This article provides a brief introduction to the world's major religions and their distribution across the world. It covers their Origins and Characteristics, Influence, Distribution, and Impact. It also discusses the major conflicts that have shaped and influenced their development. There are many resources available to learn more about world religions.
Origin
The origin of the world's religions is complex. There are many theories. Many theories claim that religions evolved from cults. Other theories believe that religions developed through the use myths. Animism and fetishism were two of the most popular theories at the time. Others claim that religions originated from hedonism.
Characteristics
There are many similarities across the various religions around the globe, but also some important differences. The early Christians were very different from their pagan counterparts in that they emphasized prosociality. This is a sign of early Christianity's importance to the golden rule, which has helped it stand out from paganism.
Influence
Religion is a key marker for identity. It can influence many environmentally-relevant behavior. Understanding the influence of religion is critical to solving transnational environmental problems. Religions have a significant influence on many aspects of our lives, including how we view climate change and how we consume resources. It also influences how we pay for health care.
Distribution
Geographically, the majority of world religions are spread out. The most widespread is Christianity. This is followed by Islam, with nearly one-fifth of the world's population, and Hinduism. Other religious groups include folk religions like the traditional African faiths, Native American and Australian aboriginal faiths. There are also many smaller, unorganized faiths such as Sikhism and Jainism. There are an estimated 1.2 Billion nonreligious people in the world.
Moral outlook
Moral outlook is an important factor in determining the religious practices of a society. People of different cultures may have different moral beliefs. Therefore, the outlook of one group might be different from another. Modern Asia and West today have very different moral outlooks. While we all can express our preferences and justify these preferences based on neutral criteria we cannot claim that one moral outlook is better than another. Some people believe that certain moralities are more suited to certain societies and communities than others.
Engagement in environmental issues
Religious leaders have played many roles in shaping attitudes and actions towards environmental issues. They have a wealth of insight, enduring social networks, and experience to contribute to the debate.