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In Hinduism the form of the One God Brahman can be split into many different roles and forms without betraying Brahman’s Oneness. It is called PANTHEISM rather than POLYTHEISM because although you can worship lots of different gods, they are all different personalities of Brahman.

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In Hinduism the form of the One God Brahman can be split into many different roles and forms without betraying Brahman’s Oneness. It is called PANTHEISM rather than POLYTHEISM because although you can worship lots of different gods, they are all different personalities of Brahman.

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“Humanist” is used today to mean those who seek to live good lives without religious or superstitious or supernatural beliefs.It means more than not believing in God, as humanists believe they have certain responsibilities as HUMAN BEINGS. So, just because they don’t believe in God, or Angels or heaven or hell…that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try our best to be good and kind to one another and the earth.In essence, we should try to be good, but without God as they believe God does not exist.

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“Humanist” is used today to mean those who seek to live good lives without religious or superstitious or supernatural beliefs.It means more than not believing in God, as humanists believe they have certain responsibilities as HUMAN BEINGS. So, just because they don’t believe in God, or Angels or heaven or hell…that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try our best to be good and kind to one another and the earth.In essence, we should try to be good, but without God as they believe God does not exist.

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The Jewish belief about G-d can be put very simply. There is only one G-d. He created the world and knows everything.Jews believe that G-d gave them a set of laws to live by, so that they would know how to worship him, and how to live amongst other people in a kind and caring way.Jews believe that their special relationship with G-d will only continue so long as they follow these laws.

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The Jewish belief about G-d can be put very simply. There is only one G-d. He created the world and knows everything.Jews believe that G-d gave them a set of laws to live by, so that they would know how to worship him, and how to live amongst other people in a kind and caring way.Jews believe that their special relationship with G-d will only continue so long as they follow these laws.

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The Muslim year is based on Lunar calendar.

(Ramadhan)
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and a time when Muslims across the world will fast (do not eat) during the hours of daylight.

The Muslim year is a lunar (moon) year, so Ramadan moves forward by ten or eleven days each year. The day Ramadan begins is decided by the sighting of the new moon.

Muslims believe that the gates of Heaven (Jannah) are open and the gates of Hell (Jahanam) are locked for the duration of Ramadan.

During Ramadan, Muslims celebrate the time when the verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Ramadan is a time of worship and contemplation. A time to strengthen family and community ties.

Every Muslim is expected to fast from sunrise to sunset. Muslims must not eat or drink during daylight hours. During Ramadan Muslims get up early before dawn (Fajr) and have a light meal. This time is known as Suhoor.

At the end of each day (Maghrib), Muslims traditionally break their fast with a meal called the iftar. Following the custom of Prophet Muhammad, the fast is often broken with dates, then followed by a prayer and dinner.

Ramadan concludes with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.

(Id-ul-Fitr)- The festival for the first day after Ramadan.
Eid-ul-Fitr marks the breaking of the fast for Muslims at the end of Ramadan. Lasting three days, it is a time for family and friends to get together, for celebrating with good food and presents for children, and giving to charity.

The Festival of Sacrifice which occurs 70 days after Eid-al-Fitr.Eid ul-Adha is the second most important festival in the Muslim calendar. It is to remember the time when Abraham was going to sacrifice his own son to prove obedience to God and marks the end of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca). It takes place on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar.

Dhu Al-Hijja:
The month of pilgrimage during which all Muslims, at least once in their life, should try to make the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Al Hijra:
The Islamic New Year begins on the day Muhammad left Mecca to travel to Medina.
Calendar of Religious Festivals 2008

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The Muslim year is based on Lunar calendar. (Ramadhan) Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and a time when Muslims across the world will fast (do not eat) during the hours of daylight. The Muslim year is a lunar (moon) year, so Ramadan moves forward by ten or eleven days each year.

