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By Amy

Hinduism is the third most popular religion with 750 million followers. Its also one of the oldest existing religions at around 4000 years old! There is no official founder different to most religions which have a single founder. Braham is their God he is seen in many different ways but they are all the same person. They pray in a temple called a Mandir. The temples can be small or large they can go at any time to pray. Most Hindus usually  have rooms in their house with a shrine of Braham in a certain form. Hinduism started in India.

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Hinduism is the religion that most of the people in the country's India & Nepal believe in. Hinduism originated in Northern India, next to the River Indus .Hinduism has a total of 900 million adherents ( Followers ) worldwide. Most religions have a 'Founder', Hinduism is different, it has no single founder. No single scripture, and no agreed set of teachings! Hinduism is a long-lived religion that is still going to this day, it has an age of approximately 4000 years old. That's a long time... At Hindu Temples, Hindus make offerings to a 'Murti', a 'Murti' is a sacred statue of God or a Goddess. Most temples are dedicated to different Gods of Hinduism and are the 'focus of religious life'.

By Joseph Carter.

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Christians believe in life after death. They believe that they have only one life on earth. After that life the body dies but the soul (the spiritual part of a person) lives forever. Jesus’ resurrection (when he died on the cross but was later seen alive) is seen as proof of this.

Christians believe that, after death, God will judge each soul.

It is uncertain whether this judgment will happen when a person dies or on Jesus’ Second Coming. (The Second Coming is a Christian belief that Jesus will return to Earth, to set up God’s Kingdom, at which time all Christian believers will come back to life.)Christian believe that God’s decision, on the day of judgment, will depend on whether that person lived his life in the way in which Jesus taught (i.e. loving God and others) and whether that person accepted Jesus as the Son of God. Even if that person did not Christians believe that a soul can still go to heaven if that person truly repented his sins (was sorry for all he had done wrong).s belie

Jesus taught that on the day of judgement those people who had behaved in a loving way would go to heaven (God’s Kingdom) and those who had not would go to hell.

The picture below on the left shows the Second Coming. Although this shows bodies rising from the dead the Second Coming is usually understood to mean a resurrection free from the limitations of the body, rather than of the body itself. (1 Corinthians Chapter 15 Verses 35-53).

Although the traditional image of hell (like the picture on the right below) is a place of torture and punishment, many Christians today see hell simply as a place where God’s love is forever absent.Although the traditional image of hell (like the picture on the right below) is a place of torture and punishment, many Christians today see hell simply as a place where God’s love is forever absent.Christians believe that Jesus died to save mankind. Christians’ believe that before Jesus mankind had committed so many sins (done so many bad things) that the people had become cut off from God.

They believe that Jesus’ death on the cross shows God’s love for mankind. It was the ultimate sacrifice for mankind. God gave his only son, knowing that he would have to die, as part of God’s plan In effect Jesus (although innocent) took the punishment for mankind’s sins.

By doing this he cleansed mankind of sin and evil so that God could forgive it. Jesus therefore enabled mankind to again develop a relationship with God.

This re-connection is called “the Atonement.” (Atonement means, “making one”). It made it possible for Christians to achieve heaven because of Jesus’ sacrifice.The most important Christian belief is that Jesus died to save mankind and then came back from the dead. This return to life is called the Resurrection.

Christians see Jesus’ resurrection as proof that there is life after death. Christians believe that they have only one life on earth. After that life the body dies but the soul (the spiritual part of a person) lives forever. Christians believe that, after death, God will judge each soul.

Christians believe that God will make a judgment based on whether that person lived his life in the loving way that Jesus taught and whether that person accepted Jesus as the Son of God. Even if a person has not done so Christians believe that a soul can still go to heaven if that person truly repents his sins (is sorry for all he had done wrong).

Jesus taught that on the day of judgement those people who had lived as Jesus had taught and behaved in a loving way would go to heaven (God’s kingdom), to start of a new life with God. Those who had not would go to hell (a place of punishment for the wicked.)

One issue, on which all Christians have yet to agree, is whether a soul goes to hell forever or whether it will one day be saved because of the Atonement. The latter belief is called Universalism.

Whatever they believe however modern Christians place much less emphasis on hell and damnation than did Christians in earlier times.Christians believe that Jesus will one day return to Earth, to judge everyone, and to set up God’s Kingdom and that, at this time, all Christian believers will come back to life to share in that kingdom.

The usual interpretation of the Second Coming is that it will be a resurrection free from the limitations of the body, rather than a coming back to life of the body itself. (This is discussed in the Bible at 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 Verses 35-53.)

