Classification of Religions

Hinduism is the oldest and most complex of all religious systems. The origins of Hinduism can be traced to the Indus Valley civilization sometime between 4000 and 2500 BCE. Though believed by many to be a polytheistic religion, the basis of Hinduism is the belief in the unity of everything. This totality is called Brahman. The purpose of life is to realize that we are part of God and by doing so we can leave this plane of existence and rejoin with God. This enlightenment can only be achieved by going through cycles of birth, life and death known as samsara. One's progress towards enlightenment is measured by his karma. This is the accumulation of all one's good and bad deeds and this determines the person's next reincarnation.

Of the 19 major world religions and 270 groups Christianity is one of the most well known and most common beliefs in God. Nearly a sixth of the world’s population are Christians today. It has a very important history to its believers and it has changed throughout thousands of years to become the most famous world religion there is today.

Religion is the belief and worship of a higher power. Every religion is important and special in their own way. There are three major aspects with religions such as, beliefs, history, and rituals that all come together to create and shape the ways of a religion. Today, religion is one of the most violent and controversial reasons behind some of the most breaking news you see on television. Religion makes people who they are and is the foundation for all societies and cultures.

What is the true definition of the word religion? Well, religion is a set of beliefs and practices that recognize the existence of a god or many gods. We need religion in our lives because it gives us a sense of belonging to our common faith and helps us set morals in our lives. The importance of faith in our lives has created a bigger understanding to us and has showed us how we can have a closer link to it.

Religion is a common set of belief held by different individuals available within a society. Religion concerns itself with purpose, cause, and nature considered for the creation of a superhuman agency fitted with several moral codes. The codes provide guidance on how humans should conduct themselves throughout their life time. Religious beliefs are known to fall into a pattern of 8 different elements such as the belief system, community, central myths, rituals, an ethical system, experiences of the emotions, expressing religion in a material manner, and the ability of being sacred (Jacobs, 2005).

Religion is the set of beliefs, feelings, principles and practices that define the relations between human being and sacred or

Religion is a set of beliefs and practices that generally involves praising of a higher being or power. Religions are defined between two categories, immanent and transcendent. Immanent religions are generally non-theistic and focus more in the presence rather than what is ahead and recognises a divine being or power as a constantly reality. Transcendent religions tend to have a belief in a divine being or powers whose existence goes beyond human limitations and focuses on the consequences of an action (Douglas, 2015). There are four main aspects that all religions have in common, these are beliefs, sacred texts and writings, ethics and rituals.

On this vast planet religions are becoming more prevalent and are being studied more frequently in recent times. Many individuals want to study and learn about the origins of some religions, on where they were developed and what was the cause of this glorification of a divine. The art of religion is processed by many ideologies, background, beliefs, myths, and rituals. The five major religions of the world include: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism are solely based on these ideologies, and ultimately leads to one goal, to follow the path of god, or to seek a euphoric state of salvation. In spite of all the differences among the world’s five major religions, they have very similar ethical constructs, which should encourage more mutual respect among them.

Religion is a system of several characteristics combined together to form a dynamic, living reality. These characteristics are sacred texts and writings, ethics, rituals and ceremonies and beliefs and believers. These characteristics are established in both immanent and transcendent worldviews.

A religion is a system of beliefs that explains things about the Universe, answers essential philosophical questions and tells its followers how to live their lives in order to achieve the goal of that religion, whether it be pleasing the gods of the religion, acquiring salvation from a curse, punishment, ailment etc. that the religion claims people or persons have or self-betterment. In the religions of Ancient Egypt, Buddhism and Christianity, a clear link between environment and religion can be seen. Religion has always been present in large civilizations and is a product of the environment, climate and geography.

Religion is a faith, a devotion to all that is considered sacred. It is a cult that brings man closer to the entities to whom they are attributed supernatural powers. It is a belief

Jainism is an ecologically responsible way of life, which is non violent in thoughts, actions, and deeds (Pecorino, 2001). The heart of Jainism is to live and practice ahimsa. This is the action by which all actions are judged (ahimsa| Britannica.com, 2015). The Golden Rule, if you will. The Jain’s believe that life is eternal. That all living souls have the potential of attaining enlightenment and immortality (Raghuram, 2004). If you interrupt the spiritual progress or jiva of an insect, animal, plant or person, you will incur karma (ahimsa | Britannica.com, 2015). Your karma will affect your samsara, and will determine your next incarnation. The purpose in one’s life is to attain liberation from the samsara cycle.

Religion is defined as A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual being (Mifflin). It is known that many of our behaviours are determined by the presence of religion in one's life. Religion implants its principles in a person and their attitudes, personality, morals and ethics and alters it to a great extent. This

     Jainism earliest descriptions were thought of being a self centered search for personal salvation without having a personal God. Jains do not believe in one creator or God. Heinrich Zimmer, an expert on Indian Philosophy, states, ?Jainism is Tran theistic- it does not deny existence of God but that it goes beyond them.? (A 352) Others see it?s as a search for personal growth and a sense of higher personal ethics. Jainism is founded on the goal of overcoming the temporary cycle of earthly life in addition to be released from an endless cycle of existence. Human destiny was the center of Jain teaching. They were to rely on themselves to seek that which will save them from the domination of matter, this being moral elevation. Above all, Jainism is a religion of love and compassion, with an eternal universe. They have made significant contributions in logic, art, and architecture, grammar, mathematics, literature, philosophy, astronomy, and astrology.

What is a religion? A religion is defined by Richard Schaefer as a unified system of beliefs and practices that relate to what is believed to be sacred (Schaefer, Richard T, 2009, pg 323). There are many world religions, such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hindu, and so forth, and while all of these different religions are