Essay Sample on Five Primary Religions

Introduction

Religion is a set of rules, behavior, ethics, organizations, written texts, and sanctuaries that relate human beings to spiritual or supernatural beings. Beliefs differ in many ways some may have sacred things, faith, and supernatural elements while others do not. They may vary in their practices for example rituals, sermons, meditation, music, sacrifices, and initiations. Different religions also have different sanctuaries where they perform their exercises. All religions have their background or history that they preserve in their scriptures, symbols or sanctuaries. There are approximately 10,000 different religions in the world, but 85% of the world's population belong to the five primary religions which are; Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Atheists are people who do not belong to any religion. They do not believe in the existence of supernatural beings and do not identify with any faith. We look at the teachings and practices of the world's five largest religions.

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Christianity

Christianity carries over 33% of the world's population with over 2.4 billion followers called Christians. Christians have a common faith. They believe in Jesus, the son of God, is their savior that he died for their sins and is the messiah who will come according to the prophecy made in their holy book, The Bible. They believe in a trinity that is God the father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Christianity practices include church services, which involve singing, prayer and a sermon, reading, and studying their scriptures and participating in rites like communion and baptism. They believe that Jesus was sent to earth to die for their since and during his time on earth he taught them how to lead a holy life and be righteous.

Among the practices of the Christianity, religion is prayer. Christians believe that there is a supreme God who hears them when they pray and grants them their wishes. Some read a part of the bible and pray privately every day. Prayer is essential to Christians, as they believe it is the only form of communication they have with God. Prayer includes thanking the Lord for his kindness, asking for forgiveness and intercession which is praying for other people, for example, the sick and the non-believers for salvation. The bible says that Jesus taught his followers how to pray and told them if they asked God for anything they would get it. Christians also participate in fasting. It is a period that they do not eat and join in prayer. Some of them refrain from eating certain foods for example meat on Fridays since it was the day Jesus got crucified. They believe that fasting and prayer strengthen their faith. Tithing, offerings, and Thanksgiving is also a practice that Christians are keen to observe. Their scripture tells them to give to the lord, and it shall come back to them. A tithe is 10% of someone's income; it does not necessarily mean money it can get produced from once farm or food. Their ancestors used to give life sacrifices to God. For example, they would burn a lamb and believed that God would consume it. They offered sacrifices to apiece God if he was angry, and to gain favor.

Islam

Islam means submitting to the commandments and the will of the one and only God who they call Allah. The Islam religion is the second largest after Christianity and has 1.8 billion followers that are approximately 24.1 percent of the world's population. Just like Christians, they believe in one God who is the creator of all living things. The beliefs of the Islamic faith are easy and clear to understand. It does not dictate a high level of goodness to its followers. It recognizes that nobody is perfect, it advocates for justice, equality, peace, love, true morality and righteousness. To increase their God-consciousness, Muslims participate in some devotional practices. The Quran is the Islam holy book of scriptures. They participate in weekly meetings and prayers on Fridays in mosques, shrines, Sufi lodges and Ismaili houses of the congregation. They pray regularly at their homes and recite the Quran.

Muslims believe in prayer called "Salah." They must pray five times a day. They have five different prayers for different times of the day. The first prayer performed at dawn and is called the subah. Then follows the Zurich that they perform at noon. Midafternoon they perform the Asr prayer then later during sunset they perform Maghrib. They end the day with isha that is usually the last prayer of the day. They say their prayers in Arabic, and one must face the Kaaba in Mecca as they pray. They call this observing qibla. They believe in the existence of only one god and believe that he has no son or daughter.

Fasting is a big part of the Islamic faith. They fast during the month of Ramathan that is the holiest month of all Islamic beliefs and is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is during this sacred month that Muhammad received the revelation of Quran through angel Jibril. During this holy month, they are not supposed to consume any foods or drinks nor should they become intimate with their spouses between sunrise and sunset. This month is soo holy that every Muslim should refrain from dirty thoughts, lousy language and refrain from all worldly pleasures. The sick, lactating, pregnant and menstruating women should not participate in fasting and should make up for the lost days later in the month. The Islamic faith teaches its followers that all wealth comes from Allah and it is their moral responsibility to help the less fortunate and the poor. A purifying tax (Zakat) has to get paid as charity, and it goes to help the less fortunate of the Muslim community.

Hajj is a journey to Mecca, Saudi Arabia and Muslims believe that in one's lifetime, he or she must journey to Mecca. The trip takes place in the last month of the Islamic calendar (Dhu al-Hijjah), and it involves rituals like the Muslim visiting must circle Kaaba seven times in an anti-clockwise motion. They must run seven times between the hills of Al-Safa and Al-Marwah, drink water from the holy Zamzam. The Muslims must gather in Mt. Arafat's Plains and stand or sit the whole day while asking for forgiveness and the stoning of Satan where they throw rocks at two pillars that present the devil.

Hinduism

Hinduism has no set of rules or teachings like other religions. The local, regional and community-driven practices have an impact on the practice of beliefs in Hindu. Hindus believe in truth, karma, and dharma. Their sacred scriptures called the Vedas. Common beliefs among the Hindus include; truth is eternal, according to Vedas, the fact is one but can be expressed in many different ways by the wise. They believe that Brahman is the truth and reality. Brahman is the Hindu religion's one true God. They believe that Brahman is formless, limitless and eternal. They believe that the Vedas are the ultimate authority and that they do not have a beginning or an end and that when everything else in the world ends the Vedas will not stop.

Dharma is the right to conduct moral law and righteousness. Hindus believe that everyone should work towards achieving Dharma. They believe that a person's soul is immortal. They believe that a soul must face the consequences of the actions even in its next life in another body. The migration of the soul from one person's body to another is transmigration. The body, the soul, enters is determined by Karma. Hindu religion teaches that the primary aim of the soul is "Moksha." Moksha is the cycle of the soul from death to rebirth. It occurs when the soul meets with Brahman and realizes its true nature.

Judaism

Judaism is the Jewish religion. It has approximately 15 million followers globally. They believe in the existence of only one God who is the sole creator of the universe and with whom all Jew can have a personal relationship. They believe that God personally chose them to be his so that they can set an example of righteousness to the world. According to the instructions that God gave Abraham, circumcision of a baby boy should happen at the age of eight days. The Jews follow these instructions and circumcise their boys when they are eight days old. They have a Sabbath meal that is a family event and the family join together to welcome a particular day. The religion teaches the Jews to bring holiness in everything they do by doing what pleases God. They believe that people should get judged according to how they live their faith rather than by the intellectual content of their beliefs.

Buddhism

An Ancient India religion that involves traditions, spiritual practices, and beliefs based on original Buddha teachings. Buddha means the awakened one. Someone who has woken from deep sleep and discovered that suffering is over. This religion teaches four noble truths that are suffering, the origin of pain, cessation of suffering and the truth and way that leads to the end of suffering. It also teaches its followers about the three fires that burn their houses; desire, anger, and delusion. The house referred to is the human body. These fires can be calmed through spiritual training and be transformed into warmth and humanity.