What is the role of religion in the life of each individual and society as a whole is a question that many philosophers reflect on, starting with ancient times and to this day. How have religious views changed over time? Or do they stay the same?
Do the achievements of scientists, the benefits of civilization, changes in lifestyle, occupations and needs of people influence religious ideas? What is it like to be a believer today? All these and many other questions arise not only among philosophers or students, but also among those who want to understand whether modern world place to believe in God or not.
What is religion?
Religion is a set of views, worldviews, sensations based on absolute faith in something supernatural. In addition to certain emotional manifestations and ways of thinking, it includes social and managerial functions, and is also an integral part of people's culture.
Due to the versatility of this phenomenon, religion has several definitions. The main ones are:
- form of social consciousness, which is based on a combination of beliefs, views that have arisen due to belief in the same supernatural power;
- a variant of the organization of relationships between people, characterized by its own rules, traditions, ethical norms and other features inherent in society;
- spiritual essence - a special type of a person's vision of himself, his own personality and the value of life, the world around him, everyday life and other things.
It is impossible to give an exact and unambiguous definition of such a phenomenon as religion. It directly depends on which aspect of it is being considered.
Can religion be classified?
Religious views, without a doubt, refer to a particular religion of a person. However, regardless of the nuances that are given to this phenomenon by a particular religion, there is a general division - into two large types.
According to this division, each religion can belong to two types:
- objective general;
- personal.
The subjective, personal type is the individual religious views of a person, his direct perception of God. That is, this type is understood as everything that relates to personal thoughts and feelings associated with religion. For example, how exactly a person prefers to pray, which saints he addresses, in big temple walks or in a small one - these are elements of the manifestation of religiosity, attributable to the subjective type. Of course, what a particular person thinks about God, the degree of his faith and other things that relate to thinking, is also included in the concept of the subjective type of religiosity.
The objective, or general type, includes all those characteristics that relate to religion as an institution, social and cultural phenomenon. That is, this type includes the formation of public consciousness, traditions, norms of morality and behavior adopted in society, and much more. Everything that unites people, is common to them, can be included in the objective type of religiosity.
What does the word itself mean? How and where did it appear?
Religion is a word whose origin and exact meaning have been debated since ancient times. For example, Cicero believed that the term "religio" was formed from one of the Latin verbs, namely "relegere".
The word "religio" is translated into Russian as follows:
- object of worship, cult;
- piety, belief;
- piety.
One of the meanings of this term is conscientiousness, due to the traditions and ideas of the professed faith.
The verb "relegere" has the following meaning:
- "gather again";
- "reconnect";
- "bind";
- "special use"
It is impossible to accurately translate this word; there is no analogue in Russian, with all its richness. The most accurate meaning in the context of religion is considered to be "to contact the Highest", that is, to belong to a cult.
Lactantius and Augustine shared the point of view of Cicero, interpreting religion as a connection between man and God. In other words, the lights determined the meaning of the term "religion" as a connection or reunion, a fusion of man and God.
In Sanskrit, the related term is dharma. Its value can be passed like this:
- the order of the universe;
- the doctrine of the higher;
- the law of being;
- exemplary, standard of life.
IN Islamic cultures religion corresponds to the term "din". Its main semantic difference is that the main meaning is "submission". It is about subordinating man to the will of God.
Every language or culture has a term that is similar to the word "religion". Of course, there are differences in the subtleties and nuances of meanings, but the general meaning is the same.
In Russian, the term "religion" has been used only since the 18th century. Prior to this, their own Slavic expressions were in use, for example, the word "faith".
What is the role of religion in life?
The role of religion in the life of a person and society is diverse, its functions are related to literally all spheres. Religion influences how each individual and society as a whole act under certain circumstances.
For example, when faced with theft or violence, a Christian will act differently than a Muslim. At the same time, neither one nor the other will begin to think about their actions, they will act intuitively. Thus, one of the roles of religion in people's lives is the formation of a mentality, characteristic features, stereotypes of perception and behavior.
Another example of how religious beliefs affect people and public consciousness is the traditional norms regarding appearance, behavior and lifestyle, family arrangements and everyday life. And often they exist in parallel with a completely different perception of reality. For example, divorce is still a terrible disaster for Catholics and is not approved by the church. The same applies to this phenomenon in Orthodoxy. Along with this, in the secular relationships of people, this is an absolutely normal event that does not become a shame or stigma. Developing the theme of marriage, it should be noted that in different religions, the relationship of people is not the same. Mormons believe in Christ, but polygamy is practiced in their society. Catholicism, on the other hand, requires people to choose a single partner and be faithful to him.
