Millenniums back, had their beliefs, deities and religion. With the development of human civilization, religion developed, new beliefs and currents appeared, and it is impossible to definitely conclude whether the religion was dependent on the level of development of civilization or vice versa, it was precisely beliefs of people and were one of the collateral of progress. IN modern world There are thousands of beliefs and religions, some of which have millions of adepts, while others are just a few thousand or even hundreds of believers.
Religion is one of the forms of awareness of the world, which is due to faith in higher strength. As a rule, each religion includes a number of moral and ethical standards and rules of behavior, cult rituals and rituals, and also combines a group of believers in the organization. All religions are based on a person's faith in supernatural forces, as well as on the relationship between believers with their deities (deities). Despite the seeming difference of religions, many postulates and dogmas of various beliefs are very similar, and this is especially noticeable in comparing the main world religions.
Major world religions
Modern religion researchers allocate three major religions of the world, whose adherents are the vast majority of all believers on the planet. These religions are Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, as well as numerous flows, branches and based on these beliefs. Each of the world religions has more than a thousand-year history, sacred writing and a number of cults and traditions that believe believers. As for the geography of distribution of these beliefs, then if less than 100 years ago it was possible to spend more or less clear boundaries and recognize Europe, America, south Africa and Australia - "Christian" parts of the world, North Africa and the Middle East - Muslim, and the states in the southeastern part of Eurasia - Buddhist, now every year this division becomes more and more conditional, since on the streets of European cities is increasingly You can meet Buddhists and Muslims, and in the secular states of Central Asia on one street there may be a Christian temple and a mosque.
The founders of world religions are known to every person: Jesus Christ is considered the founder of Christianity, Islam - the Prophet Magomed, Buddhism - Siddhartha Gautama, later received the name of the Buddha (enlightened). However, it should be noted that Christianity and Islam have common roots in Judaism, since in the belief of Islam also there is a prophet of Isa Ibn Maryam (Jesus) and other apostles and prophets whose teachings are recorded in the Bible, but the Islamists are confident that the fundamental teachings are still The teachings of the Magomeda prophet, who was sent to Earth later Jesus.
Buddhism
Buddhism is the oldest of the major world religions, its history has more than two and a half thousand years. This religion originated in the south-east of India, its founder is the prince of Siddhartha Gautama, which by contemplation, and meditation achieved enlightenment and began to share his truth with other people who discovered him. Based on the teachings of the Buddha, his followers were written the Pali Canon (trucade), which is considered a holy book in the followers of the majority of Buddhism. The main currents of Buddhism today are Kharina (Tharavad Buddhism - "a narrow way to liberation"), Mahayana ("wide path to liberation") and Vajrayan ("Diamond Path").
Despite some differences between the orthodox and new currents of Buddhism, this religion is based on the belief in reincarnation, karma and the search for the path of enlightenment, passing which one can free from the infinite chain of reborn and achieve enlightenment (nirvana). Difference of Buddhism from other major religions of the world is Vera Buddhists in the fact that human karma depends on his actions, and everyone himself takes his way of enlightenment and responsible for its own salvation, and the gods, the existence of which Buddhism recognizes, do not play a key role in the fate of a person, Since they are also subject to the laws of karma.
Christianity
The origin of Christianity is considered to be the first century of our era; The first Christians appeared in Palestine. However, given the fact that the Old Testament of the Bible, the Holy Book of Christians, was written much earlier than the birth of Jesus Christ, it is safe to say that the roots of this religion - in Judaism, which originated almost for thousands of years before Christianity. Today, there are three main directions of Christianity - Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodoxy, branches of these areas, as well as also consider themselves to Christians.
At the heart of beliefs, Christians lies Vera in the Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ, in the angels and demons and in the afterlife. The difference between the three main directions of Christianity is that Orthodox Christians, unlike Catholics and Protestants, do not believe in the presence of purification, and Protestants consider the key to rescue the soul internal faith, and not compliance with the set of sacraments and rites, therefore the church of Christian-Protestants more Modest than the temples of Catholics and Orthodox, as well as the number of church sacraments in Protestants less than Christians who adhere to other currents of this religion.
Islam
Islam is the youngest of the main religions of the world, it originated in the VII century in Arabia. The Holy Book of Muslims is the Koran, in which the teachings and instructions of the Prophet Magomeda are recorded. At the moment there are three main currents of Islam - Sunni, Shiites and Harijits. The main difference between the first and other branch of Islam lies in the fact that the Sunnites consider the advisors of Magomed for the first four caliphs, as well as, in addition to the Koran, they recognize the sacred books of Sunna, the narrative of the Prophet Magomeda, and Shiites believe that only his straight blood can be shiites. Descendants. Harijita is the most radical branch of Islam, beliefing the supporters of this flow similar to the belief of the Sunnites, but Harijits recognize the receivers of the prophet only the first two caliphs.
Muslims believe in the united god of Allah and his prophet Magomeda, in the existence of the soul and in the afterlife. In Islam, the traditions and religious rites are very much allocated to be very much - each Muslim must make Salat (daily five-time prayer), abide by the post in Ramadan and at least once in the life of a pilgrimage to Mecca.
Total in the three main world religions
Despite the difference in rites, beliefs and certain dogma Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, some of these beliefs are inherent common featuresMoreover, the similarity of Islam and Christianity is particularly noticeable. Faith in a single God, in the existence of the soul, in the afterlife, in fate and the possibility of the help of higher strengths are those dogmas that inherent in Islam and Christianity. The belief of Buddhists is significantly different from the religion of Christians and Muslims, but the similarity between all world religions is clearly visible in the moral and behavioral standards that believe believers.
10 biblical commandments that are obliged to abide by Christians, laws prescribed in the Quran, and the noble octal path contain moral norms And the rules of behavior prescribed for believers. And these rules are the same everywhere - all major religions of the world prohibit believers to make atrocities, cause harm to other living beings, lie, behave loosely, rudely or disrespectful to other people and urge to treat other people with respect, care and and develop in nature positive traits.
For many centuries, the best minds of humanity sought to find a rational explanation of the causes of the specific, illusory-mystical, irrational form of human thinking and understand religion as a form of public consciousness as a social phenomenon.
Arriving at the dawn of mankind and folding with centuries on the basis of inadequate reflection in the thinking of people of real objective processes in nature and society, religious performances and beliefs, as well as their dogmas, cults, rituals and rites entangled by the consciousness of a person of the web of uncomfortable illusions, distorted his perception of the world Curves The mirror of fantastic myths and magic transformations, magic and miracles, forced to create more and more sophisticated metaphysical structures of the universe and afterlife. Strengthening in the minds of people, fixing in the memory of generations, religion became part of the cultural potential of the people, countries or even many countries.
Ancient people, creating their religions, took care of purely ethnic needs and counted on the "earthly" help of their own gods. Other from religions "with local registration" moved to non-existence (sometimes together with their peoples attending them), others live in all their territorial limitations to this day.
But there were religions that answered the dreams and aspirations not only to the people from which the prophet was released, once arguing the Divine Will. For these creeds, the national boundaries were crowded. They captured the minds and souls of people inhabiting various states, various continents: Christianity, Islam and Buddhism became world religions.
1. Christancy
The most common and one of the most developed religious systems of the world is Christianity, which appeared in the first century of our era in the Judea-Eastern province of the Roman Empire.
1.1. The basis of Christianity
At the heart of Christianity - the doctrine of God of Jesus Christ, Son
God, who came to people with good deeds and commanded them the laws of righteous life. This religion is based on faith in the fact that two thousand years ago God came to the world. He was born, got the name Jesus, lived in
Judea, preached and accepted in the redemption of sins of people great suffering and martyrdom on the cross His death and the subsequent resurrection from the dead changed the fate of all mankind. His sermon laid the beginning of a new, European civilization. For Christians, the chief miracle was not the word
Jesus, oh he himself. The main cause of Jesus was his being: being with people, being on the cross.
Christians believe that the world is created by a single boring God, and created without evil. The Resurrection of Christ marks for Christians a victory over death and the newly acquired opportunity of eternal life with God. From here for Christians the history of the New Testament with God begins. This is the covenant of love. His most important difference from
Old (i.e. old, the former) covenant is in the very understanding of God,
Which "there is love." Throughout the Old Testament, the basis of relations
God and man - the law. Christ says: "The commandment is new I give you: Yes, love each other, as I loved you."
