Baha'u'llah, in 1844, announced to followers that he was the Manifestation of God for this age. The writings of Baha'u'llah the Bab and Abdu'l-Baha are the sacred texts. New revelations are to come. The unity of religions and equality between races and sexes is a central vision.
Worship is primarily an individual decision and involves three obligatory prayers. Fellowship occasions take place in homes and there are a number of centers for collective prayer. A nineteen month calendar has a feast day on the first day of each month for fellowship and administration purposes.
The Baha'i world

	Siddhartha Gautama, who came to be known as Buddha, lived 2,500 years ago in India. He was devoted to finding enlightenment. The Buddha has come to be known as one who embodies perfect wisdom and compassion. Primary text is the Tripitaka or Three Baskets.
Teachings of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path center on constant change, the need to eliminate selfish desires, and right ways to live. Shrines, temples and monasteries are for meditation, discussion and retreat.
Introduction to Buddhism

	Jesus Christ, about 2000 years ago, presented the human face of the deity. The Bible, a combination of the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, tells the story of the deity who enters into the lives of people to lead them to responsibility and eternal reality.
"Jesus Christ - Lord of all life" is a central vision. The congregation is a focal point for community life, worship, and identity. Sunday is the day for worship and sacred observance at churches and other meeting places in most Christian groups.
Introduction to Christianity

	Confucianism is based on the teachings of K'ung-fu-tzu (552-479 bce), known in the west as Confucius. This secular "religion" focuses on the conduct and practices of people in daily life. Responsibility to parents and ancestors is a central duty.Cardinal virtues include Benevolence, Duty, Manners, Wisdom, and Faithfulness.
	Taoism is based on the figure of Lao-tzu. The solidarity of nature and humans; the cycles of nature in which all things return to their starting points; as well as passivity, peace and meditation are central points of identity for Taoism.
Centered in China, the coexisting ideas and practices of Confucianism and Taoism influence Asia and to a lesser degree, other world cultures.
Confucianism primer Taoism Information

	The many spiritual traditions of India arising over some 3000 years came to be known as Hinduism. Sacred scriptures include the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bagavad-Gita. They describe the cycles of life and the meaning of existence.
Numerous gods and goddesses express human dramas common to all. Temples are places for prayers, offerings, singing and teaching. Families and individuals observe rituals and festivals at home as well.
Calendar dates for sacred times are determined by both solar and lunar computations. Dates also vary by region and sub-group.
The Hindu Universe Who is Hindu

	Muhammad, about 1,400 years ago,  received the sacred words of the deity. The Qur'an, given directly to Muhammad by the deity, gives instruction for a complete way of life that is the will of the deity and is to ultimately involve all people on earth.
"Submission to Allah" is a central vision. Observance of witness, prayer, almsgiving, fasting and pilgrimage are focal points for Islam and the individual Muslim. Friday is the day for meeting at the mosque for assembly prayers and sermons.
Islamic Studies

	Vardhamana Mahavira, born in India around 540 BCE, took up a wandering ascetic life. Having achieved omniscience after years of suffering, he began to teach others and organized followers into groups of monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen.
There is an eternal pattern of rise and fall in the universe and each age has twenty four teachers who help people escape the cycle of reincarnation. Jain temples have a seated image of a particular teacher. Worship of the image is to happen every day, usually in the morning. The five basic principles are: avoid doing harm, truthfulness, no stealing, chastity, and detachment from material things.
Jainism

	Abraham, about 4000 years ago, entered into an agreement with the one supreme deity. The Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures, presents a written account of the people of Israel as they responded to the call of the deity toward worldwide peace and justice.
"Hope for redemption of the world" is a central vision. The family is focal point for religious observances, education, and identity. The Sabbath begins on Friday sundown and continues to Saturday sundown and is observed by worship at the synagogue and family events.
Judaism

Native American Religions are many. Because of the local focus of these traditions, each brings the unique experience and knowledge of that group of people. The nomadic practices of many of groups means no buildings and few artifacts can be used to study the past. This page will include only information that is deemed to be public knowledge. We honor the traditions and respect the wishes of spiritual elders. Many Native people count themselves as Christian and observe traditional Christian sacred times. The following web sites offer information on how selected Indian Nations are living today and how spiritual observations happen. The Red Lake Indian Nation The Quinault Indian Nation First Nations observations in Canada

	Pagans share belief in faith. We may not all agree on our faith, we may not all share the same belief, but, in the end, we do all believe. Thru our belief, we manage to find peace. Thru our faith, we find strength. From our understanding we gain insight.
We have only one rule here. No Hate.Come in Peace.Understand that all beings have the right to believe in all things.If your belief does not agree with anothers, debate it, do not belittle it.
Share your ideas, dreams, and thoughts. If you wish to start a new forum on a topic not covered, simply ask. These are user managed forums. If you ask for a forum, be prepared to Moderate it. Moderators are also selected from Users based on quailty and quantity of posts. Administrators are selected from the best Moderators.
Pagans

	Rastafarianism is a religious movement that emerged in Jamaica in the early 1930s out of Biblical prophecy, black social and political aspirations and the teachings of the Jamaican-born black publicist and organiser Marcus Mosiah Garvey.
He told blacks to "look to In Africa for the crowning of a king to know that your redemption is near." In 1930, Prince Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned the new Emperor of Ethiopia. Upon his coronation, he claimed for himself the title of Emperor Haile Selassie (Power of the Trinity) I.
This announcement was a monumental event that many blacks in Africa and the Americas saw as the fulfillment of Garvey's prophecy years before. After the crowning of Selassie, the Rastafarian movement gained a following and off and officially began. There were about 1,000,000 Rastafarians world-wide in 2000.
Rastafarians

	Beginning in the clans and families of historic Japan, seasonal agricultural rites were celebrated. Spirits or kami residing in natural things provided a pervasive spiritual atmosphere. Shinto moved through a time of state religion.
Today the emphasis is on local, nature based religious observance. Shrines host ritual observances, rites of passage, and festivals. Every shrine has at least one torii - a special gateway. It signifies the boundary between the secular world and the sacred. Purification rituals grow out of a concern over continuity, balance and purity in life.
Shinto Shrines

	Guru (teacher) Nanak, born in 1469 c.e. in the Punjab of India, received a vision from God showing a path separate from Hinduism and Islam. God, the unknowable Great Teacher, is found in the ten human Gurus of Sikhi. Gudwaras (temples) are seen as the home of Guru Granth Sahib and are for prayer, music and sharing of food.
Sikhi emphasizes humble service, equality among people, and devotion to God in daily life. Amrithdhari Sikhs have five distinctive signs of faith seen in style of dress and personal appearance.
Sikhism

	Zoroaster, an Iranian religious reformer living in about 600 BCE, having received a vision from Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord, proclaimed a kingdom of justice that promised immortality and bliss. Containing both monotheistic and dualistic features, the religion influenced Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
The history of the world was seen as a drama in 3,000 year periods. The Ahura Vairya is the most sacred prayer of this religion and the Avesta is the sacred text. Zoroastrianism continues in Iran and in India where the Parsees carry on the traditions. The Fasali calendar is generally used.
Zoroastrianism information