Eastern religion refers to religions that are mostly either Indian or Chinese in origin: The Dharma faiths of Hinduism, Ayyavazhi, Jainism and Buddhism; and the Chinese religious philosophies of Taoism and Confucianism. This grouping also includes other religions, most notably Shinto, the traditional religion of Japan. Eastern Religion - Hinduism. Hinduism (सनातन धर्म; also known as Sanātana Dharma, Wiktionary:Sanatana Dharma and Vaidika-Dharma, Wikitionary:Vaidika-D ...

Including:

• Eastern Religion - Hinduism
• Eastern Religion - Ayyavazhi
• Eastern Religion - Buddhism

Read more here: » Eastern Religion: Encyclopedia - Eastern Religion

See also:

Eastern Religion, Eastern Religion - Hinduism, Eastern Religion - Ayyavazhi, Eastern Religion - Buddhism

Read more here: » Eastern Religion: Encyclopedia II - Eastern Religion - Ayyavazhi

Hinduism (सनातन धर्म; also known as Sanātana Dharma, Wiktionary:Sanatana Dharma and Vaidika-Dharma, Wikitionary:Vaidika-Dharma) is a worldwide tradition that encompasses many different religions and other ideologies. The exact date of origin of Hinduism is unknown, with dates varying from 3102 BCE to 1300 BCE. However, it is generally regarded as the world's oldest major religion. It is the third largest religion, with approximately 940 million followers worldwide, 96 percent of whom live in the Indian subcon ...

See also:

Eastern Religion, Eastern Religion - Hinduism, Eastern Religion - Ayyavazhi, Eastern Religion - Buddhism

Read more here: » Eastern Religion: Encyclopedia II - Eastern Religion - Hinduism

Every year on Makara Sankaranthi , a unique phenomenon takes place at Sabarimala, the popular pilgrim centre on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. A light of extraordinary brightness appears on the horizon in the north-eastern side of an adjacent mountain top called Kantamala. The beacon, called Makara Jyoti , lasts 15 to 20 minutes and marks the climax of the 41 days of the Sabarimala pilgrimage.

This 'light' miracle, in fact, follows yet another unexplained annual event. The ornaments of Lord Ayyappa, presiding deity of Sabarimala, are kept in the custody of the erstwhile Prince of Pandalam in his palace, 90 km from the temple. These are taken to the temple every year in a three-day-long procession. As the procession approaches the temple, an eagle is seen hovering over it, guiding it towards the sanctum sanctorum. Once the ornaments reach the temple, the eagle mysteriously disappears.

(See also: Makara Jyoti, Indian Festivals, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)

Religious studies typically divides the world into Western and Eastern religions. Comparing Eastern and Western religious traditions - Western religions. Western religions are based on Abrahamic monotheism and derive from the Middle Eastern milieu, including: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Bahá'í Faith. religions of the world Comparing Eastern and Western religious traditions - Eastern religions. Eastern religions ar ...

Including:

• Comparing Eastern and Western religious traditions - Western religions
• Comparing Eastern and Western religious traditions - Eastern religions
• Comparing Eastern and Western religious traditions - Religions that share elements of both

Read more here: » Comparing Eastern and Western religious traditions: Encyclopedia - Comparing Eastern and Western religious traditions

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, who lived in what is now Northern India and Nepal between 566 and 483 BCE. Buddhism spread throughout the ancient Indian sub-continent in the five centuries following his death. It continued to spread into Central, Southeast, and East Asia over the next two millennia. With approximately 708 million followers, Buddhism is a major world religion whose adherents are called Buddhists. Buddhist denominations are historically categ ...

Including:

• Buddhism - What is a Buddha?
• Buddhism - Origins
• Buddhism - Principles of Buddhism
• Buddhism - The Four Noble Truths
• Buddhism - The Noble Eightfold Path
• Buddhism - Practices of Buddhism
• Buddhism - Refuge in The Three Jewels
• Buddhism - The Five Precepts
• Buddhism - Meditation
• Buddhism - Buddha-dhatu Buddha-Principle, Buddha-nature
• Buddhism - Other principles and practices
• Buddhism - Vegetarianism
• Buddhism - Buddhist religious philosophy and branches
• Buddhism - Buddhism after the Buddha
• Buddhism - Principal schools of Buddhist philosophy
• Buddhism - Scriptures
• Buddhism - Relations with other Eastern faiths
• Buddhism - Buddhism in the modern world
• Buddhism - Buddhism and the West
• Buddhism - Buddhism
• Buddhism - Related systems and religions
• Buddhism - References and Links
• Buddhism - References
• Buddhism - Footnotes
• Buddhism - External links

Read more here: » Buddhism

Most world religions condemn abortion on demand, though most do consider abortion acceptable under very limited circumstances: Anglicanism: [1]. Buddhism: [2] Catholicism:[3] (abortion is always morally prohibited and laws that permit abortion are unjust) Hinduism:[4] Islam: [5] Judaism: [6][7] Sikhism:[8] Likewise, some atheists are also opposed to abortion.[9][10] Abortion, Abortion Law, Morality and legality of ab ...

