I hate it when people make up stuff about religions. For positive or
negative. It's just one of my favorite pet peeves.


AB stated "9 of them". I listed far more than nine ancient religions.
Then got some tangents.


But, the study of religions in history is part of my spirituality. We
believe that all religions are at least fragments of the truth. Learn
the faith, and learn its history, that you might understand the Creator
better. Including finding real practicioners of each, when possible. And
not the "converts". I mean the ones who've had family that practiced,
and so on- a real history.


As well, of course, as the scientific study of religion (aka-
theology).... in fact, my theology teacher was buddhist. I have a
physical copy of the Pali Canon (translated into spanish, for some odd
reason).

Poet I did not say nine religion I said 9 major prophets.

Big difference.

Did you noticed I responded to Zoraster but not buddah.

Buddah was the enlightened one but he was not a prophet.

Oh. Fair enough. I'd love to hear the list. Although Zaoastrus
(zarathustra by some translations- you'd probably be better off using
that name for the function of searching online). Would be a mutual
prophet for Arirans and Judaism. And, ironically, neither religion
actually acknowleges him.

yeah ok, so you study its part of your spirituality, hows about a litle
insight. I like many others who have read and will continue to read this
thread will lok at what you have said and scratch our heads in regards
to your own religion. Ive tried to do some research (albeit hasty) from
what i have gathered it was tarted by a persain and most of iran had the
same belief before being "convinced" to change by the shiite.

just a personal note about my petpeeve, just because you say it is so,
dont make it that way. we forget are own arrogance sometimes, when a man
says my religion is X Y or Z who the hell are you to tell him his faith
isnt a religion at all but merey a philosophical way of life? man
defines spirituality- how can you put a defination on something that in
itself is undefinable?

Poet, I am curious, your theology teacher was a Buddhist, are you stll
in contact with him?

Was he from a family of Buddhists, generations? Was it he that taught
you the philosophies of Buddhism?

Where am I going with my questions to you?

I am wondering why it is, your theology teacher didn't discuss, or
explain how it is that Taoism is not a religion, but Buddhism is.

I studied for 13 of the 15 years I have followed Buddhist philosophies
through The Chenrezig Institute, at Eudlo, Queensland, and have been
privileged to have had time with The Dalai Lama...I am no textbook
'convert', but rather was already following the Way of Taoism, without
understanding there was an existing, ancient philosophy.

I disagree with you Poet.

Judean faiths did not spring from Zoraster. They sprang from Abraham.

Zoraster brought his message in a different time and place from Abraham.

Mon 04/23/07 12:21 AM
yeah ok, so you study its part of your spirituality, hows about a litle
insight. I like many others who have read and will continue to read this
thread will lok at what you have said and scratch our heads in regards
to your own religion. Ive tried to do some research (albeit hasty) from
what i have gathered it was tarted by a persain and most of iran had the
same belief before being "convinced" to change by the shiite.


Well, I didn't give too much on my religion, individually. I mentioned
that it originated from Zaostrism. Which is true. Judaism did as well.

But good luck finding much on Arirans. I've looked. Even on the
internet, I can't find ANYTHING worth mentioning in english. So unless
you have the time to learn an almost dead language, we're at an impass.
You'd be much better off simply looking for the geographical locations
of pre-roman religions in the area around modern Poland for that sorta
stuff. It's a start.




Ok, so saying what is and isn't per se is a bit of an iffy point, for
sure. But I was using the (internationally) accepted scientific names
for the various classes, just for the sake of avoiding confusion.
Certain common traits of each one. Nothing ever fits perfectly- like
trying to define "love"- but we still need a word for it.

world religions just the most popular ones or ones that people would
recognized as well as estimated numbers of followers of that faith.
Christianity: 2.1 billion
Islam: 1.3 billion
Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion
Hinduism: 900 million
Chinese traditional religion: 394 million
Buddhism: 376 million
primal-indigenous: 300 million
African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million
Sikhism: 23 million
Juche: 19 million
Spiritism: 15 million
Judaism: 14 million
Baha'i: 7 million
Jainism: 4.2 million
Shinto: 4 million
Cao Dai: 4 million
Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million
Tenrikyo: 2 million
Neo-Paganism: 1 million
Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand
Rastafarianism: 600 thousand
Scientology: 500 thousand

this was the most comprehensive finding for Zoro;
Zoroastrianism: This religion is in every major comparative religion
text book, yet during the 1990s and for a few years thereafter it was
actually listed in the Guiness Book of World Records as the "major
religion nearest extinction." The Zoroastrians (or "Parsis") are
sometimes credited with being the first monotheists and having had
significant influence in the formation of current, larger world
religions. To whatever degree that is true, some observers believed
Zoroastrianism was in a precarious state and its position as a "major"
contemporary world religion was tenuous. Prior to some increased
reforms, most Zoroastrians did not believe in allowing conversion. They
had even stricter rules than Jews about whether or not children of mixed
marriages would be considered Zoroastrians. Until about 2002, most
published estimates for the world total of Zoroastrians were 100 to 125
thousand. More recent publications of many major encyclopedias an world
alamanacs include population estimates of 2 to 3.5 million. The
government of India has actively encouraged the growth of its
Zoroastrian population. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11,
2001 and subsequent U.S.-led intervention in the Middle East, the
Parsees of Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan have been receiving less
persecution than before, and have been less reticent about identifying
themselves, and there seems to be an increased respect for and interest
in this classical Persian religion which was once one of the largest in
the world. The current estimate posted on this page of millions of
Zoroastrians in the world (rather than 100,000 to 150,000) is still
under evaluation. The number does not represent an exponential explosion
the number of actual Zoroastrians (although there has been some growth
in numbers), but is a result of re-evaluation of the existing
population. The majority of the world's Zoroastrians are Parsees who now
thought to live in the Middle East. Years of suppression under
Muslim-dominated cultures and governments has doubtless led to erosion
in some aspects of their community, relative to their co-religionists in
India and even among expatriate populations in places such as the United
States and the United Kingdom - places with far greater levels of
continuous religious freedom

My teacher said Buddhism is CONSIDERED a religion by the scientific
definitions- whereas taoism didn't quite make the grade. Not a perfect
system, but good enough.

