List of religions and spiritual traditions facts for kids

Religion is a way that people try to understand the world and their place in it. It often involves beliefs about a God or gods, spirits, or a deeper meaning to life. Many religions have special stories, symbols, and traditions that help explain where life came from or what happens after death. They also often guide people on how to live a good life, with rules about right and wrong.

There are thousands of different religions and belief systems around the world. While some people might use words like "faith" or "belief system" to mean the same thing as religion, religion usually involves a community of people who share these beliefs. Most religions have organized ways of practicing, like special leaders (called clergy), groups of followers, regular meetings for prayer or worship, and holy places or books. Religious practices can include things like sermons, festivals, ceremonies, meditation, music, and art.

Experts who study religions often group them into three main types:

• World religions: These are big faiths that are practiced by people in many different countries.
• Indigenous religions: These are smaller, older religions tied to specific cultures or groups of people.
• New religious movements: These are faiths that have started more recently.

Eastern Religions

Eastern religions are belief systems that began in East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. They include many different spiritual traditions.

East Asian Religions

These religions started in East Asia. Two important ones are Taoism and Confucianism.

Confucianism

Confucianism is a system of beliefs that came from the teachings of a Chinese thinker named Confucius. It's more about how to live a good life and how society should work, rather than worshiping gods. It teaches about respect for elders, family, and doing what's right.

Taoism

Taoism is another ancient Chinese philosophy and religion. It focuses on living in harmony with the "Tao," which means "the Way." Taoists believe in balancing opposing forces, like Yin and Yang, and living simply and naturally.

Indian Religions

These four major world religions started in the Indian subcontinent: Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism. They are sometimes called Dharmic religions.

Buddhism

Buddhism began with the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as the Buddha. Buddhists believe in reaching a state of peace and wisdom called Nirvana by following a path of moral living, meditation, and wisdom. There are different types of Buddhism, like Mahayana and Theravada, which are practiced in different parts of Asia.

Hinduism

Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world, with roots in ancient India. It's a very diverse religion with many different gods and goddesses, sacred texts, and practices. Hindus believe in reincarnation (being reborn into a new life) and karma (that your actions in this life affect your next). Important Hindu gods include Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer).

Jainism

Jainism is an ancient religion from India that focuses on non-violence towards all living things. Jains believe in self-control and spiritual purity to reach Moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth). They follow the teachings of 24 great teachers called Tirthankaras, with Mahavira being the most recent.

Sikhism

Sikhism is a religion that started in the Punjab region of India. Sikhs believe in one God and follow the teachings of ten Gurus, found in their holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib. They believe in equality, selfless service, and living an honest life.

Yoga

Yoga is a spiritual and physical practice that originated in ancient India. While often practiced for fitness today, its traditional purpose is to connect the mind, body, and spirit. There are many different types of yoga, like Hatha yoga and Karma yoga, each with its own focus.

Abrahamic Religions

Abrahamic religions are faiths that share a common origin in the ancient Middle East and trace their spiritual heritage back to Abraham. The main Abrahamic religions are Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

Christianity

Christianity is the largest religion in the world. Christians believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and their savior. Their holy book is the Bible. Christians believe in one God who exists as the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). There are many different Christian groups, including:

• Early Christianity: The first followers of Jesus.
• Eastern Christianity: Churches mainly found in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, like the Eastern Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodox Churches.
• Western Christianity: This includes the Catholic Church (led by the Pope) and Protestantism, which has many different denominations like Baptists, Lutherans, and Methodists.

Islam

Islam is a religion whose followers are called Muslims. Muslims believe in one God, called Allah in Arabic, and follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Their holy book is the Quran. Muslims practice five main duties, including prayer, fasting, and giving to charity. The two main branches of Islam are Sunni Islam and Shia Islam.

Judaism

Judaism is the oldest Abrahamic religion. Jewish people believe in one God and follow the laws and commandments given in the Torah, their holy book. They have a strong connection to their history and traditions. There are different branches of Judaism, such as Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism, and Reform Judaism, which have different ways of practicing their faith.

Iranian Religions

These religions originated in Iran and the surrounding regions.

