Religions in the World and their Origin ?

There are numerous religions practiced across the world, and they can be broadly classified into major and minor religions. 

Here's a list of major religions with their approximate starting dates and the number of followers:

1. Hinduism

• Starting Date: c. 2000 BCE
• Place of Origin: Indian subcontinent
• Followers: ~1.2 billion
• Main Beliefs: Dharma (moral laws), Karma, Reincarnation, and a pantheon of deities.

2. Judaism

• Starting Date: c. 2000 BCE
• Place of Origin: Israel/Palestine
• Followers: ~15 million
• Main Beliefs: Monotheism, belief in one God, Torah as a holy text.

3. Zoroastrianism

• Starting Date: c. 1500 BCE
• Place of Origin: Ancient Persia (modern Iran)
• Followers: ~100,000–200,000
• Main Beliefs: Dualism between good (Ahura Mazda) and evil (Angra Mainyu).

4. Buddhism

• Starting Date: c. 5th century BCE
• Place of Origin: Indian subcontinent
• Followers: ~520 million
• Main Beliefs: Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, Nirvana, Karma, and Rebirth.

5. Jainism

• Starting Date: c. 6th century BCE
• Place of Origin: Indian subcontinent
• Followers: ~4.5–6 million
• Main Beliefs: Non-violence (Ahimsa), truth, and asceticism.

6. Confucianism

• Starting Date: c. 6th–5th century BCE
• Place of Origin: China
• Followers: ~6 million
• Main Beliefs: Ethics, filial piety, humaneness, and proper conduct.

7. Taoism

• Starting Date: c. 4th century BCE
• Place of Origin: China
• Followers: ~12 million
• Main Beliefs: Harmony with nature, Yin and Yang, Tao (The Way).

8. Christianity

• Starting Date: c. 1st century CE
• Place of Origin: Israel/Palestine
• Followers: ~2.38 billion
• Main Beliefs: Belief in Jesus Christ as the Savior, Bible as a holy scripture.

9. Islam

• Starting Date: c. 7th century CE
• Place of Origin: Arabian Peninsula
• Followers: ~1.9 billion
• Main Beliefs: Monotheism (Allah), Five Pillars of Islam, Quran as the final scripture.

10. Shinto

• Starting Date: c. 8th century CE (formalized)
• Place of Origin: Japan
• Followers: ~3–4 million
• Main Beliefs: Kami (spirits), ancestor worship, and rituals.

11. Sikhism

• Starting Date: c. 15th century CE
• Place of Origin: Indian subcontinent
• Followers: ~25–30 million
• Main Beliefs: One God, equality, and service to humanity.

12. Bahá'í Faith

• Starting Date: c. 19th century CE
• Place of Origin: Persia (modern-day Iran)
• Followers: ~8 million
• Main Beliefs: Unity of all religions, oneness of humanity, equality of genders.

Other Indigenous Religions and Belief Systems

These include various traditional, indigenous religions practiced by tribal and native communities worldwide. Some notable examples:

• Indigenous African Religions

  • Followers: ~100 million
  • Main Beliefs: Animism, belief in ancestors and spirits.

• Native American Religions

  • Followers: Varied, depending on region and tribe
  • Main Beliefs: Animism, respect for nature, ancestral spirits.

• Australian Aboriginal Religions

  • Followers: ~700,000
  • Main Beliefs: Dreamtime, respect for the land, ancestral spirits.

• Chinese Folk Religion

  • Followers: ~400 million
  • Main Beliefs: Ancestor worship, deities of nature, and folk traditions.

There are many other minor religions and spiritual traditions, but these are the major ones in terms of followers and historical impact.