Religion and Belief System

1. Agnosticism
 Description: Belief that (1) God, if it exists, is by nature unknowable and will always be
unknowable, or, (2) that the individual being asked cannot conclude if god exists or not
for lack of evidence one way or the other.
 God(s) : Atheist/monotheist
 Heritage : Natural thought
 Area of Origin : Prehistoric
 Founded : N/A
 Founder : N/A
 Afterlife : Not defined
 Holy text : None

2. Animism
 Description: The belief that all objects contain spirits. More a traditional form of belief
than a "religion" in the Western sense.
 God(s) : Not defined
 Heritage : Natural thought
 Area of Origin : Prehistoric/universal
 Founded : N/A
 Founder : N/A
 Afterlife : Not defined
 Holy text : None

3. Atheism
 Description: Either (1) the active and extrinsic disbelief that God exists, or (2) an
intrinsic lack of belief due to lack of knowledge about god(s) in local culture.
 God(s) : Atheist
 Heritage : Natural thought
 Area of Origin : Prehistoric/universal
 Founded : prehistoric
 Founder : N/A
 Afterlife : Not defined
  Holy text : None

4. Baha`i Faith
 Description: Belief that a series of prophets have come from God, and that Bahá'í is
the latest religion founded by God. A liberal offshoot of Islam, but persecuted in Iran.
 God(s) : Monotheist
 Heritage : Shi`a Islam
 Area of Origin : Iran
 Founded : 1863 CE
 Founder : Bahá'u'lláh
 Afterlife : Not defined
 Holy text : None

5. Branch Davidians
 Description: Apocalyptic suicide cult famed for its dramatic armed fight against
authorities in the town of Waco, USA, in 1993.
 God(s) : Theist
 Heritage : Christianity
 Area of Origin : USA
 Founded : 1930 CE
 Founder : Benjamin Roden
 Afterlife : Heaven or Hell
 Holy text : The Bible

6. Buddhism
 Description: The belief that meditation and good living can break the cycle of
reincarnation and result in enlightenment.
 God(s) : Atheist
 Heritage : Hinduism
 Area of Origin : India
 Founded : 1st millennium BCE
 Founder : Traditions based on teachings attributed to
Siddhartha Gautama
 Afterlife : Reincarnation until escape
 Holy text : Multifaceted

7. Christianity
  Description: Belief that a single creator god had a son, Jesus Christ, born to a human
mother, and that Jesus' crucifixion by the Romans brings salvation.
 God(s) : Monotheist
 Heritage : Judaism and Paganism
 Area of Origin : Roman Empire
 Founded : 1st – 3rd century CE
 Founder : Multiple Greek writers. St Paul
 Afterlife : Heaven or Hell
 Holy text : The Bible

8. Confucianism
 Description : A collection of ethical and moral teachings.
 God(s) : Atheist
 Heritage : Chinese Religion
 Area of Origin : China
 Founded : -551 to 479 BCE
 Founder : Confucius
 Afterlife : N/A
 Holy text : None

9. Hinduism
 Description:Cultural religion of India which was historically decentralized and
disparate and not a single belief system. Western influence made it into a single
religion, an identity which Hindus now accept.
 God(s) : Polytheist
 Heritage : Prehistoric
 Area of Origin : India
 Founded : Prehistoric
 Founder : N/A
 Afterlife : Reincarnation until escape
 Holy text : Multifaceted

10. Humanism
 Description: An organized form of atheism where moral and ethical goodness is
emphasized.
 God(s) : Atheist
 Heritage : The Enlightenment
 Area of Origin : Europe
  Founded : The Enlightenment Era
 Founder : Enlightenment Thinkers
 Afterlife : None
 Holy text : None

11. Islam
 Description: Strict monotheism taught by Muhammad, the world's 2nd largest
religion.
 God(s) : Monotheist
 Heritage : Judaism
 Area of Origin : Saudi Arabia
 Founded : 0610 CE
 Founder : Muhammad
 Afterlife : Heaven or Hell
 Holy text : Qur`an and Hadiths

12. Jainism
 Description: Beliefs include non-violence and equality of all living things.
 God(s) : Atheist
 Heritage : Prehistoric
 Area of Origin : India
 Founded : 6th Century BCE
 Founder : Lord Vardhamana Mahavira
 Afterlife : Reincarnation until escape
 Holy text : Jain Agamas

13. Judaism
 Description: Organized Judaism emerged from Babylonian writings. Belief that God
has a special contract with a Hebrew tribe, involving many specific rules of behavior.
 God(s) : Monotheist
 Heritage : Prehistoric
 Area of Origin : Babylon (mostly – now Iraq) and Israel
  Founded : 1st Millenium BCE
 Founder : Combination of prehistoric practices which
became organized in Babylon
 Afterlife : Believing in Afterlife
 Holy text : Tanakh and Talmud

14. Sikhism
 Description: Prayer, meditation and self-control to become a soldier of God.
 God(s) : Monotheist
 Heritage : Hinduism
 Area of Origin : India
 Founded : 15th Century
 Founder : Guru Nanak
 Afterlife : Reincarnation until escape
 Holy text : Sri Guru Granth Sahib and others

15. Zoroastranism
 Description: An ancient dualistic religion from Iran with one good god (Ahura Mazda)
and one evil one (Ahriman).
 God(s) : Dualism
 Heritage : Prehistoric
 Area of Origin : Persia (now Iran)
 Founded : Before 5th century BCE
 Founder : Zoroaster
 Afterlife : N/A
 Holy text : Avesta

Project
 in
Philosophy of Man
(PHILO201)

Reymond M. Lingon
BSBA / 3
Ms. Paz Catapang
St. Vincent College of Cabuyao