Thus, religion dictates what is considered normal in society. This is her role. Modern realities do not change the fundamental foundation of public consciousness, ethics, norms accepted in society, but only supplement and correct it.
This is clearly seen in the example of family organization. Christianity considers it normal to build relationships with one partner. And secular registration of marriage in countries with Christian cultures also carried out with one person. After all, it is impossible, for example, in Moscow or London to register an official family union with several partners at once. However, modern realities, in which a person has much more opportunities, rights and freedoms than in ancient times, allow the possibility of an official change of partner, that is, a divorce.
But the basic thesis of the norm of building a family, embedded in the mentality of a person by religion, does not change from this. Simultaneously family relationships with multiple partners are not officially built. Since the family is a cell of society and a miniature reflection of everything that is accepted in it, then, based on this example conclusions can also be drawn regarding other processes inherent in society.
Thus, the role of religion in the life of society and individual people can be defined as fundamental, forming norms, traditions, rules and mentality, influencing behavior, thinking, culture and relationships.
What are the functions of religion?
Religious views of a person form his behavior, attitude to the surrounding reality, perception of reality.
It is possible to single out the following main functions of religion for society:
- regulatory;
- legitimizing;
- worldview.
Each of these functions has specific features, depending on what religious teachings form their basis.
About the worldview function
The formation of a worldview is one of the most important social functions of religion. Various religious teachings in this context are nothing but the primary system of human values, which take the form of unconditional reactions.
In other words, this is a meaningful component of thinking, that is, a combination of views and stereotypes through which a person perceives objective reality. They form the traditions, rules and norms that characterize a particular society.
About the legitimizing function
The meaning of this term is legality, legality of something. In practice, this concept is expressed in restrictions on specific actions, deeds and even thoughts. An example of the restriction of thought can be medieval religious education and other persecution of scientific activity.
In the modern world, this function is reduced to the observance of religious precepts, which underlie the criminal law of any state. Most of them are described by the books of the New Testament and other sacred ancient texts. These are prohibitions on murder, theft, adultery, debauchery and other similar actions.
About the regulating function
In the context of this function, religion is perceived as an orientational, normative system that gives integrity to society.
In other words, religious relations become the foundation of secular relations in all spheres and areas of people's life. They regulate even areas far from spirituality, for example, a typical diet. In countries with a Muslim culture, it is impossible to find pork dishes on the menu of restaurants or cafes. In India, they will not serve beef salad in catering establishments.
That is, the regulatory function of religion lies in generally accepted standards, guidelines that every member of society follows.
What are religious centers?
This concept has several meanings. As a rule, it means the immediate place in which religious rituals are performed, that is, sanctuaries, temples, cathedrals, mosques, and so on.
However, the concept of "religious centers" has other meanings. These are governing bodies, administrative formations that regulate spiritual work, determine its goals and actually lead church activities. An example of this is the Vatican - the religious center of Catholicism.
Also, this term refers to certain places in the world that are traditional for pilgrimage. For example, the monasteries of Mount Athos or Jerusalem are places that many Christians strive to see.
What is the significance of religious views and ideas in the life of modern man?
Despite the fact that religiosity is not the main feature of most modern people, they experience and demonstrate its influence themselves almost constantly.
In the modern world, religiosity, the beliefs of the world order, views on the relationship between people - this is a kind of stabilizing factor that gives solidity and meaning to everything that happens around.
You've probably heard the expression "Intention is half the battle." On this occasion, 26-year-old Iranian Saeed Kasemi, who has achieved success in life, speaking to his young friends, says: “If you cannot be an oak on a hilltop, be a bush on a hillside, but the best bush on the entire path. If you cannot be a bush, be grass, but green enough to show off from afar. Maybe you won't become the sun, be at least a bright star. The main thing in this world is to have some role, small or big. The main thing is to benefit society.” According to psychologists, the period of maturation and coming of age in young people is accompanied by a flourishing of religious feelings, an attraction to faith and ethical standards. According to Maurice Debs:
“At this time, in young people who previously had no interest in religion, the so-called religious conscience, and this transformation is integral part development of a person's personality. From the age of 15 to 17, young people hear the voice of this holy conscience and begin to grow bolder. They dream of creating a new world, of destroying evil and establishing the absolute power of justice.”
