Religion: Difference between revisions

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Hinduism (/ˈhɪnduɪzəm/) is an Indian religion and dharma, or way of life. It is the world's third-largest religion, with over 1.2 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global population, known as Hindus. The word Hindu is an exonym, and while Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, many practitioners refer to their religion as Sanātana Dharma (Sanskrit: सनातन धर्म, lit. ''the Eternal Dharma''), which refers to the idea that its origins lie beyond human history, as revealed in the Hindu texts. Another, though less fitting, self-designation is Vaidika dharma, the 'dharma related to the Vedas.'

 

Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. Its followers, known as Christians, believe that Jesus is the begotten Son of God and the Messiah (Christ) prophesied in the Old Testament. To Christians, Jesus Christ is a teacher, the model of a virtuous life, the revealer and son of God, and most importantly the savior of humanity who suffered, died, and was resurrected to bring about salvation from sin. Christians maintain that Jesus ascended into heaven, and most denominations teach that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead, granting everlasting life to his followers.

There are a number of distinct branches of Christianity still active in the 26th century, including the [[Evangelical Promessic]], [[Wikipedia:Lutheranism|Lutheran]] and [[Wikipedia:Quakers|Quaker]] denominations.

Heathenry is the modern Pagan religion focused on Germanic pre-Christian beliefs, notably those of Scandinavian cultures. Its followers, called Heathens, worship numerous gods (Odin, Thor, Freyja, etc) and venerate their ancestors and spirits of the land (called 'wights', also known as elves/alfar and dwarves). While there is no sacred text ''per se'' for Heathenry, writings such as the Prose and Poetic Eddas and the Hávamál are held as important. Heathen holidays focus on the cycle of nature, with the four largest festivals marking cross-quarters of the year; Ostara (Spring Equinox), Midsummer (Summer Solstice), Winter Finding (Autumn Equinox), and Yule (Winter Solsice). Morally, Heathens respect and hold in high regard what are known as the Nine Noble Virtues: Courage, Truth, Honor, Fidelity, Discipline, Hospitality, Self Reliance, Industriousness, and Perseverance.