Christianity considers history as unidirectional, unique,
"One-time" process directed by God: from the beginning (creation) to complete, end (the arrival of the Messiah, a terrible court). The content of this process makes up the drama of a person who fell into the sin who left God, to save which only the mercy of God, and this grace he can gain in faith in the Savior and the Church, which is the carrier of this faith.
Christianity, as no other religion, is based on secret. The mind does not comply with the idea of \u200b\u200ba single God, which exists in three persons: the Father's God,
The Son God and the Holy Spirit. One of the main sacraments of Christianity is a communion based on the Eucharist (the implementation of bread and wine into the body and
Blood of Christ), and the admission of believers through the binding of these divine gifts to God.
Holy Scripture Christians - The Bible is not a statement of the creed and not the history of mankind, it is a story about how God was looking for a person, this is speech
God faithful to people. In it to the Old Testament (the Holy Book of the followers of Judaism) added a new covenant, telling about the life and teaching of Christ. The New Testament includes four Gospels (from Greek. - Annunciation), the Acts of the Apostles - the first preachers of Christianity,
The message of the apostles to the Christian communities and, finally, the apocalypse, or
Revelation of St. John the Bogoslov. These works are considered
"Bogodukhovoy" i.e. Although written by people, but by suggestion of the saint
Spirit.
The main idea of \u200b\u200bChristianity is the idea of \u200b\u200bsin and salvation of man. People are sinful before God, and that is what equalizes them: Greeks and Jews, Romans and barbarians, slaves and free, rich and poor - all sinners, all the "slaves of God."
Christianity attracted people to the chief of the spoilness of peace and justice. They were promised the kingdom of God: those who are here are the first - there will become the last, and the last here - there will be the first. Evil will be punished, and the virtue is rewarded, the highest court will happen and everyone will be reputed for his affairs. The preaching of the Gospel Christ called on not to political resistance, but to moral cultivation.
1.2. Church and Christianity
The peculiarity of Christianity as a religion is that it can exist only in the form of the church. The church is a community of people who believes in Christ: "... where two or three are collected in the name of mine, there I am in the midst of them."
However, the word "church" has different meanings. This is a community of believers combined by a common place of residence, one clergyman, one temple. Such a community is a parish.
The church, especially in Orthodoxy, is also called the temple, which in this case is perceived as the "House of God" - the place of the mysteries, rites, the place of joint prayer.
Finally, the church can be understood as the form of the Christian faith. For two millennia, several different traditions were developed in Christianity, each of which has its own symbol of faith, their rite and ritual.
Therefore, we can talk about the Orthodox Church (Byzantine Tradition),
Catholic Church (Roman Tradition) and Protestant Church (tradition
Reformation XVI B).
In addition, there is a notion of the earthly church that unites all believers in
Christ, and the concept of Heavenly Church - the ideal Divine Arrival of Peace. Where the earthly church follows the covenants of Christ, it is unity with heaven.
1.3.Gography of Christianity
The first steps of Christianity in the I-II centuries. Restricted by district
Mediterranean, then it penetrated into central European countries and only in the VII-XII centuries. - in northeast of Europe. In the Great Epoch geographic discoveries The active activity of Christian missionaries began
(Conductors religious doctrine), which continues and in our time. At the end of the XV century. Together with the conquerors landed on the shores of the newly open America.
In the XVI century To the Christian world was attached most of Philippines.
The failure has begun missionaries in Africa. Only in the XIX century. As a result of active colonization, it was possible to turn into Christianity many inhabitants of the Black Continent. The same colonization introduced to him and the bulk of the population
Oceania.
1.4. Early Christianity
Early Christianity from the first of his steps stated himself to the teachings of oppressed bottoms, the teachings of disadvantaged and the suffering. True, this teaching was not called to the struggle - and in this sense it cannot be considered revolutionary in nature. Rather, on the contrary, Christianity was an alternative to various kinds of uprisings and wars, starting with Spartak's uprising, which was shaking at the turn of our era of a powerful Roman Empire. And as such
The "peaceful" alternative that guides the energy of the religious illusions oppressed in the channel, Christianity was quite acceptable, even profitable for the power of the property, soon who accepted the Christian doctrine as the dominant ideological doctrine. However, this happened later. Early Christianity in the first two to three centuries of its existence, being a religion of powerless and persecuted, not only stood in opposition to the authorities, exposed to cruel persecutions on their part, but also there were no radical elements, even revolutionary pathos. Pafos This was reduced, first of all, to a sharp rejection of the established norms of life.
The revolutionary pathos of early Christianity found his reflection in focusing on the two most important sides of the new religion. First, on the preaching of universal equality. Although it was equality, first of all, only "in sin", the equality of the "slaves of God", even in this as its quality slogan of universal equality could not not attract attention.
True, in some evangelical texts, slavery and slaves were assumed by the obedience to their gentlemen, but nevertheless the proclamation of the principle of universal equality in the era of the flourishing of the Roman Empire was worth a lot. Secondly, on the condemnation of wealth and compassion ("Early camel will be held through a needle ear who will fall into the kingdom of heaven,"), on emphasizing the universal duties to work ("not working yes does not eat").
It is not surprising that members of the first Christian communities were, first of all, offended and oppressed, poor and slaves, poor and outcasts.
1.5. The first Christian communities
The first Christian communities borrowed from predecessors - sect such as Esseev - features of asceticism, self-denial, piety and added ritual rituals of mitraism communion and much more, including a solemn act of baptism as a symbol of faith. These communities were closed enough. He headed the charismatic leaders - preachers, "Teachers", the prophets who were usually listened to their "inner voice," who were usually listened to their "votes", had "vision", heard
"Glasa God" and therefore were considered to have had an indisputable right to leadership. Already in the second half of I century. n. e. Two major flows were clearly outlined - the pro-lady, represented by the apocalypse and genetically ascending, apparently, to grids such as Esseev, and the Anti-Audie, associated with the activities of the Apostle Paul. Unlike the Apostle Peter, whom the Evangelskaya Paul called the "apostle for Jews", Paul himself, according to legend, called.
"The servant of Jesus Christ from the pagans." In this sense, Paul can be considered the first patriarch (if not founder) of Christianity.
In the conditions of an increasingly rigid dogmatic basis of Christian dogma, the life of the initial sects and communities headed by charismatic leaders were in the past of Christian creed, but the life of the original sects and communities headed by charismatic managers. In new conditions, they came to replace the believers (and then approved from above), deacons, bishops, presbyters.
Replacing the charismatic managers of a bureaucratic hierarchy - an inevitable phenomenon in the conditions of the formated church with its strict canons and indispensable dogmas. The Christian Church purified from the "sins" became quite acceptable for the socio-political top of the institute, the influence of which in the masses made the desired convergence with him and the use of it.
1.6. Wave persecuting Christianity
Observing in the remote province of the Roman Empire (Judea) in I century, Christianity until the middle of the IV century. It was Gonimimo Roman authorities. That in one province, then in another, and even throughout the empire immediately raised the wave of persecution: they destroyed the temples, they were arrested by clergy and ordinary believers. Rab-Christian has the same as an officer or a patrician who adopted Christianity.
These three centuries of persecution for all subsequent centuries taught Christians with two great truths (with which even those who do not consider themselves believers are agreed: the truth does not depend on the will of the authorities; The right person humiliated and poor may be right.
And after another 17 centuries - in the twentieth century - another empire again declared War Christians. And again - blamed and destroyed temples, and again hundreds of thousands of killed. This time the earthly, watered martyr's blood, became
Russia. The atheistic empire required unconditional consent not only with its policies, but also with her philosophy, with its worldview. None of the waves of persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire lasted for more than ten years. IN
The Soviet prosecution union lasted seven decades.
Near one of the Siberian camps there are graves in which 50 priests lie. They were taken out of the camp, ordered the trench. Lined at her edge. And then a pistol came to each and asked a question: "Well, what is your God or not?". After the answer "Yes" followed the shot. Not a single one.
In the twentieth century Christians (primarily priests) were killed in Nazi Germany and Mexico, in the Kampuche "Red Khmerov" and Maoist China, in Albania (where religion was banned by the Constitution) and Yugoslavia, Romania and Poland ...
So it was not easy to make the relationship of the church with the authorities of the earth. But also within the church itself throughout the history of its existence, many dramatic, and sometimes tragic events occurred. Today, Christianity represent three confessions, each of which is divided into many denominations, i.e. flows, sometimes very highly different in their convictions. But the Orthodox, Catholics, and most of the Protestants recognize Dogmat (the definition of the church, having unconditional authority for each of its member) about the Holy Trinity, believe in salvation through
Jesus Christ, recognize the United Scripture - Bible.