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3500 years ago the people of Egypt had very different beliefs to other religions. In ancient Egyptian times, gods were extremely importantin making the country run properly so the Egyptians worshipped gods for just about everything- flooding, health, love, having babies, the sun, the sky and so on.There were over 2000! The gods were male, or female (goddesses) and were often shown as having the body of a human and the head of an animal or bird. 

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3500 years ago the people of Egypt had very different beliefs to other religions. In ancient Egyptian times, gods were extremely importantin making the country run properly so the Egyptians worshipped gods for just about everything- flooding, health, love, having babies, the sun, the sky and so on.There were over 2000! The gods were male, or female (goddesses) and were often shown as having the body of a human and the head of an animal or bird. 

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Christianity Basically: Father God " RE:quest

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Christians believe in the Trinity - that is, in God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is important to realise that this does not mean that Christians believe in three gods - they do not. Christians believe in one God that has three parts.

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What is Hinduism's Holy book?

The most ancient sacred texts of the Hindu religion are written in Sanskrit and called the Vedas.

Hinduism does not just have one sacred book but several scriptures. The Vedas scriptures guide Hindus in their daily life. They also help to preserve the religious dimensions of family and society. Hindus have developed their system of worship and beliefs from the scriptures.

There are two main categories of the Hindu scriptures:

Shruti ("that which is heard") consists of the four Vedas and Upanishads scriptures.

Smriti ("that which is remembered") composed of traditional texts, including the Dharma Shastras (legal and ethical texts), the Puranas, and the folk/historical legends known as the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

The Hindu Holy Scriptures are mainly comprised of the following works written in the Sanskrit language:
1. The Vedas Rg-Veda (Rigveda), Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda, Atharva-Veda ( see further down )

2. The Upanisads - These consider the nature of the individual soul (Atman) and the universal soul (Brahman.) One of the Upanishads contains the earliest reference to the reincarnation of the soul in different bodies (transmigration) of the soul.

3. The Smrutis - ('tradition) are the Laws of Manu (250 BC)

4. Ramayana - Contains the story of Rama and his devoted wife Sita. She is kidnapped by the demon king Ravana but is later freed by Rama with the help of the monkey god Hanuman. The poem is about how good will always triumph over evil and Rama and Sita are held up as role models for the perfect husband and wife.

5. Mahabharata - An epic poem telling the story of a war between two branches of a family. The Bhagavad-Gita forms part of this and means "The Song of God."

6. The Puranas - A collection of ancient tales about the different incarnations and the lives of saints.

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Hinduism for kids doing their homework. Hinduism is the world's third most popular religion, with around 900 million followers.

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There were over 2,000 names of gods in Ancient Egypt.

Some images of Ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses show them with a human body and the head of a bird or an animal.

Animals were chosen to represent the powers of the god.

Bastet was the Goddess of Protection of joy, love, pleasure and pregnant woman.

In Egyptian mythology, the sacred cat is the animal incarnation of the goddess Bast or Bastet. She was the protector of women and childbirth, as well as a loving goddess who enjoyed music and dance. Find out more

Anubis the God of Mummification

He guided the dead to the next life via the court of Osiris in the Underworld. He was the one who looked after the mummification process. Find out more

Ra the God of the Sun.

Ra was the most important God. He was the lord of all the gods. He was usually shown in human form with a falcon head, crowned with the sun disc encircled by the a sacred cobra.

Ra sailed across the heavens in a boat called the 'Barque of Millions of Years'. At the end of each day Ra was thought to die and sailed on his night voyage through the Underworld, leaving the Moon to light the world above. Find out more

Amun
King of the Gods
When Amun was combined with the sun god Ra he was even more powerful. He was then called Amun-Ra.

Head of a ram

Anubis
God of Mummification (embalming and the dead).
His role was as the "guardian to necropolis"
Priests often wore a mask of Anubis during mummification ceremonies.

Head of a jackal

Bast (Bastet)
Goddess of Protection and of household entertainment
Thought to be the daughter of the sun god Ra

Head of a cat

Geb
Earth God
The ancient Egyptians believed that earthquakes were Geb's laughter.

