1. The 5 Major WORLD RELIGIONS
A Look at the Way
the World Prays

2. PRIMARY WORLD RELIGIONS
ISLAM
JUDAISM
HINDUISM
BUDDHISM
CHRISTIANIY

3. Polytheistic: Many Gods
Monotheistic: One God
Polytheistic: Many Gods

4. JUDAISM
The oldest faith among the major religions of the world is Judaism, or Jewish. The Hebrews have been around for thousands of years.

5. JUDAISM
Judaism originated with a divine covenant between the God of the ancient Israelites and Abraham around 2000 BCE.

6. JUDAISM
Judaism is a monotheistic religion which believes that the world was created by a single, all-knowing divinity, and that all things within that world were designed to have meaning and purpose as part of a divine order. According to the teachings of Judaism, God's will for human behavior was revealed to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Saini. The Torah, or commandments, which regulate how humans are to live their lives, were a gift from God so that they might live in according to His will.

7. JUDAISM
The Old Testament books of the Bible describe numerous struggles of the Jewish people.

8. JUDAISM
After their triumphant Exodus from Egyptian captivity following Moses, they wandered around in the desert for forty years before entering the Promised Land.
They had many conflicts with neighboring societies, yet for several centuries were able to maintain a unified state centered in Jerusalem.

9. JUDAISM This occupation of the Promised Land was not to last, however.
In 722 BC, the northern part of the Hebrew state fell to Assyrian raiders.
By 586 BC, Jerusalem was conquered by Babylonians.
The land of Israel was successively ruled by Persians, Macedonians, Greeks, Syrians, and Romans in the time that followed.

10. JUDAISM
As a result of the Syrian King Antiochus IV Epiphanes' attempt to suppress the Jewish religion, a rebellion led by Judas Maccabaeus in 167 BC resulted in the independence of the Jewish nation.
This is celebrated today by the festival Hanukkah.

11. JUDAISM
In 70 AD, the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem, and the Jews were forced out of the area and settled in Mediterranean countries and in other areas in southwest Asia.
This migration of the Jewish population is known as Diaspora.

12. JUDAISM
Many of these Jews settled in Europe and became victims of persecution and poverty.
Ghettoes and slums became their homes and massacres were common.

13. JUDAISM
The menorah is a symbol of the Jewish religion. So is the star of David.

14. Three Branches of Judaism
These are the three branches of Judaism which form the framework for the type of lifestyle and beliefs of Jewish individuals:

15. JUDAISM
Orthodox-
Traditionalists who observe most of the traditional dietary and ceremonial laws of Judaism

16. JUDAISM Conservative-
Do not hold to the importance of a Jewish political state, but put more emphasis on the historic and religious aspects of Judaism, doctrinally somewhere between Orthodox and Reform

17. JUDAISM
Reform-
The liberal wing of Judaism, culture and race oriented with little consensus on doctrinal or religious belief

18. JUDAISM
Jews believe in one creator who alone is to be worshipped as absolute ruler of the universe.
God monitors peoples activities and rewards good deeds and punishes evil.

19. JUDAISM A Jewish church is called a synagogue.
Jewish ceremonies are often performed in Yiddish, or Hebrew.
A Jewish church leader is called a rabbi.
Jews are broken down usually into three sects - Orthodox, Reformed and Traditional. A fourth is Reconstructionist.

20. JUDAISM
The main difference between Christians and Jews is their belief regarding Jesus. Jews do not believe him to be the son of God.
Jews’ sacred literature is the Torah, comprised mainly of the Old Testament. They do not use the New Testament.

21. JUDAISM
Jews believe in the inherent goodness of the world and its inhabitants as creations of God and do not require a savior to save them from original sin.

22. JUDAISM
They believe they are God's chosen people and that the Messiah will arrive in the future, gather them into Israel, there will be a general resurrection of the dead, and the Jerusalem Temple destroyed in 70 CE will be rebuilt.
Jews do not believe in Hell.

23. CHRISTIANITY
Christianity believes in one God, while the central figure in Christianity is Jesus (or Christ), a Jew who came into this world by the immaculate conception of the virgin Mary.

24. CHRISTIANITY
The history of Christianity goes back into Jewish ancestry and revolves around the 300 prophecies in the Old Testament which reveals the upcoming of a Jewish Messiah who would be a Savior of humanity.
Around 2000 years ago this prophecy was fulfilled by the birth of Jesus from the Virgin Mary in the town of Bethlehem in the land of Israel.