1.7. Statistical data on Christianity
Calculate the exact number of Christians is not so easy. However, general statistics give the following numbers. Today, believers of Christians make up 1/3 of the population living in Europe and Australia, in North and
Latin America, New Zealand and New Guinea. The Orthodox Church has about 120 million people in their ranks, Roman Catholic
The church unites about 700 million believers, the Protestant Churches, which are part of the World Council of Churches, unite about 350 million people.
1.8. Split Christianity
Christianity has long ceased to be a monolithic religion. Causes of a political nature, internal contradictions accumulated since
IV century, led to the XI century. To the tragic split. And before that, different local churches existed differences in worship and glooming. With the division of the Roman Empire into two independent states, two centers of Christianity were formed - in Rome and in Constantinople (Byzantium). Locative churches began to form around each of them. The tradition that pretended in the West led to Rome to a completely special role of Pope of the Roman High Priest - the head of the Ecumenical Church, the governor of Jesus Christ. The church in the East did not agree with this. Two Christian denominations were formed
- Orthodoxy and Catholicism.
2. Orthodoxy
Orthodoxy established in Europe in the territory that once belonged
Byzantine Empire or countries that are under its influence: most of the Balkan Peninsula and Russia.
2.1. Definition of Orthodoxy
The word "Orthodoxy" is the translation of the Greek "Orthodox". «Ortos» -
"Right" (hence, for example, "spelling"), and the word "doxa" has two meanings in Greek: "judgment", "opinion" and "glory", "Slady".
Thus, the word "orthodoxy" could be translated into Russian and as "legality", and as "Orthodoxy", i.e. The ability to correctly praise
God. The Eastern Church chose a second point for himself, thereby emphasizing the prevalence of ethical and aesthetic principle above the rational. In the ancient church, the word "orthodoxy" was marked by the main requirement for the faith and life of Christians. The definition of "Orthodox" fixed behind the Eastern
Church in late Middle Ages.
2.2. Orthodox Church of Byzantium
In the Eastern Empire (Byzantium), the church did not receive special independence and political influence. Separated to a number of patriarchates (Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandrian, Jerusalem), it was almost a complete dependence on the state and practically identified himself and their interests with his interests. It is also worth noting that the sphere of influence and the mass base of all patriarchates was small, and after the Islamization of the Middle Eastern world, it became a meager.
In Byzantium, dogmas and canons of the Orthodox Church were formulated. As part of the Byzantine culture, the principles of church art, which became canonical for all Orthodox churches.
In the Orthodox Church, as a whole, due to relative weakness and political insignificance, there were never massive persecution of the "Holy Inquisition" type, although this does not mean that she did not pursue heretics and splitters in the name of strengthening their influence on the masses. At the same time, by adding many ancient pagan customs of those tribes and peoples who accepted Orthodoxy (there were many of them, at least on Russia alone), the church managed to recycle and use them in the name of strengthening their authority.
The ancient deities turned into the Holy Orthodox Church, the holidays in their honor became church holidays, beliefs and customs received official coverage and recognition. Only a few too frank pagan rites, as, for example, the worship of the idols, who brought to the fetishism of deep old days, were pursued and gradually died, but also here, the church skillfully transformed them by sending the activity of believers to worship icons.
2.3. The main law of Orthodoxy
The imperial authorities supported the desire for church unity and thereby contributed to the more slender and clear disclosure of Orthodox creed. Reception rules - adoption by all the church "body" of any rules - became one of the main laws of Orthodoxy. No face, no body of the church, as if to be wide in composition, cannot be completely infallible. In matters of faith, only the church -
"Body of Christ" - as a whole.
In Orthodoxy, the legend is understood not only as a set of sacred books, scriptures and solutions of cathedrals, but also as the direct effect of the Holy Spirit and the Earth Church. It is believed that this mystical component of the church tradition retains the continuity and purity of the Orthodox Church from the Apostolic Times.
2.4. Russian Orthodox Church
With the strengthening of the ancient Russia borrowed from Byzantium, Orthodoxy gradually strengthened and the Metropolitans appointed from Constantinople turned, finally in the XVI century. In independent patriarchs. The period of independence of the Russian Church from Constantinople Patriarchate actually began from December 15, 1448, when Russian bishops independently elected their head of Metropolitan Ion. During arrival in Moscow on January 26, 1589, Constantinople Patriarch Jeremiah in the Assumption Cathedral
Kremlin Metropolitan Moscow Job was erected into the Patriarch San. The Russian Orthodox Church not only supported the royal power, but also submitted to her, I will have cooperated with her (only occasionally there were exceptions; for example, Patriarch Nikon in the XVII century tried to put the church above secular power).
Orthodoxy brought with him the high level of culture, moral experience, philosophical and theological thought, from Byzantium, aesthetic feeling. Church art left invaluable creations of architecture, icon painting, singing.
During the years of Tatar-Mongolian yoke and rely on the Russian Orthodox Church, Mirila Prince's Orthodox Church, was a custodian of the national culture. She occupied patriotic position in the years of disasters, enemy invasions. So it was in
1812, and in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
2.5. Orthodoxy and modernity
In today's Russia, Orthodoxy profess the believers of Slavic origin, as well as the peoples of the North and the Volga region.
The residence of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia is located in Moscow. Under the direction of the Moscow Patriarchate, in addition to Russian dioceses, are bishopia in the CIS countries, a number of dioceses in Western and Central Europe,
North and South America. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Autonomous Japanese Orthodox Church also included in the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Russian Orthodox Church performs worship for the Julian calendar. The main Russian church Slavonic language. In arrival
Western Europe services are committed at major European languages.
2.6. Old Believers
The history of the Russian Orthodox Church is closely associated with old-belt.
The emergence of it refers to the time of the split of Russian Orthodoxy, the reason for which the church-ritual reform was held, started by the Patriarch
Nikona B. mid XVII century. Many priests of various rank, who were difficult to reregly and send rites on new liturgical books and, according to the new rules, went into the split. Adherents of "Anodle Ries", not adopted changes in the external forms of church life, in most peasants, fled from persecution. They saved in the deaf forests of the Volga region, the North, Siberia, on the southern outskirts of the country or found their communities abroad. Many anti-government movements, various rebellious forces accepted the form of old estate. In 1685, a special decree was released, the final disclosure. In the 50s and 60 years of the XVII century, the Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Old Believers were committed to the curse, which was removed only in 1971, when it was recognized that the old rites are "equally" postreraforphomic, that is, canonic
(legitimate). Thus, the Moscow Patriarchate made a serious step towards overcoming the split of the Russian Church, which took three centuries ago. Until now, the Rogozhsky cemetery in Moscow remains one of the leading centers of Russian Old Believers. In his chirosities, they are underway as it was accepted in the Russian Church of the XVII century to Nikonov reforms.
3. Catholicism
In the life of Western Europe, the Roman Catholic Church dominated the XVI century. Dogmatic and liturgical differences in Catholicism from Orthodoxy a little. Orthodoxy is different interpreting the Trinity (believes that the Holy Spirit comes only from the Father's God), does not recognize the purgatory between the paradise and hell, does not practice the issuance of indulgences, he sees bread (and not fresh, and yeast) and wine. But for these differences, it always was held very tight, especially after the final break with Catholicism in 1054.
3.1. Catholicism
The term "Catholicism" (or "Catholicism") is formed from the Greek adjective "Cafe Calykos" - "Universal." "Ecclesia Cafe" means
"Universal (Cathedral) Church." These words are included in the original Niko-
Constantinople Symbol of Faith: "I believe ... to the Cathedral Church ...".
3.2. Catholic Church
The Catholic Church means universal, universal, claiming that she, and only she, is the true and complete embodiment of Christianity. The Catholic Church, in contrast to Orthodox, has a single chapter - dad. The head of the church is considered the governor of Christ on Earth and the successor of the Apostle Peter. Pope performs a triple function: Bishop of Rome, the shepherd of the Universal Church and the head of the State of the Vatican. Pope John
Paul II was elected in 1978. The Catholic Church, according to the teaching, carried the "stock of good deeds" and the Divine grace that helped to achieve salvation, relieve sins with the soul of human. Catholicism has taken a leading place in many countries of Europe and America. With the blessing of the Roman Catholic Church, there were oblivion and convicted many cultural traditions of the "pagan" antiquity with its fretsity. True, the church tradition, cultivated Latin, contributed to the preservation of a significant part of the handwritten heritage of ancient culture. The teachings of Aristotle, reborn with the help of Arabs, significantly adjusted by the Church, became even
(Along with the Bible) a kind of higher and almost the last word of spiritual culture. However, much was irretrievably lost, and above all, spiritual freedom. Catholic priests (who gave the vow of celibacy and therefore not related in their activities by personally and family interests, entirely pretended to the service, the interests of the Church) jealously followed the strict observance of church dogmas and rituals, mercilessly punish heretics, which were among which at least -Lo dare to deviate from official teaching. Best Middle Ages European Mills
"Saint" of the Inquisition, and the rest, intimidated and humbled "sinners", the church willingly sold for considerable money indulgence - the scape of sins.