The inclination towards religious virtues culminates in early youth, especially in more religious societies. People at this age gravitate towards kindness and sincerity. To the extent that sometimes teenagers are addicted to self-torture, day and night they are engaged in worship, communion with God, refuse simple pleasures, thus developing extraordinary purity and piety in their souls. They strive to base all their undertakings on goodness, kindness and sincerity.
Young people are naturally curious and want to gain knowledge about religion, about the Universe and its Creator. In the 30th verse of Surah Rumah, the Holy Quran says:
"Turn your face to religion with fidelity according to the ordinance of Allah, which he prescribed for people. What Allah has created cannot be changed."
Religious feeling is associated with a kind of inner peace and pleasure. Many young people experience this feeling. Of course, religious and spiritual pleasures are different from other pleasures in life. When receiving ordinary pleasure, when a person reaches his goal, some kind of satiety and unwillingness arises in him, while receiving spiritual pleasure, a person wants it more and more.
On the other hand, during the same period, young people have ideological doubts and hesitations, which can sometimes wind up a young person’s life in the sky like a comet and change his whole life. This is exactly what happened to the European convert to Islam, Mrs. Marie, who chose the name Fatima. For a long time, experiencing some kind of duality and ideological contradiction, she now happily says: “After long studies and research, I came to the cherished ideal.
One beautiful evening, when I was visiting my Muslim friends, I admired their sincere, soulful company. There I experienced a transformation in myself by hearing the enchanting melody of the Qur'an. The attractive verses of revelation revealed to me a new meaning of life. It was as if I got out of my snail labyrinth of life into some kind of brighter and more illumined world. My whole being was seized with an indescribable joy. Truth has opened a window to the world of beauty for me.”
Experts emphasize the fact that when a young person enters a healthy educational environment, away from the information barrage and brainwashing, a religious feeling is sure to awaken in him. American psychologist Rogers believes: “When people move away from religion, they develop a negative mentality, so that they are not able to get along with themselves, much less with others. However, these same people, in the case of turning to religion, are much more willing, with much greater flexibility, to recognize themselves and others.
Regarding the role of religion in shaping the young person, the World Health Organization in a recent report emphasizes that adherence to religion is one of the main factors in suicide prevention.
Tehran University Professor Muhammadi, speaking at a forum on this topic, remarked:
“Despite the fact that today's youth is surrounded by satellite broadcasts, the Internet and all kinds of films, many young people remain true to their religious beliefs. Of course, their views on faith may be somewhat different from the attitude towards religion of their fathers and mothers.
In choosing the right course in life, young people constantly need lofty standards that serve as guidelines for their path. However, one should show special tact and approach the issue very thoughtfully. Young people need to be kindly, based on logic and common sense, encouraged to right thinking and worthy undertakings, so that they take the right path of their own free will, and not under duress. Violent hammering religious concepts often gives the opposite result.
His Grace Imam Ali (peace be upon him) says:
“The nature of hearts is built on asking, kindness and friendliness. Therefore, treat it gently, for whenever the heart does something under compulsion, it becomes blind and hardened and does everything wrong.”
The young seek a brighter, "greener" environment in which they hope to leave behind a monotonous lifestyle. Religious teachings, on the one hand, satisfy their religious feelings and needs, and on the other hand, reasonably curb their natural, instinctive inclinations, preventing them from turning into rebels and outcasts. It should not be forgotten that family and society play a very important role in strengthening religious beliefs in a young soul.
Studies by two European researchers, Cochlen and Arnold, show that adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 are most inclined towards religion. Somewhere around the age of 18 negative impact environment and often because of the carelessness of the family, religious feelings are dulled. Therefore, if even in adolescence the sprouts of faith sprout in the soul, over time they must be persistently nourished and irrigated.
In this regard, the leaders of Islam also all the time called for proper training and education. religious teachings, ethical values in early youth.
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) says:
"A believing young man who reads the Qur'an absorbs it with every fiber of his soul, so that the Qur'an penetrates into the depths of his consciousness."
According to the Prophet of Islam (may Allah bless him and his family), on the day doomsday Allah will bestow special mercy on two groups of people: the first group includes just rulers, and the second group includes young people who have been brought up in the bosom of worship.
Faith in God surrounds a person from infancy. In childhood, this still unconscious choice is associated with family traditions that exist in every home. But later a person can consciously change his confession. How are they similar and how do they differ from one another?
