which is the oldest religion? Hinduism?
925401
Yes Hinduism.  It still has early elements of Sun worship, mother goddess worship, nature worship even shamans surviving in its folds. It is a tradition which never rejects older theories. But at the same time it is progressive. \n\nNot to forget that Hindus never tried to fix a date and limit the origin of life in time period of a few thosand years ever. It always been aware  of its tradition as being very ancient. Thats because of its continuity.\n\nThere have been many recent archeological discoveries which only indicate the Hindu civilisation is much older that previous scholars wanted to believe. \n\nMostly they were western researchers who tried to fit Harrapa and vedic tradition in Biblic time line. But discoveries like \n\n1. A City Dating Back to 7500 BC, Krishna's city Dwarka \n\n 2. Satelite discovery of disappeared River Saraswati\n\n 3. Satellite Photos of the Ancient (17,50,000 years )\nBridge Between Ramesvaram and Sri Lanka, mentioned in Ramayana and said to be constructed by his army.\n\n4. A 40,000 Year Old Cave Painting South of New Delhi,\n\n5. Ancient City Found Off the Coast of Mamallapuram, \n\ntake it to very long back.\n\nDwarka:\n"Samples collected include artefacts, wood pieces, pottery materials, hearth pieces, animal bones. They were sent to Manipur University, Oxford University, London, Institute of Earth Sciences, Hanover, Germany for analysis and dating. The results were astonishing. It was found beyond doubt that the samples belonged to a period going upto7800 years (BP) Before Present !"\n\nThough Archeologiccal research is a costly affair and heavy population + Loads of sedimentation in Indian basins does not help either. Harrappa itself has 7 layers-Minimum. It wasnt possible to dig more and see if there were still more layers burried under. But other excavations around India definitely enough to prove that it was a widely spread civilisation and not a localised one.\n\nDiscovery of SARASWATI again by NASA and researches in south India also prove that ARYAN Immigration theory is fake:\n\n"strong evidence that the Neolithic people of Tamil Nadu and the Indus Valley people "shared the same language, which can only be Dravidian and not Indo-Aryan." He added that before this discovery, the southernmost occurrence of the Indus script was at Daimabad, Maharashtra on the Pravara River in the Godavari Valley."\nhttp://www.hindu.com/2006/05/01/stories/2006050112670100.htm\n\nCheck out the sources given below for details and images of some of discoveries.
16611
The world's oldest religion, atleast chronologically from a historic perspective is Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma). However, please keep in mind that everyone of every religion considers their religion to not be 'new'. Christianity is seen as a fulfillment of prophecies based in Judaism. Baha'i is based upon prophecies in Islam. So as far as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Baha'i, if you ask a member of this religion they can each point backwards through the Abrahamic traditions to how each 'fulfilled' other areas, thus keeping them within the same line. THe same can be said of Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, etc. So when asking this question it is best to be aware of what exactly you are wanting to know. As one Christian I know said "Jesus was a part of God in the begining, thus Christianity is the oldest religion because Jesus was always a part of God, but it is young if you only compare it from a historic chronological perspective." I think that is well said.\nThus from a Historice Chronological Perspective from oldest to youngest the religions go:\nHinduism\nZoroastrianism\nJudaism\nJainism\nBuddhism\nTaoism\nConfucism\nShinto\nChristianity\nIslam\nSikhism\nBaha'i\nNeoPaganism*\n\nPlease note that many in the NeoPagan movement claim direct connection to the Pagan past and often direct it to a specific ancient culture/civilization, but not all. Some state that theirs is a new religion based upon a revitalization of ancient religions, but not the ancient religions themselves. So one has to be careful in this area, too. Native American beliefs and Shamanism are not listed, nor did I name Unitarian-Universalism, Rastafarianism, etc. I mainly listed major world religions. (UUs do not necessarily view themselves as a religion in itself, but rather an approach to religion with many in a UU congregation holding a wide variety of beliefs from many of the worlds religions. There are some UU, though, who would claim that as their religion so no offense to those who do).
