This article provides an overview of the major religions worldwide and their distribution. This article covers their Origins. Characteristics. Influence. Distribution. It also addresses the major conflicts and beliefs that have shaped their development. A wealth of information is available on world religions.
Origin
The origins of the world religions is a complicated issue. There are many possible theories. Some claim that the world's religions began as cults, and others believe religions arose through the use of myths. Some of the earliest theories focused on the concept of animism or fetishism. Some believe religions also arose out of hedonism.
Characteristics
There are many similarities among the religions of the world, but there are also key differences. Early Christians were different from pagan Christians in the way they stressed 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 indicator of identity and has the potential for influence on many environmentally-relevant behaviors. Understanding this influence is essential to solve transnational environmental challenges. The influence of religions can be seen in many areas of life, including how people view climate change, how they consume resources, and how much they pay to receive health care.
Distribution
The world's religions are scattered geographically. Christianity has the greatest concentration of believers. Following closely behind is Islam, which accounts for nearly one-fifth, and Hinduism. There are still a few religious groups that are not as widely spread, such as folk religions like Native American and Australian aboriginal beliefs and traditional African faiths. You can also find smaller, unorganized faiths like Jainism and Sikhism. An estimated 1.2 billion people identify themselves as nonreligious.
Moral outlook
Moral outlook is an important factor in determining the religious practices of a society. Different cultures have different moral beliefs. This means that the outlooks of individuals can be very different. Modern Asia and the West have very different moral perspectives. While we can all express our preferences and justify them based on neutral criteria, we cannot say that one moral outlook is superior to another. Some believe certain moralities are better suited for certain communities and societies than others.
Engagement with environmental issues
Religious beliefs have had a number of influences on how people approach environmental issues. They can contribute their knowledge and experience through their extensive social networks and insight.