How Well Do You Know World Religions?

January 5, 2016
Culture, Learn
By Adam Johnston

You hear groans at your Last Call Trivia night when the subject gets announced. Maybe even your team lets out an audible sigh when you hear it. Religion. Ugh. Even the most faithful to their cause might roll their eyes at the prospect of answering a "Religion" question over their fourth beer. Well, fear not, because thou is getting bestowed upon with a few facts about some major (and not so major) worldwide religions to help answer that question that seems to shaketh thine head in wonderment every week. LET THERE BE INSIGHT!

Written by

Adam Johnston

Give me a bottle of bourbon and half a chicken, and I’ll conquer the world! My job is to make sure that everyone else does their job, which has to be the easiest job in the world considering the brilliant, hard-working people we have in our Flock. My ultimate goal is to run a company that people are proud to work for. I’m an avid statesman, adventurer, Burner, Broadway aficionado, athlete, and I wear my Cole Haans as often as my cowboy boots. It’s a wonderful life.All Posts

Popularity

The world’s largest religion is Christianity, with around 2.1 billion followers. Coming in second are Muslims, with approximately 1.5 billion faithful. Catholics make up around 1.1 billion Christians, while Sunnis comprise nearly 1 billion Muslims.

Symbols

Christianity: Cross

Islam: Crescent

Hinduism: Aum

Buddhism: Dharma Wheel

Judaism: Star of David

Quick Facts

According to a Pew study, Christians make up the vast majority of religiously affiliated in the United States, at 70%. Those who say they are unaffiliated with a specific religion number roughly 22%. Of the unaffiliated, atheists make up 3.1% while agnostics number 4%.

Buddhism is practiced by half a billion people around the world, mostly in Asia. Buddhists are nontheistic in belief, instead of embracing various spiritual philosophies.

Hinduism, the third-largest organized religion (1 billion strong), is also the oldest religion on record.

Judaism is followed by roughly 13.4 million people around the world, with 42% of Jews living in Israel and another 42% living in North America.

Think learning the ways of The Force should be a religion? You’re in luck. Jediism is a bona fide religion with thousands of followers. In New Zealand, it made up 1.5% of the religiously affiliated, according to census reports.