The need to connect to the realm beyond physical existence, and the feeling of oneness and belongingness birthed religion. Over time, hundreds of religions were born and many of them got wiped out along with their practitioners. However, some of these religions managed to survive and thrive till the present day. The five oldest and popular religions are described as the world’s religion; Christianity, Islam, Hindu, Buddhism and Judaism. They are also referred to as the ‘big five’ world religions due to their wide recognition and influence. Each of these religions have their beliefs system, moral values, worldview and spirituality. 


Christianity and it’s belief 

Christianity is the largest religion with over 2 billion believers. Christianity is a monotheistic religion; followers believe there is only one true God. The Holy Bible is the sacred book of the Christianity followers, it is believed to be God's written message to humankind. The Holy Bible (divided into the Old Testaments and New Testaments) also serves as the teaching ground  for Christians. Christianity followers believe in the Holy Trinity, represented by the divinity of the Father (God), son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit. Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God that was sent to earth as a messiah to save people from their sins by dying on the cross. Centre to the belief of Christians is the believe that there will be a second coming of Jesus to Earth in which He will take faithful Christian believers back to heaven with him.


Islam and its belief 

Islam is the second largest religion in the world with estimated 1.8 billion followers. The followers of Islam are referred to as Muslims. The Islamic faith is also monotheistic; they believe in Allah as the one true God. The Islamic faith teaches that the prophet Muhammad is Allah’s final messenger. The Quaran is the holy book of Islamic faith and the followers relationship to Allah is as a servant to Allah. Muslims pray at five specific times throughout each day, it is also expected to complete a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca at least once in their lives. 


Hindu and its belief

Hinduism is the third largest religion with 94% of its followers in India. In Hinduism, God’s presence exists in all of creation. Brahman is the recognized supreme deity (God), responsible for creating everything in the universe, has no gender and is all-knowing and all-present. Atman, the divine essence, is believed to dwell within each person. Unlike Christianity and Islam, Hinduism has a number of sacred texts, including the Vedas, the Samhitas, the Upanishads, the Ramayana, and the Bhagavad Gita. Hindus believe in reincarnation and cows are viewed as sacred; eating beef is prohibited.


Buddhism and its belief

The core focus of Buddhism is to seek enlightenment. They do not worship any gods or God. Buddhists follow a path of moral living, thinking and behavior, and as well as seeking wisdom. Buddhism has five principles to which followers are expected to follow; Buddhists refrain from killing, stealing, lying, misusing sex, and using drugs or alcohol. Buddhists believe in reincarnation and rebirth, and their sacred writings are in the form of scriptures and texts. 


Judaism and its belief

Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion, with followers recognizing and worshiping only one true God. Asides the Ten Commandments, righteousness and justice are central to the teachings of Judaism. The primary holy text of the Jewish faith is referred to as Tanakh. The Jewish people hold Israel as an important place, it serves as an historical significance in relation to their faith and its designation as the promised land in the Bible. 


In sum, all forms of religion practices aims at connecting to a force greater than oneself. Albert Einstein defines religions as arts and sciences and as branches of the same tree. “All these aspirations are directed towards ennobling man's life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom.”