Your top five religions (with a short reason)?

[bryozoa]

Theravada Buddhism - Anatta is such a radical spiritual concept and must have been revolutionary in 500BC India? I wouldn't even call it a religion as such but an advanced spiritual science. I had a dream where I distinctly remember the word Theravada being mentioned.

Gnosticism - Gnosticism describes quite a broad array of belief systems. Its rejection of the degraded universe of physical Matter, struck a chord with me. I see Gnosticism as true Christianity. The Pistis Sophia is one of the most evocative religious texts I've read.

Judaism - The universal common ancestor of all Abrahamic religion. I interpret Judaism as an ethnoreligous form of nationalism. I quite admire how you can't just convert to Judaism and it is very much an ethnic group. I wish I was Jewish.

Jainism - its emphasis on ahimsa and 'many-sidedness' is very impressive. I'm less certain of its conception of an eternal spirit.

Manichaeism - a dualist religion with Gnostic reverberations. How I wish Manichaeism had continued to flourish, overtaking and replacing Islam.

[SarathW]

In any case, you don't know what to choose, the following chart may some help.

World religion tree.
https://000024.org/religions_tree/religions_tree_8.html

[DNS]

...

Good choices, except for Judaism. I'm not anti-Semitic, I was born Jewish, so been there, done that.

My choices:

1. Buddhism
2. Jainism - probably the most similar religion to Buddhism. Great ahimsa practice and doctrines, although they sometimes go too extreme.
3. Taoism - very Zen like, also similar to Buddhism.
4. Hinduism - the meditation, contemplative modern sects and denominations.
5. Dzogchen - unless it is considered part of Buddhism, then maybe Animism as number 5

[Keith]

World religion tree.
https://000024.org/religions_tree/religions_tree_8.html

Interesting that they put the origin of Mahayana earlier than the origin of Theravada.

[DNS]

World religion tree.
https://000024.org/religions_tree/religions_tree_8.html

Interesting that they put the origin of Mahayana earlier than the origin of Theravada.

I guess the authors of that map are saying the Mahāsāṃghika is a precursor to Mahayana. Mahāsāṃghika is from about 285 BCE whereas the Theravada term is from about 250 BCE. But it could be argued the Theravada had precursors in Vibhajavada and Sthaviravada (300 BCE - 285 BCE).

[binocular]

In any case, you don't know what to choose, the following chart may some help.

World religion tree.
https://000024.org/religions_tree/religions_tree_8.html

How is that helpful? Closing one's eyes and blindly hovering with the mouse over the chart, and then clicking somewhere -- "Yes, this is the religion of my coice!" --?

[bryozoa]

...

Good choices, except for Judaism. I'm not anti-Semitic, I was born Jewish, so been there, done that.

Well it's a fascinating ethnic religion, I hope you're not to jaded with it? Being from a Christian cultural background, I felt the same about Christianity for a long time. It's only since reading into Gnosticism that I've found a renewed interest. However Buddhism has eclipsed both.

My estimation and respect for the Jewish race has only increased after reading The 10,000 Year Explosion by Gregory Cochran and Henry Harpending.

My choices:

1. Buddhism
2. Jainism - probably the most similar religion to Buddhism. Great ahimsa practice and doctrines, although they sometimes go too extreme.
3. Taoism - very Zen like, also similar to Buddhism.
4. Hinduism - the meditation, contemplative modern sects and denominations.
5. Dzogchen - unless it is considered part of Buddhism, then maybe Animism as number 5

Interesting choices. Jainism does make an impression, although I've never understood why Jains can't eat unfertilized eggs, as they were never alive! The extreme asceticism is also slightly off-putting.

[SarathW]

Sorry to sidetrack the discussion.
My top choice as very obvious is Theravada.
My second choice is any religion that promotes harmony, peace and generosity. (but not with a gun hiding inside the robe)

[SarathW]

I was born Jewish, so been there, done that.