Head of a goose

Horus
God of the sky
The Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was the 'living Horus'.

Head of a falcon

Further Informtation

The Myth of Osiris and Isis

Ancient Egyptian Gods - discover more

Egyptian Gods
Discover more about Egyptian gods. Click on a god's name or symbol name for picture and information or story.

78 Egyptian Gods
This site has great images of gods as well as interesting facts. Click on the name of the god you want on the left hand side of the page.

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There were over 2,000 names of gods in Ancient Egypt. Some images of Ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses show them with a human body and the head of a bird or an animal. Animals were chosen to represent the powers of the god. Bastet was the Goddess of Protection of joy, love, pleasure and pregnant woman.

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Myths are stories created to teach people about something important and meaningful. They were often used to teach people about events that they could not always understand, such as illness and death, or earthquakes and floods. Legends are like myths, but they are slightly different. While myths are completely made up, legends are based on events that really happened.

The Greeks believed in gods and goddesses who, they thought, had control over every part of people's lives. The Ancient Greeks believed that they had to pray to the gods for help and protection, because if the gods were unhappy with someone, then they would punish them. They made special places in their homes and temples where they could pray to statues of the gods and leave presents for them.

The Greeks had a different god for almost everything. They imagined that the gods lived together, as a family, up on the top of Mount Olympus. They did not see them as perfect, but just like people. In the Greek myths the gods argue, fall in love, get jealous of each other and make mistakes.

Some of the most important Greek gods were:

Zeus, the leader of the gods, in charge of rain and the sky

Hera, Zeus's wife, was the goddess of marriage and childbirth

Poseidon, the god of the sea

Aphrodite, the goddess of love

Hades, the god of the Underworld, where the dead lived

Ares, god of war and battle

There are many famous Greek myths and legends. Some of them are reused in stories and films today!

In one, a woman called Pandora opens up a box full of all the bad things in the world, and lets them out.

Theseus and the Minotaur tells the story of a prince who chases a monster through a labyrinth to save the woman he loves.

In another tale, two inventors called Icarus and Daedalus try to build wings so they can fly away from prison.

Perhaps the most exciting is Perseus and the Gorgon in which a man called Perseus has to kill a woman who can turn people to stone just by looking at them!

Discussion Ideas

If you were to become a Greek God, what would you want to be the 'god' of and why?

Why do you think the Ancient Greeks needed myths?

Do you already know the stories of any Greek myths? Can you describe them?

Activity Ideas

Imagine you have become a Greek god or goddess. Sometimes in statues and pictures, gods are shown holding objects or wearing things to represent their powers. Draw a picture of yourself as a god/goddess, taking care to show your power through the clothes you are wearing and the objects around you.

Create your own myth: Myths often include: an interesting setting, a mythical beast, a journey or a trial, a captivating ending. Why don't you have a go at writing your own with these four key 'ingredients'?

Download the story of Perseus and the Gorgon, then play the 'Follow Me' game to test your knowledge.

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Ancient Greeks: Everyday Life, Beliefs and Myths

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Myths are stories created to teach people about something important and meaningful. They were often used to teach people about events that they could not always understand, such as illness and death, or earthquakes and floods. Legends are like myths, but they are slightly different.

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Like the type of religion in ancient Greece or Rome, the Vikings worshiped many different Gods and Goddesses. Their religion was an important part of everyday life.

The three most important Viking Gods

Odin - the leader of the gods - god of magic, poetry and war. His wife was Frigg

Thor (Tor in Scandinavian languages) was the god of thunder.
Thor had iron gloves, a magic belt and a hammer. He was also god of protection. He provided protection from cold hunger, giants and other dangers.

