1. Religions Judaism Christianity Islam Confucianism Hinduism Buddhism
Hearth Ur Middle East Saudi Arabia China India, Pakistan Nepal
Diffusion Went into Europe Spread by Jesus Spread by Chinese Spread through Emperor Asoka converted then his
by Jews scattering, and followers Mohammed immigrants SE Asia missionaries
U.S. in WW2, into West converting introduced it to went to N. and S. Asia
Israel during Europe then the kings and then other countries
Zionist movement world going to Asia,
then world
Locations Israel, Europe, W. West Europe, Arabia, Middle China, Japan, India, Sri China, Japan,
Hemisphere W. Hemisphere East, Africa Korea Lanka
Type monotheistic monotheistic monotheistic polytheistic monotheistic
Number of 14 million 2 billion 1.3 billion 225 million 900 million 360 million
followers
Founder Abraham, 1900 Jesus, 30 A.D. Mohammed, Confucius, 557 No single Siddhartha Gautama, 560-480 B.C.
B.C. 570-632 A.D. B.C. founder, 3200
B.C.
Deity (ies) Yahweh/God God Allah Confucius, Shag-Ti Brahman, Buddha
Shiva, Lord
Vishnu
Holy books Torah, Talmud Bible Koran Nu Ching, Ssu Shu Vedas Dharma, Vinaya, Abhidhamma
Leadership Rabbis Priests, pope in Ayatollahs- none Sannyasis, Bhikkhus, Monks, Nuns,
Catholic supreme guru Lamas
church, leaders of Shia
ministers, lay sect, mullahs,
people imams
Basic beliefs Savior has not Jesus died on Greatest sin is Life’s meaning is Karma, goal is Nirvana is achieved by knowledge; ridding of
come yet, Torah the cross to raising any in the present, to reach greed and desire; not harming anything; and
presents the way of forgive our sins other being to relationships moksha or repeated lives upon behavior
life from God, the level of between people, separation from
God’s God, five family, and society the cycle of
Commandments pillars of faith, is based on reincarnation
are seen as a making the appropriate through yoga
joyous way of life pilgrimage to behavior and and discipline
Mecca sympathy
Sects Jewish Orthodox, Eastern Sufis, Sunnis, none none Mahayana, Zen, Theravada
Messianic Orthodox, Shiites
Roman
Catholic,
Lutheran,
Baptist

2. Religion Taoism
Hearth Yellow (Huang He) River Valley
Diffusion Spread throughout East Asia as followers brought it
about places
Locations China
Type polytheistic
Number of followers 20 million
Founder Lao-Tzu, 604 B.C.
Deity (ies) Jade Emperor, folk gods
Holy books Tao-te-ching (Book of the Way)
Leadership Geomancers
Basic beliefs People should live in harmony with nature, Feng
Shui, best government is the least government,
competition and possession should be resisted
Sects none