The concept of religion and the prerequisites for its appearance
The word "religion" comes from the Latin religio (piety, shrine). This is a worldview, behavior, actions based on faith in something that surpasses human understanding and supernatural, that is, sacred. The beginning and meaning of any religion is faith in God, regardless of whether he is personified or impersonal.
There are several prerequisites for the emergence of religion. First, from time immemorial, man has been trying to go beyond the boundaries of this world. He seeks to find salvation and consolation outside of it, sincerely needs faith.
Secondly, a person wants to give an objective assessment of the world. And then, when he cannot explain the origin of earthly life only by natural laws, he makes the assumption that a supernatural force is applied to all this.
Thirdly, a person believes that various events and occurrences of a religious nature confirm the existence of God. The list of religions for people of faith already serves real proof the existence of God. They explain it very simply. If there were no God, there would be no religion.
The oldest types, forms of religion
The birth of religion took place 40 thousand years ago. It was then that the emergence of the simplest forms of religious beliefs was noted. It was possible to learn about them thanks to the discovered burials, as well as rock and cave art.
In accordance with this, the following types of ancient religions are distinguished:
- Totemism. A totem is a plant, animal or object that was considered sacred by a particular group of people, tribe, clan. At the heart of this ancient religion there was a belief in the supernatural power of the amulet (totem).
- Magic. This form of religion, based on belief in magical abilities person. The magician with the help of symbolic actions is able to influence the behavior of other people, natural phenomena and objects from a positive and negative side.
- Fetishism. From among any objects (the skull of an animal or a person, a stone or a piece of wood, for example), one was chosen to which supernatural properties were attributed. He was supposed to bring good luck and protect from danger.
- Animism. All natural phenomena, objects and people have a soul. She is immortal and continues to live outside the body even after his death. All modern types of religions are based on the belief in the existence of the soul and spirits.
- Shamanism. It was believed that the head of the tribe or the clergyman had supernatural powers. He entered into conversation with the spirits, listened to their advice and fulfilled the requirements. Belief in the power of the shaman is at the heart of this form of religion.
List of religions
There are more than a hundred different religious directions, including ancient forms and modern trends. They have their own time of occurrence and differ in the number of followers. But at the heart of this long list are the three most numerous world religions: Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. Each of them has different directions.
World religions in the form of a list can be represented as follows:
1. Christianity (almost 1.5 billion people):
- Orthodoxy (Russia, Greece, Georgia, Bulgaria, Serbia);
- Catholicism (the states of Western Europe, Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and others);
- Protestantism (USA, Great Britain, Canada, South Africa, Australia).
2. Islam (about 1.3 billion people):
- Sunnism (Africa, Central and South Asia);
- Shiism (Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan).
3. Buddhism (300 million people):
- Hinayana (Myanmar, Laos, Thailand);
- Mahayana (Tibet, Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam).
National religions
In addition, in every corner of the world there are national and traditional religions, also with their directions. They originated or gained special distribution in certain countries. On this basis, the following types of religions are distinguished:
- Hinduism (India);
- Confucianism (China);
- Taoism (China);
- Judaism (Israel);
- Sikhism (Punjab state in India);
- Shinto (Japan);
- paganism (Indian tribes, peoples of the North and Oceania).
Christianity
This religion originated in Palestine in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD. Its appearance is associated with faith in the birth of Jesus Christ. At 33, he took martyrdom on the cross to atone for human sins, after which he resurrected and ascended to heaven. Thus, the son of God, who embodied the supernatural and human nature became the founder of Christianity.
The documentary basis of the doctrine is the Bible (or Holy Scripture), which consists of two independent collections of the Old and New Testaments. The writing of the first of them is closely connected with Judaism, from which Christianity originates. New Testament was written after the birth of religion.
Symbols of Christianity - Orthodox and catholic cross. The main provisions of faith are defined in dogmas, which are based on faith in God, who created the world and man himself. The objects of worship are God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit.
Islam
Islam, or Islam, originated among the Arab tribes of Western Arabia in early VII century in Mecca. The founder of the religion was the prophet Muhammad. This man from childhood was prone to loneliness and often indulged in pious reflections. According to the teachings of Islam, at the age of 40, on Mount Hira, the heavenly messenger Jabrail (Archangel Gabriel) appeared to him, who left an inscription in his heart. Like many other world religions, Islam is based on the belief in one God, but in Islam it is called Allah.
Holy Scripture - Koran. The symbols of Islam are the star and the crescent. The main provisions of the Muslim faith are contained in dogmas. They must be recognized and unquestioningly fulfilled by all believers.
