The word religion is derived from Latin “religionem” meaning the respect for what is sacred and reverence for the gods. The contemporary definition states that it is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems and word views that connect humanity with an order of existence. The word religion is often interchangeably used with faith or belief system.
However there are those who oppose this, arguing that religion differs from private belief system. Most of the world`s religions offer the answers to the origin of life and universe along with moral and ethic codes of conduct. It is estimated that there are, currently, over 4.200 religions worldwide.
When it comes to the classification of religion, there are five distinctive branches: Abrahamic, Iranian, Indian, African and Indigenous and folk.
There are numerous aspects to consider concerning religion such as the origin and the development, different types of religion and the teachings behind them. There are also other issues religion is concerned with such as economics, health, violence, law and science.
The documentaries and video materials complied in this category are looking into the above mentioned issues.
TV3 brings us a documentary on Ireland`s cults such as “The Palmarians”, “The House of Prayer” or the “Scientologists”. See their structural complexity, hierarchy and means of funding. The story also includes the experiences of their former members and their current views of these churches. It also gives you a chance to look inside these churches and see what exactly is going on.
Discover the origin and history of Christianity in Abkhazia in a documentary that combines these stories of the past and video materials into a fascinating tale. Witness some of the monuments, monasteries and the stories about the saints in a documentary directed by Sergei Yazvinskiy.
Ancient mythologies around the world are filled with tales of demons and gods from beezlebub, djinn, lamia to baal and satan. This documentary is looking into these mythological creatures from the perspective of Christianity. Also have a chance to see the history of witchcraft, demon possession and how people used the above mentioned terms to their benefit in times of war.
To understand how religion treats the subject of contraceptives and birth control, you have to take a look at the view of children
The majority of its membership are lay people, and the remainder are secular priests under the governance of a prelate elected by specific members and appointed by the Pope
Considered one of the largest mosques in the world, Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi is an architectural masterpiece. It is one of the best examples of combining Islamic architecture and design
Jacques Fesch was born in April 1930. A proposal for his beatification was submitted in 1993, and has yet to be resolved. His story is a unique one. Born to unloving and authoritarian parents, he was ...
Mennonites are Anabaptists, a faith stream within Christianity. They are often mixed with Amish people, but there are differences between the two groups. Speaking of their faith, Anabaptism grew out o...
As a strict community, they have a couple of rules that fellow members of the community must abide to. And while people have some weird ideas about Amish life, they are not as strange as you might assume
After regaining power in Afghanistan, a Taliban spokesman said, "We are going to allow women to work and study within our frameworks. Women are going to be very active within our society". What does i...
Under the contract, the Islamic committee known as Waqf, financed and controlled by Jordan, continues to operate with the mosque. Waqf got its special role approved by the peace agreement between Isra...
A research report in 2014 suggested that the adult population of pagans and Wiccans in the US alone was more than 730,000. That is on par with the number of Unitarians A research report in 2014 sugge...
During its 1,500 year life-span, Hagia Sophia served as a cathedral, mosque, and a museum. When it was first constructed, Constantinople, now Istanbul, served as the capital of the Byzantine Empire. T...
The World Tree is mytheme in many Middle Eastern religions. It is most often portrayed as an archetype of the trees of knowledge and life.
The pineal gland is believed to play a vital role in consciousness. Detoxifying it can be helpful in attaining higher levels of consciousness.
The historical name of the complex is Roha. This religious and pilgrimage center in the north-central Ethiopia is the capital of the Zagwe dynasty. It was renamed for the most distinguished monarch, L...
Translated, Merkaba means light, spirit, and body in Hebrew. It denotes the harmonious activation of all of the three aspects. The shape of Merkaba is a three dimensional 8 pointed star made from two ...
She described her conversion in her autobiography, The Long Loneliness. She is on her way to becoming canonized by the Catholic Church. She will be one of the more controversial characters to receive ...
The Angkor Wat is not the only temple in the city and the region. In total, there are 292 temples in the complex. Fifth of those survived the Khmer civilization. Of those 292 temples, 72 are major tem...
For some Jews, the Wall is the place they feel Judaism for the first time. By touching the wall, they connect with God, with their nation, legacy, and the past. Today, the Wall is the most visited spo...
Entry to the Sistine Chapel brings an annual revenue to the Vatican around 80 million euro. With that in mind, here are some facts you ought to learn before going to Rome and visiting the Sistine Chapel
The reason why cremation is becoming more and more popular is simple, it is all about the money. Cremation can cost between $800 and $2,500 depending on the area or the country. On the other side, bur...
The Wall was part of the western wall of the Temple mount’s exterior walls. It serves as a symbol of the destruction of the Jewish temple. For centuries, Jews come there to pray and cry in the morning
The central repository in the Vatican City, the archives contain the state papers, correspondence, papal account books, and many other documents the church has accumulated over the centuries
The Inuit people have a long tradition of oral literature and storytelling. Before they had a writing system, they passed stories from one generation to another
The statute, which is 42.7 meters high (140ft), is the tallest statue in Malaysia, and second Hindu deity in the world, trailing only the Kailashnath Mahadey Statue in Nepal
The meaning of Hijab is something many people get wrong. When translated in English, Hijab means “veil”. The word is derived from the Arabic root “Hajaba”, which means hide from view or conceal
The jewel is about 2.5 inches long and shows an image of a man. Many believe that is Jesus Christ or St Neot or St Cuthbert
The Quran holds more than 50 stories, all of which describe parallel historical events found in the Bible
Christ the Redeemer is 98ft tall, and that is without the 26ft pedestal. The arms of Christ stretch for 92ft wide. The statue weighs 635 metric tons. Located at the peak of 2,300ft Corcovado Mountain,...
This is one of the 5 things you didn’t know about Thor, one of the most popular characters in the history and beliefs of Germanic people.
There have been 14 Dalai Lama so far, and the title is rather new. The first and the second Dalai Lama were given the title posthumously. The first Lama lived from 1391 to 1474, and he is the oldest ...
By the numbers, Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world with more than 1 billion followers, yet Western people still don't understand it
The higher ranks, acquired in the Scottish rite for example, represent “appendant degrees”, as in lateral movement in the highest rank
Mother Teresa founded the “Missionaries of Charity”, an order that began with just 12 members, but has now grown to 4,000 nuns working around the world
Many Christians accuse Atheists of lack of knowledge of the Bible, being in the dark
Mary, or Virgin Mary, is one of the most controversial woman in the history of religion
The movie was released in 1943, and the director Jean Mamy was killed (executed for collaborating with the enemy) just 6 years later
On first glance, there are a lot of differences between these two, but surprisingly, there are similarities as well
It wasn’t until 1929 that the Pope needed an automobile. It was then that a disagreement with the Italian government was resolved, and the Church received vehicles as part of the celebration
In short, scientology is something you do, not something you believe in
People always felt a strong need to get close to objects that are associated with Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity. In recent years, we’ve seen Jesus appearing on a toast, on foreskin, a...
Celtic Mythology nowadays is mostly associated with the Irish and Ireland, who are believed to be descendants of the Celts
The 45 year old Jones received the Humanitarian of the Year Award in 1976, and two years later, he organizes a mass murder and poisons almost one thousand people
Modern conspiracies suggest that the world, and its most powerful leaders are actually under the control of the Illuminati
There are variety of beliefs, views and styles within the movement, but they are all linked with one idea, that your mind, and your faith and belief can help you heal diseases
Christians and Catholics believe that when the Antichrist comes to Earth, Jesus the Messiah will come back to face him, as the Antichrist is believed to be a false messiah
Bill Maher’s journey around the world, reasearching organized religion
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