3.3. Statistical data and geography of Catholicism
The innermost essence of the Catholic faith, of course, cannot be comprehended with the help of numbers, however, they can give at least general view About activity
Catholic church. According to statistics, the world has from 600 to 850 million, Catholics, which is about 15% of the planet. IN
Latin America 90% of the population - Catholics, in Europe are about 40%, in
North America - only 25%, in Africa - 13%, and in Asia no more than 2.5%, and two thirds of them live in the Philippines.
There are several large Catholic communities living and developing in their own laws in the world. For example, in Latin countries
America is rapidly growing population. Priests are not enough, but missionary activity - evangelization - goes continuously, and it is there
The Catholic Church becomes truly the folk "church for the poor."
On the contrary, in Western European, traditionally Christian countries, Catholics are becoming less and less, the number of Catholic priests is reduced accordingly.
In difficult conditions, the Catholic Church in the Eastern Countries
Europe, long under pressure of atheistic propaganda. However, since the early 1990s, in these countries there is a right choice of religion. In Muslim states, few Catholics are different depending on the level of violepability in a given country. Today, the Catholic Church proclaims the need for a decision to solve the global problems of modernity in the spirit of humanism, respect for the life and dignity of the human person.
3.4. Reformation and Catholicism
In the first half of the XVI century, a reformist public and religious movement, aimed at changing the very basics of the device of the church and associated with the worldview of the emerging bourgeoisie, led to the fact that extensive regions of Central, Western and Northern
Europe. The antipodeal movement emerged and against the Catholic Church appeared. Leaders Reformation in Germany and Switzerland - Luther, Jean
Calvin and Zwingley - accused the Catholic Church in the distortion of genuine Christianity, sharply opposed the dogma on the infallibility of the Pope, the practice of selling indulgence, tinsel and pomp of Catholic worship, finally against the exaggeration of the role of the Church as an intermediary between a person and God. The only mediator between people and God
Reformation recognized Christ.
Of course, the reformation did not mean the death of Catholicism. After resorting to the help of counter-processing, the Catholic Church managed to survive and up to today's day, his entire church hierarchy, headed by the Roman dad, is a major force, the influence of which is felt in many parts of the world.
However, the era of the Reformation caused Catholicism and in general, the christian church in general, from which it was already impossible to recover. Time
"Holy Inquisition" and total control over the thought, over the spiritual life of people from the church began to go to the irrevocable past. Catholicism - after the Protestant Church - was forced to agree that God was "Godhead", that is, a very definite place in the life and activities of people, the rest of their time and attention should be given to other cases that did not have a direct relationship to religion and not dependent From its intervention and evaluation. This, naturally, did not mean that the role of the church was reduced to almost zero. And yet the separation of the church from the state and from various spheres of business activity of people, which was the result of the Reformation, played a huge role in the fate of Western Europe, in successfully developing it on the capitalist path.
4. Protestantism
At this time, a new variety of Christianity arose, bourgeois in his spirit - Protestantism. He is inherent individualism in the affairs of faith: every believer has the right to read and interpret the revelation of God - the Bible.
Protestantism taught that there are not so many rites as goodbye to fulfill each of their duties, that is, in good faith, a person embodies Christian commandments. Protestantism (evangelical teaching) approves the equality of all believers before God and preaches the salvation of faith already in earthly life, denies the monasticism, as well as the celibacy of the clergy (by the way, mandatory for Catholic priests), does not accept church ranks and recognizes the authority of the Bible. For Protestantism, the desire to divide the spheres of influence of the spiritual authority of the Church and the secular power of the state: God - the gown, and Cesar - Cesarean. Protestantism transferred the center of gravity of religious life with church forms for a separate personality, to improve it.
4.1. Statistical data on Protestantism
The most evangelized country (that is, the most Protestant) is considered to be US: 22% of all evangelists live here, forming more than 250 different confessions (religions). Large groups of Protestants live in Europe and America, less than their number - in Africa, Asia, Australia.
4.2. Protestantism in Russia
Protestantism is widespread in Russia. The most numerous Gospel Christian Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists, Pentecostals, Lutherans. Protestantism began to penetrate Russia from economically frustrated Europe from the beginning of the XVII century, together with the skillful people trying to find the use of their talents and abilities.
4.3. Protestant confessions
The largest Protestant confession in Russia includes evangelical Baptist Christian. Baptism was brought to Russia in the XIX century by the German colonists, settled mainly in the southern provinces. In the northern and central provinces, the teachings of gospel Christians have developed, very close to Baptism. The beginning of its distribution is associated with the activities of Lord of Redstock, who came from England and organized the first sect in St. Petersburg in the 70s of the XIX century.
The associations of evangelical Christian Baptists are available in almost all areas and republics former USSR. It is noticeable to their western and southern borders, gradually increasing their influence in the metropolitan regions.
Seventh-day Adventists appeared in the Russian Empire in the 80s of the XIX century. The spread of their teachings contributed to the activities of missionaries.
Pentecostals - sect formed in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century and at the same time appeared in Russia. The main distinguishing feature of this teaching is faith in
"Descent of the Holy Spirit" on the apostles for the fiftieth day after the resurrection
Christ. In Russia, the associations of Pentecostal are presented throughout its territory.
Islam is the second after Christianity according to the number of followers world religion, the religion of humility and complete humility of the Most High Will. She founded B.
VII century on the soil of Arab tribal religions Prophet Mohammed. He proclaimed that there is only one great Allah and that everyone should be submissive by his will. It was a call for cohesion of Arabs under the banner of a single God. Muhammed called the Arabs to believe in a single God and serve him in anticipation of the end of the world, judgment day and the establishment of the "kingdom of justice and the world" on Earth. In the Islamic religion, Allah - God is the only, faceless, higher and almighty, wise, all-consant, Creator of everything and his supreme judge. Next to him there are no gods, no independent beings. There is no Christian Trinity with her confusing relationship between God-Father, his son Jesus and the mystical figure of the Holy Spirit. In Islam, there is a doctrine of paradise and hell, about rewarding a person in the afterlime world for his affairs. On the terrible court himself, Allah will interrogate each of the living and dead, and they, Nagi, with a book in which their affairs are recorded, will be in fear to wait for his decision. The sinners will fall into hell righteous to heaven.
5.1. Sacred Book of Muslims
The Holy Book of Muslims - Quran. It contains the main ideas and creeds of Mohammed. According to the tradition generally accepted in Islam, the text of the Quran was behaved by the prophet by Allah themselves through Jabrail. Allah repeatedly passed his sacred commandments through various prophets - Moses,
Jesus finally Mohammed. This Islamic theology explains the numerous coincidences of the texts of the Koran and Bible: the sacred text transmitted through earlier prophets was distorted by Jews and Christians who did not understand much in it, they missed something, was distorted, so only in latest versionauthorized by the Grand Prophet Mohammed, Orthodoxes may have the highest and indisputable Divine Truth.
This legend is about the Quran, if you clean it from Divine intervention, close to the truth. The main content of the Quran is as closely connected with the Bible, as well as Islam himself is close to Judeo-Christianity.
The Koran consists of 114 chapters, which speak of all parties to life, including justice, morality, ritual prescriptions. By character, these treatises are very diverse. Along with Arrangement biblical stories Here you can find reasoning about the order of divorce, along with the descriptions of historical events - reasoning about the universe, about the relationship between a person with the world of supernatural forces. Many sites pays the Quran the basics of Muslim law, there are both lyrical poetic texts, and mythological plots. In short, the Koran, like the Bible, is a kind of divine encyclopedia, "book book", a set of knowledge and instructions almost for all occasions.
About a quarter of the text of the Quran is devoted to the descriptions of the life and activities of various prophets. In the rank of the prophet in the Qur'an for some reason, the first battleship Adam and even famous Alexander Macedonian (Iskander).
