Exploring the Worlds' Religions – Essay Sample

There are five main religions in the world. These are Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Each religion has its own behaviors that define adherence to spirituality and morality. The most popular religion is Christianity. The Christian teachings reflect the teachings and the life of Jesus Christ. The New Testament of the Bible presents the life of Jesus as seen through the eyes of his disciples. The Christians worship through songs, prayers, and readings from the Bible, in a holy place called a church. The Christians belief in life after death, just as Jesus died and resurrected after three days.

Judaism is a religion that originated in Israel. According to Judaism, there exists one God, Yahweh. The people following this religion have a common belief that the chosen people of God are the descendants of Abraham. The holy writings of Judaism, the Torah, reveal the continuous presence of God amongst the Jews. The Jews worship in a synagogue via prayers and readings from the Torah.

The foundation of Islamic religion is rooted in the teachings of a prophet known as Muhammad. Prophet Mohammad began his ministry in Mecca at the age of forty, when angel Gabriel appeared to him. The Muslims worship in a holy place called a Mosque. According to the Islamic teachings, the sole responsibility of man is to worship God, and only serve him.

Buddhism has its origin in northern India. It was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, popularly known as Buddha. The people who follow this religion belief in universal justice, where those who are righteous are rewarded, while those who are evil are punished. While other religions have a known founder, Hinduism has no founder. It is the most prevalent religion in India. In this religion, people devote their worship to one god, or several gods. Most Hindu believers offer their prayers to god Shiva and god Vishnu. The sacred writings of Hinduism are known as Vedas, written in Sanskrit.