The giants were (Jotun; Swedish pronunciation):

the Rimturs - giants of the cold world; (rim = rime, thurs = thirst; Swedish)

the Bergresar - giants of the mountains; (berg = mountain, res = giant; Swedish)

Freyr (or Frej in Swedish) - god of agriculture and fertility.
Frey was worshipped on a regular basis all through-out the year for future prosperity. He was the twin of Freyja (goddess of love and fertility). Freyj wept golden tears when she was unhappy.

Norse Myths (Sagas)

The Vikings told many stories about gods, giants, trolls and dragons. They were full of magic, adventure, trickery and mischief. They describe people living in Midgard (Middle Earth) and gods and goddesses living in a sky world called Asgard. A beautiful rainbow bridge linked Midgard with Asgard..

Valhalla

The Vikings believed that men who died in battle went to Valhalla (Old Norse Valhöll, "Hall of the slain"). It a great hall where dead heroes feasted with the gods.
Interactive Activity

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Like the type of religion in ancient Greece or Rome, the Vikings worshiped many different Gods and Goddesses. Their religion was an important part of everyday life. The three most important Viking Gods Odin - the leader of the gods - god of magic, poetry and war.

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Sikhism is a monotheistic religion, or a religion that believes in one god. The followers are called "Sikhs", and their holy book is the Guru Granth Sahib. 27 million people are followers of Sikhism, that makes it the fifth largest religion in the world. It is most popular in Asia.

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Of all the Ancient Greek facts, their stories of the gods have to be one of the most fascinating!Join National Geographic Kids as we meet some of them...
It was believed that the family of Greek gods lived in a cloud palace above Mount Olympus (the highest mountain in Greece). These gods were thought to have special powers, and each had control over a different aspect of life. Many of them also appear in the tales of Greek mythology.

Zeus was the king of the gods, and the most powerful. He was the god of the sky and thunder, and controlled the weather. He had different powers, his most famous being the ability to hurl lightning bolts at those who displeased him! He hated dishonesty, and would punish those who lied or broke promises.

Hera was Zeus' wife and queen of the gods. She was the goddess of women, marriage and family. Hera was well worshipped by the Ancient Greeks, and the oldest and most important temples of the region were built in honour of her. Her sacred animals were the cow, lion and peacock.

Poseidon was the brother of Zeus, and god of the sea and earthquakes. Although one of the gods of Mount Olympus, he spent most of his time in the ocean. His weapon was a trident which was said to be so powerful it could shake the earth and shatter any object! He had a reputation for being bad-tempered and moody, and would seek revenge on those who angered him.

Did you know we have a FREE downloadable Greek Mythology primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty. The Greeks believed Aphrodite was created from the foam of the sea on the shores of Paphos, Cyprus. She was considered the most beautiful of the gods, and later married Hephaestus, god of metalwork and fire. Her sacred animal was the dove.

Hades was Zeus and Poseidon's elder brother. Although a god of Mount of Olympus, Hades rarely left his dark kingdom, the underworld, where he ruled over the dead. Because he represented death, Hades was the most feared of the Ancient Greek gods - some people even refused to say his name! Hades was aided in the underworld by his three headed dog, Cerberus.

A son of Zeus, Hermes was the messenger of the gods. He was also responsible for guiding the dead to the underworld. Hermes was said to be the fastest of the gods and wore winged sandals and a winged hat. He was also known for his intelligence and wit, and would help Zeus with his important decisions.

Demeter was the goddess of agriculture, vegetation and crop growth. She was also associated with the seasons. The Ancient Greeks believed that her daughter, Persephone, was taken from her for four months each year, during which Demeter would grieve and withdraw her gifts from the world, creating winter.

A son of Zeus, Apollo was the Greek god of music, arts, light and medicine. He was famous for playing the lyre (an instrument a bit like a small U-shaped harp) - and he was also believed to have invented the lute (a pear-shaped string instrument). Although associated with health and healing, together with his twin sister Artemis, he could bring disease and plague to humans.

Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom, skill and war. She taught humans various skills and crafts such as weaving, and would protect heroes during war. She was said to be Zeus' favourite daughter, so much so that he would allow her to use his weapons - even this blastastic thunderbolt! Her sacred animal was the owl.