Mohammed is closing on this list - the last and greatest of the prophets. After him, the prophets no longer had and will not, up to the end of the world and the terrible court, to the second coming of Jesus. The descriptions of the prophets' acts are almost entirely taken from the Bible, only with some changes.
The Quran was not available to everyone - he was studied and analyzed only relatively few competent and educated Muslims, primarily the connoisseurs of Islamic dogmatic, theologian and lawyers. To the wide masses of the simple people, the illiterate peasants of the commandments of Islam reached only in the oral form of sermons and in the form of the Sacred Commandments that have compiled for each faithful set of rules of conduct, primarily religious.
5.2. "Five pillars faith"
The main duties of Muslim Islam has five - confession, prayer, post, alms and hajj.
Principle of confession - Central in Islam. To become a Muslim, quite solemnly pronounce phrase that there is no god besides Allah and
Mohammed prophet him. Thus, a person becomes submissive Allah, Muslim. But, becoming them, he had to observe the remaining responsibilities of Orthodox.
Prayer is a mandatory daily fivefold ritual. Those who do not pray five times a day - incorrect. On Fridays and on holidays, solemn worships, which are guided by Imami ("standing ahead"). Orthodox prayer is obliged to perform the ablution, the rite of purification (small - washing hands, legs, faces; and large, in the case of serious impurity, - the full ablution of the whole body). If there is no water, it is replaced with sand.
Fast. Muslims have only one main and mandatory post-Ramazan, he lasts a month, during which, from dawn to sunset, orders, except for small children and patients, do not have the right to nor drink or smoke or have fun. In addition to Ramadan, Muslims will begin at another time - according to the promise, in the event of drought, in order of compensation for the missed days of Ramadan.
Alms. Each property is obliged to share its incomes once a year, highlighting them as alms in favor of the poor. Mandatory alms - stunned - perceived as a cleaning ritual for people and was usually calculated a few percent of their annual income.
Hajj. It is believed that every healthy Muslim must visit holy places in Mecca in his life and worship Kaaba. The pilgrims who committed the right receive the honorable name - Hodya.
To these five, another pillar of faith is often added, the sixth is a sacred war against the wrong (jihad or gasavat). Participation in the war freed from all sins and provided the Orthodox, who fell on the battlefield, a place in paradise.
5.3. Mosque and her functions
The place of service, sermons and prayers are a mosque. It is also a place of assembly of faithful in all important cases of life, a kind of cultural center. Construction of mosques in Islam has always been considered an awry business.
The funds did not regret it, so the mosques, especially in cities, capitals, are often magnificent facilities. The inner room of the mosque looks modestly, even if the closed part is removed by rich carpets. There are no idols, no decorations or musical instruments.
An important function of the mosque is the organization of learning children. Education in Islamic countries was always religious and was under the guardianship of local spiritual authorities. Imam and Mullah this mosque were simultaneously here and teachers.
5.4. "Muslim world"
Unlike Christianity, Islam developed in the conditions of a religious - political fibony, so that his authorities themselves were political and at the same time religious leaders - the Prophet, Caliphs, Emirs, representatives of the authorities. Any official was obliged to coordinate its actions with the norms of the Quran and Sharia, i.e. Recognize with the role of the clergy, with the power of religion. Islam served as a powerful impetus for the development of such a phenomenon as
Muslim World, which grew up on the extensive territory of the Middle East with a powerful political structure and highly developed civilization. The successes and achievements of Arab culture were affected by many countries, including the cultural centers of Christian Europe. In addition to the Arab countries, Islam is confessed in India, China, Indonesia. From the Arab states of North
Africa Islam spread to neighboring black countries and is moving further south. Of the many religious systems of the modern world, Islam is one of the most significant forces.
6.Buddism
Buddhism also includes world religions. Buddhism is the religion of overcoming suffering. Buddhism arose in India in the VI-V centuries. BC, for five centuries before Christianity and twelve-size. Siddhartha Gautama
Shakjamuni, famous world under the name - Buddha, i.e. Enlightened, was the son of Prince from the Shake Tribe.
6.1. Buddha teaching
The world, as the Buddha seen him, is an infinite number of individual mimic entities that are in a state of initial excitement, but gradually heading for soothery and the absolute destruction of all living things when its elements are given one after another to complete peace. Soothing is the real only bliss that can give life.
Birth and aging, illness and death, separation with beloved and union with an unloved, unreadable goal and dissatisfied desire - all this suffering. Suffering comes from the thirst for being, pleasures, creation, authorities, eternal life. Destroy this insatiable thirst, abandon the desires, to dedicate from the earthly fuss - here is the way to destroy suffering.
To avoid suffering, a person must suppress any attachment, every desire, to become indifferent to the joys and the sorrows of life, to death itself. It is behind this way that is full of liberation, Nirvana.
6.2. "Eight-storey way"
Developing his teachings, the Buddha has developed a detailed so-called eight-arbitrary path, the method of comprehending the truth and approaching nirvana.
1. Righteous Vera (should be believed to be a Buddha that the world is full of grief and suffering and that it is necessary to suppress passion in themselves).
2. The righteous determination (should be firmly identified to limit their passions and aspirations.
3. The righteous speech (should be followed in your own words, so that they did not lead to evil - the speech should be truthful, benevolent).
4. Righteous business (unknown actions should be avoided, to restrain and do good deeds).
5. Righteous life (there is a worthy life, without bringing harm to living).
6. Righteous thought (should follow the direction of his thoughts, drive all evil and tune in good).
7. Righteous thoughts (should be understood that evil - from your flesh).
8. Righteous contemplation (it is necessary to train constantly and patiently, to achieve the ability to focus, contemplate, deepen in search of truth).
Following this way, a person reaches enlightenment, becomes saint and immersed in Nirvana - non-existence when the circuit of rebirth is stopped and death is no longer leading to a new birth, but frees from all the desires, and with them from suffering from returning to what -Leo form of individual existence.
6.3. Commandment of Mercy
The commandment of mercy is of great importance in Buddhism. You can not kill any living creature. It is necessary to relate to good and evil equally. It is impossible to pay evil for evil, because it only multiplies evil and suffering.
The closest thing is to the teachings of Buddhism, which has been refused from all worldly and who have given all their lives with pious reflections of the monks. Entered into the monastery (Sanghu) refuse everything that connected them with the world - from the family, caste, property, - and receive five vows: do not kill, do not steal, do not drink, not LGI, do not commit adultery.
The main thing in Buddhism is the ethical doctrine of the personal salvation of a person without the help of supernatural forces.
6.4. Modern Buddhism
In the life of modern India, enormous difficulties are associated with religious retail between the Hindus and Muslims, Sikhami.
In India, there were many Buddhist centers, temples and monasteries, but still Buddhism did not receive a large spread of Buddhism and turned into a world religion to turn abroad - in China, Japan, Central Asia, Korea,
Vietnam and a number of other countries, has long lost its position in their homeland.
Return occurred because Buddhism rejected caste, religious ritualism, and therefore did not fit into the social structure and culture of the Indian society based on the tradition rejected by Buddhism.
In Russia, Buddhism found its followers among indigenous peoples
Buryatia, Kalmykia and Tuva. Buddhism's popularity is rapidly increasing, especially in metropolitan cities (Moscow and St. Petersburg). It is most likely to explain fashion to Western culture, since it was in the West that interest in Eastern religions strengthened.
By the diversity of the professionable religions, Russia is unique. Among its population there are followers of all world religions: Christianity
(Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism), Islam and Buddhism.
Tutoring
Need help to study what language themes?
Our specialists will advise or have tutoring services for the subject of interest.
Send a request With the topic right now, to learn about the possibility of receiving consultation.
Hello, dear friends!
Currently, there are a huge number of religions in the world that give people strength and faith in the future. In today's article I would like to tell you about what faith and religion are?
A lot of warrior and disagreement occurred due to the fact that a person who determined with his faith and finding a source of belief, ceases with respect to other points of view and religion. But does it make sense to find out who is right or more accurate in the context of such an individual approach to the question?
It doesn't matter what the person believes, the main thing is that he finds the light and seeks him! Living in harmony with me and carrying creative energy into the masses, people can be called people. And it does not matter exactly what the name of the religion is based on his acts.
The classification by types occurred due to the desire of religion to separate modern and ancient trends. Today you can allocate religions on several types: tribal, world and national.