[greenjuice]

I think more about if i like specific teachings, not whole traditions. Not it specific order:

1. Buddha's clear teaching of ten akusala kamma is great, love the categorical rejection of killing and that it has always been taught to apply to animsals; also love that the sexual part is actually very permissive as long as nothing forceful and divisive is done. Also Buddha's teaching from Anana and Cakkavati sihanada Suttas about material basis for wefare and happiness (and valuing of work), and Salla Sutta teaching about avoiding mental suffering. Plus the teachings of rebirth and meditation.

2 Jain sravakacara teaching dealing with ahimsa, with it's four types, five ways of practicing, and six stages, is imo by far the best dealing with the question of violence i've seen in a core text of some religion.

3 Jesus preaching against hierarchy among people, against the rich and powerful, against bigotry, and for compassion and love.

4 Zoroastrian active rejection of slavery, and the tolerance of different people in the Achaemenid empire, with additional interesting detail i love - the revivalist movement of Mazdak (continued later in the Khoramdin sect) which advocated redistribution, disdain for violence except defensive and liberatory, free love, vegetarianism, and tought reincarnation.

5 Ancient Egyptian religion, both for fascinating social order (no money, trade, no official laws, yet it existed for more than two millenia, and was probably the most stable pre-modern society, and the best one to live in if one was a commoner) and for the 42 laws of Maat, which is an exquisite ethical code, and it's from an entire millenium before Buddha!

Bonus stuff: Eastern Orthodox chant has beautiful melodies; Muslim salat prayer, especially when it's by large groups, wow; the cliche Zen lifestyle with its mindful and smooth doing of daily activities (like eg depicted in the movie The last samurai) is fascinating; and from ancient Greece three egalitarian schools are great, Pythagoreanism with it's emphasis on calmness, virtue and vegetarianism; and Epicureanism and Stoicism with their practical advice on how to be happy.

[DooDoot]

1. Judaism


2. Islam


3. Sufism


4. Buddhism


5. Hinduism


6. Sikhism

[Bundokji]

In my case, they are not all religions

1- Buddhism: it defines well-being better than any other religion
2- hedonism: It is the most natural way of living for an uninstructed human being
3- Agnosticism: acknowledging not knowing is a virtue
4- Islam: its realistic approach to human nature through integrating and channeling our darker aspects in an organized way
5- Stoicism and all pessimistic philosophies in general.

[DooDoot]

Of what are known as the major religions, based on my impression of history & culture:

1. Pali Sutta Buddhism. I am a fan of traditional Thai (and Balinese) culture, which are think exemplify influence by Buddhism. Theravada has teachings for a harmonious society as well as for non-worldly liberation. I am pleased, as a Middle-Eastern parented Westerner, to have travelled and lived in South East Asia. Wonderful cultures. Life transforming.

2. Confucianism. I know nothing about it. But I think Chinese people can be quite charming & socially skilled; which appears to trace back for thousands of years; maybe to Confucianism. I am not sure.

3. Islam. I sense Islam had its positive glory days; as shown by a surviving pluralism in Islamic countries and how, historically, Christians survived and Jews thrived under the rule of Islam.

4. Christianity. Mere covert Buddhism. New Testament is doctrinally sound; very clear teachings; flawed perfection. However, culturally, institutionally & historically, an utter failure in its principles coming to fruition; which I assume comes from mixing Buddhist behavioural teachings and Brahma as God with the violent tribal fundamentalist totalitarian Hebrew god. Adding a drop of poison to pure water will poison the water. When Jesus said he came from the "only true god"; we are not actually sure which god this really is. Another Jewish revolutionary, it seems, revolting within the tribal prison rather than escaping from the tribal prison.

5. Taoism. Sounds like fun; for the non-wordly. The Tao Te Ching and (Chuang Tzu) Inner Chapters are fun.

[DNS]

1. Judaism

I knew it! Shalom, chaver (sadiq)

As some Israelis have written me, look for someone who is writing against Israel and you'll likely find a Jew.

[sentinel]

Isn't Buddhism core teachings teaches a pessimistic way of life ?! It can't be the top choice for most people . If one is serious for liberation , let go attachment , money , enjoyment , family , ...........what more ?