Seven Oldest Religions in the World

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Religion is, in nature, a part of human lives. Throughout decades and centuries, the forms of belief systems and religions across the world have grown and transformed. In Indonesia, six religions are formally acknowledged; Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Catholics, Protestantism, and Confucianism. Three of those are some of the oldest religions in the world. What are these oldest religions? 

1. Hinduism

Founded more than 4,000 years ago in the Indian sub-continent, Hinduism is considered the oldest religion in the world by its followers. Hinduism emerged out of a fusion of two cultures, making it difficult to trace its exact origin.

According to worldatlas.com,  Indo-Ayran people migrated to the Indus Valley or modern-day Pakistan where their culture merged with the natives of said region. Hinduism grew to accommodate both cultures as the people morphed into one identity.

2. Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism is an ancient Persian (modern-day Iran) religion said to have developed since 4,000 years ago. This religion promotes the belief in one God and it is thought to be the oldest monotheistic religion still practiced today. Zoroastrianism is heavily centered around the idea of good versus evil.

3. Judaism

The father of Judaism is believed to be Abraham, a man born in Ur, a city in ancient Mesopotamia. Judaism teaches monotheism or the belief in one God, and birthed out Christianism. 

Today, Jewish people make up around 15.2 million population worldwide. The biggest Jewish communities in the world reside in the United States with 7.6 million people.

4. Jainism

Jainism emerged out of the Ganges region in what is modern-day India during the 8th-2nd Century BCE and heavily influenced Buddhism and Confucianism. Jainism teaches that there are two cycles in each era of humanity, represented by a wheel with each full rotation as one era.

5. Confucianism

Confucianism was founded around the 6th to 5th BCE, quickly spread throughout Asia, and continues to impact millions of people's lives some 2,600 years later. Confucianism is more of a way of thinking and being than a religious identity.

Citing  worldatlas.com, the main teaching of Confucianism is to "Do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you.”

6. Buddhism

Buddhism predates Taoism by a mere 100 years. However, unlike Taoism, this religion has a founder. His name was Siddhartha Guatama. Buddhists do not believe in any kind of direct god but they do subscribe to the idea of spirits and other supernatural beings that can help guide humans towards a better life. 

To this day, Buddhism remains one of the world’s most popular religions in the world with more than 520 million followers worldwide.

7. Taoism

Taoism started in China about 2,400 years ago and was officially recognized as a religion during the Tang dynasty. Taoism teaches that humans and animals should live in balance with the universe. Sometimes, this concept is illustrated through the symbol of yin and yang.

RIZKI DEWI AYU | WORLDATLAS

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