Love reading about the Ancient Greeks? Then be sure to check out our other fab features...

Photos: Getty Images UK

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The Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece! - National Geographic Kids

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Meet the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece here at National Geographic Kids. Learn about Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Aphrodite and other Greek deities!

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Ek Ongkar, which means God is one, is the most important teaching in the Sikh religion. Sikhs believe that God is a spiritual power, not a person, and should always be in Siks' minds. Waheguru simran, meditating on God, is a way to worship.

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Ek Ongkar, which means God is one, is the most important teaching in the Sikh religion. Sikhs believe that God is a spiritual power, not a person, and should always be in Siks' minds. Waheguru simran, meditating on God, is a way to worship.

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For a very long time, the Vikings believed in many gods and goddesses. These gods were called the Norse gods, or gods of the north. The gods of the Vikings looked like ordinary people. They had the same faults that people have like jealously and temper. The Norse gods were not immortal, but they lived very long lives and had magical powers. The Norse gods made their home high in the sky, in a place called Asgard. The gods' palaces were made of gold and silver. The prettiest and biggest of them all was Odin's home, Valhalla. (Odin was king of the gods.)

There was another place - Midgard or Middle Earth. Middle Earth was inhabited by giants, elves, dwarfs, goblins, monsters, and humans. The Vikings believed the storm-giants, frost-giants, ice-giants, rock-giants, elves, dwarfs, goblins, and most of the monsters who lived in Middle Earth were invisible to humans, and that's why humans never saw them. But these creatures were not invisible to the Norse gods.

The gods were forever running into dangerous creatures, giants especially, sometimes on purpose! The Vikings never worried that their gods might be hurt in their encounters with giants. The giants were big, but the gods were clever. Besides, the Norse gods could always get away if things got too rough. A rainbow bridge, named Bifrost, connected Asgard to Middle Earth. The god Heimdall guarded the bridge so that no giant could enter Asgard (or anyone else uninvited.) Like all the Norse gods, Heimdall had magical powers. He could see for 100 miles night or day. He also had a great sense of hearing. He could hear grass grow! Hardly anyone ever got by him.

Odin (also known as Woden) was the god of poetry, wine, knowledge, and war, as well as ruler of the gods. Odin was sometimes called the Raven God because he had two ravens who sat on him, one on each shoulder, named Hugin (Thought) and Munin (Mind). Every day, Hugin and Munin flew around the Viking world, spying on humans, creatures, and gods. They returned to Odin each evening, and reported everything they saw like the tattletales they were. Odin was grateful to his two ravens for the news they reported. Odin kept his ravens, but he also made a deal with a wise, old giant. Odin traded one of his eyes in exchange for all the wisdom in the world. That's why Odin has two eyes early in his life as ruler, but only one eye later on that he covered with an eye patch, and also explains how he became the god of knowledge.

Thor was Odin's son. Thor was the god of strength, thunder, storms, and big muscles. He had a magical belt, a magic hammer, iron gloves, and a chariot pulled by two goats named Toothnasher and Toothgrinder.

Loki was Odin's adopted son. Loki was a trickster, a mischief maker, and a shape shifter. In different Norse myths, Loki turned himself into a fly, a horse, a fish, an old woman, and a seal to trick someone. Loki loved pranks. Some of his pranks caused death, like the time he tricked Odin's wife into telling him how to kill the god Baldur.
As the myth goes:

Baldur had been having nightmares. He was convinced someone was trying to kill him. He asked Frigga, Odin's wife, for help. Frigga cast a spell that magically blocked things that might hurt him from reaching Baldur. When the other gods heard about it, they amused themselves by using Baldur as a target, throwing darts, arrows, sticks, rocks and even axes at Baldur. Everything bounced off him harmlessly. Although it was a bit startling to find an axe hurled at his face, he was Baldur the Good, and good gods did not complain.