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Judaism Facts
Judaism is an Abrahamic religion that originated approximately 3500 years ago in the Middle East. Many believe that Moses was the founder of Judaism although its history dates back to Abraham (as does Christianity and Islam). The most important religious text of Judaism is the Torah and its laws are called Halakhah. Judaism teaches that there is one God. The Hebrew bible is called the Tanakh and followers of Judaism are Jews. The word Jew originated from the name of people who were from the ancient Kingdom of Judea (presently Israel). Eventually the word Jew came to be associated with people of the Jewish faith. Judaism is one of the oldest religions to this day, and has around 13 million followers across the world. They all pray in a Synagogue, which is a place of worship. Here is a picture of one. They always have domes on them, and are sometimes quite big. Everyone except unmarried women wears a hat in synagogue in order to show reverence to God. Jewish men always wear hats when they are saying prayers which mention God's name. In some synagogues, everyone except young girls, has their head covered. In others, men and women do not sit next to each other.

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Synagogues are consecrated spaces used for the purpose of prayer, Tanakh (the entire Hebrew Bible, including the Torah) reading, study and assembly; however, a synagogue is not necessary for worship. Halakha holds that communal Jewish worship can be carried out wherever ten Jews (a minyan) assemble.

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BUDDHISM
Buddhism began in India 2,500 years ago and is still the dominant world religion in the East. There are over 360 million followers of Buddhism and they do not believe in a God, Instead they believe in and worship someone a bit like a God called Buddha who they call "The Enlightened one" after he himself became Enlightened, he taught that the way to eliminate suffering starts with understanding the real nature of the world.
Buddhist people go to a temple or stay at home sitting on the floor, barefoot facing a picture of Buddha and chanting, it is very important that their feet face away from the image of Buddha. They listen to  monks chanting from religious texts and take part in prayers.
Meditation also comes into Buddhism as Buddha was a peaceful person who wanted to achieve a greater level of consciousness.
Wesak is the most important Buddhist festival and is celebrated on the full moon in May. It celebrates Buddha's birthday and for some Buddhists also marks his Enlightenment and death.
There are 32 symbols in Buddhism, they show that Buddha was a very special person, one of them is actually his curled hair which is actually snails that kindly covered his shaved head. They are a symbol that he was a very holy man.
The sacred book of worship is called the Tipitaka in Pali, it is also called the Pali Canon after the language in which it was very first written.
Here is a picture of Buddha

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Hinduism
introdution

Hinduism is the religion of the majority of people in India and Nepal and Unlike most other religions, Hinduism has no single founder. It  is the world's third most popular religion, with around 750 million followers.

Where does the name Hindu come from?

The word "Hindu" comes from the name of the river Indus.

Why are there so many Hindu Gods?
Hindus actually only believe in one God, Brahman but he can change form.
The three most important Hindu gods (forms of Brahman) are:

1. brahma

2. vishnu

3. shiva

What is the Hindu place of Worship?

Most Hindus worship (puja) every day at home and have a shrine there. A shrine can be anything from a room, a small altar or simply pictures or statues. Family members often worship together. At the shrine, Hindus make offerings to a murti. A murti is a sacred stautue of God, or a god or goddess and The Hindu building for communal worship is called Mandir (Hindu Temple). The temples are dedicated to different gods and are the focus of religious life.

What is Karma?

Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive lives and its next incarnation is always dependent on how the previous life was lived.

This is a hindu temple

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Christians believe in life after death. They believe that they have only one life on earth. After that life the body dies but the soul (the spiritual part of a person) lives forever. Jesus’ resurrection (when he died on the cross but was later seen alive) is seen as proof of this.

Christians believe that, after death, God will judge each soul.

It is uncertain whether this judgment will happen when a person dies or on Jesus’ Second Coming. (The Second Coming is a Christian belief that Jesus will return to Earth, to set up God’s Kingdom, at which time all Christian believers will come back to life.)

Christian believe that God’s decision, on the day of judgment, will depend on whether that person lived his life in the way in which Jesus taught (i.e. loving God and others) and whether that person accepted Jesus as the Son of God. Even if that person did not Christians believe that a soul can still go to heaven if that person truly repented his sins (was sorry for all he had done wrong).s belie

Jesus taught that on the day of judgement those people who had behaved in a loving way would go to heaven (God’s Kingdom) and those who had not would go to hell.

The picture below on the left shows the Second Coming. Although this shows bodies rising from the dead the Second Coming is usually understood to mean a resurrection free from the limitations of the body, rather than of the body itself. (1 Corinthians Chapter 15 Verses 35-53).

Although the traditional image of hell (like the picture on the right below) is a place of torture and punishment, many Christians today see hell simply as a place where God’s love is forever absent.

