History and Developyment of Religion Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

History and Developyment of Religion - Term Paper Example Religion can be separated into three fundamental groups: polytheistic, pantheistic, and monotheistic. Polytheism is a belief in many gods and came out of Hinduism, which began in roughly 2,500 BC. Also, it was the religion of other kingdoms such as the Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans (â€Å"Origin†). Polytheists believed that the gods were responsible for natural occurrences such as rainfall, harvests, and fertility. Typically, polytheistic cultures believed in sacrifices in order to placate their gods. On the other hand, pantheism is the belief that god is in everything. Pantheistic religions such as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism believe that god is part of nature (â€Å"Origin†). The main principle to this belief is that humans are no different from animals, and we must live in harmony with them. The most famous pantheist was the Buddha, Siddharta Gautama, who founded Buddhism in 543 BC.