412645
To put it simply, Hinduism has no defined beginning. The people who lived near the River Indus in N. India were the original Hindus, I suppose. When the Aryans invaded their home about 5000 years ago, they called the river the "Hindu River" and called the land "Hindustan." From there, the people that lived there were known as "Hindus" \n\nThere was no one founder.\n\nHinduism today is a life style based on the lives of these ancient "Hindus." Basically, it's a list of instructions to make you a perfect person. Discipline, kindness, certain rituals...anything that the ancient Hindus thought would make them batter people. \n\nHindus today practice things like yoga, and worship various gods and goddesses. Each Hindu, however, has a slightly different belief system. It's sort of like they take the things they find most important from some massive ancient list of "good things" and adopt them as a belief system. They believe that following this list of selected beliefs will bring them absolute peace and happiness (like nirvana).\n\nOh, and Hinduism became popular throughout Asia between 2500 and 1500 years ago, but it only became popular in the western world in the last 200 years. It was spread mostly by traders who traveled across Asia.
24969
I personally do not.\n\nInterestingly, to two oldest religions, Hinduism and Judaism, both have a belief in reincarnation.
618758
the normal answer would be that, the ancient egyptians are the oldest civilisation on earth older than chritianity. So these eras were the begining of philosphy and researching religion. Religion is almost a science these days , just watch the Di Vinci Code by Dan Brown, and compare this with what our ancestors had to work with. Very primitive, but very impressive if you think about it. \n\nThey had gods for most events, like hunting, death, farming, birth, etc, etc.
604414
Hindu is a religion in India among majority people. Hindus believe in worship of God's an godes's idols for which they have made or established a system oftemple where these idols are being placed by doing some religious ceremony called Murti Sthapan. This place is called Temple MAndir in Hindi which is a centere of most religious activities and celebrations and also a part of society.
859842
I believe that Hinduism is a very ancient religion, that has some very philosophical thoughts put into its religion. I am speaking from the perspective as a Hindu myself. Some of the traditions that we have, are just so interesting, that i always want to know more abotu it. all of the religious occasions that we have, has so much ancient background into it, that it really amazes me. I am really proud of who i am, and for what i represent, cause honestly, the religion of Hinduism is really interesting to learn or know more about...i was born in America, but i taught myself alot about Hinduism and was quite amazed.
272934
hinduism. i am already part of it . though Hinduism may not be called religion in the sense other religions are known. It has no founder. It is much more than a religion. It is a total way of life.  \n\nWhen religion becomes organized, man ceases to be free. It is not God that is worshipped but the group or the authority that claims to speak in his name. It is not faith, but just social idolatry. God is not like a father in a patriarchal society, who has His favorite children to whom He communicates. This idea seems rather archaic and crude. Hinduism believes in behavior than belief and  experience over authority. \n\nThe genius of Hinduism is assimilative. Puritanism is alien to its life and thought. It never opposed scientific enquiry. \n\nHinduism's greatest feature has been its positive ideas and those who do not belong to it are not infidels or heretics. Hinduism does not believe in bringing about a mechanical uniformity of belief and worship by a forcible elimination of all that is not in agreement with a particular creed. Hindus have never conquered, plundered or committed genocides on other peoples and they never will, primarily because the deeper values enshrined in the Sanatana Dharma are against such mindless violence and expansionism. At one level every true Hindu sees his/her self being one with the Universal Self . At a more samsaric level, a Hindu also understands more than any other religionist in the world, the concept of a harmonious global society that should unite, prosper and live in peace.\n\nHinduism, in its plethora of symbols and images, is endlessly complex and therefore endlessly misunderstood, but its true mission is both simple and universal: soul-enlightenment. Hinduism is goal-oriented, not way-oriented. In other words, its focus is the ultimate attainment, Self-realization, in God. Symbolism helps the seeker to concentrate his mind on the worship and meditation of god.idols are just symbolic:\n\nYes, said he, but just how many gods are there Yajnavalkya?" "Thirty three". "yes," said he, but just how many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?" "One."    \n                                                                        - Brhadaranyaka Upanishad III, IX, I\n\nGod's innumerable forms, and the acknowledgement of His Presence in everything, are an expression of the extraordinary vitality of India's collective imagination down through the ages. \n\nAccording to Thomas Berry, "In quality, in quantity, in significance for man's intellectual, cultural, and spiritual life, this literature in its totality is unsurpassed among all other literary traditions of the world."\n\n"Hinduism is a process - for this reason, Hinduism must be studied not as a fixed body of doctrine, but as a developing tradition that has changed considerably throughout the centuries and which is still changing in a creative direction. Everything in India makes sense in the light of the changing process. Nothing makes sense without it. Hinduism is still a living, changing process and must be seen as such."
