Religions are merely different paths, which lead to a common spring. The world
over, religions try to spread messages of love and tolerance. They merely differ
in perspectives while aiming for the universal goal of peace and goodwill towards
all men.
Bahá'i
Bahá'i, founded by Baha'u'llahs, is the youngest of the independent world
religions. Basically a humanitarian religion, Bahá'i seeks a way of life
contiguous to personal development and world peace. It emphasizes the unity of
all the religions in the world and proclaims one God for all with Abraham, Moses,
Buddha, Zarathustra, Christ and Mohammad as Messengers of God through the ages.
Today with a world strength of over five million people the followers of Bahá'i
continue to spread the message of peace, universal brotherhood and love everywhere
they are.
Buddhism Founded
by Gautama the Buddha, Buddhism is known for its Middle Path—that
which neither promotes extreme ascetism or absolute hedonism.
Christianity Perhaps
the largest religion in the world, Christianity has always had a mass appeal for
its basic values of compassion and truth. But in the New Age, it is undergoing
modifications to evolve with the evolving spirituality of mankind.
Confucianism Confucianism
is the religion based on the teachings of Confucius, a Chinese
philosopher who died c. 479 BC. A state religion from 100 BC to
about AD 1900s, the tenets of Confucianism stress the importance
of high moral ideas and noble political beliefs. It emphasizes
respect for ancestors and places high premium on civic duties.
Confucian scriptures known as the Five Classics and Four
Books served as the foundation of the Chinese educational
system for ages. Confucianism, at present, enjoys a mainland religion
status in China ever since the communist government revised its
policy on religion in the 1970s.
Hinduism One
of the oldest spiritual traditions in the world, Hinduism is often
compared with a giant banyan tree—in its shade a thousand
faiths bloom. From hardcore philosophies like Vedanta
to the love-and-devotion-drenched Vaishnavism, all flourish beneath
this aged patriarch.
Islam
A religion
that shuns the worship of God in any tangible form, Islam believes in a Supreme
Being, the creator, who confounds all human understanding. The basic tenets of
Islam revolve around obedience to the commandments of God as revealed in the Koran,
which include struggle for justice, consideration for the rights of others and
continuous self-betterment for the realization of the Ultimate. Jainism Founded
on the principles propounded by Lord Mahavira, Jainism has been known for its
tenets of non-violence, truth and peace, so much so that practicing Jains don't
even kill insects and vermin.
Judaism
Judaism, the older cousin of Christianity, is another major religion to have sprung
up from the sands of the Holy Land. The Jews are monotheistic, holding the words
of their prophets at great reverence, next only in importance to their Talmud
and Torah. It is a Messianic tradition and the conviction that the moshiach
(the anointed one) will eventually arrive to rebuild the Temple, reinstate the
exiles in the promised land and establish the messianic age or the Olam Ha-Ba—forms
the core of the Jewish faith.
Sikhism Sikhism
is one of the world's most vibrant religious orders, whose followers
characteristically tie their long hair in a turban, sport flowing
beards, pray at the gurudwara (literally, at the feet of
the guru) wear a steel bangle on the right wrist, and occasionally,
carry a small dagger, called a kirpan—and, most importantly,
believe in the age-old adage of 'work is worship'.
Sufism
Sufis are essentially mystics who recognize an all-pervading reality
above and beyond this material world and human understanding.
Originally of Islamic extract, it is an intensely psycho-spiritual
belief system, which preaches harmony and humanitarian values.
Known as 'Tassawuf' or Islamic mysticism in Arabic, Sufism
is also widely accepted as the devotional path to the Soul's realization
of this reality as presented in the essence of the Holy Quran's
teachings.
Zoroastrianism
Save a few Iranian villages and India—the last Parsi bastion—the
ancient Persian religion of Zoroastrianism has almost disappeared
from the modern world. Founded by the Persian prophet Zarathustra
(or Zoroaster) around the 6th century BC, Zoroastrianism is a
highly ethical religion. This stems from the strongly dualistic
philosophy of the religion, which perceives Creation to be divided
between Ahura Mazda, the creator, and Aura Mainyu, His evil opponent.
