The Rastafarian movement, or Rasta for short, is more than just a religion, but a way of life, a social movement, as well as a mindset, without the structure that most religions are used to. The movement began in Jamaica in the 1930s among working-class people. It followed a prophecy made by Marcus Garvey, a black political leader, about the unification of black people with Africa, their land of origin. It began in part as a social stand against the oppression of white people and other middle-class people. At the heart of it, they believed that by being taken to the Caribbean by slave traders they had been robbed of their African heritage, which they sought to recapture, and celebrate.

The prophecy was rapidly followed by the crowning of Emperor Haile Selassie in Ethiopia. The Rastafarians saw this as a fulfillment of Garvey’s prophecy. Haile Selassie was regarded as the Messiah, Jah Rastafari, a figure of salvation who would redeem black people from white suppressors, and...

Reform Judaism, a major branch of Jewish religion, is characterized by a commitment to adapt Jewish tradition and identity to the changing norms of modern life. Jewish law is not seen as an unchanging truth, as in Orthodox Judaism, but as a tradition to be used as an adaptable resource. Reform Judaism sees the modern world not as a threat, but as an opportunity to explore more innovative ways of expressing Jewish identity.

It has its origins in the 18th century, among European Jews who sought to modernize Judaism in keeping with changing times. For some Reform Jews, an unquestioning belief in God comes second to maintaining Judaism as a cultural identity. Some reform Jews might even describe themselves essentially as agnostic, or perhaps willing to reduce Judaism to a kind of ethical monotheism.

This radical tendency has proved resilient in the United States, although its breakaway movement of Conservative Judaism – seeking to reconcile elements of traditional Judaism with...

The Roman Catholic Church has been the largest unified organization in the world – over half the world’s Christians are Catholics. The head of the church is the bishop of Rome, known as the Pope from the informal Greek term “Pappas” for “Father”, who claims unbroken succession from Saint Peter, the first Bishop of Rome and designated leader of Jesus’ followers.

The Catholic church considers its primary purpose is to proclaim the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ, namely that God had saved the world from its state of sin by becoming incarnate in the man Jesus of Nazareth.

For Catholics, the Church itself is the continuing presence on Earth of Jesus, ensuring that God’s work of salvation is maintained until Jesus’ prophesied return.

Sacraments are central to the Catholic Church’s work, understood as visible signs of God’s grace entrusted to the Church. The principal sacrament is the Eucharist, in which bread and...

Satanism is a group of ideological and philosophical beliefs based on the biblical character of Satan. It is often considered a ferocious religion based on materialism, the empowerment of the self and the ego, the carnal realities of animal life, the questioning of social taboos, the ridiculing of most other religions, and the promotion of tough social justice. The first church of Satan was founded in 1966 by Anton LaVey, and since then has become one of the largest branches of Satanism. Although founded in 1966, historical precedents do exist, in particular, a group called the Ophite Cultus Satanas was founded in Ohio by Herbert Arthur Sloane in 1948.

It should be noted that there are 2 main kinds of Satanism, with many diverse followings branching off from there. These are the Atheistic Satanism, also known as Laveyan Satanism, which believes that Satan is not real, but is the most ideal and accurate symbol of reality and nature, as well as a symbol of fundamental human traits....

Shamanism is an incredibly ancient practice. In the modern western world, the most common idea of a Shaman is an image of an indigenous tribal person, dancing around a fire and leading some sort of mysterious ritual, accompanied by all manner of tribal music. However, underneath the masks and the outfit and the ritual, there is a woman or man with a set of very real skills. The Shaman is the master of the trance experience.

Shamanism is an ancient healing tradition which to those who follow it, consider it a way of life. In the modern world, it is considered to be a way to connect with nature, the spirit world, and all of creation by reaching altered states of consciousness, and then channel these transcendental energies into the world. The word Shaman originates from the Tungus tribe in Siberia, which Anthropologists then coined and have used it to describe spiritual and ceremonial leaders among indigenous cultures worldwide.

Today, the word Shamanism can be used to describe the...

Shi’a Islam takes its name from the Arabic “Shi’at ‘Ali, meaning “Party of Ali.” Shi’a Islam places a much greater emphasis on the bloodline of the Prophet, notably Ali, who along with successive imams, was considered infallible. The great divide between Sunni’s and Shi’ites took place after the Prophet passed, leaving no heirs to the bloodline himself.

Ali was the Prophet Muhammad’s cousin and husband of his daughter Fatima. Those following Ali and his descendants believed themselves to be following the descendants of the Prophet himself, and that these were the rightful leaders of the Muslim community.

Shi’a Muslims believe in Allah and the teachings of the Qur’an, but this faction developed its own theology. It opposes the majority of Sunni view that orthodox teaching was established by consensus among authorized lawmakers. Instead, an infallible imam, which means leader or guide, was believed to be the only...

Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan, a life-affirming animism calling upon the blessings of the numinous forces of nature and of specific spirit deities.

Thus, being about nature, this religion is largely associated with growth and prosperity. It encourages people to be sincere, cheerful, and pure, and to live in relationship with Kami. Kami is sort of a catchall term for invisible spiritual forces that range from the nameless power that inhabits a waterfall, beautiful tree, or enigmatic rock formation, to an actual, personified guardian or helper.

Typically, a Shinto religious site can be a formal temple – approached by a vermilion cross-beamed gateway – or an unadorned feature of the Japanese landscape marked off only by a white straw rope.

The devotee presents an offering, claps hands or rings a bell to alert the Spirit of the environment of their presence, and says a prayer to respect and honor them.

Small shrines for Kami are also very common in homes...

Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that originated in the Punjab region of South Asia during the 15th century. The word Sikh comes from the Punjabi word meaning Disciple or Learner. Sikhs worship God, who exists beyond all appearances and who is universally available to all, whether they be Hindu, Muslim, or of any other faith. Sikhism is the Indian faith that is rooted in a lineage of ten gurus from Punjab, the north Indian territory where roughly 75% of its 20 million adherents still live. The Sikh chief characteristics are an ardent devotion to God and an ethos of martial valor, which was shaped by the experience of living pious lives under foreign Muslim rule. The first guru, Guru Nanak, was a wandering bard and mystic who sang praises to a formless God that belongs exclusively to neither Hindus nor Muslims, but fundamentally unites them both. From the wisdom of this Guru, and 9 other Gurus following him, many practices were developed into what Sikhism is today.

The Adi Granth,...

Just like Eastern Orthodox is the Mystical branch of Christianity, Sufism is the like for Islam. Sufis exist throughout the Muslim world, as both Shia and Sunni.

The purpose and focus of Sufism is the quest for knowledge of God, also simply known as the Truth, realized in a series of inner states or experiences. Where religion is the external manifestation of the pathway to God, Sufi – meaning mystic, is the Inner path. It was originally influenced by the ascetics of the Eastern Christian tradition, and they also emphasized the importance of renunciation of worldly things, a celebration of poverty and inner purity.

Sufism originated back with the Prophet Muhammad, a profound mystic, who it is said to have taught his son in law, Hazrat Ali, the techniques and inner truths of this mysticism. After this, Sufism truly came to rise roughly 100 years after the founding of Islam and came as fear of increasing materialism within the Islamic faith. They believed that become...