Religion (Earth-5875)



"If had known you were going to bring up religion... I would have counseled a less contentious topic."

- - Rol Pedersen

Religion is a cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, world views, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that relates to supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual elements. Religious practices may include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration (of deities), sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, prayer, music, art, dance, law, among others. Religions have sacred histories and narratives, which may be preserved in sacred scriptures, symbols and holy places. Religions may contain symbolic stories, which are sometimes said by followers to be true, that have the side purpose of explaining the origin of life, the universe, and other things.

Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and spiritual practices largely based on original teachings attributed to the Gautama Buddha and resulting interpreted philosophies. Buddhism originated in Ancient India as a Sramana tradition sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE, spreading through much of Asia. Two major extant branches of Buddhism are generally recognized by scholars: Theravada ("The School of the Elders") and Mahayana ("The Great Vehicle"). Widely observed practices include taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, observance of moral precepts, monasticism, meditation, and the cultivation of the Paramitas (virtues).

Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life, teachings and miracles of Jesus of Nazareth, known by Christians as the Christ, or "Messiah", who is the focal point of the Christian faiths. It is humanity's most widespread religion, and its followers are known as Christians. They believe that Jesus is the Son of God and the savior of humanity, whose coming as the Messiah (the Christ) was prophesied in the Old Testament. Christianity has played a prominent role in the shaping of Western civilization.

Christianity has multiple branches active by the 26th century, such as Evangelical Promessic, Lutheranism, and Quaker denominations.

Trivia

 * Religion at Wikipedia.