Including:

• Religion and abortion - General
• Religion and abortion - Buddhism
• Religion and abortion - Christianity
• Religion and abortion - Catholicism
• Religion and abortion - Eastern Orthodox
• Religion and abortion - Protestant
• Religion and abortion - Mormonism
• Religion and abortion - Hinduism
• Religion and abortion - Islam
• Religion and abortion - Judaism
• Religion and abortion - Orthodox Judaism
• Religion and abortion - Conservative Judaism

Read more here: » Religion and abortion: Encyclopedia - Religion and abortion

A state religion (also called an established church or state church) is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. The term state church is associated with Christianity, and is sometimes used to denote a specific national branch of Christianity. Closely related to state churches are what sociologists call ecclesiae, though the two are slightly different. State religions are examples of the official or government-sanctioned establishment of religion, as distinct from theocracy. State ...

Including:

• State religion - Types of state churches
• State religion - Sociology of state churches
• State religion - Disestablishment
• State religion - Christian countries
• State religion - Roman Catholic
• State religion - Eastern Orthodox
• State religion - Oriental Orthodox
• State religion - Lutheran
• State religion - Anglican
• State religion - Reformed
• State religion - Islamic states
• State religion - Buddhist states
• State religion - Hindu states
• State religion - Jewish states
• State religion - Secular states
• State religion - Established churches and former state churches in Europe
• State religion - Former state churches in British North America

Read more here: » State religion: Encyclopedia - State religion

Sentience is the capacity for basic consciousness—the ability to feel or perceive, not necessarily including the faculty of self-awareness. The word sentient is often confused with the word sapient, which can connotate knowledge, higher consciousness, or apperception. The root of the confusion is that the word conscious has a number of different meanings in English. (One can easily distinguish the two by looking at their Latin roots: sentir ...

Including:

• Sentience - Animal rights and sentience
• Sentience - Artificial intelligence
• Sentience - Eastern religion

Read more here: » Sentience: Encyclopedia - Sentience

Reincarnation, as a doctrine or mystical belief, holds the notion that one's 'Spirit' ('Soul' depending on interpretation), 'Higher or True Self', 'Divine Spark', 'I' or 'Ego' (not to be confused with the ego as defined by psychology) or critical parts of these returns to the material world after physical death to be reborn in a new body. The natural process is considered integrative of all experiences from each lifetime. A new personality feature, with the associated character, is developed during each life in the physical world, bas ...

Including:

• Reincarnation - Overview
• Reincarnation - Reincarnation in various religions traditions and philosophies
• Reincarnation - Eastern religions and traditions
• Reincarnation - Western religions and traditions
• Reincarnation - Contemporary movements and thinkers
• Reincarnation - Common variations in the belief
• Reincarnation - Reincarnation Research
• Reincarnation - Objections to reincarnation
• Reincarnation - Theories put forward to explain the phenomenon
• Reincarnation - A theory of reincarnation

Read more here: » Reincarnation: Encyclopedia - Reincarnation

Idolatry is the worship of an image, idea or object, as opposed to the worship of a supreme being. It is forbidden by some major religions such as the Abrahamic religions. Some religious authorities and groups have used the term to describe other religions apart from their own. Idolatry - Etymology. The word idolatry comes (by haplology) from the Greek word eidololatria, a compound of eidolon, "image" or "figure", and latreia, "worship". Although the Greek appears to be a loan tr ...

