Religion in Asia 4752195 222922718 2008-07-01T19:26:34Z Carlaude 4622434 {{Ciiportal}} {{Expand|date=August 2007}} '''Asia''' is one of the world's most populous and largest [[continent]]s, with millions of different peoples following a wide variety of different '''religions'''. Asia was the birthplace of most of the world's mainstream [[religion]]s including [[Hinduism]], [[Judaism]], [[Buddhism]], [[Sikhism]], [[Confucianism]], [[Taoism]], [[Christianity]], and [[Islam]], as well as many other beliefs. {{Religion by Country}} ===Abrahamic religions=== {{main|Abrahamic religion}} Abrahamic religions all originated in Asia. ====Bahá'í Faith==== {{main article|Bahá'í Faith}} The Baha'i faith is sometimes considered an Abrahamic religion, but is quite different from Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It was founded by Baha'ullah in what was then [[Persia]]. Today the largest national population of Bahá'ís is in [[Bahá'í Faith in India|India]] with between 1.7 million<ref>Source: Year 2000 Estimated Baha'i statistics from: David Barrett, World Christian Encyclopedia, 2000; Total population statistics, mid-2000 from Population Reference Bureau</ref> to 2.2 million,<ref>[http://www.bahaindia.org/ National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India]</ref> where there is also the [[Lotus Temple]]. Significant populations are found in many countries including [[Bahá'í Faith in Vietnam|Vietnam]] and [[Malaysia]] where "about 1%", some 260000, of the population are Bahá'ís.<ref>[http://bahai.org.my/main/content/view/42/46/ National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Malaysia]</ref> In other places, like [[Bahá'í Faith in Kazakhstan|Kazakhstan]] there are 25 Local Spiritual Assemblies.<ref name ="census">{{cite web | coauthors = Government of Kazakhstan | title = Religious Groups in Kazakhstan | work = 2001 Census | publisher = Embassy of Kazakhstan to the USA & Canada | year = 2001 | url = http://www.kazakhembus.com/files/Religious_Groups_in_Kazakhstan.htm | accessdate = 2008-05-21}}</ref> But in modern day [[Iran]] the religion is severely persecuted- see [[Persecution of Bahá'ís]] - and in neighboring [[Bahá'í Faith in Turkmenistan|Turkmenistan]] it is effectively banded<ref name="turk">{{cite web | last = compiled by Wagner | first = Ralph D. | title = Turkmenistan | work = Synopsis of References to the Bahá'í Faith, in the US State Department's Reports on Human Rights 1991-2000 | publisher = Bahá'í Academics Resource Library | url = http://bahai-library.com/documents/hr/hr-turkmenistan.htm | accessdate = 2008-05-25}}</ref> and individuals have had their homes raided for [[Bahá'í literature]].<ref name="raided">{{Citation | last = Corley | first = Felix | author-link = Felix Corley | title = TURKMENISTAN: Religious communities theoretically permitted, but attacked in practice? | newspaper = F18News | date = 2004-04-01 | url = http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=293 }}</ref> For further information see [[Bahá'í statistics#Asia|Bahá'í Statistics for Asia]]. ====Christianity==== {{main|Christianity}} [[Christianity]] in Asia is a minority religion but widespread. Only two countries are predominantly Christian- the [[Philippines]], the 4th largest Catholic Nation in the world, and [[East Timor]]. There is also a large Christian community (40%) in [[Lebanon]] and (30-49%) South Korea. There are also many Christians in [[China]], [[Christianity in Korea|Korea]], [[Russia]], [[Israel]] and [[India]]. [[Roman Catholicism]] is the second largest religion in [[Vietnam]]. ====Islam==== {{main article|Islam}} [[Image:Mazar-e Sharif - scene.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Mosque in [[Afghanistan]]]] Islam is the majority religion of [[Asia]]. [[South Asia]] and [[Southeast Asia]] contain the most populous Muslim countries, with [[Indonesia]], [[India]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Bangladesh]] having more than 100 million adherents each. According to U.S. government figures, in 2006 there were 20 million Muslims in [[China]]. In the [[Middle East]], the non-Arab countries of [[Turkey]] and [[Iran]] are the largest Muslim-majority countries. ====Judaism==== {{main article|Judaism}} {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} Judaism is the majority religion of Israel. ====Qadiani==== {{main article|Ahmadiyya Muslim Community}} {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} ===Dharmic religions=== {{main|Dharmic religion}} The Dharmic religions all originated in South Asia. They all have the concepts of reincarnation, karma and dharma. ====Buddhism==== {{main article|Buddhism in Asia}} Buddhism is the majority religion in [[Bhutan]], [[Cambodia]], [[China]], [[Laos]], [[Mongolia]], [[Myanmar]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Thailand]] and [[Vietnam]]. It also has strong minorities in [[India]], [[Indonesia]], [[South Korea]], [[Malaysia]], [[Russia]] and [[Singapore]] . Buddhism was founded by [[Siddartha Gautama]], the [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] in Nepal and India. {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} ====Hinduism==== Hinduism is the majority religion in [[India]] and [[Nepal]], with strong minorities in Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Indonesia, Pakistan. It used to be the majority religion of all of Southeast Asia before Islam and [[Buddhism]]. It influenced Buddhism, [[Jainism]] and [[Sikhism]], all founded in the [[Indian Subcontinent]]. ====Jainism==== {{main article|Jainism}} {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} Jains are mostly found in India. Jainism is the fourth largest of [[Dharmic religions]] (aka [[Indian religions]]). ====Sikhism==== {{main article|Sikhism}} {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world. It is a monotheistic religion. Founded by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the 1500s, the religion professes its roots in the area of Punjab, whose territories form part of India and Pakistan. Sikhism, aided by Sufi movement, formed cornerstone of Bhakti movement in the subcontinent during the latter half of the Second Millennium. ===Taoic religions=== {{main|Taoic religion}} The Taoic religions are Shinto, Taoism and Confucianism. [[Far Eastern religions]] is a similar grouping, but includes Chinese folk religion. ====Shinto==== {{main article|Shinto}} Shinto is more commonly practiced in [[Japan]] than elsewhere. {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} ====Confucianism==== Confucianism was founded in China by the famous philosopher, Kong Fu Zi (more commonly known in English-speaking countries as Confucius). ===Shamanism / Animism=== {{main article|Shamanism|Animism|Shamanism in Siberia|Tengriism}} Shamanism has historically been practised in [[northern Asia]] as far west as [[northern Europe]]. {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} ===Iranic religions=== ====Zoroastrianism==== {{main article|Zoroastrianism}} {{Sectstub|date=May 2008}} Zoroastrianism was once the state religion of the [[Iranian Empire]], but is now a minority mostly found in India and Iran. It worships a monotheistic god, [[Ahura Mazda|Mazda]], and was founded by [[Zoroaster]]. It is the original [[Iranic religions|Iranic religion]], and spawned [[Manichaeism]] and [[Mazdakism]]. ====Manichaeism==== Manichaeism was founded by the prophet, Mani. It was once a strong minority in Iran and a majority in Central Asia. ==See also== {{Ciiportal}} {{Christianity in China Portal}} *[[Major world religions]] *[[African religions]] *[[Religion in Europe]] *[[North America]] *[[Oceania]] *[[South America]] {{Asia in topic|Religion in}} [[Category:Religion in Asia|*]] [[cs:Náboženství v Asii]]