Symbol Christians Muslims Hindus Jews Buddhists Followers Many different Abraham & Moses Siddhartha Jesus of Nazareth Muhammad Founder(s) founders Gautama (Buddha) Israel & Roman India India Arabia Egypt & Israel Place of Origin Empire circa 4000 B.C. circa 500 B.C. circa 1500 B.C. 622 A.D. 32 A.D. Year Middle East, Israel, North India East and Europe, North & Present North Africa, America, Europe Southeast Asia South America Location Asia 400 million 1.5 billion 900 million 2.1 billion 14 million # of Followers Today Monotheism No gods, Polytheism Monotheism Monotheism Monotheism or only enlightened (many forms of Polytheism? Buddhas one god) n/a Jehovah, God Allah Brahma, Vishnu, Jehovah, Yahweh Name of Deity Shiva or Elohim or Deities Dhammapada Torah, Bible Qur’an (Koran) Bhagavad Ghita, Sacred Texts Talmud (Old Testament Upanishads plus New Testament) Church Mosque Temple Temple Synagogue Place of Worship Yes No No No Yes Seeks to convert others? 83% Sunni 70% Vaishnaites 56% Mahayana 8% Orthodox 52% Catholic Sects, Branches, 16% Shi’a 25% Shiavites 38% Hinayana 34% Conservative 17% Protestant Denominations 2% Neo-Hindu 6% Tantrayana 23% Reformed 19% Orthodox 35% Secular 2% Anglican
Symbol Followers Christians Muslims Hindus Jews Buddhists Founder(s) Many different founders Abraham & Moses Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) Jesus of Nazareth Muhammad Place of Origin Israel & Roman Empire India India Arabia Egypt & Israel Year circa 4000 B.C. circa 500 B.C. circa 1500 B.C. 622 A.D. 32 A.D. Present Location Middle East, North Africa, Asia Israel, North America, Europe India East and Southeast Asia Europe, North & South America # of Followers Today 400 million 1.5 billion 900 million 2.1 billion 14 million Monotheism or Polytheism? Monotheism No gods, only enlightened Buddhas Polytheism (many forms of one god) Monotheism Monotheism Name of Deity or Deities n/a Jehovah, God Allah Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva Jehovah, Yahweh or Elohim Sacred Texts Dhammapada Torah, Talmud Bible (Old Testament plus New Testament) Qur’an (Koran) Bhagavad Ghita, Upanishads Place of Worship Church Mosque Temple Temple Synagogue Seeks to convert others? Yes No No No Yes Sects, Branches, Denominations 83% Sunni 16% Shi’a 70% Vaishnaites 25% Shiavites 2% Neo-Hindu 56% Mahayana 38% Hinayana 6% Tantrayana 8% Orthodox 34% Conservative 23% Reformed 35% Secular 52% Catholic 17% Protestant 19% Orthodox 2% Anglican