World religions in a nutshell

Throughout history many religions have come and gone, some more popular than others. Some that have existed that we will never know about because the texts written about them simply do not exist anymore. I hope to shed some light on the main differences and similarities between the major religions in the world today. Hopefully this article will help others have a better basic understanding of what various groups believe in.

A lot of the information about religions differs slightly depending on where you get the information from, so I will do my best to update any information when I find a more accurate and trusted source. This will be a dynamic article that I will keep adding onto and updating as I further refine my research into religions around the world.

Abrahamic religions

Judaism

• origin: 2000 BC
• founder: Abraham
• theology: Monotheism (Hebrew God)

Christianity

• origin: 100 AD
• founders: The 12 apostles
• theology: Monotheism (God & Jesus Christ)

Catholic Church

• origin: 100 AD
• founder: christian church sect
• theology: Monotheism (God & Jesus Christ)
• sacret text: The Holy Bible
  
• members: 1+ billion
• parent religion: Christianity

Protestantism

• origin: 1500 AD
• founder: christian church sect
• theology: Monotheism (God & Jesus Christ)
• members: 3.4+ million

Islam

• origin: 570-632 AD
• founder: Muhammad
• theology: Monotheism (Allah)
• sacret text: Qur'an
• members: 1.57 billion

American religions

Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints

• origin: 1838 AD
• founder: Joseph Smith
• theology: Monotheism (Jesus Christ)
• sacret text: The book of Mormon
• members: 13.8+ million
  

Jehovah's Witnesses

• origin: 1876 AD
• founder: Charles Taze Russell
• theology: Monotheism (Jehovah)
• sacret text: The Bible
• members: 7.3 million+
  

Indian Religions

Hinduism

• origin: 4000 to 2500 BC
• theology: Both Pantheism & Polytheism (over 330,000 deities are worshiped)
• members: 851 million

Jainism

• origin: 600 BC
  
• core belief: every living being has a soul, every soul is potentially divine, every soul is the architect of its own life
  

Buddhism

• origin: 400 BC
• founder: Buddha
• theology: Polytheism (multiple higher beings commonly designed (or designated) as gods)

Sikhism

• origin: 1499 AD
• founder: Nanak
• members: 26+ million

Iranian Religions

Zoroastrianism

• origin: 628-527 BC
• founder: Zoroaster

Mandaeism

• origin: 792 AD
• members: 60,000 - 70,000