The Death of Jesus

Christians believe that Jesus died to save mankind. Christians’ believe that before Jesus mankind had committed so many sins (done so many bad things) that the people had become cut off from God.

They believe that Jesus’ death on the cross shows God’s love for mankind. It was the ultimate sacrifice for mankind. God gave his only son, knowing that he would have to die, as part of God’s plan In effect Jesus (although innocent) took the punishment for mankind’s sins.

By doing this he cleansed mankind of sin and evil so that God could forgive it. Jesus therefore enabled mankind to again develop a relationship with God.

This re-connection is called “the Atonement.” (Atonement means, “making one”). It made it possible for Christians to achieve heaven because of Jesus’ sacrifice.

The Resurrection

The most important Christian belief is that Jesus died to save mankind and then came back from the dead. This return to life is called the Resurrection.

Christians see Jesus’ resurrection as proof that there is life after death. Christians believe that they have only one life on earth. After that life the body dies but the soul (the spiritual part of a person) lives forever. Christians believe that, after death, God will judge each soul.

Christians believe that God will make a judgment based on whether that person lived his life in the loving way that Jesus taught and whether that person accepted Jesus as the Son of God. Even if a person has not done so Christians believe that a soul can still go to heaven if that person truly repents his sins (is sorry for all he had done wrong).

Jesus taught that on the day of judgement those people who had lived as Jesus had taught and behaved in a loving way would go to heaven (God’s kingdom), to start of a new life with God. Those who had not would go to hell (a place of punishment for the wicked.)

One issue, on which all Christians have yet to agree, is whether a soul goes to hell forever or whether it will one day be saved because of the Atonement. The latter belief is called Universalism.

Whatever they believe however modern Christians place much less emphasis on hell and damnation than did Christians in earlier times.

The Second Coming

Christians believe that Jesus will one day return to Earth, to judge everyone, and to set up God’s Kingdom and that, at this time, all Christian believers will come back to life to share in that kingdom.

The usual interpretation of the Second Coming is that it will be a resurrection free from the limitations of the body, rather than a coming back to life of the body itself. (This is discussed in the Bible at 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 Verses 35-53.)

By Michael Rainford

I did afterlife

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Hinduism

Hinduism is the world's third most popular religion, with around 750 million followers. The religion of Hinduism originated in Northern India, near the river Indus, about 4000 years ago and is the world's oldest existing religion. Hinduism is practised by more than 80% of India's population. Hinduism has no founder, single teacher nor any prophets.
Hinduism is not a Single Religion. Hinduism is the practices of a variety of different religious groups which come out of India.

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Guru Nanak taught a devotional monotheism, referring to God as Sat Nam – ‘The True Name.’ Other names used for God include Ram, Gobind, Hari, Waheguru (‘Wonderful Lord’).

He rejected Ahimsa, though he accepted the principle of reincarnation and the law of Karma. He eliminated ceremonialism and ritual. Guru Nanak also believed in the Hindu doctrine of Maya or illusion.

For the Guru salvation consisted in becoming one with God. Salvation was not going to Paradise (Islam) after the last judgement but absorption in Nirvana – becoming one with God, the True Name.

There are five cardinal vices which a Sikh looks to overcome in order to achieve salvation, they are:

Kam (Lust) Karodh (Anger) Lobh (Greed)
Moh (Worldly attachment) Hankar (Pride)
To overcome these vices the following qualities are required:

Santokh (Contentment) Dan (Charity)
Daya (Kindness) Parsanta (Happiness)
Nimarta (Humility)

Sikhs have identified 5 stages on the journey to God:

1. Dharam Khand (realisation of spiritual duty)
2. Gian Khand (Divine Knowledge)
3. Saram Khand (wisdom and effort)
4. Karam Khand (Divine grace).
5. Sach Khand (Truth).

Sikhim was founded over 500 years ago. It preaches a message of devotion and remembrance of God at all times, truthful living, equality of mankind and denounces superstitions and blind rituals. Sikhism is open to all through the teachings of its ten Gurus enshrined in the Sikh Holy Book andLiving Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Sikhism is an Indian religion combining Islamic and Hindu elements, founded in the Punjab (Panjab) in the late 15th century AD by Nanak.

By Michael Rainford

I did Sikhism God

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There is one Universal God, he has revealed himself through the Prophets (Abraham & Moses) and God has chosen them to be his people. God has given the Torah to the Jews as a means of showing in practice what an obedient and holy life is like.

Jews look forward to God’s Kingdom being established on earth, which has traditionally been connected with the coming of the Messiah.

