World Religions Founded

World Religions Founded Different ways of explaining life and the universe. The major world religions are very old. Each in its own way has shaped the lives of millions of people over thousands of years. These religions have also had a huge effect on other parts of life like art, buildings, learning and music. HINDUISM Unlike many religions, Hinduism was not founded by one person and does not have one set of rules. Its beliefs date back 4000 years to the Aryan people of northwest India. Brahma, the creator, is the chief god among the many whom Hindus worship. Their sacred writings include verses called the Vedas. There are 900 million Hindus worldwide. BUDDHISM An Indian prince named Siddhartha Gautama, born in 563 BCE, rejected his richness when he saw what suffering there was in the world. After years of fasting and hardship, he sat beneath a tree to do some serious thinking. He learned that happiness comes from getting rid of bad feelings. He is known as the Buddha. Today, 488 million people follow his teachings. JUDAISM Arising in the Middle East more than 3500 years ago, Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. It was the first major faith to believe in one God. The history of Judaism and the laws by which believers should live are found in the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. The religion has about 14 million followers. CHRISTIANITY Christianity is the largest world religion with 2 million followers. Christians believe that a man named Jesus Christ, born in the Holy Land in about 4 BCE, was the son of God. The religion is based on the Bible, which combines the Old Testament with Christ's teachings. The Romans were convinced that Jesus was a dangerous influence and killed him. But Christians believe his spirit is still alive. ISLAM The founder of Islam was born in Mecca in 570 CE, named Muhammad. He was a prophet who taught his followers to worship one God, Allah. Islam is the second largest world religion with a billion or more believers called Muslims. They follow holy laws written in scriptures called the Quran. Pray five times a day and fast during the month of Ramadan.