You hear groans at your Last Call Trivia night when the subject gets announced. Maybe even your team lets out an audible sigh when you hear it. Religion. Ugh. Even the most faithful to their cause might roll their eyes at the prospect of answering a “Religion” question over their fourth beer. Well, fear not, because thou is getting bestowed upon with a few facts about some major (and not so major) worldwide religions to help answer that question that seems to shaketh thine head in wonderment every week. LET THERE BE INSIGHT!
Popularity
The world’s largest religion is Christianity, with around 2.1 billion followers. Coming in second are Muslims, with approximately 1.5 billion faithful. Catholics make up around 1.1 billion Christians, while Sunnis comprise nearly 1 billion Muslims.
Symbols
Christianity: Cross
Islam: Crescent
Hinduism: Aum
Buddhism: Dharma Wheel
Judaism: Star of David
Quick Facts
According to a Pew study, Christians make up the vast majority of religiously affiliated in the United States, at 70%. Those who say they are unaffiliated with a specific religion number roughly 22%. Of the unaffiliated, atheists make up 3.1% while agnostics number 4%.
Buddhism is practiced by half a billion people around the world, mostly in Asia. Buddhists are nontheistic in belief, instead of embracing various spiritual philosophies.
Hinduism, the third-largest organized religion (1 billion strong), is also the oldest religion on record.
Judaism is followed by roughly 13.4 million people around the world, with 42% of Jews living in Israel and another 42% living in North America.
Think learning the ways of The Force should be a religion? You’re in luck. Jediism is a bona fide religion with thousands of followers. In New Zealand, it made up 1.5% of the religiously affiliated, according to census reports.
So how does your team do on religious questions? Tell us in the comments below.