25. CHRISTIANITY
So…
Christianity started out as a breakaway sect of Judaism nearly 2000 years ago.

26. Christianity
The birth of Jesus is celebrated at Christmas with hymns and gift giving. It's believed that Jesus was not only man, but also the son of God and lived his life without sin.

27. Christianity
During his lifetime, Jesus performed many miracles and spoke to many people about his father in heaven. He was arrested for claiming to be God's son and was hung on the cross by the Romans at age 33.

28. Christianity
Christians believe that the suffering and death upon the cross which this sinless man endured paid for the sins of all mankind, and because of Jesus' actions, salvation can be achieved by anyone who believes in him. This act of sacrifice is remembered during Lent.

29. Christianity
Following his death, Christians believe that he rose from the grave (celebrated at Easter) and returned to the earth, appearing to his followers and telling them of the kingdom of God to which he was going. He also promised his disciples that he would return one day to bring all believers with him to that kingdom, to enjoy eternal life in the presence of God.

30. Christianity
Christians can read of the life of Jesus, as well as his ancestors, in the Christian holy text, the Bible. It consists of the Old Testament (which is also considered sacred to Judaism and Islam) and the New Testament.

31. Christianity
The Old Testament chronicles the lives of Jews and others who lived before Jesus, who had been promised a savior by God, and were waiting for him. This text contains many stories about people demonstrating faith in God and also provides historical information about the era. The New Testament is unique to Christianity, for it centers around the figure of Jesus and his effect on the world. Christians believe that Jesus is the one that the Old Testament foretold, so instead of looking for a savior, they await the return of Jesus so that he can take them to his kingdom, or heaven.

32. Christianity
Since Christianity and Judaism share the same history up to the time of Jesus Christ, they are very similar in many of their core beliefs. There are two primary differences.

33. Christianity
One is that Christians believe in original sin and that Jesus died in our place to save us from that sin.

34. Christianity
The other is that Jesus was fully human and fully God and as the Son of God is part of the Holy Trinity: God the Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit.

35. Christianity
All Christians believe in heaven and that those who sincerely repent their sins before God will be saved and join Him in heaven. Belief in hell and satan varies among groups and individuals.

36. Christianity
There are a multitude of forms of Christianity which have developed either because of disagreements on dogma, adaptation to different cultures, or simply personal taste. For this reason there can be a great difference between the various forms of Christianity they may seem like different religions to some people.

37. PROTESTANTS and CATHOLICS
The big difference between Protestants and Catholics is how they INTERPRET the Bible.

38. PROTESTANTS
Protestant religions formed when people protested the actions of the Catholic Church.

39. PROTESTANTS
Many Protestant religions exist today, mostly in the U.S. They include Baptists, Methodists, Church of Christ, Mormons, Presbyterians, Pentecostals & Lutherans.

40. PROTESTANTS
Like Catholics, Protestants use the Old and New Testaments as their scripture.

41. ISLAM
Muslims worship the same God as Christians and Jews. They call him Allah, which is Arabic for “God”.
Muslims are located mostly in the Middle East in countries such as Egypt, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.

42. ISLAM
The Muslim symbol is the crescent moon with a star.

43. ISLAM
A Muslim temple is called a mosque. A Muslim priest is called an imam.

44. ISLAM
Islam was founded in 622 CE by Muhammad the Prophet, in Makkah (also spelled Mecca).

45. ISLAM
Though it is the youngest of the world's great religions, Muslims do not view it as a new religion. They belief that it is the same faith taught by the prophets, Abraham, David, Moses and Jesus.
The role of Muhammad as the last prophet was to formalize and clarify the faith and purify it by removing ideas which he believed were added in error.

46. ISLAM
The two sacred texts of Islam are the Qur'an, which are the words of Allah 'the One True God' as given to Muhammad, and the Hadith, which is a collection of Muhammad's sayings.

47. ISLAM
The duties of all Muslims are known as the Five Pillars of Islam and are:
Recite the shahadah at least once.
Perform the salat (prayer) 5 times a day while facing the Kaaba in Makkah.
Donate regularly to charity via the zakat, a 2.5% charity tax, and through additional donations to the needy.
Fast during the month of Ramadan, the month that Muhammad received the Qur'an from Allah.
Make pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in life, if economically and physically possible.

48. ISLAM
Muslims follow a strict monotheism with one creator who is just, omnipotent and merciful. They also believe in Satan who drives people to sin, and that all unbelievers and sinners will spend eternity in Hell. Muslims who sincerely repent and submit to God will return to a state of sinlessness and go to Paradise after death.