The main types of religion are Sunnism and Shiism. Their appearance is connected with political disagreements between believers. Thus, the Shiites to this day believe that only the direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad carry the truth, while the Sunnis think that it should be an elected member of the Muslim community.
Buddhism
Buddhism originated in the 6th century BC. Homeland - India, after which the teaching spread to the countries of the South-East, South, Central Asia and to the Far East. Considering how many other most numerous types of religions exist, we can safely say that Buddhism is the most ancient of them.
The founder of the spiritual tradition is Buddha Gautama. He was an ordinary man, whose parents were granted a vision that their son would grow up to be a Great Teacher. The Buddha was also lonely and contemplative, and turned to religion very quickly.
There is no object of worship in this religion. The goal of all believers is to reach nirvana, the blissful state of insight, to be freed from their own fetters. Buddha for them is a kind of ideal, which should be equal.
Buddhism is based on the doctrine of the four Noble Truths: on suffering, on the origin and causes of suffering, on the true cessation of suffering and the elimination of its sources, on the true path to the cessation of suffering. This path consists of several stages and is divided into three stages: wisdom, morality and concentration.
New religious currents
In addition to those religions that originated a very long time ago, new creeds still continue to appear in the modern world. They are still based on faith in God.
The following types of modern religions can be noted:
- scientology;
- neo-shamanism;
- neopaganism;
- Burkhanism;
- neo-Hinduism;
- raelites;
- oomoto;
- and other currents.
This list is constantly being modified and supplemented. Some types of religions are especially popular among show business stars. For example, Tom Cruise, Will Smith, John Travolta are seriously passionate about Scientology.
This religion originated in 1950 thanks to science fiction writer L. R. Hubbard. Scientologists believe that any person is inherently good, his success and peace of mind depend on himself. According to the fundamental principles of this religion, humans are immortal beings. Their experience is longer than one human life and the possibilities are unlimited.
But everything is not so clear in this religion. In many countries, it is believed that Scientology is a sect, a pseudo-religion with a lot of capital. Despite this trend is very popular, especially in Hollywood.
Religion is a certain worldview, seeking to know the higher mind, which is the root cause of everything that exists. Any belief reveals to a person the meaning of life, his destiny in the world, helping to find a goal, and not an impersonal animal existence. There have always been and will be many different worldviews. Thanks to the eternal human search for the root cause, the religions of the world were formed, the list of which is classified according to two main criteria:
How many religions are there in the world?
Islam and Buddhism are recognized as the main world religions, each of which is divided into numerous large and small branches and sects. It is difficult to say how many religions, beliefs and beliefs there are in the world, due to the regular creation of new groups, but according to some information, religious movements on present stage there are thousands.
World religions are called so because they have gone far beyond the borders of the nation, the country, have spread to a huge number of nationalities. Non-worldly confessions within a smaller number of people. The basis of the monotheistic view is the belief in one God, while the pagan view suggests the presence of several deities.
largest world religion, which arose 2,000 years ago in Palestine. It has about 2.3 billion believers. In the 11th century there was a division into Catholicism and Orthodoxy, and in the 16th century Protestantism also separated from Catholicism. These are three large branches, there are more than a thousand other small ones.
The main essence of Christianity and its distinctive features from other religions are as follows:
Orthodox Christianity has adhered to the tradition of faith since apostolic times. Its foundations were formulated by the Ecumenical Councils and dogmatically enshrined in the Creed. The teaching is based on Holy Scripture (mainly the New Testament) and Holy Tradition. Divine services are performed in four circles, depending on the main holiday - Easter:
- Daily.
- Seven.
- Movable annual.
- Fixed annual.
In Orthodoxy, there are seven main Sacraments:
- Baptism.
- Chrismation.
- Eucharist (Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ).
- Confession.
- Unction.
- Wedding.
- Priesthood.
In the Orthodox understanding, God is one in three persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. The ruler of the world is interpreted not as an angry avenger for the misdeeds of people, but as a Loving Heavenly Father who takes care of his creation and bestows the grace of the Holy Spirit in the Sacraments.
Man is recognized as the image and likeness of God, with free will, but fallen into the abyss of sin. Those who wish to restore their former holiness, to get rid of passions, the Lord helps on this path.
