What us the oldest, currently practiced religion?

Question

My wife says it is Hinduism and I think Paganism. But we could find no definitive answer online.

Answer 1

Nature-worship which is paganism...

Answer 2

Paganism is difficult to think of as the oldest, because it is not a 'religion': there is no single authority, no shared texts and no hard proof of original worship. Most modern Wicca and Neo-Paganism is founded on 60's spirituality and the work of occultists like Gerald Gardner and Dion Fortune.

The oldest organised religion would have to be Hinduism: but Zoroastranism, an ancient dualistic faith, is the oldest prophetic religion and shares characteristics with the Abrahamic faiths.

Answer 3

I think that Hinduism is the oldest documented religion that is still in practice today. The keywords are "documented" and "still in practice today". Although there may have been other older religions, often times they were practiced in oral societies or they do not have an unbroken history of practice. Also, Hinduism does not have a central leader and contains many different beliefs and practices.

"... The Sanskrit word ric, which for euphonic reasons is changed to rig, means literally "praise". ... The Sanskrit word veda means literally "knowledge" or "wisdom". ... The Rig-Veda is the oldest book in the Sanskrit language, indeed in any Indo-European language. More than that, if we are correct, it is the oldest book in the world ... The fact that the Rig-Veda mentions a stellar configuration that corresponds to a date from 6000 B.C. to 7000 B.C. - the astronomical Ashvini era ..."
http://www.valdostamuseum.org/hamsmith/RgVeda.html

"Hinduism is generally regarded as the world's oldest organized religion."
http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm

"Hinduism is the major religion of India, practiced by more than 80% of the population. In contrast to other religions, it has no founder. Considered the oldest religion in the world, it dates back, perhaps, to prehistoric times."
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001469.html

Answer 4

Before there was 'religion', people worshipped what they saw around them everyday. So I would think the oldest religions would be those practiced still by indigenous cultures rooted in nature.

Modern paganism isn't as simple now as it probably was, with Books of Shadows and spells and things. But maybe the concept of nature worship goes back the farthest with Paganism...?

Answer 5

It would depend on weather you consider Paganism as it is currently practiced as the same religion that it was before the dominance of Christianity. As far as I can see the current paganism was formed in the 1950s. But you may have better info then me

Answer 6

Hinduism is pagan. anything that isn't of the Abrahamic religions is considered pagan.

Answer 7

I'd think Hinduism, unless maybe some few people who practice sun worship or the devotion to Ra

Answer 8

The oldest practiced religion is actually Catholicism for it was the first organized church religion after Christ ascended into the heavens and all others came from it beginning with Martin Luther then Calvin and so forth. Paganism isn't really practiced today-unless you count Wica but that is actually having the earth,the elements as the center of all

Answer 9

It is Hinduism. But "Hinduism" is really an umbrella term for many different beliefs and practices.

Answer 10

The teachings of the Speakers. The practice is called,"Uttering the Ethics". They asked questions,gave answers and were able to translate explanations about the nature of personal reality in the language of the listener,whether it be images or words. More to come later.In fact,many who heard the teachings, wrote them down and many of them came to be known as mythology and parables.

Answer 11

SUN Worship. now called Paganism/wicca, Witchcraft.