794273
Sanatan Dharma (later called Hinduism). it should be older than 10000 BCE. Many of the dhyanis (meditators) of hinduism, jainism & budhism are from this sanatana dharma lineage. Starting with Rishabdev to Mahavira & Budha. no other religion has such rich history & tradition as sanatana dharma.\n\nDates will be disputed, but one thing is sure that the journey of human conscious cannot be limited to a few thousand years as mentioned in the books of semetic religions. if tomorrow someone says its a hundred thousand years old; yes that is the truth. mankind is as old as that time or even more.\n\nif anyone read through the old epics of sanatana dharma, one might come across great sages, seers, rishis who did Tapas (penance) for thousands of years. if that is true, then a hundred thousand years is believable.\n\nindian consciousness has evolved over years ; it has been perfected over millennias by people who devoted thier life in search of truth and ultimate reality. no other religion has such a tradition. there are no prophets. so there are no prophecies or future predictions. yes, there are some certain indications where it is mentioned that there will be certain turmoil in human society. but that is not an end of the world, but will lead to change in the whole outlook, to a better place for ourselves.\n\nunlike semetic religions, which has a fixed book (called the word of god), prophets and judgement days,  sanatana dharma is not concerned with these mundane things. it is about one lives like human being with fellow beings.\n\nIn my view Sanatana dharma (one may call it Hinduism) is the oldest religion. there is no other.
723696
Just thinking about your statement.  You could be wrong.  I would tend to believe that the oldest beliefs would more likely be the correct ones..(closer to creation) and polytheism came first.
627145
the hindu religion is basically a very conservative religion. It involves several gods,festivals,prayers,rituals and other such stuff. It is actually quite a fun religion too. I am hindu, and i love my religion.
556873
Hinduism. It still has all the ancient features- shamans, mother goddess, annimism, sun worship..... \n\nIt is not an organised religion but an eternal one --Sanatan. it has developed all through civilisation and still keeps modifing , without negating its older versions. Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism all the paths are its branches.\n\nIt is monothesit religion which allows worship of god in the form of your choice. From formless Nirgun Brahm to local deities all are viewd as aspects of one devine gem.
386351
Hinduism and Buddhism, I believe.
1116645
the oldest that we can find and have full knowledge of it.is VEDA.\nit is about 7500 years old,with some fascinating transcript of general belief of this religion
294975
hindu is a great nice peacefull tolerant culture/religion. I am not one, but I welcome them all.\non a scale of 1-10 i give them a 9.
592809
HInduism. it existed before romans or greeks or even christanity.
722515
As of 2005, there were approximately 970 million Hindus. Of these, 900 million live in India, the birthplace of modern Hinduism. The Himalayan kingdom of Nepal is the world's only Hindu nation, with more than 80% of its population practicing Hinduism, which is closely intertwined with Budhism. Though the majority of the Indian population practices Hinduism, 82%, India is a secular republic. Large Hindu communities, mostly expatriates from India, live in South East Asia, North America, the West Indies, Western Europe, the Middle East, East Africa and South Africa. The Hindus of Bali, and in other parts of Indonesia are indigenous Indonesian Hindus.