Obeying the law – Torah is doing God’s will and showing respect and love for God. The interpretation and application of what is required is found in the Talmud which is organised into two parts and is an integral part of the life and beliefs of Jews:

The Mishnah comprising 6 Sedarim or orders:

Zera’im – contains prayers and agricultural laws

Mo’ed – Matters concerned with
Shabbat and festivals

Nashim – Marital and divorce laws

Nezikin – Civil and criminal law

Kodashim – Laws of sacrifice and
Temple ritual

Tohorot – Laws on personal and
religious purity

The Gemara comments on and discusses the Mishnah.

Legal material in the Talmud is known as Halakhah, whilst non-legal material is called Aggadah. The study of the Torah and Talmud is an essential part of getting closer to God.

OTHER TRADITIONS OF JUDAISM

All male Jewish babies are circumcised (rites of passage) which signifies the covenant between God and the Jewish people and was first undertaken by Abraham.

At the age of 13 Jewish boys have a Barmitzvah which is a ceremony in which the boy becomes a full member of the community. In modern times this has been paralleled with a Batmitzvah for the girls (though this is not traditional and is not a requirement).

To remind Jews of the importance of the Torah, Jewish homes have on their doorframes (normally the front door) a Mezuzah – a parchment scroll in a small box which contains the first paragraphs of the Shema (basic prayer of Jewish belief).

Jews have strict dietary requirements as to what types of foods are kosher (permitted).

The thirteen articles of faith (additional information to be added soon).

By Michael Rainford

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There is no God in Buddhism rather by breaking the cycle of rebirth and achieving enlightenment Buddhists believe that they will reach the state of Nirvana, it is not a place like the concept of Heaven but rather a state of eternal being. It is the end of suffering, a state where there are no desires and the individual consciousness has come to an end. The Buddha never gave an exact definition of Nirvana but he did say the following:

‘There is disciples, a condition, where there is neither earth nor water, neither air nor light, neither limitless space, nor limitless time, neither any kind of being, neither this world nor that world. There is neither arising nor passing-away, nor dying, neither cause nor effect, neither change nor standstill.’

As has been stated Buddhism has no one all powerful creator god, though Mahayana Buddhists worship bodhisattvas. These are god like figures who have gained enlightenment and could enter Nirvana but chose to stay in the world to help others. There are thousands of them.

In Tibet there are also gods. Manjushri is seen as a representation of the Bodhisattva’s. Along with another figure, called Avalokiteshvra, he represents the spirit and strength (or wisdom and compassion) of Buddha. Other figures can represent the same thing, for example the goddess Tara, who is worshipped for her compassion, is said to represent Buddha’s own compassion.

Buddha is worshipped but not as a god simply as a human who gained enlightenment. Reference to Buddha usually means Siddhartha Guatama. He however is the 4th Buddha. Other Buddha’s are expected in the future. The next is called Maitreya

By Michael Rainford

I did Buddhism God

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Hinduism is a name that Westerners gave to the part of the Indian sub-continent. It was therefore defined by geography (and then came to represent to the West a set of traditions, beliefs and practices). The Hindu way of life, is more often called by Hindus ‘Sanatana Dharma’ (the eternal way of life).

This is often a normal part of daily life designed to meet daily needs e.g. requests for good health. It may also precede important events. Before new buildings are opened or new enterprises begun puja (ritual worship) is usually made to Ganesha (the elephant god) the bringer of prosperity and the clearer of obstacles.

Places of worship
Hindu Temples (Mandhirs), which are dedicated to different gods, are the focus of religious life. There is neither however any strong tradition of communal worship nor any obligation to worship in a Temple.

There are simple shrines in streets and villages and most Hindu homes have their own where they undertake Puja at home, they will make offerings to their chosen god in the morning and the evening as a minimum. The shrine may be no more than a corner of a room, with a picture or statue of one or more gods.

There is no obligation on a Hindu to go on pilgrimage, but many do. There are many places sacred to Hindus. These cover mountains, rivers and towns. Many Hindus try to bathe in the River Ganges, as it is said to wash away sins. Seven cities are considered particularly holy. These are known as tirthas. They are centres of pilgrimage. They include Ayodha, the birthplace of Rama, and Varanasi. They are looked upon as good places to die plus to be cremated as they are believed to link the world of earthly suffering to the divine plane.

Forms of worship
Any Hindu can worship but a priest normally carries out the more important acts.

