Religion

RELIGION

The origin of religion probably lay in the human response to environment and natural phenomena. A need was felt to propitiate spirits controlling the weather or the movements of animals. Many people still have such ani­mistic beliefs. Complex dogmatic religions grew up later. These included among their precepts correct modes of conduct.
Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, Christianity and Islam are major religions of the world. A brief survey of the origin and philosophy of major religions of the world has been given in the General Knowledge Review Section of the book. Christianity has the largest followers, followed by Islam, Hinduism, Bud­dhism, Tribalism or animism, atheism, Sikkism, Taoism, Judaism, Baha'esm, Confucianism, Jainism, Shintoism and Zoroastrianism in that order.