49. ISLAM
Alcohol, drugs, and gambling should be avoided and they reject racism.
They respect the earlier prophets, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, but regard the concept of the divinity of Jesus as blasphemous and do not believe that he was executed on the cross.

50. ISLAM
Like Christians, Muslims are divided. The two main groups are Shi’a, (or Shi’ites), which make up about 90 percent of Muslims. The other sect is Sunni.

51. ISLAM The Sunni Muslims are found mostly in Iran.
Meanwhile, Iraq is Shi’ite Muslim. The two countries hate each other.

52. ISLAM Like Jews, Muslims do not believe Jesus is the Son of God.
They believe him to be a great prophet, like Moses and Mohammed, the founder of Islam.

53. HINDUISM
Hindus, on the other hand, have no problem with Jesus being the son of God. They believe many gods.

54. HINDUISM
According to historians, the origin of Hinduism dates back to 5,000 or more years.
The word "Hindu" is derived from the name of River Indus, which flows through northwestern India.

55. HINDUISM
Thus the daily life practices evolved as the religion followed by the Hindus came to be known as "Hinduism".

56. HINDUISM
Hindus…
Acceptance of the Vedas (Sacred Texts) with reverence;
Recognition of the fact that the means or ways to salvation are diverse;
And the realization of the truth that the number of gods to be worshipped is large. That indeed is the distinguishing feature of Hindu religion.

57. HINDUISM BELIEFS: The belief in the unity of everything.
This totality is called Brahman.
The purpose of life is to realize that we are part of God and by doing so we can leave this plane of existence and rejoin with God.
This enlightenment can only be achieved by going through cycles of birth, life and death known as samsara.
One's progress towards enlightenment is measured by his karma.

58. HINDUISM
KARMA: This is the accumulation of all one's good and bad deeds and this determines the person's next reincarnation. Selfless acts and thoughts as well as devotion to God help one to be reborn at a higher level. Bad acts and thoughts will cause one to be born at a lower level, as a person or even an animal.

59. HINDUISM
Hindus follow a strict caste system which determines the standing of each person.
CASTE SYSTEM: social classes are defined by thousands of endogamous hereditary groups, often termed as jātis or castes.
The caste one is born into is the result of the karma from their previous life. Only members of the highest caste, the Brahmins, may perform the Hindu religious rituals and hold positions of authority within the temples

60. HINDUISM
Note the circle around this Hindu god. Hindus believe in reincarnation. Life, to them, is circular.

61. HINDUISM
This is symbol for Hinduism. Most Hindus live in India. The Hindu scripture is primarily the Upanishads and Vedas.

62. HINDUISM
Brahma is the senior God, and creator of the universe.

63. HINDUISM
Another main form of God for Hindus is Shiva.

64. HINDUISM
Vishnu is another form of God in the Hindu religion.

65. HINDUISM
The temple shown is representative of Hindu temples worldwide.

66. BUDDHISM
The most different of the five major religions is Buddhism. Because they don’t have a God…It is more a lifestyle that focuses on ending desire, thus ending suffering.

67. BUDDHISM
Buddhists don’t really worship a god - they believe god is everywhere, and that when we end desire we are at peace with ourselves and nature.

68. BUDDHISM
Many people believe that Buddhists worship statues of Buddha, like the one at right. Not so.

69. BUDDHISM
Buddhism developed out of the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama who, in 535 BCE, reached enlightenment and assumed the title Buddha.

70. BUDDHISM
Buddha promoted 'The Middle Way' as the path to enlightenment rather than the extremes of mortification of the flesh or hedonism.
Long after his death the Buddha's teachings were written down.
This collection is called the Tripitaka (Buddhist Sacred Texts).

71. BUDDHISM
Buddhists believe in reincarnation and that one must go through cycles of birth, life, and death.
After many such cycles, if a person releases their attachment to desire and the self, they can attain Nirvana.

72. BUDDHISM
In general, Buddhists do not believe in any type of God, the need for a savior, prayer, or eternal life after death.

73. BUDDHISM
However, since the time of the Buddha, Buddhism has integrated many regional religious rituals, beliefs and customs into it as it has spread throughout Asia, so that this generalization is no longer true for all Buddhists (Some Buddhist believe in God).
This has occurred with little conflict due to the philosophical nature of Buddhism.

74. The basic doctrines of BUDDHISM
The Four Noble Truths:
Realization of the Four Noble Truths is the first step on the path to cessation of dukkha.