Worship may take several forms such as meditation, performing yoga (exercises aimed at controlling mind and body), reading holy texts or use of prayer beads

Alternatively Puja may be performed. This must comply with forms laid down in holy texts (e.g. the Shastras and Agamas). Usually it involves an offering to the image of a god. It usually commences with the purification of the shrine. This is done by singing hymns and mantras (sacred psalms or words or phrases designed to aid concentration. These include the “om ” creation symbol. The god is then awoken by the use of cymbals or bells. Rituals, which follow those of daily or yearly life cycles, may then be carried out. These can include washing or dressing the image. Finally gifts of money food or flowers are given and silent prayers offered. If performed in a Temple the Priest will mark the worshipper’s forehead with red paste (a tika) as a sign of blessing. At the end of the ceremony the food which has been offered to the god is given out to those attending, this is called Prasad (Holy food).

In special cases worship may include a procession. Each Temple will have a special festival. Festivals can range from simple village affairs to those that draw millions. There are also ceremonies that mark important life events.

By Michael Rainford

I did worship

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Belief in One God without images or symbols, equality of all the Believers without distinction of race or class, the superiority of individuals being based solely on piety; sanctity of life, property and honour; abolition of interest, and of vendettas and private justice; better treatment of women; obligatory inheritance and distribution of the property of deceased persons among near relatives of both sexes, and removal of the possibility of the accumulation of wealth in the hands of the few.”

Islam is a religion which is second only to Christianity in size and is prevalent in all corners of the world. It was founded by Muhammad (CE 570 – 632) who was born in Makkah in Arabia and was to become ‘the seal of the prophets’. After revelations from God (Allah), Muhammad went on to preach the religion of the one absolute God (see History and development of the Religion). In his final sermon Muhammad summarised the core of Islam thus:
By Michael Rainford

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Taoism is an ancient tradition of philosophy and religious belief that is deeply rooted in Chinese customs and worldview.

Taoism is also referred to as Daoism, which is a more accurate way of representing in English the sound of the Chinese word.

Taoism is about the Tao. This is usually translated as the Way. But it's hard to say exactly what this means. The Tao is the ultimate creative principle of the universe. All things are unified and connected in the Tao.
Taoism originated in China 2000 years ago

It is a religion of unity and opposites; Yin and Yang. The principle of Yin Yang sees the world as filled with complementary forces - action and non-action, light and dark, hot and cold, and so on

The Tao is not God and is not worshipped. Taoism includes many deities, that are worshipped in Taoist temples, they are part of the universe and depend, like everything, on the Tao

Taoism promotes:

achieving harmony or union with nature

the pursuit of spiritual immortality

being 'virtuous' (but not ostentatiously so)

self-development

Taoist practices include:

meditation

feng shui

fortune telling

Before the Communist revolution fifty years ago, Taoism was one of the strongest religions in China. After a campaign to destroy non-Communist religion, however, the numbers significantly reduced, and it has become difficult to assess the statistical popularity of Taoism in the world.

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Sikhs pray in Gurdwaras. The Sikh religion began with Guru Nanak who rejected idolatry and caste in favour of equality based on the belief that the creator is present in all of creation without regard to rank, gender, or colour. It is the 5th largest religion in the world. It is only 500 years old.
Judaism is one of the oldest religions being created in the 8th century BC. 14 million people today identify themselves as Jews. There are 3 main branches of Judaism - Orthodox, Conservative and Reform.

  Jayden Booth

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Islam began in Arabia and was revealed to humanity by the Prophet Muhammad. Those who follow Islam are called Muslims.

Muslims believe that there is only one God. The Arabic word for God is Allah. Muslims pray in a mosque.  All muslims pray facing east toward Mecca. they pray on a little prayer mat. Islam is the second biggest religion but if christianity wasn't in cluded then it is th 1st biggest! A magority of muslims live in North Africa. It is around 1400 years old. Islam started when Buddha was born in lumbini, Nepal. There are 1.3 billion Islam followers in the world today! There are 2.1 billion catholics in the world so that equalls to 8 billion  more catholics then muslims. Muslims are to go to Mecca once in their life. Mecca is a special place where they walk arpound 10 times to worship Allah. This is a special time for them. Muslims have a special type of book (like the bible) called the Qur'an. This holds all their storys of Allah. When muslims die they go to Jannah or hell. Their 3 main holy places are Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. Muslims believe in a chain of prophets starting with Adam and Eve! Muslims pray 5 times a day. Muslims have a lot of simalarity's as us. Here is a letter from a boy called Muhammed who lives in Tunisia.
My name is Muhammed.
I am in 7th grade and I like to play football. I also like bollywood films. I go to the mosque every Friday.  A mosque is a place of worship for muslims. I follow the Islam religion. My favourite subject in school is math because I am very good at it. Bye.
-Anna Cubbin