Including:

• Idolatry - Etymology
• Idolatry - Idolatry in many forms
• Idolatry - Idolatry in the Hebrew Bible
• Idolatry - Did idolators really worship idols?
• Idolatry - Were ancient Israelites ever henotheistic?
• Idolatry - Idolatry in Jewish thought
• Idolatry - Christian views of idolatry
• Idolatry - Muslim views of idolatry
• Idolatry - Eastern religions and idolatry
• Idolatry - Hindu views of idolatry
• Idolatry - Shinto views of idolatry
• Idolatry - Christian views regarding Confucianism as idolatry
• Idolatry - Buddhist views of idolatry
• Idolatry - Polytheistic views of idolatry in general
• Idolatry - Notes

Read more here: » Idolatry: Encyclopedia - Idolatry

The Immaculate Conception is a Catholic dogma that asserts that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was preserved by God from the stain of original sin at the time of her own conception. Specifically, the dogma says she was not afflicted by the privation of sanctifying grace that afflicts mankind, but was instead filled with grace by God, and furthermore lived a life completely free from sin. It is commonly confused with the doctrine of the virgin birth, though the two deal with separate subjects. Mary was conceived by normal biological means, ...

Including:

• Immaculate Conception - History of the doctrine
• Immaculate Conception - Protestant and Eastern Orthodox opinion
• Immaculate Conception - Scriptural sources
• Immaculate Conception - Parallelisms in other religions
• Immaculate Conception - Common misinterpretation
• Immaculate Conception - Opinion

Read more here: » Immaculate Conception: Encyclopedia - Immaculate Conception

The Viking Age is the name of the period between 793 and 1066 AD in Scandinavia and Britain, following the Germanic Iron Age (and the Vendel Age in Sweden). During this period, the Vikings, Scandinavian warriors, leidangs and traders, raided and explored most parts of Europe, south-western Asia, northern Africa and north-eastern North America. Apart from exploring Europe by way of its oceans and rivers with the aid of their advanced navigational skills and extending their trading routes across vast parts of the continent, they also en ...

Including:

• Viking Age - Timeline
• Viking Age - Geography
• Viking Age - British Isles
• Viking Age - Iceland
• Viking Age - Greenland
• Viking Age - Southern and Eastern Europe
• Viking Age - America
• Viking Age - Technology
• Viking Age - Religion and Archaelogy
• Viking Age - Trading Cities
• Viking Age - Place names

Read more here: » Viking Age: Encyclopedia - Viking Age

The Star of David (Hebrew Magen David or Mogen Dovid מגן דוד, Arabic Najmat Dawuud نجمة داوود). It is also known as Solomon's Seal, or Seal of Solomon (Ashkenazi Hebrew, Shield of David, Arabic Khatam Sulayman خاتم سليمان) is a generally recognized symbol of Judaism and Jewish identity, although it has been used also in Islam as well as the Eastern Religions. Geometrically it is a hexagram. It i ...

Including:

• Star of David - Origin
• Star of David - Shape
• Star of David - Shield form
• Star of David - Shield with stars
• Star of David - Used by Jews
• Star of David - Used by Arabs and Muslims
• Star of David - Used by the Nazis
• Star of David - Other uses
• Star of David - Heraldry
• Star of David - Red Magen David
• Star of David - Occurrence in Eastern Religions
• Star of David - Theosophy
• Star of David - Zion Christian Church
• Star of David - Latter-day Saints Mormons
• Star of David - Raelism
• Star of David - Notes
• Star of David - Footnotes

Read more here: » Star of David: Encyclopedia - Star of David

An icon (from Greek εἰκών, eikon, "image") is an image, picture, or representation; it is a sign or likeness that stands for an object by signifying or representing it, or by analogy, as in semiotics; in computers an icon is a symbol on the monitor used to signify a command; by extension, icon is also used, particularly in modern popular culture, in the general sense of symbol — i.e. a name, face, picture or even a person readily recognized as having some well-known s ...

Including:

• Icon - Images in religion
• Icon - Icons in Christianity
• Icon - Images from Constantine to Justinian 337-430
• Icon - The Iconoclast Period
• Icon - Icons in Greek-speaking regions
• Icon - Icons in Russia
• Icon - Icon traditions in other regions
• Icon - The Protestant Reformation
• Icon - Icons and images in contemporary Christianity
• Icon - Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic teaching about Icons
• Icon - Eikon in the Septuagint
• Icon - Eikon in the New Testament
• Icon - Icons in Hinduism

Read more here: » Icon: Encyclopedia - Icon

Buddhism, a religion and philosophy from ancient India, is based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, of the Shakyas. His lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 483 BCE; it spread throughout the Indian subcontinent in the five centuries following his death. Missionaries would carry Buddhism throughout Central Asia, Sri Lanka, Tibet, as well as East Asian countries such as China, Korea, and Japan in the following two millenia. Buddhism is classified as an Ārya dharma ("Noble religion") and is one ...