75. The basic doctrines of BUDDHISM
The First Noble Truth is the realization that all worldly phenomena are dukkha, unsatisfactory. Every aspect of existence is ultimately fleeting and unfulfilling, subject to birth, decay, disease, and death.
The Second Noble Truth is the cause of dukkha: craving for the pleasure of the senses, which can never be fully satisfied, and aversion from pain.
The Third Noble Truth is the ending of dukkha. To be free of dukkha one must extinguish this very craving so that no passion and desire remain.
The Fourth Noble Truth leads to the end of dukkha by way of the Eightfold Path

76. The basic doctrines of BUDDHISM
The Eightfold Path:
The Eightfold Path is cyclic, forming a Wheel of Dhamma. Each step on the path propels the seeker to the next step and perfection of each quality reinforces the others.

77. The basic doctrines of BUDDHISM
Perfect Understanding (Sammā Ditthi) Also translated as Perfect Perception or Perfect View. To develop an understanding of the nature of the world through the Four Noble Truths.
Perfect Thought (Sammā Sankappa) Avoiding cultivation of jealous or angry thoughts. Cultivating thoughts of goodwill and renunciation.
Perfect Speech (Sammā Vācā)Avoiding false speech, harsh words, and mindless chatter.
Perfect Action (Sammā Kammanta) Conduct that is peaceful, honest, and pure; includes observance of the Five Precepts.

78. The basic doctrines of BUDDHISM
Perfect Livelihood (Sammā Ājiva) Avoiding any livelihood that harms other beings or involves intoxicants, such as a slaughterhouse or a bar.
Perfect Effort (Sammā Vāyāma) Determined discipline and cultivation of the mind.
Perfect Mindfulness (Sammā Sati) Awareness of one's own actions, words, and thoughts and the true nature of reality. 
Perfect Concentration (Sammā Samādhi) To develop the ability to become absorbed in one point or object, leading to higher states of consciousness. Purification and concentration of the mind that lead to establishment in higher states of consciousness.

79. The basic doctrines of BUDDHISM
5 Buddhist Precepts:
To avoid killing or harming any living being.
To avoid taking that which has not been given. 
To avoid committing sexual misconduct.
To avoid using false words.
To avoid taking alcohol and other intoxicants.

80. The basic doctrines of BUDDHISM
Additional precepts apply to monks and nuns and may be taken by laypeople on special occasions:
To eat moderately and only at the appropriate time.
To avoid dancing, singing, music, and bodily adornments.   
To abstain from sleeping in luxurious beds.

81. BUDDHISM: Scriptures
In Theravada Buddhism, there are three groups of writings containing the Buddha's teachings, known as the "Three Baskets" (Tipitaka). The Vinaya Pitaka (discipline basket) contains precepts for monks and nuns; the Sutta Pitaka (teaching basket) contains the discourses of Buddha; and the Abidhamma Pitaka (metaphysical basket) contains Buddhist theology.

82. BUDDHISM: Scriptures
Mahayana and Vajrayana sects of Buddhism recognize hundreds of additional sutras recorded by masters after the time of the Buddha. Some of the most well-known are the Heart Sutra, the Diamond Sutra, and the Lotus Sutra. The oldest scriptures are in Sanskrit, while others have been written in Tibetan and Chinese.

83. BUDDHISM
Buddhist priests are called lamas or monks. The Buddhist scriptures are called the Tripatakas, or three baskets.

84. BUDDHHISTS and HINDUS
One thing Buddhists and Hindus have in common is the belief in reincarnation. They believe you come back in a different form based on your actions in this life.

85. BUDDHISM
Most Buddhists live in Asian countries such as China.

86. What god does each religion believe in?

87. What is the scripture for each religion?

88. Match the religion with its place of worship
Synagogue
Church
Mosque
Temple
Muslim
Jewish
Christian
Buddhist & Hindu

89. Match the term to the religion
Priest, Minister
Monk, lama
Imam
Rabbi
Guru
Judaism
Buddhism
Christian
Hindu
Muslim

90. Match the geographic location to the religion
Middle East
Israel, Europe, U.S.
Asia
India
N. and S. America, Australia, Europe
Muslim
Jewish
Hindu
Christian
Buddhist

91. What is the BIG difference between Christians and Jews and Muslims?
HINT: J.C.

92. How was each religion created?
Judaism Abraham
Christianity Jesus’ teachings
Hinduism unsure
Buddhist Buddha
Islam Mohammed

93. How does each religion view the afterlife?

94. Which religions believe in reincarnation?

95. 5 Major World Religions
THE END