Many nations of the world called God different names. And in each conviction always lay her truth. For some Easter rabbit, it could act as the highest forces of Being and the Universe and, at the same time, others had the right to consider the true pagan rites, which sometimes contradicted the majority canons of the religious system of Christianity.
Atheism has acquired rights for its formation relatively recently. Totemity and taking themselves as a person, similarly occupied a place in the frame of self-expression. If a previously man It was on earth, and the gods in the sky, today the agnosticism, as faith "between faith," projects completely different statutes of thinking and understanding the world.
I would like to talk about some of the religions in more detail. To your attention, I want to submit a list of different religions of the peoples of the world. You certainly be familiar with one of them, but with some will come across for the first time.
Buddhism
Buddhism is one of the oldest religions in the world originated in India. Thanks to its founder, Siddhartha Gautam, familiar to us, as a great Buddha, people all over the planet still seek to find consolation in a true understanding of the words "awaken" or "enlightened".
Buddhist philosophy is based on the exercises on "noble truths". There are only four of them. The first explains the existence of suffering, the second - talks about his reasons, the third - calls for liberation, and the fourth - teaches how to come to him.
Buddhism dogmas and the very understanding of life can be called the river or the flow of intangible particles. It is their combination that determines the being existing on Earth and in the universe.
The challenges of Karma carry rebirth and therefore, it is worth with respect to which acts made a man in a past life. The ideal of Buddhism can be boldly called moral. His essence is ridiculed into the motto " Do not harm. Nobody!».
And the main goal is considered to achieve the state of Nirvana - then you mean full peace and peace.
Brahmanism
This religion is also rooted in India. She gained development thanks to Vediation. What does she teach about? The most important thing is the awareness of the Divine beginning of the whole urgent and tangible, called revelations about Brahman.
And also about Atman - a unique and personal spirit. Experts of Vedas played an invaluable role in the formation of brahmanism as free flow. In the religious system, the initial role was assigned to them.
The main idea was based on the conviction and propaganda that people are unique and find a second identical - impossible. From childhood, you mean my own unique strength, mission and task since childhood.
Brahmanists were distinguished by complex and religious rites. And rituals occupied the bulk of their lives and were strictly controlled.
Taoism
This religion has opened the masses thanks to China and its founder of Lao Tzu sage. Thanks to the philosophy, which resulted in the work of the whole life of the founder - "Dae De Jing", religion is devoted to 2 concepts.
The word "Dao", which can be interpreted as a tool or method and letter "DE", which means grace, pushed the thinker to the deep rethinking of the model of this world.
According to his thoughts, it can be concluded that the universe controls even more powerful force. The essence of its occurrence is full of secrets and mysteries, and at the same time, its influence leads to being for harmony.
The main goal of religion is the approach of man to immortality. According to the adherents of Daus, it is it that helps the personality to reveal all the power of the religious contemplation of the naked beauty of the world. And help to achieve such a state of eternal life respiratory and gymnastic trainings, alchemy, soul and body hygiene.
Jainism
Jainism is a religion that arose on the Industan Peninsula. Vardahaman is the great founder of religion. And precisely because of his vision, Jainists are convinced that no one created our world. He existed forever and continue his way no matter what.
What is the main thing? The most valuable and true is the desire for self-improvement of your own soul, strengthening its strength. The teaching states that it is because of such labor over himself, there is a liberation of the soul from all worldly.
Also religion is not disposed of faith in the resettlement of souls. Jaine believe that the success of this life is directly related to how you behaved in the previous one.
It is worth mentioning that the practice of asceticism is very significant in understanding religion, as such. The final purpose of the individual is to interrupt the cycle of rebirth. That you mean achieve nirvana and gain harmony. And this can only make ascetic.
Hinduism
Hinduism is a whole system of beliefs or the laws of the Hindus. It is distinguished by the fact that it does not carry certain and established dogmas. Characteristic features Or signs of the followers of Hinduism is the authoritarian recognition of the Vedic exercises and, consequently, the brahmanical west of the worldview.
I want to note that only the person who can boast of at least one Indian Parent has the right to confess Hinduism.
The main idea of \u200b\u200bfaith that confessable - this is followed by some disposal settings. Karma, as a deed and Sansara, like a wheel of being, should be overcome by individuals for complete and true liberation.
Islam
I could not not mention this world religion, originated in Arabia. The Prophet Mukhamed, who spoke in Mecca, is considered to be its founder. According to his convictions, as well as thanks to the statements, after his death they created work. In the future, he became the Holy Book of Islam and to this day wears the famous name - Koran.
What is the essence? The main teaching states the following: " No god besides Allah" And the angels and other essences of the highest worlds are not free, but in full submission to him.
Also, Muslims are convinced that their religion is the right one, since Muhhamed is the last prophet, whom God sent to Earth. Knowledge and wisdom of previous religions, in the view of Muslims are not reliable due to the fact that people repeatedly rewrite and deformed sacred knowledge.
Judaism
This is the earliest religion that appeared in Palestine. She got widespread mostly among the Jews. Faith in a single God, as well as the immortality of the soul and afterlife, is closely connected with the perception of the Jewish people, as the personification of the Messiah and the carrier of the Divine Revelation.
The sacred books of Judaism include Torah, a huge number of works of the prophets and interpretations, which are collected in the Talmud.
Christianity
It is one of the three most powerful religions in the world. Arriving in Palestine, and after the spreadsheet to the Roman Empire and in Europe. She won the hearts of many believers living on the planet Earth.
Faith in the fact that God sent to Earth of his son Jesus Christ, who righteously lived, suffered and died like a common person, undergoing religion.
The main book of religion is the Bible. It preaches the doctrine of three horses of a single God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Especially Christians belong to the idea of \u200b\u200bthe first sin and to the second coming of Christ to Earth.
Polytheism
Polytemism is faith in many gods. This can be called a certain system of beliefs, a whole worldview or soil for disagreements. Religion is based on faith in several deities, which are collected in the Pantheon from the goddesses and of course, the gods.
Polyteraisis refers to the type of theisms and opposes monotheism, then you mean, faith in one, one God. And at the same time, he also dispels with the judgments of atheism, where the existence of any higher forces is denied.
In fact, such a term was introduced by Filon Alexandyrius because there was a need to create a certain difference between paganism from paganism. Since at that time the pagans called all those who did not confess Judaism.
Jedish
Rather, the philosophical current than religion, I could not mention it! Jedi believes, a comprehensive energy field created by all living beings, which surrounds and penetrates everything alive, and work on the development of their own, approximately as the Jedi Knights from the film "". There are no cult action and dogmas in GEDAZ, and about half a million, especially in America and the United Kingdom, has already been registered for this flow.
And the code of the Jedi says the following:
No emotions - there is peace.
No ignorance - there is knowledge.
No passion - there is a serenity.
No chaos - there is harmony.
No death - there is power.
So most likely, the Jedi direction is largely reminiscent of Buddhism.
In conclusion, I will say that in my opinion, the central idea of \u200b\u200ball religions is one: the existence of the power and subtle, invisible worlds, as well as spiritual improvement of a person. All religions in my opinion come from ancient esoteric knowledge. So, it will be joyful when everyone will believe that he most like that, and also gives the same freedom and the rest. After all, first of all, you need to remain people!
In this philosophical note, I put a point.
Before meeting on the blog, while so far!
Do you go to the mosque on Fridays, visit the synagogue on Saturdays or pray in the church on Sundays, religion, one way or another, touched in your life. Even if the only thing you ever worshiped is your favorite sofa and best friend-TV, your world has anyway formed by religious beliefs and practices of other people.
Believers of people affect everything, from political views and works of art to clothing they wear and eat they eat. Religious beliefs have repeatedly quarreled the peoples and inspired people to violence, they also played a latter role in some scientific discoveries.
No one is news that religion is very influenced by society. Each civilization, from the ancient Maya to the Celts, had a kind of religious practice. In its earliest forms, religion provided a society a system of views and values, according to which it could reproduce and educate young people. In addition, it also helped to explain the processes and phenomena of such an excellent and such complex and sometimes frightening surrounding world.
Certificates of certain recent recent reasons were discovered in the artifacts of the era of Neolith, and although religion was very developed compared to primitive rites of that time, no faith in reality dies. Some, such as the worldview of the Druids, continue to live so far, while others, such as the ancient Greek and Roman religions, live as a component of the part and some individual aspects of later Christianity and Islam.
Below we made a small review of 10 religions. Despite their ancient origins, in many of them are well traced parallels with the main modern religions.
