oldest religion of the world? followers?

Answer 1

The reality is-- we do not know. We have no basis for comparison. Most reference books list Hinduism as the oldest world religion. This is probably because Hinduism has the oldest recorded roots, which lie in Dravidianism. Dravidianism is estimated to have been practiced around 6,000 to 3,000 BCE and as such predates the Sumerian, Egyptian, and Babylonian cultures.

Answer 2

When God created there was no religion. People then started worshipping idols out of their fears and called it as religion. Finally Jesus came to the world to destroy the Idolising. But he was killed. The true followers of Christ are known as Christians. If you ask any scholar he will say other than Christianity other religions are CULTS. To know more about Hinduism background read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism . One will not find the word "Hindu" in the Bhagavad-gita. Indeed, there is no such word as Hindu in the entire Vedic literature. This word has been introduced by the Muslims from provinces next to India, such as Afghanistan, Baluchistan, and Persia. There is a river called Sindhu bordering the north western provinces of India, and since the Muslims there could not pronounce Sindhu properly, they instead called the river Hindu, and the inhabitants of this tract of land they called Hindus. In India, according to the Vedic language, the Europeans are called mlecchas or yavanas. Similarly, Hindu is a name given by the Muslims.

Answer 3

Hinduism is usually considered the oldest of the "great world religions." As Megami points out, paganism - in many forms - is the oldest religion, going back to the very beginnings of human history. It takes many forms, and so "paganism" is not actually very descriptive. But worship of a Goddess as a fertility symbol is found among the very oldest civilizations we have unearthed.

Answer 4

I believe the oldest continually worshiped religion of the world would be Hindu or traditional Chinese.

Answer 5

Hinduism

Answer 6

Hinduism is the world's oldest major religion, though zoroastrianism and Taoism are also quite old (Taoism, I believe, is a bit older)

Answer 7

Major? Hinduism ~900 million

I find "paganism" to be too general a term to be considered a religion in and of itself, rather than a description of some types of religion. It's like saying that your religion is monotheism. Monotheism is not a religion, it's a quality of some religions.

Answer 8

Paganism. Specifically, a Shamanistic Paganism.

Came about in 10000 BCE. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/venus_of_willendorf

Monotheistic religions didn't come about til 5000 BCE. ^_^

Hinduism came about somewhere between 3000 - 1000 BCE.

- 16 yo Pagan

Answer 9

Actually, the oldest historic (as opposed to pre-historic) reigion involved me. I am named after Isis. Her worship began in Egypt over 5,000 years ago, making Isis the most worshiped goddess in history. And yes, some of us still worship her today. Thank you for your question. May Our Lady of the Nile smile on you.

Answer 10

It is Hindu religion undoubtedly.