North of 49

drawing from http://karenswhimsy.com The third largest religion is varied in devotional practise and is noted to be one which is very tolerant of other religious beliefs. Followers may be devoted to Vishnu or Shiva others look inward to the Atman or divine self. Almost all Hindu's recognise the Supreme reality which is Brahman, the unifying principle of all that is. However, there are some beliefs common to nearly all forms of Hinduism that can be identified, and these basic beliefs are generally regarded as boundaries outside of which lies either heresy or non-Hindu religion at the same time other religions have some of these in their beliefs notably a transmigrated soul (reincarnation) and the effect of karma (works or deeds) . The distinction can be made in the authority of the Vedas (the oldest Indian sacred texts) and the Brahmans (priests). It is said that the religions age is unknown as is the name of the originator. I have a feeling that an existing religion from the Indu...

Zoroastrianism By what I have read it is likely the first religion that gave rise to the idea of a single God that was not of Earth and did not control nature. It promoted the idea of equality of the sexes and was around at least 500 years before Christianity. Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil originates from Him. Thus, in Zoroastrianism good and evil have distinct sources, with evil (druj) trying to destroy the creation of Mazda (asha), and good trying to sustain it. Mazda is not immanent in the world, and His creation is represented by the Amesha Spentas and the host of other Yazatas, through whom the works of God are evident to humanity, and through whom worship of Mazda is ultimately directed. The most important texts of the religion are those of the Avesta, of which a significant portion has been lost, and mostly only the liturgies of which have survived. The lost portions are known of only through references and ...