10: Sumerian Religion
Although there are separate certificates indicating that people may have practiced religion already 70,000 years ago, the earliest reliable evidence of the formed religion belongs to approximately 3500 BC. That is, by the time Sumerians built in Mesopotamia the first city, states and empires.
From thousands of clay plates who are found in areas where Sumerian civilization has been located, we know that they had a whole pantheon of the gods, each of which "headed" by their sector of phenomena and processes, that is, the mercy or anger of a specific God, people explained for themselves What could not otherwise explain.
All the gods of Sumerians had "binding" to specific astronomical bodies, they were ruled by natural forces: for example, the sunrise and sunset attributed to the sparkling chariot of the Sun of the Utu. Stars were considered cows Nannar, the Lunas of the Moon, who traveled through the sky, and the crescent was his boat. Other gods represented such things and concepts as the ocean, war, fertility.
Religion was the central part of the life of the Sumerian Society: the kings argued that they acted on the will of the gods and, thus, a religious and political responsibilities were performed, and the sacred temples and gigantic platforms in the form of terraces, known as zikkurats, were considered the dwellings of the gods.
The influence of the Sumerian religion can be traced in most existing religions. The epic on Gilgamesh, the earliest of the surviving works of the ancient Sumerian literature, contains the first mention of the Great Flood, which is also contained in the Bible. And the seedroom Babylonian zigarate is probably the same Babylonian tower, raurated Noah's descendants.
9: Ancient Egyptian Religion
In order to ensure the effect of religion on the life of ancient Egypt, it is enough to look at thousands of pyramids located in the region. Each building symbolizes the Egyptian faith in the fact that man's life continues even after death.
The Board of the Egyptian Pharaohs lasted approximately from 3100 to 323 BC. And there were 31 separate dynasty. Pharaohs who had divine status used religion to maintain their power and subordination to themselves absolutely all citizens. For example, if Pharaoh wanted to get the location of a larger number of tribes, everything he had to do is take their local God as his own.
While the God of the Sun of RA was the main God and the Creator, the Egyptians recognized hundreds of other gods, about 450. And at least 30 of them received the status of the main deities of Pantheon. With so much of the gods, the Egyptians experienced inconveniences in true consistent theology, but they were associated with the overall faith in the afterlife, especially after the invention of the mummification.
The leaders named by the "coffin texts" were given to those who could afford this guide in funeral events, the guarantee of immortality. The tomb of rich people often contained jewels, furniture, weapons and even servants for a full life after death.
Flirt with monotheism
One of the first attempts to establish monotheism occurred in ancient Egypt, when Pharaoh Ehnaton came to power in 1379 BC. And announced the god of the sun of Athon the only God. Pharaoh tried to erase all mention of other gods and destroy their images. During the reign of Ehnaton, the people put up with this so-called "Atonism", however, after death he was declared a criminal, his temples were destroyed, and his very existence was crossed out of records.
8: Greek and Roman Religion
Gods ancient Greece
Like Egyptian, Greek religion was politicalism. Although the most widely recognized 12 Olympic deities, the Greeks also had several thousand other local gods. During the Roman period of Greece, these gods were simply adapted to Roman needs: Zeus became Jupiter, Venus Aphrodite, and so on. In fact, most of the Roman religion was borrowed from the Greeks. So much that these two religions are often mentioned under the general name of the Greco-Roman religion.
Greek and Roman gods had pretty bad characters. They were not alien jealousy, anger. This explains why people had to bring so many victims in the hope of delighting the gods, make them refrain from causing harm, instead to help people, do good deeds.
Along with sacrificial rites, which were the primary form of Greek and Roman religion, in both religions, the festivities and rituals occupied an important place. In Athens, at least 120 days a year were festive, and there were no many cases in Rome, without prior fulfillment of religious rituals that guaranteed the approval of the gods. Special people followed signs sent by the gods, watching bird twitter, weather events or internals of animals. Private citizens could also ask the gods in sacred places called oracles.
Religion rite
Perhaps the most impressive feature of the Roman religion was the important role of rituals in fact in every aspect of everyday life. It is not enough that rituals were performed before each meeting of the Senate, the festival or other public event, so they should have been perfectly performed. If, for example, it was found that the prayer was incorrectly read in front of a government meeting, then any decision taken during this meeting could be invalid.
Religion, founded exclusively in nature, Druidism appeared from shamanic practices and witchcraft in prehistoric times. Initially, it was distributed throughout Europe, but then concentrated in Celtic tribes with their promotion towards the British coast. He continues to practice today among small groups.
The main idea of \u200b\u200bDruidism is that all actions a person must do, without causing anyone harm, even to himself. There is no other sin, in addition to harming the earth or others, Druids are considered. Similarly, there is no blasphemy or heresy, as a person is unable to harm the gods, and they are capable of protecting themselves. According to the beliefs of Druids, people are only a small part of the Earth, which, in turn, is a single living being, inhabited by the gods and spirits of all kinds.
Although Christians tried to suppress the druidism for his polytetic pagan beliefs and accused his followers in the implementation of cruel sacrifices, the druids were actually civilians who practiced meditation, reflections and awareness than sacrificial actions. Only animals were sacrificed, which was then used in food.
Since all the religion of Druidism was built around nature, its ceremonies were associated with solstice, equinoxies and 13 lunar cycles.
Something similar to the pagan faith Victor, Asatru - Vera in the Doharistian gods of Northern Europe. Goes back to the beginning of the Scandinavian Bronze Age approximately 1000 BC. Asatra took a lot from the ancient Scandinavian Viking beliefs, and many followers of Asatru continue to reproduce the customs and traditions of Vikings, such as battles on swords.
The main values \u200b\u200bof religion are wisdom, strength, courage, joy, honor, freedom, energy and importance of generic ties with ancestors. Like druidism, the asatru is based on nature, and all the religion is tied to the change of seasons.
Asatra claims that the universe is divided into nine worlds. Among them, Asgard is the kingdom of gods and Midgard (Earth) - the house of all mankind. The connection of these nine worlds is a world tree, Iggratrasil. The chief god and the creator of the Universe - one, but also a great respect for the Tor, God of War, Defender Midgard: It was his hammer Vikings portrayed on their doors to drive evil. Hammer, or MJOLLNIR, many supporters of the Asatra are in the same way as Christians are worn.
Liberation from taxes
Although some aspects of the asatour may seem the uninitiated implausible, it gets becoming increasingly distributed worldwide. In addition, this is a registered religion in Iceland and Norway, it is released from paying taxes in the United States.
In fairness, it is necessary to clarify that, technically, Hinduism is not one religion. Under this concept, many beliefs and practices come from India are actually united.
Hinduism is one of the oldest existing religions, the roots of which are traced to approximately 3000 BC. Although some of her supporters argue that the teaching existed always. The Sacred Scriptures of Religion are collected in the Vedas, the oldest of famous religious works in Indo-European languages. They were collected approximately between 1000 and 500 BC. and revered by the Hindu as the eternal truth.
Comprehensive idea of \u200b\u200bHinduism - the search for "Moksha", faith in fate and reincarnation. According to the representations of the Hindus, people have an eternal soul, which is continuously born in various embodiments, according to her lifestyle and actions in previous lives. Karma describes the consequences that follow these actions, and Hinduism teaches that people can improve their fate (karma) through prayer, victims and various forms of spiritual, psychological and physical disciplines. Ultimately, following the righteous ways, the Hindu can be released from revival and reach Moksha.
Unlike other major religions, Hinduism does not declare anything that the founder. His connection is not traced and with any definite historical event. To date, almost 900 million people around the world consider themselves to be Hindus, most of them live in India.
4: Buddhism
Buddhism, originating in India about 6th century BC, is largely similar to Hindu. It is based on the teaching of a person known under the name of the Buddha, who was born as Siddhartha Gautama and grew like the Hindu. Like Hindus, Buddhists believe in reincarnation, karma and the idea of \u200b\u200bachieving complete liberation - Nirvana.
According to Buddhist legend, Siddhartha had a rather closed youth and was amazed when he found that people around, it turns out that things are experiencing such things as grief, poverty and illness. Having met a group of people looking for enlightenment, Siddhartha began to look for a way to finish human suffering. For a long time he fasted and meditated, and finally reached the ability to escape from the eternal reincublocation cycle. It is this achievement "Bodhi", or "Enlightenment" led to the fact that he is now known as a Buddha, or "enlightened".
Four noble truths: (Chatwari Ariasatiani), four truths of the saint - one of the basic teachings of Buddhism, which all his schools adhere to.