Yazdânism

Yazdânism is a group of native religions practiced by some Kurdish people. These faiths, like Yazidism and Yarsanism, often involve belief in one supreme God and a group of holy beings or angels.

Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions, meaning it believes in one God. It was founded by the prophet Zoroaster in ancient Iran. Zoroastrians believe in a constant battle between good and evil, and that people should choose good thoughts, words, and deeds.

Indigenous (Ethnic, Folk) Religions

These religions are deeply connected to the traditions and beliefs of specific ethnic groups or cultures. They often don't have formal rules like some larger religions, but are passed down through generations. They often involve beliefs about spirits, nature, and ancestors.

African Traditional Religions

These are the diverse traditional beliefs and practices of African peoples. They often involve a belief in a supreme creator, lesser gods, spirits, and ancestors. Examples include the Yoruba religion from West Africa and the Zulu traditional religion from Southern Africa. Many Afro-American religions, like Candomblé and Santería, developed from these traditions in the Americas.

American Indigenous Religions

These are the traditional spiritual practices of Native American peoples. They are very diverse, reflecting the many different tribes and cultures across North and South America. Common themes include a deep connection to nature, respect for ancestors, and the importance of ceremonies and storytelling. Examples include the Lakota mythology and the Maya religion.

East Asian Indigenous Religions

• Shinto: The traditional religion of Japan. Shinto focuses on the worship of kami (gods or spirits) that are found in nature, like mountains, rivers, and trees. It emphasizes purity and harmony.
• Muism: The traditional folk religion of Korea, which involves shamans who connect with spirits.

Australian Aboriginal Spirituality

The spiritual beliefs of Australia's Aboriginal peoples are very old and complex. They are centered around the "Dreamtime" or "Dreaming," which is a sacred time when ancestral beings created the world and everything in it. These beliefs are passed down through stories, songs, and art.

New Religious Movements

New religious movements are faiths that have developed more recently, often in the last few centuries. They can be very different from each other and sometimes combine ideas from older religions or introduce completely new ones.

World Religion-Derived New Religions

Some new religions grow out of older, larger religions.

• Abrahamic-derived: These include groups like the Baháʼí Faith, which teaches about the unity of all religions and the oneness of humanity.
• Chinese Salvationist Religions: These are Chinese folk religious groups that often combine elements of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, like Yiguandao.
• Hindu Reform Movements: These are newer groups that come from Hinduism, like the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Hare Krishna).
• Neo-Buddhism: These are modern forms of Buddhism, like Falun Gong or Soka Gakkai.

Modern Paganism

Modern paganism is a group of new religious movements that often draw inspiration from ancient, pre-Christian religions of Europe and other parts of the world. They often focus on nature, polytheism (belief in many gods), and ancient rituals.

• Ethnic Neopaganism: These groups try to revive or reconstruct specific ancient pagan religions, like Heathenry (based on ancient Germanic religions) or Rodnovery (based on ancient Slavic religions).
• Syncretic Neopaganism: These combine ideas from different sources. A well-known example is Wicca, which often involves witchcraft and reverence for nature.

Other New Movements

• New Age Movement: This is a broad spiritual movement that includes many different beliefs and practices, often focusing on personal growth, spiritual healing, and alternative therapies.
• UFO Religions: These are groups that believe in extraterrestrial beings or UFOs as part of their spiritual worldview, like Scientology or Raëlism.
• Parody Religions: These are often created for humor or as a form of social commentary, like the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Historical Religions

These are religions that were practiced in the past but are no longer widely followed today. Studying them helps us understand ancient cultures.

Ancient Religions

• Ancient Egyptian religion: The complex beliefs and practices of ancient Egypt, including the worship of gods like Ra and Osiris, and beliefs about the afterlife.
• Ancient Mesopotamian religion: The religions of ancient civilizations like the Sumerians and Babylonians, who worshiped many gods and goddesses.
• Ancient Greek and Roman religions: The worship of gods like Zeus and Jupiter, with many myths and rituals.
• Norse religion: The beliefs of the Vikings and other Germanic peoples, including gods like Odin and Thor.

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