Catholic teaching - major direction in Christianity, distributed mainly in Europe, Latin America and the United States. This creed has much in common with Orthodoxy in understanding God and the relationship between the Lord and man, but there are fundamental and important differences:
- the infallibility of the head of the church of the Pope;
- Sacred Tradition is formed from 21 Ecumenical Council(the first 7 are recognized in Orthodoxy);
- the distinction between the clergy and the laity: people in dignity are endowed with Divine Grace, they are assigned the role of shepherds, and the laity are herds;
- the doctrine of indulgence as a treasury of good deeds done by Christ and the Saints, and the Pope, as the vicar of the Savior on earth, distributes the forgiveness of sins to whom he wants and who needs it;
- adding your understanding to the dogma of the Holy Spirit emanating from the Father and the Son;
- introduction of dogmas on the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary and Her bodily ascension;
- the doctrine of purgatory as the average state of the human soul, cleansed from sins as a result of severe trials.
And there are also differences in the understanding and performance of some Sacraments:
It arose as a result of the Reformation in Germany and spread throughout Western Europe as a protest and a desire to transform Christian Church, getting rid of medieval notions.
Protestants agree with Christian ideas about God as the Creator of the world, about human sinfulness, about the eternity of the soul and salvation. They share the understanding of hell and heaven, while rejecting the Catholic purgatory.
Distinctive features of Protestantism from Catholicism and Orthodoxy:
- minimizing church sacraments - until Baptism and Communion;
- there is no division between clergy and laity, every well-trained person in matters Holy Scripture can be a priest for himself and for others;
- worship is held in the native language, is based on joint prayer, reading psalms, sermons;
- there is no veneration of saints, icons, relics;
- monasticism and the hierarchical structure of the church are not recognized;
- salvation is understood only by faith, and good deeds will not help to be justified before God;
- recognition of the exclusive authority of the Bible, and each believer interprets the words of Scripture at his own discretion, the criterion is the point of view of the founder of the church organization.
The main directions of Protestantism: Quakers, Methodists, Mennonites, Baptists, Adventists, Pentecostals, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons.
The youngest world monotheistic religion. The number of believers is about 1.5 billion people. The founder is the prophet Mohammed. Holy book - Koran. For Muslims, the main thing is to live according to the prescribed rules:
- pray five times a day;
- observe the fast of Ramadan;
- give alms 2.5% per year of income;
- make a pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj).
Some researchers add the sixth duty of Muslims - jihad, manifested in the struggle for faith, zeal, diligence. There are five types of jihad:
- inner self-perfection on the way to God;
- armed struggle against unbelievers;
- struggle with your passions;
- separation of good and evil;
- taking action against criminals.
Currently, extremist groups use the jihad of the sword as an ideology to justify their bloody activities.
A world pagan religion that denies the existence of a Deity. Founded in India by Prince Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha). Briefly reduced to the doctrine of four noble truths:
- All human life is suffering.
- Desire is the cause of suffering.
- To conquer suffering, one must get rid of desire with the help of a specific state - nirvana.
- To free yourself from desire, you need to follow eight basic rules.
According to the teachings of the Buddha, to acquire a calm state and intuition, to clear the mind will help:
- a correct understanding of the world as a lot of suffering and sorrow;
- gaining a firm intention to curtail your wishes and aspirations;
- control of speech, which should be friendly;
- performing virtuous deeds;
- trying not to harm living beings;
- the expulsion of evil thoughts and the mood for good ones;
- the realization that human flesh is evil;
- perseverance and patience in achieving the goal.
The main branches of Buddhism are Hinayana and Mahayana. Along with it, there are other religions in India, spread to varying degrees: Hinduism, Vedism, Brahminism, Jainism, Shaivism.
What is the oldest religion in the world?
For ancient world polytheism (polytheism) was characteristic. For example, the Sumerian, ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman religions, druidism, asatru, Zoroastrianism.
Judaism is considered one of the ancient monotheistic beliefs - the national religion of the Jews, based on the 10 commandments given to Moses. The main book is the Old Testament.
Judaism has several branches:
- Litvaks;
- Hasidism;
- Zionism;
- orthodox modernism.
There are also different types of Judaism: Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, Humanist and Renovationist.
Today it is difficult to give an unambiguous answer to the question "What is the oldest religion in the world?", as archaeologists regularly find new data to confirm the emergence of different worldviews. We can say that beliefs in the supernatural have been inherent in mankind at all times.
The huge variety of worldviews and philosophical beliefs since the emergence of mankind does not make it possible to list all the religions of the world, the list of which is regularly updated with both new currents and branches from existing world and other beliefs.