1. All existence is suffering.
2. All suffering is caused by human desires.
3. The renunciation of desires will finish suffering.
4. There is a way to stop the suffering - the octal path.
Buddhism does not have too much attention to the Divine, much greater importance has self-discipline, meditation and compassion. As a result, Buddhism is sometimes regarded as philosophy than religion.
Way
Like Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are more philosophy than religions. Both originated in China in 5 - 6th centuries BC. Both are actively practiced in China and today. Taoism, which is based on the concept of "Dao", or "Path", really appreciates life and preach the simplicity and a relaxed approach to life. At the heart of Confucianism - love, kindness and humanity.
Another religion occurring from India. Jainism proclaims the achievement of spiritual freedom as the main goal. Takes his origin from Jain's lives and teachings, spiritual teachers who have achieved the highest level of knowledge and understanding. According to Jain's teachings, followers of religion can achieve freedom from material existence or karma. As in Hinduism, this exemption from reincarnation is called "Moksha".
Jains are also taught that time is forever and consists of a number of ascending or downstream movements that last for millions of years. During each of these periods, there are 24 jine. Only two of these teachers are known in the current movement: Parsva and Mahavir, who lived in 9 and 6th centuries BC, respectively. In the absence of any higher gods or the God of the Creator, followers of Jainism are honored.
Unlike Buddhism, which condemns suffering, the idea of \u200b\u200bJainism is asceticism, self-denial. The lifestyle of Jaina is managed by the "Great Values", which proclaim the abandonment of violence, honesty, sexual abstinence, renovation. Although these oaths are strictly observed by hermits, the Jaina also follow them proportionately to their abilities and circumstances, with the aim of self-development according to the 14-stage path of spiritual growth.
Although other religions have had short periods of monotheism, Judaism is considered the oldest world monotheistic faith. Religion is based on the fact that the Bible describes as agreements between God and some of the fathers - founders. Judaism is one of the three religions leading its origin from the Patriarch of Abraham, who lived in the 21st century BC. (Two others - Islam and Christianity.)
Five books of Moses are coming to the beginning of the Jewish Bible, forming Torah (Pentateuch), the Jewish people - the descendants of Abraham and once return to their country Israel. Therefore, Jews are sometimes called the "chosen people."
The basis of the religion is the Ten Commandments, which are a sacred agreement between God and People. Along with 613 other manuals that are contained in Torah, these ten commandments determine the lifestyle and thought of the believer. Following the laws, Jews show their commitment to the will of God and strengthen their position in the religious community.
In the rare unanimity, all three major world religions recognize the Ten Commandments fundamental.
Zoroastrianism is based on the teaching of the Persian Prophet Zarathustra, or Zoroastra, who lived between 1700 and 1500 BC. His teachings are revealed to the world in the form of 17 psalms called Gati, which constitute the Sacred Scripture of Zoroastrianism, known as Zend Avesta.
The key aspect of the Zoroastrian faith is ethical dualism, a constant struggle between good (Ahura Mazda) and evil (Angra Mainy). Personal responsibility is of great importance for Zoroastrians, since their fate depends on the choice they do between the two forces. The followers believe that after death, the soul comes to the trial bridge, from where it falls into paradise, either in the place of torment, depending on what actions prevailed during life: good or bad.
Since a positive choice is not so difficult to do, Zoroastrianism is generally considered as an optimistic faith: Zarathustra, allegedly, the only child who laughed at birth instead of crying. Currently, Zoroastrianism is one of the most small among the main world religions, but its effect is felt widely. Christianity, Judaism and Islam, all were formed in his postulates.
In the world there are countless religions. Some of them have long been forgotten, and some are gaining momentum. And which one is the most ancient religion on earth?
What religion is recognized as the most ancient?
When determining the most ancient faith, you need to consider several facts. There are some religions, the mention of which remained only in old legends and legends. Among these, it is possible to distinguish the religion of the Incas and Aztecs. This developed religion having many followers in its ranks. Vera Incov is rich in a variety of gods. This is due to military activities tribes. When capturing new peoples of the Divine from legends and legends of captives was added to the existing religion. Due to the possibility of the appearance of new deities, this belief did not disappear without a trace, but simply transformed into new flows.
From now existing one of the first was the religion of the Sumerians. It was distinguished by many of the gods, each of which had their own followers, called Anunnaki. They were priests who helped ordinary people to communicate with their idols and passed the people's wishes of the gods.
The oldest of world religions is Judaism, initiated on the teachings of VIMIDS. It is based on religion, in the future, the beginning of christianity. But the imperfection of the existing gods and many contradictory statements of this religion served that it became one of the shortest.
What religion appeared one of the last?
The concept of "young" is very relatively relative, because when the bill goes for the millennium, several centuries have no importance. That is why the earliest faith - "Islam" seems to us for a long time known and distributed.
The basis of belief is based on the ministry of Allah, Muslim puts the teaching of God above his own wishes. In our time, Islam is quite popular, Muslims live in 50 countries around the world. Almost a quarter of the entire population of the globe are supporters of Muslim. This religion appeared in the seventh century of our era, when the Prophet Mohammed received the first Ayati Koran. A common teaching is already more than thirteen centuries, but more young religions of our time are not known.
The popularity of this belief is caused by strict rules and righteous lifestyle. Many children are born in Muslim families, which is why Izlam's adherents are becoming more and more. To communicate between God and man serves Mullah. He holds rites and reads prayers, be it nicknames, ayat or other ceremonies.
When did an ancient Christianity appear?
The current summer begins from the Nativity of Christ, so the origin of Christianity is the beginning of the first century of our era in the lands of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Before this religion appeared, people worshiped a variety of mythological deities. In Christianity, there is a single god that will understand everyone and forgive if a person sincerely decides in his misconduct. It combines all the positive qualities of previously existing deities.
The basis of Christianity is the suffering and the pain of Jesus Christ, who chose such a way for the redemption of human sins. That is why the path to true enlightenment lies through suffering. One God is ready to accept any person any faith if he really wants it. A Christian is associated with a peace-loving wanderer who preaches the path of truth and wanting to help every weighing soul.
Thanks to its peace-loving teachings, Christianity was gained great popularity and included in the top three most common beliefs in the world along with Islam and Buddhism. Now this religion is divided into three currents:
- orthodoxy;
- catholicism;
- protestanism.
What ancient religions existed earlier?
Other equally old religions include Buddhism. He originated in the fifth century BC. The appearance of Buddhism was preceded by changing the teachings and the basic provisions of brahmanism.
This faith is based on the teachings on erasing the boundaries between closed castes and divisions of the Company. All people are equal before God, regardless of their material wealth and position. Initially, Buddhism appeared in India, but quickly spread in other countries, such as China, Mongolia, Tibet and others. In the modern world, Buddhism adherents are considered almost half a million people.
Other less popular ancient religions include Finnish deities in Finland, Vera Khanaanov and Athonism. At the shores of the island, Crete was aware of the Minoan religion, headed by the goddess of nature. The Assyrian people were admitted to the god of Ashura.
Mitraism was popular in European lands. Its distribution was possible thanks to the conquests of Alexander Macedon. Mithra is the God of Heavenly Light and Justice.
What faith is the oldest in the world?
Some believe that Hinduism is the very first religion. He combined the pagan deities and the foundations for the origin of Christianity. At one time, Hinduism was also popular as the top three most common religions in our time.
In the third century, the Tengrian religion, originated in Central Asia, was known before our era. It is based on faith in the spirit of the ancestors. The exercises were transmitted from generation to generation, although there is no written confirmation of the fact.
Buddhism appeared in the fifth century BC, which also makes this belief one of the oldest. 
One of the first beliefs is zoroastrianism. There is no accurate data on the origin of this religion, although the first mention of it appeared in the sixth century BC in Era in Iran's lands. The first written mentions appeared in about the first century BC, but then Zoroastrianism was already considered an ancient faith. The main sacred meeting of the laws of religion is the Avesta. This book is written at the last language. The main God is Ahura Mazda, the creator of the whole world. He sent only one prophet to Earth - Zarathustra.
One of the most ancient religions, which has tens of millennia, is also. This belief was distributed in most peoples on earth, for example, in Siberian Yakuts. Shamanism is based on the unity of man and nature, and the binding link between them was Shaman, he knew how to communicate with spirits and apply the methods of traditional medicine. This faith has more influence on the formation of culture and lifestyle of people.
It is possible that there were more early religionsBut due to the lack of written evidence it is impossible to prove.