Including:

• Buddhism - What is a Buddha?
• Buddhism - Origins
• Buddhism - Principles of Buddhism
• Buddhism - The Three Marks of Existence
• Buddhism - The Four Noble Truths
• Buddhism - The Noble Eightfold Path
• Buddhism - Practices of Buddhism
• Buddhism - Refuge in The Three Jewels
• Buddhism - The Five Precepts
• Buddhism - Meditation
• Buddhism - Buddha-dhatu Buddha-Principle Buddha-nature
• Buddhism - Other principles and practices
• Buddhism - Vegetarianism
• Buddhism - Buddhist religious philosophy and branches
• Buddhism - Buddhism after the Buddha
• Buddhism - Principal schools of Buddhist philosophy
• Buddhism - Scriptures
• Buddhism - Relations with other Eastern faiths
• Buddhism - Buddhism in the modern world
• Buddhism - Buddhism and the West
• Buddhism - Buddhism
• Buddhism - Related systems and religions
• Buddhism - References and Links
• Buddhism - References
• Buddhism - Footnotes
• Buddhism - External links

Read more here: » Buddhism: Encyclopedia - Buddhism

History of Christianity Jesus of Nazareth The Apostles Ecumenical councils Great Schism The Crusades Reformation The Trinity God the Father Christ the Son The Holy Spirit The Bible Old Testament New Testament Apocrypha The Gospels Ten Commandments Sermon on the Mount Christian theology Salvation · Grace Christian worship Christian Church Catholicism Orthodox Christianity Protestantism Christian denominations Christi ...

Including:

• Jesus - Background
• Jesus - Life and teachings based upon the Gospels
• Jesus - Chronology
• Jesus - Family and early life
• Jesus - Ministry
• Jesus - Arrest trial and execution
• Jesus - Resurrection and Ascension
• Jesus - Legacy
• Jesus - Religious perspectives
• Jesus - Christian views
• Jesus - Islamic views
• Jesus - Jewish views
• Jesus - Eastern religions
• Jesus - Negative views
• Jesus - Other views
• Jesus - Historicity
• Jesus - Earlier texts?
• Jesus - Questions of reliability
• Jesus - External influences on gospel development
• Jesus - Historical reconstructions of Jesus's life
• Jesus - Notes

Read more here: » Jesus: Encyclopedia - Jesus

It appears that Exodus 36:35 And he made a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim made he it of cunning work. is evidence enough to show that Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth is not to be taken literally - indeed that it is laudable to make likenesses of cherubim for instance, so long as one does not make the mistake of worshi ...

See also:

Idolatry, Idolatry - Etymology, Idolatry - Idolatry in many forms, Idolatry - Idolatry in the Hebrew Bible, Idolatry - Did idolators really worship idols?, Idolatry - Were ancient Israelites ever henotheistic?, Idolatry - Idolatry in Jewish thought, Idolatry - Christian views of idolatry, Idolatry - Muslim views of idolatry, Idolatry - Eastern religions and idolatry, Idolatry - Hindu views of idolatry, Idolatry - Shinto views of idolatry, Idolatry - Christian views regarding Confucianism as idolatry, Idolatry - Buddhist views of idolatry, Idolatry - Polytheistic views of idolatry in general, Idolatry - Notes

Read more here: » Idolatry: Encyclopedia II - Idolatry - Eastern religions and idolatry

It appears that Exodus 36:35 And he made a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim made he it of cunning work. is evidence enough to show that Exodus 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth is not to be taken literally - indeed that it is laudable to make likenesses of cherubim for instance, so long as one does not make the mistake of ...

See also:

Idolatry, Idolatry - Etymology, Idolatry - Idolatry in many forms, Idolatry - Idolatry in the Hebrew Bible, Idolatry - Did idolators really worship idols?, Idolatry - Were ancient Israelites ever henotheistic?, Idolatry - Idolatry in Jewish thought, Idolatry - Christian views of idolatry, Idolatry - Muslim views of idolatry, Idolatry - Eastern religions and idolatry, Idolatry - Hindu views of idolatry, Idolatry - Shinto views of idolatry, Idolatry - Christian views regarding Confucianism as idolatry, Idolatry - Buddhist views of idolatry, Idolatry - Daoist views of idolatry, Idolatry - Polytheistic views of idolatry in general, Idolatry - Notes

Read more here: » Idolatry: Encyclopedia II - Idolatry - Eastern religions and idolatry