He was buddhist Indian, by heritage. Did a visit into America for
college, and decided to get citizenship. I forget what buddhist sect he
was.... whichever is most common in India, I'd presume.



Oh, and Judaism did evolve from Zaostrism. Which started in ancient
rome (WAAAY) ancient rome. It then moved southeast into babylon. It
merged with the ancient Israelite culture and then birthed Judaism. Just
as Zaostrism moved north and formed my religion. And moved southwest
into Egypt- that religion didn't do so well, and died. As did all the
other branches.

And for semantic's sake- a "branch" is a religion that actually became
a new religion, and not just a sect. Such as Christianity and Islam off
of Judaism. And like Mormonism is approaching a class as.

I found this information in regards to Wicannism, and yes modern Wiccans
like to believe their practices are only 50 or so years old...

However...

Theories about the origins of Wicca:
There are many beliefs concerning the origins of Wicca:

According to Gardner, Wicca: began in prehistory, as ritual associated
with fire, the hunt, animal fertility, plant propagation, tribal
fertility and the curing of disease.
developed into a religion which recognized a Supreme Deity, but
realized that at their state of evolution, they "were incapable of
understanding It" . Instead, they worshipped what might be termed
"under-Gods": the Goddess of fertility and her horned consort, the God
of the hunt.
continued their predominately Moon based worship, even as a mainly
Sun-based faith of priests, the Druids, developed and evolved into the
dominant religion of the Celts. By this time, Celtic society had
gradually spread across Northern Europe into what is now England,
France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland etc. They never formed a
single political entity, but remained as many tribes who shared a common
culture and religions.
survived the Roman, Saxon, and Norman invasions by going underground
suffered major loss in numbers during the active Christian genocides,
which continued into the 18th Century
reached a low ebb by the middle of the 20th century. Much of the
theology and ritual had been lost; Wiccan covens had become so isolated
that they had lost contact with each other.
was revived in the UK by himself, his High Priestess Doreen Valiente,
(1922 - 1999) and others, who took the surviving beliefs and practices,
and fleshed them out with material from other religious, spiritual and
ceremonial magick sources.


Gardner has claimed that after he wrote his books, he received many
letters from members of isolated covens who had believed that their
groups had been in continuous existence for generations or centuries.


So it is an arguable point as to the history of Wiccanism...but it's
origins are centuries old...

Abraham was the prohpet that brought judeasim.

Zoraster was a seperate and distinct manifestation a seperate and
distinct prophet.

Christianity came from christ and is not on offshoot of judeasim but a
seperate and distincet faith from the prophet called the annointed one.

Mohamad was the prophet that brought the message which birthed the
Moslim faith. He the messenger and friend to mankind.

Where exactally did you learn your theolgy? Every text I have read
lists Zoraster in the persian. No where does it list him in rome. Rome
was an area controlled by roaming nomads during the time of Zoraster
while persia became the seat of wisdom and knowledge in that time.

Mike....this was a great thread, so people can share and learn about
eachother. Good idea.....

So true, Jane! To bad I'll have to wade through people arguing tangents
to find those that want to share some info about their faiths... And
will some people choose not to bother sharing their faith, after seeing
this thread is full of 'debate'?

Me, I don't ascribe to any doctrinal faith. Well, aside from those I
espouse in the 'computers' section.

I was looking forward to hearing what others believe in, to learn the
views of another, to understand. I will keep checking back to see what
people post and hope to read more about other religions, other views,
other perspectives, from across the globe.

Am happy to...I added the institute where I studied the philosophies of
Buddhism, so that others could have a look, and glean an understanding
of where, and why it appeals to me and my nature...to show a little more
of me.

Thanks jess! Will take a peak.....

I do not order myself under any religion or believes. Since my area
*Sweden, North part of Europe* has delievered one pagan religion to the
world that most people now a little of: Norse Paganism, or Asatro as we
call it. You might better remember the followers as Vikings.
It does share the basic beliefs in nature as most other Pagan religions
but they had a different way of looking at the Gods.

I could go on forever about this subject, but I just wanted to state
that wherever we're from, there is an old Pagan belief hidden in our
roots.

I like to read about any religion, old or new and take whatever sounds
good to me and form my own thoughts and beliefs around that.

And generally boys and girls, all religions are about love,
understanding and peace.

Jess...quick question. Did you have the understanding and belief of the
Buddhist/Taoist before, or is it something that you took in after or
studied about it in university?

I had been unconsciously following the Way (Taoism) since I was a child,
the connectedness of nature, of balance, harmony. I didn't know it had a
name, an ancient philosophical description. I found Taoism through being
drawn to a book called The Tao Teh Ching, and then The Art of War, when
I was in my 20's, and Buddhism had been a 'fringe' curiosity.

I had lived and worked on a Hari Krishna farm in the late 70's for a
time, and became interested in sourcing other religions,information,
beliefs, philosophies from the East.

Shintoism was another, through my brother's Japanese wife, that
fascinated me..

Buddhism, and the Chenrezig Institute, was initially a place of retreat
for me, and is not a university as such, it has a monastry, and nunnery
attached, and I volunteered there for three months, 15 years ago, to
retreat from my life, well, life in general, and I found the practices
of zen buddhism fit me like a glove, so went back to learn more, with my
children...

and still I learn...and apply, and practice..