It was not long before Loki became sick and tired of hearing what a good sport Baldur was. Loki shiftshaped himself into an old woman and went looking for Frigga. When he found her, Loki (the old woman) complimented Frigga on her spell. "Can nothing get through?" Loki (the old woman) asked her in amazement.

Delighted with the compliment, she whispered: "Mistletoe. I left out mistletoe. After all, what harm could mistletoe cause, and besides, it would not be sporting to block everything!"

That was all Loki needed to hear. He cut a twig of mistletoe at an angle to give it a sharp point. Then he helped an old god, going blind, to join in the fun. When it was the old god's turn to toss something at Baldur, Loki guided his hand, and helped him toss the twig with such force that it pierced Baldur's heart. Baldur the Good fell down dead. Loki acted as shocked as the other gods, but inside he was laughing.

That was Loki. You could not trust him, not at all.

Sif was the goddess of the harvest, and Thor's wife. She was very proud of her long, blonde hair. One day, as a prank, Loki cut her beautiful hair. Sif was so sad. She cried tears so heavy with salt that her tears fell on Middle Earth, and the crops could not grow. To fix this, and to avoid an angry beating by Thor, Loki asked the dwarfs to spin her some new hair, which fortunately for Loki, they did.

Freya and Frey were sister and brother. Freya was the goddess of fertility, growth, love, and war. She cried golden tears when she was unhappy, which was quite often. It made her unhappy to see Viking warriors fallen in war. Odin allowed Freya to help only half of the fallen Viking warriors recover from their wounds. The other half were delivered to Odin by the Valkyries, the she-warrior gods, where they entered Odin's Hall, also known as Valharra. Freya's chariot was pulled by two cats (the wild kind that live in Scandinavia.) Freya's brother, Fray, was in charge of the dwarfs and elves. Frey had a ship that folded into his pocket, and a magic sword that could fight on its own. His chariot was pulled by a golden pig.

Idunn was the goddess of youth and beauty. She grew the golden apples that all Norse gods had to eat regularly to stay young, healthy, and strong. Without Idunn's golden apples to eat, the gods would quickly age and become old. Ultimately, they became old anyway, but the apples gave them a very long life.

The Three Norns - The three Goddesses of Fate were named "What has been", "What is", and "What must be". The Vikings believed that each Viking was connected to their fate by an invisible thread. When it was time for a life to end, the Norns would take their scissors and cut the thread. (Does this sound familiar? The ancient Greeks had three goddesses called the Fates, who had the same job as the Norns. But the ancient Greeks lived more than a thousand yearsbefore the Vikings. Like the ancient Romans, the Vikings plumdered more than goods. They plundered ideas, inventions, and even gods!)
Viking Myths Viking Monsters Viking Beliefs Our Days of the Week - Named for Norse Gods

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Gods and Myths - The Vikings for Kids and Teachers - Lesson Plans, Games, Powerpoints, Activities

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For a very long time, the Vikings believed in many gods and goddesses. These gods were called the Norse gods, or gods of the north. The gods of the Vikings looked like ordinary people. They had the same faults that people have like jealously and temper.

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Sikh beliefs

Sikhs believe in one God who guides and protects them.

They believe that everyone is equal before God

Sikhism stresses the importance of doing good actions rather than merely carrying out rituals

Sikhs believe that the way to lead a good life is to:

keep God in heart and mind at all times

live honestly and work hard

treat everyone equally

be generous to the less fortunate

serve others

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Religion was an important part of Roman daily life. The Romans believed in many different gods and goddesses. If the gods were angry, terrible things could happen. To keep the gods happy, animals were sacrificed (killed) as offerings.

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A secondary school revision resource for GCSE Religious studies looking at various beleifs about God in Judaism.

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Muslims do not draw images of God – they believe if you do this it is a sin (goes against God)

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Jewish people don’t write His name because it is so holy, so write things like G*d or G_d instead.