Religion is a collection of organized beliefs, practices, and systems that are often associated with belief in and worship of a supernatural power such as the god or another supernatural being.
Religion often incorporates cultural beliefs, worldly ideas, scriptures, prophecies, revelations, and morals that have a spiritual meaning to members of a particular religion, and can include many rituals including sermons, rituals, prayer, meditation, shrines, symbols, emotions. , feasts.
Terms Associated with Religion
Following is a list of 50 religious terms along with their meanings related to different religions:
- Ahimsa: Not killing or hurting any living creature. This is one of the important ideas of Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism.
- Akaal Takht: Throne of the Immortal. Built by Guru Hargobind as a seat of temporal authority for the Sikhs.
- Akhand Paath: Continuous, uninterrupted reading of the Guru Granth Sahib.
- Allah: The Islamic name for God.
- Arabic: The language in which the Qur’an-the Muslim holy book is written. The Qur’an came from Allah and was conveyed to the Prophet Mohammad in this language.
- Baptism: A ceremony that takes place in many Christian churches.
- Bible: The name of the Christian Scriptures.
- Brahmin: A member of the highest Hindu Caste. Hindu priests come from this Caste.
- Buddha: “Enlightened One” This is the name given to Siddhartha Gautama by followers of Buddhism.
- Christian: A Christian is someone who follows the teachings of Jesus
- Confucianism: The teachings of Confucius emphasizing love for humanity
- Christianity: A monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior
- Deity: God or Goddess or other sacred being.
- Ganesha: Hindu God with an elephant’s head. Prayers are often said to Ganesha to ask for help in solving a problem or travelling.
- God: Sikhs, Christians, Muslims and Jews believe in one great and all knowing power.
- Hindu: of or relating to or supporting Hinduism
- Islam: The monotheistic religious system of Muslims
- Jerusalem: A city that is sacred to Muslims, Jews and Christians.
- Jesus: Jesus Christ, believed by the Christians to be the Son of God
- Judaism: The monotheistic religion of the Jews
- Jew: Someone who belongs to the Jewish people. Different groups practice in different ways.
- Lama: A monk in Tibetans Buddhism.
- Madinah: The second most holy city of Islam after Makkah.
- Monotheistic: Believing that there is only one god
- Temple: A place where Hindus worship. Also called a Temple.
- Masjid: The Muslim name for the place of worship commonly known as Mosque.
- Muhammad the Prophet: Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad was the last Prophet sent by Allah (God) to teach people how to live.
- Muslim: Someone who follows the religion of Islam.
- Nirvana: The beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation
- Pagoda: A Japanese or Chinese style of Buddhist Shrine.
- Pope: The head of the Roman Catholic Church.
- Polytheistic: Worshipping or believing in more than one god
- Prophet: Christian, Jewish, and Islamic Scriptures all believe that a Prophet is someone who was chosen by God to speak to people in the world about his wishes.
- Puja: Worship in Buddhism and Hinduism.
- Qur’an: The Islamic Holy Book.
- Ramayana: A long Hindu poem about Rama and his wife Sita.
- Reincarnation: A second or new birth
- Sacred thread ceremony: A Hindu rite of passage for a boy about 10 years old.
- Sanskrit: Ancient Indian language which is used in most of the Hindu Scriptures. Considered to be a sacred language by the Hindus.
- Shiva: One of the three main Hindu Gods. He is the destroyer of evil and is often shown holding a trident as a symbol of destruction.
- Shrine: A place considered holy because it is linked to a religious leader, Saint or Deity.
- Shintoism: The ancient indigenous religion of Japan lacking formal dogma characterized by a veneration of nature spirits and of ancestors
- Sikh: Someone who follows Sikhism.
- Stupa: A Buddhist Shrine.
- Sunnah: Everything known about the Prophet Muhammad’s sayings, teachings, thoughts and actions.
- Sunni: Literally it means one who is guided by the Sunnah in their daily lives.
- Torah: The first of three divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures
- Vedas: Hindu Scriptures dating back 3,500 years ago. It contains over 1,000 hymns in praise of Gods and Goddesses.
- Vishnu: One of the three main Hindu Gods. He protects the world and is the God of goodness and mercy.
- Yoga: A technique practiced by Hindus who believe that it can help to break free from the cycle of birth, death, rebirth
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