So when there is dead time at work and the phones aren't ringing, I tend to spend some of my time on facebook, not not just facebook, but studying about different world religions. I printed out a Big Religion Chart off of religionfacts.com. I'm not sure how accurate it may all be but it seems right on for what I have learned in school. This is a collective overview, of a couple religions, from the religion chart and other sources.
Atheism
origins & history: Appears throughout history but especially after the Enlightenment (19 century)
"members": appx 1.1 billion
beliefs in God(s) and universe: There is no God or divine being. (beliefs are usually based on recent scientific findings)
life's purpose: No afterlife. Only humans can help themselves and each other solve the world's problems.
afterlife: None.
practices: None.
Texts: influenced by Marx, Freud, Feuerbach and Voltaire. (modern authors): Richard Dawkins and Carl Sagan
*To me this seems like a sad "belief" system. If there is no God then there is no real purpose in life. If there is no afterlife then there is really any reason to be a good person, we wouldn't have morals or a conscience.
Christianity (including Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox):
origins and history: Founded by Jesus Christ in 30 AD, Israel.
"members": 2 billion
beliefs in God(s) and universe: One God who is a Trinity of Father, Son, Holy Spirit
life's purpose: All have sinned and are separated from God. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ, and for some sacraments and good works.
afterlife: eternal Heaven or Hell
practices: prayer, Bible study, baptism, Eucharist (communion), church on Sundays, numerous Holidays
texts: The Bible, Old and New Testaments
Judaism
origins and history: religion of the Hebrews, 1300 BC
"members": 14 million
beliefs in God(s) and universe: One God, Yaweh
life's purpose: obey God's commandments, live ethically, their focus is on this life not the afterlife
afterlife: beliefs vary from no afterlife to a shadowy existence to the World to Come.
practices: circumcision, bar/bat mitzvah, synagogue services on Saturdays, no pork or other non-kosher foods. Holidays related to historical events
texts: Bible (Tanakh)-old testament, Talmud
*from other things I've read about Judaism, it's kind of sad. They think that Jesus was a prophet but do not believe he was the Messiah. They are still waiting for "a king". As Christians we are able to praise Jesus and through him we have eternal life in Heaven, Jews spend their lives waiting and waiting for the Messiah. They will be waiting an eternity. (God recognizes the Jews as his chosen people in the Bible)
Mormonism (Church of the Latter- Day Saints)
origins and history: Joseph Smith, 1830 New York, USA
"members": 12.2 million
beliefs in God(s) and universe: God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are 3 separate beings.
life's purpose: humans existed as spirits before this life, salvation is returning to God. Salvation by faith in Christ, good works, ordinances and evangelism
afterlife: all return to spirit world. no Hell, only 3 stages of Heaven
practices: abstinence from tobacco, alcohol, coffee and tea. Baptism for the dead, eternal marriage, temple garments under daily clothes, active evangelism.
texts: Christian Bible, Book of Mormon, doctrine of Covenants and Pearl of Great Price
*They believe they are the first "real" Church. They do not recognize any other church
Most "religions" are based on books. Some, like the Bible, can be traced back thousands of years to actual historical events. Some are based on books someone wrote. Scientology is based on science-fiction novels written by L. Ron Hubbard(1954). Science-fiction books! There is no evidence to support these "beliefs".
(sorry, just venting)
I accepted Jesus at a young age so I don't really remember all the details, but one thing remained the same throughout the years when people were getting saved or when I would "re-dedicate" my life to Christ: It was for selfish reasons. I didn't want to go to Hell. I didn't want the pain, I was scared. Who wants to spend eternity burning? Be tortured and punished for all the bad things you did or good things you didn't do? It's a fact: people do not want to face Hell. I think it's a major reason people "get saved". The more I read the Bible I understand more and I have come to realize that I was wanting to be saved for the wrong reason. Sure I don't want to go to Hell, I want to spend eternity in Heaven, but God is my heavenly father. He created us. He spoke to Noah and Moses, he saved his people. He sent Jesus Christ to die to save us from our sins, to save us from Hell. I thought about this when I was reading a print out on Judaism. They really don't have a belief in the afterlife. What if we had no idea or belief in the afterlife? What purpose would there be from getting "saved". What would we be saved from? Yes, Jesus died to save us from our sins, he died, so he must want us to be in Heaven. But why did he die? Because God the Father told him to, kinda, sorta, yea, but because he created us and loves us no matter what we do. We are forgiven, clean in his sight. HE LOVED US FIRST. It is our turn to LOVE HIM BACK. Love him. Trust that what he says he does. What he told us to do and not to do is for our best interest. We will never be perfect. We will never be able to follow all the rules. Just live for him. Treat him with the love he showed for us by sending Jesus to die for us. Live for him because he died for us.
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