Is every religion established in present times ultimately derived from 1 religion?

Question

I dont know too much about the origins of humans worshiping a deity/god whatever. I am wondering if all the mainstream religions (Christianity, Buddism, Hinduism, Muslim etc..) originally came from one religion. It always takes a seed to create a branch and it always takes a branch to make more branches. I will conduct my research soon when I have the time, but I would like a quick answer if possible. I am not anti-Christian but I am attempting to argue with this fundamentalist rightwinged Christian I work with. I in fact love what the man Jesus Christ stands for, but I am trying to point out that Christianity is not the answer of answers.

Answer 1

I think that religions do show cultural evolution much as many urban legends of today undergo changes. It is my belief that religion arose in early humans who were trying to understand their environments and feel some control in a harsh and uncertain world. Originally people at the time of the winter solstice had noticed the days were getting shorter and colder and they didn't know why. They also feared they might just keep getting shorter and colder. They invented rituals for appeasing the sun and coaxing it back. Then these rituals, as people understood that there were cycles, evolved to festivities to honor and celebrate the return of the sun. These grew more complex over time in different beliefs include Gods associated with the sun who died and were reborn at this time. It is no coincidence that Christmas occurs around the solstice. It was in long tradition and many cultures the time of a God's birth and festivities.
Thus, in a way most if not all religions derive from humans seeking to provide meaning to things they did not understand and to derive comfort in uncertainty. Of course some religions developed in more isolation from others but I think almost all world religions have traditions and festivities that occur and are rooted in basic phenomenon from the natural world such as solstices, equinoxes, seasonal changes/harvest times, seasonal flooding, etc..There have been a few books written about the influence of older myths and religions and how they became incorporated into Christian traditions and beliefs. Many conservative Christians consider this heretical though.

Answer 2

No, but there is probably some intermingling between them. Christianity and Islam both have roots in Judaism; Buddhism and Jainism both have roots in Hinduism. There were Buddhist missionaries in Greece at the time of Christ and there has been speculation by some scholars that Jesus could have been in contact with them, thus putting early Christianity in contact with Buddhism. Islam also had contacts with Christianity, thus the connection there.

Even though all of the area was not fully known, there was casual contact from Europe all the way to China. It is very likely that ideas also traveled via this contact.

Answer 3

Monotheistic religions all come from the source of Judism!

Buddhism comes from Hinduism. These religions do not have a supreme God figure. Buddhism doesn't have any God figure while hinduism has many Gods in their belief structure.

The Pagan or Wicca religions come from a more nature based mindset. It is simular in ways to the Native American ideas.

Given how wide spread the belief structures are there is no way that they started from a single one religion. Keep in mind there were far more then two people at the begining!
There is no Pink Monkey that shook his tail and poop there comes humans!

Life evolved to where we are today and that life wasn't just in one area. Let's grow up and drop the religion crap!

Answer 4

No. Christianity itself is a mish-mash of previously existing mythologies and tales, all reworked to build Jesus into a deity-figurehead. Its origins are in Judaism, but many of its stories have their basis in Greek, Summerian, and other pantheons.

There was no "one" religion. Human tribes were seperate and isolated and frequently created their religions out of the air based on theri experiences with the world around them. The surviving religions are the ones that had the best PR.

Answer 5

The three religions Islam, Christianity and Judaism are from the main religion. Infact, Muslims say that Jesus taught Islam.

Answer 6

Hinduism being world's oldest religion has created Buddhism,Sikhism,Jainism etc.,. Indian civilization is very old and during its ancient civilization many Romans,Greeks, Egyptians, middle east Asians were influenced by Indian civilization.
I think may be Indian spirituality has played important role in western religions evolution.

Answer 7

The Abrahamic faith is comprised of elements of ancient middle eastern mythology, so you could say they have the same source.

But the oriental religions seem to be largely independent of this mode of thinking.

And for whatever reason, the Hindus managed to hold onto their mythologies, even though they are right there in the hotbed with all the Abrahamic folks.

Answer 8

I would say no, they're not from one religion, but from a combination of religions, including Pagans, that lead us to these main religions... Some are much older than Christianity... and I agree with you that Christianity is not the answer of answers, especially in view of what's going on today in religion...

Answer 9

Since everything goes back to Adam and Eve and then Noah, it makes sense that other religions evolved from Noah's faith in God.

BTW: It took a lot of faith to work at building an ark when there was no water large enough for an ark anywhere in sight.

Answer 10

No. Religions have always "barrowed" from each other since the beginning, taking what is convenient and leaving what isn't.

The western and eastern religions were kept mainly quarantined from one another throughout history and western influence on eastern religion is a relatively new thing. Now days, it's becoming mutual though.